So what are the wetlands?  Sitting along what is known as the pacific flyway, actually a 7,500-mile migratory route extending from the southern tip of South America to northern Alaska, this land is an estuary system that provides a home to many of California’s native plants, animals, and fish offering them the perfect place to breed, spawn, rest, and ultimately move on along their migratory journey.

Undoubtedly, the wetlands have come to serve as a symbol for all that once was wild in Los Angeles County and reminds us of the nature that exists right in own own backyards. This land needs to be preserved for future generations (and hopefully made into a State Park once California’s financial situation gets straightened out). Until then, we will continue to help this area as much as we can!

If are at all intersted in helping o ut with restoration and cleanup, you can contact the Friends of The Ballona Wetlands at http://ballonafriends.org.

I present to you my first podast: A Video Guide to Los Liones Trail, with my friend and host Jessica Wheeler. We had a lot of fun with this one and really we shot this very quickly.  It was a bit too overcast in my opinion but I think we dealt with it nicely.  Let me know what you guys think.  I’d like to continue to do more of these, but obviously only if you guys out there in the blogisphere keep watching.  As for now, the next few webisodes are planned out.

If you would like more information on this hike, click here…

www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcGbwjUqRSc

We were supposed to be on a whale watching trip.  At least that was the plan.  But guess what?  No whales.  Well, there were two humpbacks way in the distance, but we won’t count them cause’ I couldn’t really share it with you all.  It was looking like a really grim birthday in the Channel Islands, but then another sea mammal showed up!  And there were a lot of “em”.   So many in fact, that I hardly knew where to point the camera.  This was the gift of the common dolphin.

They’re really quite small.  Only 7-8 ft., but they look much smaller.  With a kind of yellow hourglass cris-cross around their sides, they tend to form large herds of about 50.  In particular, they like to bow and wake surf around fast moving boats and these were no exception.  In fact, they came racing out of the water as soon as they sensed we were near.  I think boats serve as a kind of catnip for these animals and they really seemed as if they couldn’t get enough of it.

The common dolphin (approximately three species exist) thrives worldwide.  As a species they face a variety of threats and are still hunted in some areas around the globe.  In the U.S. they’re a federally protected, although fisherman have been known to accidentally catch them in tuna nets.

In California, they serve as a marker species, signifying whether or not the ecosystem is still thriving and sustaining itself.  I can assume therefore, that the environment around the Channel Islands, due to its protection as a national park, seems fairly intact, although a number of factors regarding this local ecosystem are still being studied (such as kelp growth etc.)   Los Angeles and Southern California is an interesting place, and these dolphins are just one more example of the variety of wildlife that live in our home.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=BrdkGolqulc

During a hiking trip out to California’s central coast, one might be surprised at the amount of wildlife that thrives right out in the open and in the strangest of places.  Avila Beach, a mere 160 miles from Los Angeles, provides many of these kinds of surprises (and videos).  Surrounded by gentle green sloping hills, and sporting three seaside piers, two of which are public, this small beach town surprised me with an abundance of sea birds, sea lions, and yes, sea otters.

Sea Otters, at least for me, have been notoriously hard to spot, and after shooting this video I can see why that might be.  They lay low to the water and sometimes appear to be low rollers (waves).  On top of that, they actually look like other mammals (this guy looked like a sea lion until I got unbelievably close.)  It doesn’t help that these animals are still an endangered species, their population two-thirds of what they used to be.  Hunted for their furs to near extinction levels, their numbers have increased due to conservation and wildlife protection.

However, populations in California are still well below there former levels.  A survey in 2007, counted around 3,000 otters, whereas their original population is estimated to be 16,000.  Efforts to repopulate coastal zones, especially in Southern California, have not gone well and current populations, centered from Santa Barbara to San Francisco, all originate from a group of only 50 individuals.

If you happen to see a sea otter, consider yourself blessed by the otter gods!  How can you to find them?   First of all, Sea Otters like to dive down to the ocean floor and forage for invertebrates such as sea urchins, various mollusks, and crustaceans.  Look for dark shapes floating and diving periodically.  Keep in mind that even though they can walk on land, these creatures spend most of their time in the water, so don’t expect to see them lounging on a rock!

For those of you looking to grab a video of a sea otter, make sure you take a long lens.  These guys tend to float a little ways off, so you’ll need a longer lens to get a really great shot.

All in all these are really amazing creatures and we need to continue to nurture and conserve their species for future generations.  I was lucky to get this video at all, and I can thank organizations such as The Defends of Wildlife and The Monterey Bay Aquarium for their efforts to protect this animal.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=4B2uN4yOhy8

Phew!  After a very long evening, finally I have this video up and running!  I give “props” to Skyler Stonestreet for letting us use her song, called “For You”.  Please everybody go check her music out.  She’s really amazing, and I can’t thank her enough!  You can purchse her music on Amazon or itunes.

So how did I get this video anyways?  Well…after a rather long drive, (I guess it’s about 4 hours from LA) I reached beautiful San Simeon, where, lucky me, I was able to witness these amazing Elephant Seals in their natural rookery.  Once there, I was struck by the sheer activity of these creatures.  They’re bellowing, squawking, noisy creatures, and boy do they smell!

According to the Friends of The Elephant Seal, this time of year (February) is really when the new pups are born.  Luckily I made it right before the mothers had left for sea and there were still animals on the beach!  Central California is turning out to be an interesting place!

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Stupid you say?  Impossible?  Senator Feinstein thinks not.  Her argument: the agricultural community of the central valley is seriously threatened by recession and a three year drought.  Never-mind, that this proposed amendment would effectively decimate fisheries within the delta, as well as threaten our local California wildlife that depend on these fish for survival.

This all makes you think, makes you wonder, what kind of world we’re living in.  Having started this website rather recently, I’ve had a chance to see first hand the impact of humanity on nature. Maybe it’s just me, but it often times seems as if our relentless push towards this concept of “progress”, is inevitably leading us towards a world devoid of  wilderness or anything natural.  But then, who am I to say?  Polluting power-plants  are powering the computer that I’m typing on right now.

Perhaps there’s a better way.  Could it be so far fetched, that as a people we start finding ways of living within local ecosystems?  Suggesting green housing, solar power, water collecting, or simply building around nature instead of destroying it, used to sound heretical and impossible.  But, what are we witnessing out there in the world?  Here in LA, I’d liken it to a shift in consciousness.  A different way of seeing.  As a people, I think we’re fed up with the way things have been.  We asking “what’s it all for”?  We’re beginning to see that ultimately, our politicians lead us astray, and that our 9 to 5 jobs serving “the man” are somehow tragic (soul-swallowing).

Considering the amounts of overpopulation, hunger, and the type of behavior we have put forth for the last two-thousand years, I think the world is ready for a change.  Quite frankly, I think the time has finally arrived for each one of us to really evaluate what they’re contributing to the world.  Are you the type of person that says no to salmon in the bay area, in favor of agriculture in a naturally arid landscape where it’s inappropriate for farming? Are you the type of person that refuses to conserve water or turn off your lights when you’re not using them?

The decision is really yours, isn’t it?

www.youtube.com/watch?v=LmGiFGMyUn8

Hikers, look up now and again.  You may see something amazing!

If you would like more information on hiking in Point Dume check this out…

For information on the park, visit here…

www.youtube.com/watch?v=ltDTgrV57AY

Driving to an elevation of 5,185 ft., Keys View, a grand overlook within Joshua Tree National Park.  On a clear day you can see all the way to Mexico.  Keys View revealed to us not only the San Andreas Fault, but also these interesting little creatures forging out an existence in a hostile desert environment. Watching them, I gained a greater understanding of nature, the desert, and our relation to it.

What you’re seeing here is the White Tailed Antelope Squirrel, an omnivorous rodent, living primarily on foliage in many of the U.S.’s arid southwestern states including California, Nevada, Arizona, and Utah.  This mammal usually lives in burrows, but as you can see, these are living out of rock crevices.

Shooting with a 300mm, and a 18-135 mm lens, I was able to capture this video over the course of an afternoon.  Although I had a difficult time keeping up with them, these little creatures were a real delight to watch.  Being able to stand so close to them, I suspect that visitors to the park have been feeding them.  This is really unfortunate because the squirrels seem to have lost their natural fear of humans.  On top of that, feeding these animals incites overpopulation (which judging from the number and the size of a few of them could be a problem with this particular site).  If this is true, erosion of the cliff side due to the excess burrowing and digging, could be a real possibility.

Keep in mind, feeding animals in many City, State, and National Parks is illegal, so just DON’T DO IT!

For more info on Joshua Tree National Park, journey here…

www.youtube.com/watch?v=_IakJ_EjgK4

Poking around in tide pools has turned out to be one of my favorite activities here in LA.   At the risk of sounding a little like Forrest Gump, I will say that on these little adventures you never know what you’re going to get.  This was especially true in Point Dume as well.

Hiking at low tide really is your best bet to possibly seeing sea creatures and other ocean monsters.  On this day, the pools looked rather empty, well…at least at first.  Here is the real key to spotting star fish and other animals: look under things.  We actually spotted this crab hiding under a rock, and I would have totally missed this guy if I hadn’t of looked.  I am by no means suggesting you pick up things (including rocks).  This is an absolute no-no for the animals that thrive in these ecosystems.  BE VERY CAREFUL when you go tide-pooling.  Watch where you step and be very gentle.  These animals are sensitive!

If you find yourself at a tide pool and nothing seems to be crawling, oozing, or sliding around, check for tracks in the sand.  A lot of animals leave tracks behind that will guide you to where they might be hiding out, in which case the said animal might give you an amazing picture or video once you’ve located him.

All in all, have fun will ya! This is Los Angeles isn’t it?

If you want more info on this hike, click here…

(A bit of advice for taking video or photography with longer lenses or smaller objects:  always use a tripod.  I know hiking with a tripod really stinks, but the result is worth it, trust me on this!  I wish I had the 300 mm lens on for this as well, but we had to settle for a 135mm.)

All in all, I was glad to have seen these wonderful creatures out in the wild.  Because of the endangered aspect to these insects, I’ll keep the location of these animals to myself.  If you do, however, get a chance to see Monarch’s at a preserve or on a LA hike such as Sycamore Canyon, I highly recommend visiting!

Click here to view the embedded video.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=FUm_C-5UjVs

This video clip I also shot at Point Dume, with the 7D and a 300mm lens.  In fact, I actually got this clip by accident because I wasn’t really watching what I was getting.  Ordinarily I would have tried to have a tripod with a shot like this, but on this particular day I forgot it.  This is why it’s so shaky.  Imagine my surprise though, when I realized what I had captured on video!!!

I’ve found, on multiple occasions, that nature will surprise you when you’re least expecting it.  With this in mind, I’d suggest keeping the cameras rolling and…oh yeah…bring a stinking tripod!

If you want more info on hiking in Point Dume, click here…

As you may have guessed by the content of this website, I love nature shows, and I watch the discovery channel quite a bit.  I especially like watching interesting things about the world we live in.  Like most of us too, I’ve been intrigued by the commercials for this television event for weeks now.  The lead up had me salivating.  “Life” seemed like a slam dunk on the senses.  After all, the images were beautiful, the narrator, Oprah, interesting, and with the same producers of “Planet Earth”, I was sold from the beginning.  But then, I saw an episode…

I immediately got the impression that the producers thought their audience still crawl on all fours.  Dumbed down?  For sure!  Message to Discovery, your audience is smarter than you think.  Give us some credit! I understand that your argument stems from the fact that you’re producing family entertainment that can be easily accessible and understandable to any age, but you’re really missing the mark here.

Unlike its predecessor “Planet Earth”, “Life” is seemingly life-less.  The writing, quite frankly is bland…or is it that Oprah is bland?  Either way the magic isn’t there.  Don’t even get me started with their music!

What’s missing is a sense of drama, or a sense of what’s at stake.  Our planet is so unbelievably varied, so tenacious, so interconnected.  There’s a sense of the spiritual in nature.  It’s not just life and death, but a living breathing organism in itself.  Species depend on each other for survival in an intricate and delicate web.  David Attenborough, a prolific narrator, writer, and producer of these sorts of shows, is aware of this and this may be a huge factor in the success of the previous show.

Interestingly enough, a series on life really is a story of individualism and a story about self.  One asks “why am I here”.  “What’s my purpose”.  One answer, I believe, comes from John Muir, perhaps the greatest conservationist and founder of the Sierra Club.  He writes, “the clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness.”  In other words, to know nature, to know life, is to know thyself.

It’s not often that you see a nature documentary that holds your attention and awe to the point of intense emotional investment.  I suppose this is what documentary, in it’s many varied forms, is supposed to do, namely, make a comment about the nature of reality and ultimately highlight our connection to it.  Nature’s documentary, shown on PBS and entitled “Frogs: The Thin Green Line”, encompassed many disturbing issues that we all must confront, and reveals to us an entire species under the immediate threat of total extinction.

First of all, the species serves as a perfect indicator as to the health of the particular ecosystem that it currently thrives in.  Living roughly in the middle of the food chain, the frog is both hunter and food, connecting it to a broad range of species such as birds, plants, and mammals, all of which rely on the little “fellas” for healthy balanced survival. Recent findings, however, illustrate to us that approximately a third of all amphibians, on every continent around the world,  have gone extinct.  Unfortunately this number is definitely rising.

What’s exactly causing this mass extinction?  The most frightening factor seems to be a fungus, called chytrid.  Where it grows, 50 percent of amphibians and 80 percent of frogs become afflicted with the disease and simply die.  One might think that this fungus is centered around a specific part of the world and therefore only affects portions of definite populations. Unfortunately, this is far from the truth, and every continent on earth has seen amphibians disappearing rapidly.  To add to the problem, researchers have no idea as to how this disease is spreading and therefore have no idea as to how to fix it.

So what can we do to help the frogs? One answer may be linked to our water.  To be blunt, there’s something wrong with it.  Chemicals from our lawns and drains end up in our own water tables and thus, the wildlife growing in these areas are showing us the results.  Hormone deficiencies, extra-limbs, and serious genetic problems have now become the norm in these populations.  But wait!  Think about it!  Don’t we drink this water too??

Distressingly, from soap to mouthwash, there’s chemicals in just about everything that we use day-to-day.  I myself picked up my mouthwash this morning and puzzled at the various ingredients that were included.  What have been doing to ourselves and our environment?  This is not good…

Not long ago, I was enchanted by the sound of a multitude of frogs that lived in a pond near my home.  There must have been hundreds of them down there.  So, I packed up my flashlight and stumbled out into the night to see if I could catch a few.  After a few hours I managed to find a couple mating in a tall swath of grass.  It’s sad to think that these creatures may not make it or even last for my children to see them this way.  Ponds gone silent.  Nature in ruin.

I suspect that from now on I’ll be more aware of what I’m washing down the drain, and in that regard I guess the documentary did its job.

PARK SIZE

1776.45 acres

ABOUT THE PARK

Offering 8 miles of hiking trails, the Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve is a great place to begin your LA hike tour!  Each spring, this poppy reserve becomes alive with flowering wildflowers (and tourists).  Usually open all year long (although not at the moment because of CA budgeting),  this reserve offers easy rolling hills with occasional benches to rest on.  The Antelope Valley Poppy Reserve is a great place to get your perfect photograph or video.

WHEN TO GO

Wildflower blooms occur generally from March through May. The peak viewing period is usually mid-April.  However, due to state budget cuts, the park will be closed until the poppies bloom, which is scheduled around March 1st.

Recent news:  An accurate bloom prediction is still difficult at this time due to the late rains this year and consequential late start to poppy plant germination.  Several wildflower species have already started blooming, but there has been only a moderate number of poppy plants seen so far and their flower buds are just beginning to form. The possibility of late frosts and early heat waves also make any predictions tentative, but the forecasts of more rain will likely have a positive impact.  Wildflower updates will be posted regularly throughout the season at www.parks.ca.gov, or call (661) 724-1180 for recorded updates.

HOW TO GET THERE

Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve, 15101 Lancaster Road.
From Hwy 14, go 15 miles west off Avenue I exit.  Avenue I becomes Lancaster Rd., reserve is on the right.
From Hwy 138, go south on 170th Street West and turn left at the end onto Lancaster Road.  The Reserve is on the left.  Good luck!

Google Map

INFORMATION

HEADQUARTERS

15101 Lancaster Road
Lancaster, CA 93536-9733
(661) 724-1180

Mojave Desert Info Center
(661) 942-0662

FEES

$8 per vehicle
$7 per vehicle with a senior on board (62 and over)
$4 per vehicle with DPR Disabled Discount Card (see below)

Small busses (9-24 passengers): $50
Large busses (25 or more passengers): $100

HOURS

I think many of you out there have hiked this terrific loop, and to say the least, I’ve been up this trail many times myself.  That being said, our recent rains have absolutely transformed this 4.4 mile trail, turning this hike (and many others around LA) lush and green.  Of all the times that I’ve ventured into Temescal, I’ve never actually seen the waterfall (at about 1 mi in) cascading down the canyon’s walls.  But this time I was pleasantly surprised to see it gushing full force.  Winter storms seem to have this effect on the environment in and around LA, allowing wildflowers, waterfalls, and grasses to really bloom.

One of the major downsides to this popular hiking trip is that it’s also heavily traveled.  If you have the chance, I suggest taking this hike during the week.  If this isn’t possible, try to get there early so that you can beat out the crowds.

The hike itself is 4.4 miles round trip and has a moderate elevation gain of 700 ft.  From the parking lot and public restrooms, follow the signs that lead to the canyon loop.  This will lead  you straight up the mountain towards some terrific views.  This park is a gateway park, therefore it connects to many other trails, including ones that link it into Will Rogers and some that lead you towards skull rock.  Be sure to follow the appropriate signs.

To get there:

From Santa Monica: take highway 1 north from Santa Monica for about 3 miles.  Turn right on Temescal Canyon Road and you’ll drive right into the park.

From Sunset Blvd: take Sunset through Pacific Palisades.  Turn right in Temescal Canyon Gateway Park.

GPS:  34° 3’14.02″N

118°31’42.48″W

I know it’s raining gangbusters out there, and so do our parks.  Here’s a Press Release from the Santa Monica Mountians Conservancy…

“The Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy and Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority urge public to avoid mountain parks and back country trails until storms pass later this week.  The Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy and Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority (MRCA)announced today that recent heavy rainstorms and the resulting swollen creeks, fallen trees, erosion, potential mudslides, and extremely wet conditions have necessitated the temporary closure of some Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy and Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority parks in the Southern California area.

“It is vital for everyone’s safety that the public respect park closure signs and barricades, and do not try to enter a closed park or trail.” said Senior Ranger Ken Nelson, who is leading the MRCA’s response to the series of storms that are pummeling the Southern California region this week. “Park rangers are patrolling the parks, but land erosion and mudslides can be extremely unpredictable and dangerous. This is not a situation to take any risks.”

Mountains Recreation and Conservation Authority Park Rangers and staff as well as twenty Americorps cadets stationed in the Santa Monica Mountains are working around the clock to monitor the quickly changing conditions in the more than 60,000 acres of parkland managed by the MRCA. While no MRCA parkland was burned in the recent station fire, the rain is subjecting the mountain and hillside areas to extremely hazardous conditions including excessive mudflow and debris. MRCA rangers trained in swift water awareness are also patrolling the Los Angeles River.

Nelson recommends the public avoid all mountain parkland, backcountry trails, and river areas until after the series of storm events have passed.

Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy and Mountains Recreation and Conservation
Authority Parks Closed During Current Storm Events:

• King Gillette Ranch off of Mulholland Highway in Calabasas
• Franklin Canyon Park near Mulholland Drive and Coldwater Canyon
• Tujunga Wash Greenway in North Hollywood
• Wilson Canyon Park in Sylmar
• Vista Hermosa Park in Downtown Los Angeles
• Bosque del Rio Hondo Park in the Whittier Narrows Recreation Area
• Ed Davis Park at Towsley Canyon, Mentryville, Pico Canyon and East Canyon in
• the Santa Clarita Woodlands
• Whitney Canyon Park in Santa Clarita
• Michael D. Antonovich Park at Joughin Ranch in the Simi Hills

Updates will be posted on both the Conservancy and MRCA websites:
www.smmc.ca.gov and www.mrca.ca.gov.

HIKE AT THE BEACH

Recently, I had a chance to skirt by Point Dume Natural Preserve and luckily it was days before our big winter storms.  This really is a great place to check out local tide pools and take a nice hike down the beach.

Located off the 1 freeway, this beach lies approximately 18 miles north of Santa Monica and offers some of the best views of the Pacific and the Malibu coastline.  Once there, you can take a brief hike over a slight hill, and then walk down onto the beach.

I recommend taking some kleenex, cause our noses tend to run once you catch a wiff of the colder ocean air.  Aside from that I highly recommend this easy hike to anyone who has a chance to get out of L.A and enjoy one of California’s best hiking beaches.

P.S. for those of you who enjoy tide pooling, please be careful around the sea-life.  They tend to get injured easily…

GPS Coordinates

34° 0’7.75″N

118°48’29.91″W

Now, this hike is personally one of my favorite hikes around LA. It’s easy to get to and it’s a rather pleasant walk up to a beautiful overlook (or overlooks if you choose to continue on up the fire road). I won’t say too much here, as I’ve covered a lot of this information in my very first podcast but there’s a few details to consider if you plan on going on this hike.

The trail starts off of Los Liones Dr., which is about a mile from where Sunset Blvd. crosses the 1 highway.  The trek will take you 1.5 miles through Los Liones Canyon, which is part of Topanga State Park.  Here you can make a decision to either continue on up the East Topanga Fire Road for a further 5 miles towards the Parker Mesa Overlook, or turn right back around the way you came.

If you decide to go forward from here, you’ll be looking at a 1,200 ft. altitude gain with beautiful 360 views of the Santa Monica Mountains,

Santa Ynez Canyon, and Malibu.  Eventually you’ll see the trail split in two.  You’ll want to stay left and curve around towards the overlook.  Once there, you’ll be able to relax on a bench and take in the beautiful vista.

Parking is available on Los Liones Dr. if you want to start at the bottom…or…if you want to take just the strenuous hike from the top of Los Liones to the Parker Mesa Overlook, you can park at the end of Paseo Miramar.

From Los Liones Trail:

1.5 Miles One Way – 300 ft. altitude gain

GPS COORDINATES:

34° 2’50.52″N

118°33’36.09″W

From East Topanga Fire Road

5 Miles One Way – 1,200 altitude gain

GPS COORDINATES

34° 3’2.85″N

118°33’25.58″W

Click here for a map!

A few years ago I wrote and directed a short film that required us to shoot in a forest.  At the time I didn’t know how great LA’s parks were for doubling as deep forest or jungles, so I traveled far and wide looking for a perfect place to shoot this film.  I eventually found a location that has truly become one of my favorite places within LA and Topanga State Park.   And it was right in my own backyard!

Temescal Gateway Park, located within Pacific Palisades, turned out to be the perfect place for me to film and I have returned to hike and wander about ever since.  For those of you out there that enjoy a little peace and quiet, this park is absolutely wonderful and close to just about anywhere in LA.

Watch Harry and Greta part 2 & 3

Go For A Hike!

Eagle Rock is a great place to start your next hiking adventure right here in LA!  Located within the boundaries of the Topanga State Park, the views from this unique location will leave you breathless!

Right off the 27 (Topanga Canyon Blvd.), park on Entrada Rd.  Look out for deer and, if you’re lucky you may even see a mountain lion.

I’d begin your hike one of two ways.  Either you take the Musch Trail for 2.5 miles to Eagle Rock’s 1,957 ft. peak, or you take the more direct and and strenuous route, the Eagle Springs Fire Road.  Once at the top, be sure to check out the small cave that’s tucked into the very tip of the rock.

Either way you go, this hike is basically a loop, so if you have the time come down the trail you hadn’t come up on.  One last piece of advice:  keep your eye on your watch.  I actually didn’t make it back before the sun came down and it was quite the harrowing experience coming back in the dark.  Good luck hikers and see you on the trails.

“eagle-rock”