Hollywood Sign Hike w/ Londoners

Isn't it fun when people come to visit? My long lost 'across the pond' friend Peyman, who hosted myself while traveling Europe, & his good friend were visiting from London for a few days. We had seen Venice, had drinks & done other various bits and pieces through the city. In an attempt to get out of the hustle, while still right in the middle of it, we made a trip up the trail to the famous Hollywood Sign.

We set out at the teramis of Beachwood Dr amongst the gnarliest cluster of cars I have had to navigate just to hike. After a good ten minutes spinning my car 360 degrees a couple times, we were off at the pace of any person that is not from America.I joke, but travel anywhere else & we are a slow bunch on foot.

 

This was a short 45 minute walk, consistently uphill on dirt fire roads. I would most certainly say to check out directions on the internet b/c the trail does change course a few times onto different fire roads. We jokingly laughed about tourist who would be hiking all through hills and never find the sign in the mid summer heat w/ no water planning on an easy jaunt.

 

Then sure enough, while coming back down the trail, the day was getting warmer & without fail, hoards of tourists in jeans, polo shirts and sandals slowly making their way around the first steep sections of the trail. Smiling and knowing what they were in for, we just kept on.

Hopefully the time my friends spent in Los Angeles was a good one, however after SLO & San Francisco I know it's hard to live up to it in just 3 days. However, they really got to see all the corners of the city and look down on it from the ceiling. Best wishes and say travels to you two!

 

PS. No trip to LA is complete for me w/o a picnic at the Hollyhock house, looking out over Hollywood and the greater LA.

Icehouse Canyon - Backpack Training

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The gusts of wind came continually down the canyon with an icy freshness that both invigorated me & had me in total wonder of the new region of the San Gabriels I was exploring. Icehouse Canyon had been living up to it's name without question.

| Backpack Training Mt. Baldy in background |

 A local favorite among pretty much ever hiking book & website, I figured it was my time to give it a try. Short history of the canyon, in the 20's it was a major ice production area due to it's location, along with timber cutting pulled by oxen from upper reaches of the side canyons. I was in awe that anyone made this possible.

 

 This trip was the beginning of endurance building for longer backpacking trips planned over the next few months. Carrying a fair amount of weight up the 2,700 ft of elevation change & 4 miles of trail was an excellent first test back. The rock strew trail winded up to a mountain spring that I missed on my way up, but thoroughly enjoyed on my way down (video w/ new sterilization techniques to come).

While part way up the trail I passed into the Cucamonga Wilderness, a sub-alpine protected area little over 12,000 sq. ft. The snow was plentiful & pristine all along the north facing ridges. One could even make out animals tracks coming down from the denser upper forests to the creek side.

| Lunch off the ridge below Timber Peak |

 

 At the top my body had eaten through all the energy my breakfast had provided & was ready for a remote lunch. I spent close to 2 hours reading, shooting photos, & randomly sending the most remote text message I have had the chance to. The above photo shows base camp, looking out into the Cucamonga Wilderness.

| Natural Icebox at 7800 ft |

Another great thing I found out over the day about this trail was it was the more adult cousin to Chantry Flats area. Though somewhat populated, I found that all the hikers seemed to be in training mode, trail camping or out for the features of the snow country. No families, no teens, no trash, and almost no graffiti. Hiking solo on this journey allowed for me to stop and talk to almost 15 different people. Some eventually heading all the way to the Grand Canyon & Yellowstone. However, later in the day on my way down the trail, it was strew ever so often with late afternoon families enjoying the lower creek area.

| Switchback on Icehouse Canyon Trail w Mt. Baldy in background |

The upper reaches of this canyon allow for almost six different routes & I only made it a bit above the 7,555 saddle. This allows for more adventures down the road. Along with great beauty, one of the funniest wilderness moments happened while I was having lunch looking out into the hills, ponder something profound, a deep voice called from miles across the canyon, "Vote for Donnelly!" I laughed, replied the same, & never stopped smiling the rest of the day.

| Video of the Days Adventures - Two minutes |

Ansel Adams & A Look at Downtown

 This Saturday we didn't Run To The Hills to get outdoors, we actually hopped the metro with our skateboards & headed for downtown Los Angeles. The Red Line is a beautiful thing, endless forays into Hollywood, Silver Lake, & downtown at every stop. There is also lots of good tourist watching along this route.

 

Choosing a metro stop close to a scenic part of downtown & allowing for a proper skate to the exhibit, the three of us set off through the streets. Navigating all those enjoying the wonderful March weather in sunny so cal. Managing a few stops along the way to snap a few silver gelatin stills of our own.

Finding the next watering hole above. Eventually Carlos would order the most exotic mixed drink I've ever tried. Something with chili peppers in it...

The exhibit at Drkrm Gallery was quite interesting. A collection of 30 some odd photos from a FORTUNE Magazine commission in 1940. Ranging from Lockheed Martin Plant photos in Burbank, to locations along Venice beach. It was neat to see these photos together & to take in the gallery in such a way that Ansel would be experiencing these photos... somewhat on a weeks stay with another photographer friend. We see photos of that family, the Lockheed plant in their neighborhood. Then groups of day trips to other regions of LA, just planned out to get certain shots for a magazine spread. Just my take on viewing the photos as a larger collection. Almost a city vacation for the photographer from the Sierras and the desolate landscapes that were Adams legacy.

A little bruised with a fair amount of road rash, but still smiling above. I didn't get any shots inside the gallery, but the first photo in this post is a shot from the outside, looking in, with many reflections, if you click to enlarge the photo it may be interesting to see the levels.

Joshua Tree - Black Rock & Indian Cove Camping

The stark coldness that blew in over the desert that first night sent all searching for our next warmer layer, but returning thankfully to our most highly attended fire pit to date. Don't let the beauty of the above photo fool your, this was taken at dawn, hovering around 28 degrees in long johns and a snow jacket.

Black Rock campground was our first nights destination with a large contingent of new friends that had come to celebrate our friend Stephanie's 25h birthday. After a wonderful sunset hike to a great view of the desert valley, we set in to make dinner and keep warm amongst the gusty winds that had plagued that day.

 

| Georgette is in the green one sleeping! Never cold again |

 This was the first trip where Georgette & I got to use most of our new gear, down mummy sleeping bags, ultralight tents & fleece layers, camping for the 21st century! The luxury of the new sleeping bags may have sealed the deal and spoiled me for the rest of my camping days. I will never buy anything else.

| Black Rock, Joshua Tree |

 The group had collectively spent about 10 days total in Joshua Tree from what I gathered. I myself only spending about 3 days, I think, more than a decade ago. Therefore, Carlos was the captain of this trip. He led us on a wonderful scenic drive through a portion of the park to a wonderful peak in the middle of the high desert with 360 degree views.

| View out of the tent, second night |

In my opinion the hike up the mountain and down was almost more exciting than the actual summit. On a nice 2 mile uphill trek, we cross snow and ice while looking out over the rock ruins amongst the cacti. Curving into a wind blown canyon amongst my favorite section of craggy cliff hanging boulders.

 

| Loving two doors on new tent | 

| Mom's Tibetan prayer flags always hanging in the tent now |

After reaching the summit of Ryan Mountain, we said farewell to some of the group that heading back for Los Angeles, while the other took to a new campsite in a different region of the park. One thing I learned on this trip is how vast Joshua Tree National Park is. There really is endless sights & really wilderness danger. God forbid anyone who vacations here in the Summer.

 

| ABOVE: 28 Minute Exposure / F22 |

The photo above & below was our site for the second night. A STUNNINGLY secluded spot on the edge of a campground looking out into the vast desert, blocked by a wind carved stone. Our whole group, the six that were left, were in total awe at our site for the night. Carlos had scored big time, thanks trip leader.

| Campsite 18, Indian Cove, Joshua Tree |

Not only was the campground stupendous, Carlos had chosen this spot due to it's proximity to a great caving location. Hidden amongst the boulders in the picture below is a wonderful cavern that will take you from crawling like a lizard, to standing tall in a open rock crevasses.

After only a few days in the desert, our normally mountain bound troupe, had been won over by the inland landscape of our wonderful state. There really is endless bounty of sights & sounds within a few hundred miles of the city we call home.

| Pre-Dawn, Joshua Tree |

"One should really use the camera as though tomorrow you'd be stricken blind." - Dorothea Lange

 

Strawberry Peak Hike

Carlos & I tackled one of the more strenuous hikes in the San Gabriel's that we have trekked. It was straight out of my newest gift from my girlfriend, Trails of The Angeles (100 Hikes).

Following many unmarked, rock-slide, & snow covered paths we found our way from Red Box up and around Mt. Lawlor to it's north side, crossing to the saddle.

At the saddle just below Strawberry Peak, there is a junction to follow below the ridge-line to the right you wind down to Strawberry Meadow. Carlos & I chose the faint climber's trail to the left that followed up the ridge-line for a solid uphill mile long scramble.

Greeted at the summit with wonderful views deep into the Angeles & far out into the Pacific. Truly the best view from the front range I have had since moving to LA almost a decade ago.

After lingering for some time on the peak & really capturing the moment in my head, there was the traverse down to think about.  Closing in on about a mile left in the trail you can seen in the photo below the sun setting while we are still on the trail. A wonderful glow came over the whole Angeles forest that eve.

Upper Oso Camping - Round One

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Bounding through a new wilderness, or at least new to our eyes, ears, & feet we were in total awe of our first trek into the Los Padres National Forest, specifically the Upper Oso area.

Having camped in Los Padres before, but some 60 miles in a different direction, the scenery was quite different. If you look at a map of the Los Padres forest you will see that is covers from north Los Angeles all the way up to the Big Sur region, leaving plenty of room for exploring.

Camping at Upper Oso there are several hiking options. The pictures in this post are from the Santa Cruz trail & only from the first few miles of the twenty some it reaches east into the park.

The above photo was my favorite captured on the trip. The light coming through the canyon as the sun was setting was magical. The creek was dotted with yellow changing leaves where a real dynamic with all the green tree tops interplay through out the entire hike. The green trees in the background really pop getting the full setting sunlight.

Cheers to Carlos for capturing the best photo of me on a trip yet. I must say I don't end up in many of the photos, but I feel my presence is in the framing.

The above photo is another experiment in my learning about star photography. I will try to find the data on this one, but I know we are looking at over forty minutes of exposure, pointed towards the southern sky. The photo has the orange glow I believe b/c the Santa Barbara city lights are about four mountain ridges back in that direction.

This trip saw our coldest temperatures yet, hitting in the high twenties on the second night. The photo below is a fun shot of Carlos & I wearing headlamps, treakking back and forth to his car to put away things for the night.

Upper Oso Camping - Round Two

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Not even a month had passed and we found ourselves back at Upper Oso Campground in the Santa Ynez Valley. Out again for a soul quenching "appetizer" trip for one night.

The first set of photos in the post are from the Aliso Canyon Loop. A medium jaunt I particularly like through all different types of hiking elements. Taking the connecting trail from our campground we were looking at a little over four miles.

You can see in the photos we encountered ridge lines, forested glens, canyon creek, grassy meadows & Native American knowledge to boot. Mugwart (poison ivy solution) & the new edible spearmint plant are the two coolest new tips.

With winter in full effect for a few months now, the landscape still hinted at green in many places, but the overall tone of the land was an off brown that was laden with chaparral.

Afternoon led to evening, often as it does, we all set into different camp site roles. Some chopping wood, others setting up dinner elements, while another got the fire started.

We have grown accustomed to only leaving the fire warmth for minutes at a time. This is a definite sign that you are amongst the winter months b/c there is no time for careless card games at the table by the lantern.

As the hours pass & conversation of the next meal & the next weekend anyone is free flows into the night, I have been slowly working on developing my long exposure & time lapse photography skills. Fortunately enough, I can step away from the fire for a few minutes to set up a picture then come back it's warmth while the seconds tick by, slowly capturing the night sky.

In the photo above, there was a consensus from the four campers that we had caught something special on film. When you click to enlarge, look in the upper right side, these appear to be two brilliantly blue shooting stars.

This photo above was my personal favorite of the trip, due to it's careful planning & execution.  This photo was taken for thirty seven & a half minutes, looking roughly towards the north. You can see the star trails swirling in the night sky. The foreground was painted with small portions of fire light & a while headlamp for a few seconds at a time.

The above photo is a very "noise" capture of the night sky with a heavy saturation added to it to bring out the different stars. The yellow light is a particularly bright shooting star.

The last of the night time photos before bed. Here is a thirty second exposure of the north sky, lightly painted with a headlamp in the foreground.

The night led to morning, as it often does, seeing the temps dipper to 32 degrees. Above we see Collin making first efforts at a fire & a start to the day. Close behind him, below, we see Carlos & our newly criscend mountain woman, Stephanie, rising from their slumber.