As the winter sets in upon Los Angeles (yes, we do have a winter here), the daylight hours get fewer and the snow on the big peaks gets deeper (hopefully).
I think this season, instead of planning to do long snow-treks in the hinterlands and then waking up too late to get on the road, I was thinking of focusing on some of the closer trails in the Santa Monica Mountains, western Angeles National Forest, and Griffith Park — those shorter trails that I tend to overlook, but everyone else who wants to hike in LA is really interested in.
I’ll still get the occasional “Big Hike” in there — just to keep the legs in good condition — but was wondering if anyone had any areas they were specifically interested in having me cover. If so, leave a comment or drop me a line!
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I just discovered your blog! Totally awesome. Born and raised in Los Angeles, and currently live in the Home of the 14ers in Colorado. Been travelling back to California a lot recently and love the untapped hiking paradise I never knew existed and totally missed out on when I was growing up!
Thank You for showing me a new way to see and enjoy California.
I’m a big fan of the Backbone Trail! Anything from a easy hour hike to an epic day-long hike of all 67-miles of it. It is surprisingly rugged, especially through the Boney Mountain Wilderness area.
Thanks for the kind words, Shannon!
Tim, I’ve hiked sections of the Backbone, but am thinking about taking on the whole thing over a super-extended weekend sometime in late winter / early Spring.
I’d be interested in hearing about any backpacking you do in the Sta Monica Mountains. I know Backpacker Magazine ran an article within the last year or so. I’ll have to see if I can dig that up.
There’s a lot of good snow-free winter backpacking at the trail camps in the San Gabriel’s front country: Gould Mesa, Tom Lucas, Oakwilde, Bear Canyon, Idlehour, Switzer, Srawberry Potrero, Valley Forge, West Fork, Devore, Hoegee’s, Spruce Grove, Henninger Flats (may be closed right now), and maybe a couple I’ve missed. Most of those are along the Gabrieleno National Recreation Trail which is a great 2 or 3 day BP (although I know people who have done it as a long single day hike).
I found the Backpacker Magazine article that describes how to “through hike” the Santa Monica Mountains via the Backbone Trail. It’s in the Feb. 2008 edition on page 31 and is titled “So-Cal’s Backbone Trail.” It has a sub heading of “The Works,” which I believe is a regular feature. I don’t have a scanner (although I could get access to one if anyone were reall interested), but if you can’t find the article online or in the public library, I could xerox and snail mail it or something. It’s only one page.
The article does list some contacts and it lists the Tom Harrison maps for the hike (Point Mugu, Malibu Creek, Zuma-Trancas, and Topanga). The article lists the following website: http://www.nps.gov/samo
The story is available online at http://www.backpacker.com/february_2008_destinations_how_to_thruhike_la_county/destinations/12080?page=1
It is possible to hike/jog the entire backbone trail in one day. I did it back in March in 23.5 hours headed south. I’ll be doing it again in February going north. Hopefully this time I won’t get lost again in the Boney Mountain Wilderness. (hard to follow in areas at night)
Thanks, Tim, good info. You’ve done that as a day hike? Dude! You da man.