Author: Emma Lodes
A cliff drops off into a vast desert while cerulean waves crash on black cliffs and white sand beaches. The forest floor is patterned in dappled sunlight that filters through stately pines and firs. Slabs of volcanic rock pierce the earth at impossible angles, rising hundreds of feet into the air, while rows of tropical palms sway in the wind. This is a hike in Los Angeles.
The diversity of Southern California’s natural splendors is impressive, and different ecological systems, climates, geological features and wildlife can be found within an hour away. Students at Occidental often feel antsy and trapped on campus, but many don’t realize that there is an entire playground of outdoor adventures surrounding the school. Southern California’s natural splendors haven’t all been cemented over quite yet – there are options for many interests and ability levels, and no excuse not to explore.
Two nearby hotspots for hikes are the Santa Monica mountain range on the coast and the San Gabriel mountain range to the northeast of campus.
Having risen from the whitecaps of the Pacific Ocean millions of year ago, the Santa Monica mountains are the smallest and tamest of the two chains. Their peaks–– more like hills–– are more urban and offer easier hikes. The highest point is Sandstone Peak, only 3,111 feet above sea level. The Hollywood and Malibu hills are part of the Santa Monica mountains, home to L.A.’s iconic Hollywood sign.
Saddle Peak is the second tallest peak in the Santa Monicas, but the walk is moderate to easy. The trail is short, steep and leads right to the summit. A graffitied concrete platform marks the summit, a sight typical of L.A. hikes. The trail also happens to be located in one of the most desirable and consequently expensive places to live in the world: the Malibu hills and Topanga State Park. The path winds along the steep hills directly above the shimmering Pacific and passes some incredible mansions – some gorgeous, some ostentatious. The hike is about an hour away and located on Stunt Road in Malibu.
Solstice Canyon is also in the Malibu Hills. It’s a classic getaway for Malibu residents and conveniently close to Malibu beach – one can see the ocean from the trail, Rising Sun Trail. It heads up the ridge and then drops into the somewhat mysterious Tropical Terrace. The whole walk takes about an hour and a half. It’s a hike complete with exotic plants, pools, ruins of houses built in the 1800s, a 30-foot waterfall and a hidden statue of the Virgin Mary. The entrance is located at the intersection of Corral Canyon Road and Solstice Canyon Road in Malibu.
The second hiking area is the San Gabriel mountain range. Mt. Fiji, our campus “mountain,” forms part of the foothills leading into the San Gabes. This mountain range lies to the east of us and is enveloped by the Los Angeles National Forest, making for a vast, well-preserved and protected natural area right in Occidental’s back yard. The San Gabes also create a fascinating barrier between two disparate worlds: to the south, the urban sprawl, palms and distant beaches of the Los Angeles basin; to the north, a dramatic drop-off into the Mojave desert. Standing on the “Devil’s Backbone” of Mt. San Antonio, one can see both worlds at once. There are hundreds of incredible options in the San Gabes, but here is a small sampling.
Mt. San Antonio, affectionately referred to as “Mt. Baldy” for its winter snow cap, is the tallest mountain in Southern California at 10,064 feet and is only an hour’s drive from Occidental’s campus. Mt. Baldy makes for a challenging 12-mile hike in the summer and fall and a mountaineering trip during the winter months. The trailhead is located at Mt. Baldy Road & Falls Road, Angeles National Forest, Mt. Baldy. The trail passes a ski area, follows a razor-thin ridge and traverses a windy boulder field beyond the tree line. The hike culminates with a beautiful summit encircled by blueish peaks.
Eaton Canyon is an option closer to campus and an easy hike of less than four miles with a dramatic end at a 50-foot waterfall. The trail can get crowded on hot weekend days, but for casual hikers looking for a quick escape, it’s worth a dip in the pool, especially since it is in Pasadena and only 20 minutes away.
The L.A. area is also home to dramatic rock formations that are worth a view. The Vasquez rocks, having been compressed, folded and tilted as much as 50 degrees and up to 150 feet high, appear to be martian rock forms deposited from an another world. Unsurprisingly, various Star Trek episodes were filmed there. Vasquez Rocks provide a short four-mile hike and plenty of scrambling opportunities less than an hour and a half from campus.
Geologically, the Devil’s Punchbowl is equally impressive and a bit more challenging. The “punchbowl” is an actual bowl carved out of the landscape that houses monstrous tilted rock pinnacles; think Vasquez Rocks but on a grander scale and under the shadow of a burgeoning mountain range, which is home to a seven-and-a half mile hike with incredible views called The Devil’s Chair.
Citizens of Los Angeles County now live and work within a 4,084 square mile metropolis populated by 9.8 million residents. Many, if not most, are now drawn to the city itself rather than its natural surroundings. Los Angeles has done well enough to distract us from seeing what lies beyond the urban culture, the arts, the buildings and the roads. Students at Occidental often feel antsy and trapped on campus, but many don’t realize that there is an expanse full of outdoor adventures surrounding the school. Southern California’s natural splendors haven’t all been cemented over quiet yet – there are options for many interests and ability levels, and no excuse not to explore.
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