East West Hike

Mentryville

noreply@blogger.com (Pete) — Tue, 21 Jan 2020 02:10:00 +0000

Mentryville is an old oil town located in Santa Clarita and is one of the coolest trailheads in SoCal. There are a few buildings left of the town founded in 1876 and you should definitely poke around either before or after your hike.

But hike you should and one of the other great benefits of hiking in the Mentryville/Santa Clarita Woodlands Park is that the trail has natural stopping points along the way so you can tailor the hike to whatever your level/preference is. Most hikes don't give you options on the type of hike that you can go on which is a triple bonus of this hike.

Hike The First: Onward To Plaques!

As you hike out of Mentryville and into the mountains, the trail for the most part is a gravel-y road with a very modest elevation gain.

In fact, I would call this portion of the trail flat although you do go uphill slightly as you make your way toward a picnic facility on the left and in the early morning that canyon can run COLD with all the shade.

The trail/road follows a stream that has actually honest-to-goodness water in it (a rarity here in the desert southwest) and I definitely recommend taking some time to check out all the stream action you can handle. There are great geological features and trees to check out along the path.

Eventually the trail decides to gain a bit more elevation, a bit more elevated heart pumping and then you made it. To the plaques, which celebrate the drilling of the first successful oil well in California. While oil has been a mixed blessing for humanity and the planet, the history at this spot still is fascinating and they even have some of the old equipment there to take a look at!

Hike The Second: Onward To The Rock!

The second section of the hike is your more classic SoCal dirt hike which wends it way up into the mountain. Going through this gate means you are going the right way.

The hike is beauty and also quiet. Freeways are a fact of life in SoCal and it's surprising that there are so many trails right next to them. This trail is quiet and you are just surrounded by mountains which is definitely my jam.

This section of the trail has a pretty decent elevation gain as you make your way a little northwest into the park. Eventually the trail flattens out and there is a big rock in the middle of the trail. Yet another natural stopping point if you are feeling the burn.

Hike The Third: To The Picnic Table!

If you are feeling good and want to push on, then do it because there is some awesome scenery ahead. After some more elevation gain (the trail is never severely steep but you will get a good workout) you finally make it to the ridegline.

This section of the trail is a little rollercoaster-y but not terrible as you make your away around little bumps in the mountains. Eventually you make your way to a pseudo-helicopter pad, gravel top which is your destination (with the aforementioned picnic bench!)

I can't think of a better place to have lunch. You are surrounded by mountains and will most likely have the top all to yourself. This is one of the better resting spots in all of SoCal and a great capstone to the hike.

There is a goat trail that extends out into the unknown but I might save that hike for another day. This hike really surprised me with its variety and serenity and is now one of my favorites in the Santa Clarita area!

For more info about hiking around Mentryville, check out this link! https://mrca.ca.gov/parks/park-listing/mentryville/

Horse Peak - Golden Valley Ranch

noreply@blogger.com (Pete) — Mon, 06 Jan 2020 02:22:00 +0000

Santa Clarita has a fantastic amount of open space to hike around in and a fantastic pocket of space is the Golden Valley Ranch. Within the rolling hills of GVR is the highest point in Santa Clarita, Horse Peak. While I could wax poetically about the GVR trails, I noticed there is a paucity of information about actually hiking to the peak itself so off we go!

There are several ways to hike into the GVR but I started off on the public turnout off Placerita Canyon Road. There you are greeted with some awesome vistas

and some no nonsense switchbacks as you slowly gain the ridge line. The area has really had a tough time with fire over the last few years so I stayed on the trails which were in good shape (and some grass popping up here and there due to the rain).

Eventually you do make it to the ridge line and you get to see the Santa Clarita Valley and the start of the Antelope Valley laid out before you which is a great sight.

Since you will be ill advised to go straight into the canyon your options are left or right. If you are headed to Horse Peak then head your way to the right for another mile (ish). There are some great vistas along the way

and as a newly minted fan of hawks, well there are a lot of em. A lot of hawks. If you like hawks definitely hike the GVR.

There is a junction where you can head down a steep trail toward the 14 freeway but as with everything on this hike, if you keep bearing to the right you will be fine. After a few curves and a few more ups and downs Horse Peak comes into view.

Now look, Horse Peak ain't exactly Mt. Baldy on the skyline but this is a really good short hike that gets the heart rate up with some awesome views and ends with claiming a peak. That to be is a fun day out. There is a well maintained goat trail off the main fire road to the...wait for it...right of the fire road that you should take to attempt the peak.

I felt like this trail was maintained sufficiently and does appear on maps that I think it is safe to assume you can tromp around on it without damaging any vegetation making its way back from the fires.

After hiking a bit you come to the last 100 feet or so before the summit.

While it looks steep it really isn't too bad and someone has kicked in dirt stairs on the way up and down in case your foot is feeling a little shaky. I am terrible with heights and this is very doable both on the way up and (more importantly) on the way down.

(I am so menacing in shadow form)

The peak is a good place to hang out and check out the surrounding scenery of the GVR. In a sea of people, it was great to be alone and take in the snow capped peaks in the Antelope Valley. I only did the peak hike on my trip to the GVR but there are several other trails and I can't wait to get back there and hike more of em!

For more information about the Golden Valley Ranch, check it out here! http://hikesantaclarita.com/where-to-go/golden-valley-ranch/

Vasquez Rocks Revisited

noreply@blogger.com (Pete) — Sun, 01 Dec 2019 16:35:00 +0000

Vasquez Rocks are iconic rock formations in the Antelope Valley that you have probably seen a million times in movies and TV shows. Just because a piece of the outdoors is famous doesn't mean it isn't a killer hiking spot and I recently went back to Vasquez and rediscovered the gem that it is!

Also there was a snow. Snow! Recent winter storms had brought the snowline down to about 3,000 feet and with the park sitting at about 2,800 feet in elevation you better believe I found some snow on my hike.

This time in the park I took the Horse Trail and there are a ton of nooks and crannies off the main trail that you can explore. One of my favorite places in the entire park requires knowing where a particular goat trail is and navigating some boulders but the end result is this view.

In general the Horse Trail is a little rough but plenty of fun (and yes there are reminders that horses take that trail so watch your step!

What I dug most about the park is that while there are plenty of people there enjoying the outdoors, there are plenty of trails to get lost on and enjoy the solitude of nature. What I especially liked was that I wanted to go back. Sure the hikes may last anywhere from 1-4 miles (depending on the loops you take, etc.) but they are FUN trails and putting a little bit of nip in the air with snow covered peaks and I am going back to Vasquez sooner rather than later. Here are a few extra shots for ya:

For more info about Vasquez, be sure to check out this link: https://parks.lacounty.gov/vasquez-rocks-natural-area-and-nature-center/

Outdoor Gift Guide 2019

noreply@blogger.com (Pete) — Sat, 23 Nov 2019 19:54:00 +0000

Another Black Friday, Cyber Monday and holiday gift giving season is upon us and I am here to cut through all the guff to bring you some gear that you should definitely be lugging on the trails and campsites in 2020. This gear might fall under the radar of the big brands and stores but are well worth you checking out all the same!

1) Revant Optics F1L Sunglasses

As readers of this blog can attest, I am a HUGE fan of Revant Optics. They have been upping their game with their their new sunglass line and I am particularly intrigued by the F1L. The lenses are top notch and the frames look like they can take a pounding. If you are looking for sunglasses to take with you on every type of adventure, these are the ones!

https://www.revantoptics.com/revant-f1l-sunglasses

2) Mountaineer Handmade Beanie

The Mountaineer is a fantastic outdoor shop in the Adirondacks that is near and dear to my heart. My dad and I would always stop in the shop on the way to bagging various Adirondack peaks and I definitely try to keep up with them from afar. Over the last little while they have been offering these handmade beanies which capture just an awesome mountain vibe. Whether you buy it in the store or online, you can shop local and look awesome with this lid!

https://store.mountaineer.com/product_p/mtneerhat.htm

3) Rainier Watch Ranger Tee

Every time I go to Seattle I fall more and more in love with the area. I am especially taken with Mt. Rainier and it is quickly becoming my favorite mountain. Rainier Watch is all about whether the mountain is "out" or not and they have some killer gear to go along with their simple mission. I am a proud owner of this shirt. It is soft, has a killer logo and I can rock my love of the PNW.

https://www.rainierwatch.com/shop/tees/ranger-tee/

4) Feathered Friends EOS Down Jacket

Feathered Friends might be a small Seattle shop but they are mighty! They make top quality down products, none more so than the EOS down jacket. This thing has 900+ down fill and only weighs 10.6 ounces. What that means is you get a tremendous amount of warmth in an incredibly lightweight package. If you are looking for the ultimate down jacket for your backcountry adventures, this is it.

https://featheredfriends.com/collections/eos-ultralight-down-jacket/products/feathered-friends-mens-eos-ultralight-down-jacket

Polar Time Excellent

noreply@blogger.com (Pete) — Tue, 19 Nov 2019 06:34:00 +0000

So I am at it again. In 2013 Fjallraven offered those on the interwebs a chance to go on a polar expedition. Back then I marshaled my forces to try and win 1 of 2 spots on the expedition team but came up juuuuuuuuust short.

People are often surprised at my quest to go polar because I am such a SoCal guy. However I grew up in Upstate New York (the "East" in EastWestHike) and there is something about the cold that still stays in my blood. After the my failure in the previous Fjallraven contest I also tried to go to Nunavut in a contest sponsored by Leica and I still check in on the town of Iqaluit to see what they are getting up to in the North.

It has been several years since these contests and life and passions have gotten me off the trail. However, nothing reignites my interest like another contest and lo and behold I stumbled across the 2020 version of the contest just as it was starting.

You may not remember from my last time around but I made a ton of terrible collages and you can tell I am stoked since I started making collages again ;).

There is just something in my life that compels me to go tromping around in extreme environments and on a side note, I would love to pet some sled dogs. It is also important to bring the beauty of the North to people via my website and social media and maybe it will help inspire people to work to save these wild, cold places.

If you have a Facebook account, I sure would appreciate your vote. If you want to send me on a dream trip to the North please click on this link and vote!

https://polar.fjallraven.com/contestant/?id=7498

Thanks!

Haskell Canyon

noreply@blogger.com (Pete) — Mon, 11 Nov 2019 04:49:00 +0000

The City of Santa Clarita decided in 2007 to devote funds to buying green space around Santa Clarita which has led in the intervening years to several open spaces full of awesome hiking trails. Haskell Canyon is a pretty canyon and takes you from the suburbia of LA County to the backcountry very quickly.

There is no sugarcoating it, if you hit the trails that run up the sides of the canyon it's going to be steep. The first 0.5 of a mile is going to test your trail muscles as much as any trail in SoCal. The upside is that when you finally gain the ridge line and fire trail the views are fantastic.

I hiked the canyon in a counterclockwise fashion and its pretty easy to make your way around the canyon although as there are several fire trails that intersect with the canyon trail so just try and stay left at any fork where you can.

There are a lot more people on the trails nowadays and tons of articles about the outdoors being "loved to death". Santa Clarita has done a very smart thing by putting markers every tenth of a mile and if anyone gets into trouble the markers are numbered so you can let emergency services know where you are.

I definitely go outside to get away from the 9to5 grind of office life but I definitely appreciate the thoughtfulness of signs like this.

Once you get to the backside of the canyon you have a few choices. Choice 1, take a gentle trail down through heart of the canyon. Choice 2, keep taking the fire road around the canyon rim. Choice 3, take a seriously steep goat trail that hooks up midway through the canyon. Guess which one I took?

The trail is definitely doable you just have to take your time and scooch as needed.

Here is the difference in slope between Choice 1 and Choice 3.

No matter what trail you take, I highly recommend going through the canyon which is very picturesque. There are tons of bike trails and legal (or not) ramps so if you are into biking this might be a good spot to bomb down some trails.

As I wandered my way back to to the mouth of the canyon I couldn't help but be thankful for Santa Clarita taking the initiative on securing this space 10+ years ago. In a time when many cities are building as much as they can where they can, Santa Clarita's Open Spaces are a much needed outdoor antidote and one you should definitely explore!

For more info on Haskell Canyon check out this info: http://hikesantaclarita.com/where-to-go/haskell-canyon-open-space/

Saddleback Butte

noreply@blogger.com (Pete) — Tue, 05 Nov 2019 04:19:00 +0000

Saddleback Butte is firmly planted in the Antelope Valley skyline where you have nothing but sage and desert leading to a butte right there is front of ya face. I have hiked a bunch in the Antelope Valley but never spent much time in the Lancaster area. Well color me chagrined for not spending more time there because this hike was...well.. a beaut!

There are two parking lots, one for the day use area and one for the campground. While parking in the campground will cut down on some mileage, I went from the day use area and was promptly befuddled about where to go. I decided to start down the paved Dowen Nature Trail by the restrooms and saw that it connected with the Little Butte Trail to the left and then off I went.

The trail goes through scrub and impossibly old joshua trees and it is slightly uphill. And sandy, very very sandy.

So even if you feel like you are just trudging along, your calves will subtly start barking at you as you slog through the sandy.

The Little Butte trail is aptly named because eventually you gain the "summit" of Little Butte (it really should be named Lil Beaut but no one is asking me :P).

All of this sand and joshua trees and sneaky elevation gains eventually lead you after approximately 1.5 miles to the junction from the Saddleback Butte Peak trail where the REAL hiking begins.

SB always looms before you and it lets you know that you have got to get your legs working to first make it to the saddle and then make it to the summit. The first part is making it to the saddle which is a well marked goat path through the rocks which was pretty easy all things considered.

The second part is making your way to the summit through this mess.

Many people have said in other reviews that you have to do some light bouldering to make this work. I am here to tell you that despite the lack of signage, despite some stepping up on rocks, this really isn't THAT bad, there are goat trails all throughout and when it doubt, just see if someone's footprints are around ya.

Eventually you make it to the summit and enjoy killer views of the AV.

Coming down is a little bit steep so make sure you have solid boots. No ropes are needed or anything crazy like that just take your time and you will be fine. However, since it is an unmarked trail, coming down I got a little lost and start following basically my own mind down a different trail. I quickly recognized I was off kilter when I was coming up against cliff edges and quickly righted myself. Basically you want to stay high on the shoulder because the shoulder meets the saddle much higher than you think.

I have heard tell that this hike can get a might be windy and while it was calm and clear definitely be prepared for adverse conditions when you go. Regardless of the conditions this is an underrated gem of a hike. It is totally worth a drive to Lancaster and your time sloshing around in the sand. I can't wait to go back!

For more info on this fantastic state park, check out the link: https://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=618

Dreaming Big, Starting Small

noreply@blogger.com (Pete) — Wed, 30 Oct 2019 05:13:00 +0000

Soooooo I have been off the trail for awhile. Life just gets in the way, other passions come to the fore, etc. I have a lot of excuses and other things to go but the mountains still call to me. I have a few hiking goals I have been kicking around that I want to share in an effort to re-motivate me for actually trying to accomplish them.

Of course, you probably all know by now that I want to see K2 in person. http://www.eastwesthike.com/2017/11/k2-calling-post-1.html

I still dream of K2 and it is out there, taunting me. Given the realties of work and life, I don't think I can do the 20 day trek to the base but there are plenty of 5-10 day hikes to viewpoints in Pakistan and I am researching like crazy.

Next up is the Lost Coast trail in Cali. This used to be the most under the radar trail out there but there has been a lot of pub in recent years although still not that many hikes. My buddy Jeff has put together a great overview of the trail which I am going to study with abandon:

https://socalhiker.net/the-lost-coast-trail-an-overview/

Last but not least is a trek that I read about a long time ago in Backpacker magazine through the Goat Rocks wilderness. Having spent some time recently in Seattle, I have become absolutely entranced by Mt. Rainier and I want to spend as much time as possible around that mountain and the Goat Rocks is as pretty as they come.

All of these treks are, well, treks and require me building back up my trail legs. I am starting small. First up a few mile roundtrip hike in the high desert. After that, a few more hikes of longer duration (as long as the SoCal wildfires calm down). With the weather in SoCal cooling down, I am getting onto the trail more and getting back into it.

Be on the lookout for more content coming about hikes, gear and more!

Slide Mountain Attempt 1

noreply@blogger.com (Pete) — Tue, 02 Jan 2018 02:07:00 +0000

I love fire towers. I don't know why but I do. The towers are like little cabins on top of mountains but serve as the front-line defense during these tough and dry conditions in California. There are a few fire towers in SoCal and I definitely want to check out as many as possible. One I have had my eye on for awhile is the fire tower on Slide Mountain.

The hike is really like 4 hikes in 1.

Hike 1:

For the first mile or so, the hike gains elevation on an old paved road (Old Goldenstate Highway to be exact). It sounds like a boring hike and in some ways it is but the scenery surrounding the ol Goldenstate is awesome especially at daybreak.

Hike 2:

The second part of the hike is your classic California fire road hike which starts with some ironworks

and wends its way up the canyon looking to gain the saddle. You are gaining about 600 feet a mile which will definitely get your legs and calves working although there are a bunch of flat sections of the trail which will help you out.

Soon that glorious saddle comes into view and you have just a few more minutes until you get through to a relatively flat section.

Hike 3:

The third hike is really the tester on the hike although you are not gaining as much elevation as during the second part. What makes this one so tough is that there so many switchbacks with no end in site. You have completely lost sight of the fire tower at this point and you just have to trust that the switchbacks will lead you somewhere.

Hike 4:

The final push to the fire tower is one I can't fill in right now as I didn't make it. I am coming back after a recent foot injury and while I had energy to do it, I thought I should turn back at mile 9 rather than ambling to mile 11.

I could have pushed through but I wanted to "hike my own hike" on this one and I know I will be seeing that tree on the way to the firetower on my next time up the mountain.

There WILL be a next time as this is one great hike. Despite being long, the hike is varied and interesting and I can't wait to see the tower in person.

For more information on Slide Mountain check out this great write-up! https://nobodyhikesinla.com/2015/02/22/slide-mountain-lookout/

SoCal Fires- How To Help

noreply@blogger.com (Pete) — Thu, 07 Dec 2017 15:39:00 +0000

California has a history of big wildfires but the fires at the tail end of 2017 have really taken a toll both on the landscape and the houses, animals and people of SoCal. The breadth and the scope of the wildfires striking various parts of SoCal at the same time have been taxing resources at every level and people need our help.

It is early days at the moment but here are a few organizations that you can donate to in order to help the people of SoCal recover from these devastating wildfires:

Thomas Fire:

Ventura County has suffered untold losses due to the wildfire ripping through neighborhoods and landscape alike. There is a fund set up for those impacted by the Thomas Fire that you can donate to:

https://vccf.org/donate/make-a-donation/

Rye Fire:

One of the stories I have been hearing a lot in relation to the Rye fire affecting Santa Clarita and the surrounding area is the rescue of animals and how various shelters and charities and helping to take care of them. If you want to help these organizations during this critical time please donate to the following:

https://lacountyanimals.org/way-to-give/disaster-relief/

Creek Fire:

The Red Cross is often on the front lines immediately following a natural disaster and it is no different for the victims of the Creek Fire as they have been providing shelters and much needed supplies to the victims. You can find out more information at the following link:

http://www.redcross.org/news/article/local/california/los-angeles/California-Wildfires-Creek-Fire

However you spend your time, whether donating or helping in person, the people, animals and places of Southern California need your help and any is appreciated, thanks!

Arc'Teryx Virtual Backcountry Experience

noreply@blogger.com (Pete) — Thu, 30 Nov 2017 05:25:00 +0000

Arc'Teryx is one of the leading outdoor companies making some of the most technically advanced gear out there. They make a ton of great gear that lasts a long time and checks a lot of boxes, not the least of which is the Proton LT Hoodie which is something that I would suffer through 3 hours of Mall Santa to ask for.

The company is from Canada and they aren't about to forget their Canadian roots any time soon as they have partnered with Hello BC for a killer VR experience, which I got to recently check out at their store in Los Angeles.

The cool thing about VR/Virtual Reality is that it takes you to wherever the camera is in a way 2 dimensional filmmaking can't. Arc'Teryx's film "Hut Magic" takes you into the backcountry of British Columbia to ski and explore incredible terrains and even puts you close to a crevasse where you can stare into the abyss, look up at the ice or wherever you want.

The VR experience is only 6 minutes long but it gets you really excited to get hutting in British Columbia and Arc'Teryx also arranged for a rep from Backcountry Lodges of BC to fill me in on what the deal is.

These lodges look like top of the line places to stay but are so remote, most either require a helicopter to get to them or an extremely long trek into the mountains. I have never heli- anything and I can only imagine how rugged the terrain is to getting to these lodges but once you are there, man you can just chill out and hike or ski to your heart's content.

As if the food and killer photos of the BC backcountry weren't enough, Arc'Teryx laid out a true BC spread with fondue, sliders and some sour beer from Dry River Brewing. The La Brea staff was so nice and accommodating, I want to go back just to hang out with them!

This was a cool event and if you live in Los Angeles or near a participating Arc'Teryx store, you should definitely check out the VR experience. It is kinda trippy to go from 72 and sunny to powder and crevasses but it is definitely worth checking out. Now I am off to make sure my passport is in order to get up to British Columbia, eh!

For more info on Arc'Teryx check out the link: https://arcteryx.com/Home.aspx?country=am&language=en

Devil's Chair Photo Essay

noreply@blogger.com (Pete) — Mon, 27 Nov 2017 14:59:00 +0000

Perhaps my favorite hike in all of Southern California is the Devil's Chair hike outside of Pearblossom, California. The hike has it all, through pine trees with vistas of high desert and drop-dead-beautiful scenery at every turn.

There is a lot of scrub brush at lower elevations by the ranger station.

It has been super hot in California the last few years so hiking during the morning become imperative. Hiking that early does have its positives...

The Devil's Chair hike is about 7.5 miles round trip. The Devil's Punchbowl is only 1 miles round trip but the scenery is outrageous.

Part of the DC trail is shared with the PCT which leads to my claim that I have hiked a portion of it.

I am always amazed by trail crews, being able to wrangle a small bit of trail out of a harshly sloping landscape.

Fall (such as it is) makes a few appearances on the DC Trail.

The stark beauty of the trail, scree in shadow juxtaposed with sunrise desert.

The earth folds over itself several times on the way to the chair and this shot might fully capture the geography at play.

The finale of the hike is the chair, just a spit of rock out in the middle of the madness of all the other rock. It is breathtaking and worth the effort.

For more about the Devil's Chair check out the link: http://parks.lacounty.gov/wps/portal/dpr/Parks/Devils_Punchbowl_Natural_Area

Outdoors Black Friday

noreply@blogger.com (Pete) — Tue, 21 Nov 2017 04:09:00 +0000

It is that time of year again. No, not turkey time but time to save a crazy amount off outdoor gear. I am starting to restock for my outdoor adventures and the timing of these holidays is perfect (it is all about me after all :P).

I know there is a huge #OptOutside movement which I fully support so I found a few sites with deals that you can get now. Also, here are a few things I am circling!

1) Eddie Bauer

I would put EB's First Ascent line up against any other premium brand. Same quality, half the cost and they have great customer service to boot. They have a current Black Friday sale going on which will save you 40% off! Check out Eddie Bauer and use Code: FIREPLACE

What is tickling my fancy? The Downlight Stormdown Jacket. This puppy has high down loft and seriously good hydrophobic properties.

2) Sierra Trading Post

STP always seems to have the best deals in the outdoor universe but they are stepping up their game this year with their 24in24 deal. 24 hand selected products listed at special prices for 24 hours only. It is what refresh buttons were made for!

What am I digging there? I live in Los Angeles and can see the mountains but can't easily get to them. What am I to do? At least smell the woods with this kicking mountain-scented candle!

3) Icebreaker

Perhaps the finest manufacturer of all things merino wool, Icebreaker is the leader in the outdoor biz. Expensive but worth it, I love Icebreaker baselayers and also need a few more for my planned adventures. Lucky for us, a bunch of Icebreaker stuff is 25% off so be sure to check out their website this week!

What am I looking at? Hiking in SoCal I need longsleeved shirts to keep the sun at bay and you are telling me Oasis shirts are 25? Sign me up!

If you know of any other deals, be sure to tell me about them in the comments!

K2 Alternate Treks

noreply@blogger.com (Pete) — Thu, 16 Nov 2017 15:04:00 +0000

So I have been looking into K2 and completely ignoring all the first steps I need to take in order to train for the trip (typical me). The first thing I have learned is that the trekking season seems to be between May and October which pairs well with the vacation schedule here in the US so that is good.

The second thing I learned is that if I want to go to base camp I need to set aside 3 whole weeks for the trek. Most treks are between 21-22 days which doesn't include flights (from LAX it looks like it will take me two days to get to Skardu, the jumping off point of the Karakorum.

I seriously doubt my employer would let me travel the world for three weeks so I need something more in the 7-10 day range. Enter the K2 viewpoint solution.

I won't get right next to K2 but I can get close. The Internet is a powerful tool but man is it short on details about treks that will get me close to K2. Here are a few I have found so far.

Iqbal Trek:

A 10 day trek leading up to the Iqbal Top which has amazing views of not only K2 but Broad Peak and GI and GII. This seems like an easy, short trek but what that actually means is tough to determine from online posts.

http://www.vepakistan.com/itinerary.php?id=27
http://www.karakoramtours.com/iqbal-top-trek

Burgeh La Trek:

This sounds like a really fun trek. You trek through villages so you get the experience of high alpine living and you also get to camp in many historical sites, following the trail of Geofrey Vigne.

http://adventurelandpakistan.com/tour/k2-view-point-trek/

The downside of my research is coming across State Department travel warnings about traveling in Pakistan: https://travel.state.gov/content/passports/en/alertswarnings/pakistan-travel-warning.html

Has anyone traveled there recently and how are you viewing the security situation there?

So what do you guys think? Should I do a viewpoint trek or should I get myself to base camp? Does anyone know anything about these trek companies and/or these treks? Let me know in the comments as I continue to explore!

noreply@blogger.com (Pete) — Mon, 13 Nov 2017 04:05:00 +0000

Now that I am getting back into hiking, I am starting to check in with my fellow SoCal hiking bloggers.

Dave Lockeretz is seemingly out on a SoCal trail every day (kudos to him for logging all of those miles!). One of my new favorite sites, Mighty Goods recently interviewed Dave and it is worth checking out.

Dave is getting me stoked for getting back out on the trail again! Check out the link below!

https://mightygoods.com/nobody-hikes-in-la/

K2 Calling- Post 1

noreply@blogger.com (Pete) — Thu, 09 Nov 2017 04:32:00 +0000

Halo! It has been awhile on this blog. Blame my silence on my general burnout on hiking, the hot SoCal weather or any number of other factors. After I had climbed Mt. Baldy with my buddy Jeff, I felt a sense of accomplishment but the downside was I didn’t feel like hiking much more after that.

I have been slowly dipping my toe back into the outdoors but was still pretty unmotivated until I had an idea. I have been fascinated with K2 for a long time and while I would never climb the mountain, I’ve always wanted to see it in person.

This I have a new goal, to do a trek to K2!

This is a newly formed plan in my mind but I think it is important to set goals especially to prod me in getting back outside. Given all of this, I’m starting to put a plan into motion and will be updating this blog with my progress over the next few years.

Yes “years” as this will not be a 2018 and 19 or maybe event a 20 trek as I have get myself and my gear back into shape, do a lot of planning, etc. Who knows, maybe I never even go to K2 but if it gets me back outside then it will be well worth it.

Be that as it may here are some initial plans:

Getting Back In Shape:

The only way you can really train for a trek is to do a trek and here are my hiking goals over the next couple of years:

1) Goal 1, Hike the TransCatalina Trail. It is close to LA, doable in a couple of days and I can maybe see a buffalo? What is not to like about hiking this trail?
2) Goal 2, Hike the Lost Coast Trail. This has been on my list for awhile and needless to say this is a must do before
3) Goal 3, Hike the Sunshine Coast Trail. Such a pretty trail, so much variety and you can even hike hut to hut. Few people have heard of this trail but it is one of the ones I want to do the MOST!
4) Final Goal, Before leaving for K2 I am going to hike the rest of Jeff's 6 Pack of Peaks, 1 down, 5 to go!

The Great Gear Shakeout:

Over the years I have accumulated a lot of gear. Some better than others. Over the next few years I am going to restock and get my gear lean and mean. What should be on my list? What is your go-to sleeping bag, hiking pack, jacket, etc.? Tell me in the comments what I should be looking at!

Figure Out Logistics:

I have ton of hikes on my own but this is a different beast entirely. Should I try to find a group that is going? Should I hook up with a trekking company and if so which one? Part of my updates will be exploring who is out there and who can help me get to K2.

So that is it, nothing to report yet but more to report over the days, months and years to come. Stay tuned for the updates and let's get it on!

All pictures are used here for news/commentary purposes only and definitely support the kickass photographers who took these!

Ambronite Reviewed!

noreply@blogger.com (Pete) — Tue, 10 Nov 2015 15:54:00 +0000

When you are out on the trail, one of your biggest concerns is pack weight. One of the biggest sources of weight and one of the hardest things to pack is food. I think NASA had it right when it created Astronaut Ice Cream, something easily transportable that gets the job done calorie-wise. There are a lot of trail bars out there but what about trail meals?

Ambronite tries to solve these problems by creating a drinkable supermeal where basically you mix powder in a handy container

and that will give you all the nutrition that you will need for hours on the trail (or hours in a cubicle, however you roll).

The process is easy enough, you open the packet

Mix with water, shake well and viola instant meal! Shaking well is a key term as Ambronite is so chock full of stuff that it is really thick when added to water so make sure you add all 18.5 ounces that they recommend.

How does it ultimately taste/do?

On the do part, there is no question to me that you will feel full after drinking this and it did act as a meal that got me through part of the day. The taste however will be divisive. You either will love the oatmeal-y taste or you won't. I fell in the later category and as many benefits as this puppy packs, I can't see myself drinking this constantly on a multi-day backpack.

There is a lot to be said for Ambronite and perhaps if they introduce different flavors down the road, I might be more apt to try them again. If you are in the market for a drinkable meal, check out the link below.

http://ambronite.com/

Disclaimer:
I was provided Ambronite for review purposes. I do not receive any compensation from them or if you buy the product and I try to review products as even-handly as possible. That being said, this is the Internet, take everything with a grain of salt and learn from it what you can.

Cool San Gabriel Contest

noreply@blogger.com (Pete) — Tue, 15 Sep 2015 14:14:00 +0000

Hey everyone, its been awhile since I blogged (too hot to hike) but its not too hot to enter this cool contest for the San Gabriel National Monument!

Sponsored by the National Forest Foundation, all you have to do is talk about your time at the Monument and email a link to the post to the head cheese of the NFF. That's it! Pretty simple eh?

Check out all the contest rules below and get to enterin'!

San Gabriel Mountains National Monument Blog Contest

This contest will highlight the recreation opportunities and community connections at the Monument as well as feature local voices in Southern California.

WE INVITE BLOGGERS TO WRITE ABOUT ONE OR BOTH OF THE FOLLOWING:

Share a story featuring ways to experience the monument
Explore the connection between diverse, underserved or other communities and the Monument

Have fun with the post! We want to help spread the word about the amazing opportunities at the Monument.

DETAILS

Deadline: Friday, October 16

Length: 750 words or less; 3-5 photos

How to enter (complete both steps)

Post story to your blog with the tags “National Forest Foundation” and “San Gabriel Mountains National Monument.”
Email link to Vance Russell at vrussell@nationalforests.org with subject line "CA Blog Contest."

Prizes

FIRST PRIZE

Published in NFF’s Your National Forests magazine
Published online at modernhiker.com
REI Half Dome 2 Tent and Footprint
2 tickets to Mt. Baldy

SECOND PRIZE

Published in NFF’s Your National Forests magazine
evrgn Crash Sack
2 tickets to Mt. Baldy

THIRD PRIZE

REI Flash 22 Pack
2 tickets to Mt. Baldy

EWH Visits Seattle

noreply@blogger.com (Pete) — Tue, 07 Jul 2015 14:00:00 +0000

I have lived in cities for most of my adult life and have been going outdoors to the mountains that surround those cities but I have yet to experience a city that is so integrated with those mountains and streams!

Of course, you can't HELP but be reminded of the mountains with Mt Rainier looming over everything. Look up there is a jagged white hulk looming over the South. It is so jaw dropping I am surprised Seattle-ites don't have more jaw problems.

Of course, its not just about downtown Seattle, mere minutes to the East there are the Cascades and so many mountains you can shake a stick at them.

Aside from the mountains, Puget Sound is everywhere. Much like San Fran, the sense of water is everywhere with many bridges and boats.

Seattle is so far North that during the summertime the light stays for hours and hours after its bedtime and gets up really early. It might screw up your circadian rhythm but its worth it for shots like this.

Overall I loved Seattle. Loved the vibe, loved the weather (well at least in the Summer) and loved how much it was a part of the outdoors. Get yo'self to Seattle!

EWH Reviews Revant Elite Mirrorshields

noreply@blogger.com (Pete) — Tue, 30 Jun 2015 15:03:00 +0000

Those folks at Revant, they never stop improving their products and who am I to stop them? I was a huge fan of their HC3 replacement lenses for my Oakleys so when they said they had a new Elite lens for me to try out, I jumped at the chance.

Don't get me wrong, Oakley lenses are pretty great but I like my Revant's better and their price point is far far less than what Oakley will get from ya. The clarity that these lenses give you, while not imposing a grey fog over everything is the real key. I don't feel like I am wearing sunglasses while using these lenses which I think is the biggest compliment I can pay them.

So how were the elites?

I used the Elites on the trail in Seattle, on a golf course darkened by redwoods and also while I was tooling around Seattle staring at the water and in each light condition they worked great! The lens is just as good or better as the HC3 which was pretty darn good to begin with. If you want to change things up with your Oakley (or your Ray Ban or your Smith or your, well you get the idea), then Revant is the way to go!

For more info on the lenses check it out here: https://www.revantoptics.com/

Disclaimer:
The Oakley shades were provided by Revant for review purposes. I get no benefit whether you buy Oakley products or shop at Revant, its life, make your own decisions. I try to review things as honestly as possible but it is the internet, take everything with a grain of salt, thanks.

Support the 52 Hike Challenge

noreply@blogger.com (Pete) — Tue, 23 Jun 2015 19:05:00 +0000

A couple of years ago I got a notion in my head. What if I hike 366 trail miles in a year, basically one trail mile a day? Could I do it, why do it? These were all questions that I dealt with all year until finally in December, that lovely odometer rolled across and I made it!

So of course, when I found out about the 52 Hike Challenge, I had to promote it here on the site. As you can image, the goal of the 52 Week Challenge is to hike 52 times in 52 weeks.

Yes the mountains are beautiful and the air is fresh but if that doesn't get you off the couch you need other ways. There is something about lists and goals that help motivate people to get out there. The filmmakers of 52 Hike Challenge want to document that experience and bring another take to the outdoor space.

Check out their Kickstarter campaign and donate if you can to help getting a great documentary out there and hopefully inspiring more people to get outdoors!

For more info on the campaign, check out here: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/1196406193/52-hike-challenge-documentary

EWH Visits The Reninssance Faire!

noreply@blogger.com (Pete) — Tue, 26 May 2015 15:55:00 +0000

What can I say? I always wanted to visit a Renaissance Faire (or RenFair or Pleasure Faireeeee if you will). I have always had a love of Shakespeare, the time of King Arthur and basically anything regarding the time period in-between.

That being said, I have never actually gotten to one of these things until recently when I visited one in Irwindale California.

Immediately upon entering the grounds, I knew I was in a different world. A world of Elizabethan times from the look of the dress. There were ladies is amazingly crafted hoop dresses, lords and pirates, several shareholders of the East India Trading Company and these guys:

It was fairy weekend at the Faire and there were numerous sprites, fish...people(?) and other spirits hanging out at the Faire. What was very apparent was how INTO it everyone was. I wore kinda a Faire hat along with jeans and a shirt but I was in the minority, most people were rocking period garb. Not even Elizabethan stuff but I saw numerous Musketeers, a lot of Scottish highlanders and yes, even a few Calise's.

In fact, I was surprised that Game of Thrones (a current cultural conundrum) wasn't more represented at the Faire but the current was kept to a minimum, well almost:

This Faire had it all, and it had a lot of "all". The Faire is huge, so many rows of vendors hawking their wares and stages set up for comedians, sword swallowers, bad pirate bands (but good in a bad way):

(seriously though, these guys have a song about how the skeletons of their enemies are going to have a drink with the skeletons of their friends in the afterlife, how can you not LOVE that?)

The big draw for me though was the joust. Jousting! In the 21st Century!

They have 3 jousts a day, warming up with jousting games (involving rings and some weirdo scoring system). They have both female and make jousters and the female jousters took it to the men on a bunch of passes. Then the main event, the two knights going head to head, all out in full armor.

Here they come....

Blammo!

You could feel the tension in the arena something about big horses running at each other at full speed gets you going.

In addition to all the shops, entertainment and jousting (did I mention the jousting), there was food. I have been on a diet recently but you better believe I wasn't going to do a Renaissance Faire without a bit hunkin' leg of meat:

(it was worth it)

There was also a lot of drinking and I encountered a pub crawl full of happy-go-lucky Gandolfs, knights and regular folks. Those who know me know I love pirates and next year the Faire is going to have a pirate weekend. Doing a pub crawl on pirate weekend seems like a great way to spend a day.

Aside from such future plans, I was surprised how much fun the Faire was, no matter what you are into. The people who run this Faire really go out of their way to be friendly, and make for a relaxed, easy going experience.

Fan of the Faire: http://renfair.com/socal/

Terramar Giveaway!

noreply@blogger.com (Pete) — Tue, 19 May 2015 13:44:00 +0000

I love me some Terramar clothing here on EWH and the only thing I love more than Terramar clothing is giving it away. We might be heading toward Summer but there is still snow in the air (Yosemite high country received several inches the other day) and it is never to early to start stocking up the closet.

So today I give you a chance to win Terramar's Climasense 1/2 Zip!

I am a HUGE fan of Terramar's Climasense line. They have developed a product line that doesn't keep you too hot or too cool, just right. I own several Climasense tops and love every one.

This top is WARM! On a warmth scale of 1 to 4, this baby is a 4.

and it can be yours, all yours! All you have to do is simply add a comment down below. That is it, nothing else. Comment about the weather where you live, what you had for breakfast or, even better, how much you love Terramar and I will choose one winner at random. Contest closes Friday May 15th and winner gets picked on the 16th.

Best of luck!

For more info on Terramar's Climasense Line, check out this link: http://www.terramarsports.com/product?productsearch=climasense&page=0

Help Support A Great Cause

noreply@blogger.com (Pete) — Tue, 12 May 2015 16:00:00 +0000

Have you ever gone on a major journey? I don't mean a 3 day weekend but a 3 Thousand Mile journey. Specifically a 3,800 journey by bike, across the US?

I personally can't imagine how daunting that would feel at the very beginning. You have all of those miles, you have the uncertainty of roads, food, cars, how do you handle it all?

Well if you are my cousin Anne, you get the job done. I met Anne at the start of her journey here in Los Angeles a few months ago and ever since then she has been pedaling her way across the country. She has faced crazy elevation gains and has also cruised through 90+ mile days.

I think after awhile, you get your bike legs under you and the ground starts to fly. I have heard tell of people doing the PCT and Appalachian Trail speak of similar moments, where their body clicks in and they start making some serious miles.

Of course, what also might be helping spur Anne on is that she is riding for a great cause, specifically:

Alzheimer's is a prevalent disease among our elderly population and we certainly need to help the afflicted. If you don't know someone affected by this disease, just think of it this way. We all are going to get old some day and we definitely need to put in the time and the money to try and cure this disease.

Anne is doing an amazing thing riding across the country to help raise awareness about this disease and you can do a great thing by helping to donate to this cause. The link is below, please help out if you can!

By the way, Anne is currently past Mississippi and well on her way to the East Coast!

Here is the link to help donate: http://act.alz.org/site/TR/ActiveEvents/NY-NortheasternNewYork?team_id=255023&pg=team&fr_id=4620

Hiking Mt. Baldy

noreply@blogger.com (Pete) — Tue, 14 Apr 2015 15:55:00 +0000

There are many mountains in Southern California but arguably none more iconic than Mt. Baldy (a/k/a Mount San Antonio). This mountain has been on my list for awhile but I never had the right excuse to hike. I know, hiking is its own excuse, but I was looking to tackle it for some reason.

There can't be a better reason to tackle it than for a worthy cause like Climb For Heroes. CFH is an organization that helps veterans overcomes obstacles by getting them into the mountains. A great cause can get me up to Baldy and I got a double bonus of hiking with my buddy TheSoCalHiker.

It was weird hiking the trail with upwards of 1,000 hikers but even with all of those people, I didn't feel that crowded, there were sections of the trail that were downright empty at times.

Of course, its easy to be spaced out when the trail is 6.4 miles with over 4,000 feet of elevation gain. It starts right off super steep.

After trudging up 900 feet in 1.4 miles we got to Camp 1. CFH had camps at various intervals that had wounded vets (many were double amputees) at each stage handing out tokens. It was amazing to meet such great men along the trail.

The grade of the trail leveled out into a standard SoCal fireroad.

Eventually after 2 miles the Baldy Ski Lodge rounds into view, home of Camp 2 and very disappointing sandwiches (not sure if they should go with that slogan).

At the lodge, you can go left or right. Right goes to the 3 T's (mountains that start with T, I did Timber a few years ago). Left goes to Baldy as you continue the ascent along a gradually graded fireroad.

All good things come to an end as Baldy packs a real punch in the next 3 miles. The CFH team set up Camp 3/PBR to give hikers a bit of brew before starting the next leg but you want to do this sober if possible ;).

The first challenge is the "Devil's Backbone".

It isn't as narrow as it looks in the picture but you are definitely going up over the spine of the mountains to get to even bigger mountains. After this section is a dire little stretch that hugs a cliff wall. I am not a huge fan of height by any means and I was glad that the CFH team rigged a rope to help guide you along. The rope probably wasn't necessary for 95% of the people but for me, I was glad to have it.

After that section, the hike to Baldy punishes you further by upping the grade as you climb up a side of another mountain on the way to Baldy. It was about this time the elevation was kicking in so I was taking a rest after about 150 steps or so. I love LA but going from sea level to 10,500 puts the hammer to ya.

Eventually the trail does even out for a blessed half mile as you enjoy relatively flat walking. Then you get to High Camp, the last camp before the summit and you have THIS to look forward to:

That is the last half mile to Baldy's summit with tons of hikers snaking their way up on what could charitably be called switchbacks. This lull in the action affords some great views though of the famous Baldy bowl

Of the last remnants of Winter

Beautiful other views:

Eventually, Jeff and I headed across the scree field rather than constantly running into people coming up and down the mountain which was a great call.

Eventually, the Summit!

Yes I was wearing 3 layers, my Terramar Climasense shirt, my Terramar Ecolator hoodie and my Mountain Hardwear jacket. All of which were necessary since it was windy up there. The sun was warm and it was close to 70 but you still needed to bundle up, that's for sure.

There were sooooo many people on the summit. I got to meet an honest-to-god sherpa which was very cool and I competed with scores of people for pics of the views all around Baldy.

(there were several hikers carrying huge American flags up the mountain)

(mountains create their own weather and the only cloud in the sky was over the tallest peak of SoCal, San Gorgonio)

After kicking around on the summit, then its time to head down. Just because you make it up the mountain doesn't mean you make it down the mountain. You have to make sure you have enough energy and legs to get down the mountain. Luckily, I do much better on the downhills than the uphills so I got down the mountain much quicker than I got up it. Some bad sandwiches later and we were back in the parking lot.

To be able to do one of the tallest mountains in SoCal was a dream come true and to help out a worthy cause was the frosting on the ice cream cake sundae. If you ever want to do Baldy, I highly recommend it but make sure your legs are in shape!

For more on Mt. Baldy, check out the SoCalHiker's great trip report: http://socalhiker.net/hiking-mt-san-antonio-baldy-loop-trail/