A quick and easy nature walk up to Bridalveil Fall, a 617-foot year-round cascade that also happens to be one of the most popular spots in the park. Yosemite Valley is notoriously crowded – especially in the summer – so try to hit this spot early in the morning before you move on to other attractions or trails in the park.

The Basics:

- Distance: Under 0.5 miles
- Elevation Gain: Negligible
- Time: Less than 30 minutes
- Trail Condition: Excellent. This popular and well-traveled nature walk is along a paved path for almost the entire route.
- How To get There: From Yosemite Valley, head west on Northside Drive, turning left at Portal Road to stay in the Valley. The clearly marked trailhead will be on the south side of Southside Drive, just past the junction with Wawona Road.

- Map Trailhead

The Notables:

- Very easy access to a spectacular waterfall
- Graded, paved path suitable for strollers
- Great views (and mists) from Bridalveil Falls
- Dogs welcome (on leash)

More Pictures:

- on Flickr

Yosemite National Park is known for its waterfalls – and for good reason. The experience of being in the middle of an idyllic valley literally surrounded by waterfalls is really not like anything else in the world. Some of the falls are inaccessible to hikers, others are reachable only after long, hard slogs – and others, like Bridalveil, are approachable with a simple stroll.

First thing’s first – you’re on the Valley Floor. If it’s nice out, be prepared for crowds. Not only is this a popular spot for tour busses, but it’s also the first place people usually stop after coming into the Valley.

After you fight over a parking spot, this nature walk is an incredibly easy affair. It’s only 1000 feet to a wonderful vista point, and just 0.2 miles to a spot near Bridalveil Creek.

Because Bridalveil Fall kicks up so much mist, most of the rocks and pathways here will have a healthy amount of water on them. If you’re going to boulderhop along the creek or are walking this path during a cold morning, watch out for frost or ice along the way.

Otherwise, just enjoy the easy, pleasant walk to the viewpoint near the base of the falls’ mist trail. It’s a great spot to hit up on a hot Valley day, because you’re definitely going to get wet here.

When you’re done getting soaked, trek back to the parking lot to head to your next destination.

The fine folks over at LA as Subject (one of my all-time favorite blogs) and KCET (another one!) have posted a fantastic introduction to the history of the Angeles National Forest as we know it.

The post traces the mountains’ industrial and recreational uses and early experience with the national conservation movement (The San Gabriel Timberland Reserve was one of first 15 forest reserves established by President Benjamin Harrison between 1891-1892), and offers some great insight and plenty of historical photos from some familiar landscapes.

If you’re even mildly interested in the history of L.A.’s Great Backyard, this post is worth a read. Nice work (again), guys!

In a move sure to please hikers and outdoorspeople of all stripes, the Angeles National Forest announced today that they were reopening 41,000 acres of the forest to the public … just in time for Memorial Day Weekend!

The re-opened areas include a large section of Big Tujunga Canyon south to the Big Tujunga Dam. Re-opened trails include Stone Canyon to Mount Lukens, Fox Mountain, Trail Canyon to Trail Falls and Condor Peak, and the Delta Flat Recreation Area. The Forest Service said the reopened areas are a result of the hard work from volunteer and partner organizations that have helped plant trees, restore trails, and pull out invasive weeds. So, thanks to everyone who got their hands dirty – those three trails I mentioned are killer hikes that have been unavailable for far too long!

As of the time of this posting, the Angeles has not yet updated their excellent zoomable map of the Station Fire Closure Area, but check back soon. I’ll be updating my own Google Map and Fire Closure sections shortly.

This map shows the areas that are still currently OFF-LIMITS:

An accessible, just-under four mile loop in Griffith Park to the peak of Mount Hollywood. On a clear day, this hike will give you tremendous views of the L.A. basin and nearby Griffith Observatory, and its short length belies some genuinely sweat-inducing stretches of incline. A great little hike in the heart of Griffith Park.

The Basics:

- Distance: 3.8 miles
- Elevation Gain: 807 feet
- Time: About 2 hours
- Trail Condition: Very good. The fire roads in Griffith Park are well maintained and well-traveled. There are dozens of use-trails and firebreaks criss-crossing the park, however. Most of them are difficult additions and shortcuts, but some are outright dangerous. It’s possible (and fun) to use them here, just make sure you study a map and know where you’re going – some don’t head in the directions you think they will.
- How To get There: Drive north on Vermont Avenue through Los Feliz and into Griffith Park. Once inside the park, pass the Greek Theater on your left and park on the street. The trailhead will be on the east side of Vermont.

- Map Trailhead

The Notables:

- Easy access from the city
- Great views of the Valley, downtown, the Hollywood Sign and more on clear days
- Dog and equestrian friendly (most parts)
- Typically less crowded than other routes in Griffith Park
- Lots of chances to take more rugged use-trails.

More Pictures:

- on Flickr

Griffith Park is a great resource for L.A. hikers – both for training hikes and for quick escapes when you don’t have time to make it out for a longer trek. This route up to Mount Hollywood is short and can be done in around 90 minutes if you’re making good time – but features enough of an incline that you’ll feel like you got a good workout along the way.

This hike starts on Vermont Avenue, right near the Greek Theater. Park and walk along the east side of Vermont until you see a broad path heading up from the street. Look for a trash can and a large sign warning you about rattlesnakes (they like to sun out on the fire roads, especially on hot summer days).

Start hiking up the fire road. It kicks off with a slight incline, but after about 0.2 miles the fire road levels out and remains fairly level as it meanders to the northeast. Right away, you’ll have views of the Greek Theater and nearby Griffith Observatory perched on the ridge just above – as well as the very likely company of joggers and dog-walkers.

In about a half a mile, the trail hits a three-way junction with another trail that comes into the area from the south. As with many areas in Griffith Park, this north-south route officially stops at the junction with the trail you’re on … but adventurous types have kept it going via a rugged, steep fire-break that continues northward.

Some of these use-trails can be really fun and a great way to add a bit of extra challenge to your hike – but they are significantly more rugged. Sometimes they end up plowing through overgrown brush and other times they can end in a nearly-vertical scramble to rejoin the established trail. Since the park is fairly small, they’re worth checking out – but I recommend only doing that a). if you have a map and b). after you’ve already done the established routes and have a good feel for the terrain.

For now, ignore the use trail and continue straight for about another 0.5 miles, where you will reach yet another north-south route through Aberdeen Canyon. Once again, ignore the use trails and keep on the main trail, which you’ll be able to recognize because it’s the only one that has a steep incline.

From here, the trail ascends just under 200 feet in the next 0.2 miles before hitting a fire road on a ridge. Take a sharp left to stay on the trail instead of joining the fire road. If you’re going the right way you’ll see a no smoking sign on the left hand side of the path, and you should be able to make out Griffith Park Observatory in the background.

Unfortunately the day I did this hike for the site was pretty hazy, but I’ve done this route on clear days before and some of the views from this portion of the trail can be breathtaking. If it’s clear, be sure to take a peek north at the San Gabriels from the fire road junction before you hop back on the trail.

Continue on this looping stretch of inclining fire road until you note a small bridge at the 1.5 mile mark. Along the way, note the canyon-use trail below you and look to the west to spot Mount Hollywood – the little bump at the end of the long sloping summit on the left hand side of this picture:

Just before you cross the bridge, there is a very short side trip you can take up to Glendale Peak via Henry’s Trail. You can’t miss the sign.

Now … get ready for the workout portion of the hike – for the next 0.72 miles, you’ll be ascending nearly 400 feet along a completely shadeless ridge, making your way toward Mount Hollywood.

It’s not technically difficult, but on a hot, sunny day this stretch could definitely make you winded. Just take it easy and enjoy your workout and views.

At the 2.2 mile mark, the ridge-walking Bridle Trail comes to a junction with a north-south fire road near a small, shaded garden called Dante’s View. Enjoy a bit of rare shade or some water from the nearby fountain (there’s a little dog dish for four-legged hikers, too).

When you’re ready to make the final short trek to the summit, continue west on the Bridle Trail, then follow it as it loops southward to head toward the summit. You should be able to see a small fenced-in area with picnic tables and some equestrian bars. If you’ve got a clear day, you’ll get some great views of the Observatory, downtown, and even a side-angle on the nearby Hollywood Sign.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Once you’re done enjoying the views (or the haze), return to Dante’s View the way you came up. If you’re feeling adventurous, there is also a use-trail shortcut near the southernmost point of Mount Hollywood’s summit on the eastern side of the promontory.

Either way you decide to descend, once you get to the trail just below the summit of Mount Hollywood, when you reach the five-way junction it may seem a bit confusing. When you’re looking south from this junction, you’ll see this:

If you approach what looks like a drop-off, you’ll discover it’s actually a single-track trail that looks like it’s headed to the Observatory.

Unfortunately, unless you hop off this trail onto some other use-trails, this won’t take you to the Observatory, but it will give you a surprisingly lovely (and kind of steep) descent back down to Vermont Avenue, spitting you out just past an under-renovation bird sanctuary at a bathroom and picnic area.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Hike south back along Vermont Avenue to the trailhead and you’re good to go!

For those interested in urban hiking, public staircases and rights of way, or just good ol’ fashioned L.A. history, mark this weekend as the date of this year’s Big Parade L.A.

An annual trek from downtown Los Angeles to the Hollywood Sign, the Big Parade is a two day, 40-ish mile route through the city … and if that sounds exhausting, don’t worry – the route is designed to allow people to hop on and off throughout so you can do as much or as little as you’d like.

I joined the group last year for the first day and I can honestly say it was one of the best things I’ve done since moving here.

For more info, be sure to check out the Big Parade LA’s site or join their Facebook page.

Unfortunately I’ll be in Yosemite this weekend (OK, not that unfortunate), but otherwise I’d definitely join up! Have fun if you attend … and schedule a foot massage for the next day. You’re gonna need it if you do the whole route.

A lovely 5+ mile loop through almost every section of this hidden park near the Arroyo Seco. Birds are abundant here, and their air will probably be filled with birdsong as you hike its mostly easily-graded trails and fire roads. This park is mostly dog-friendly, has facilities for picnics and fishing, and a top-notch Audubon Center with plenty of activities for kids and kids-at-heart. A great family destination or a place for a quick hike when you can’t make it out further.

The Basics:

- Distance: 5.2 miles on this route, but there are plenty of opportunities to add or subtract to that.
- Elevation Gain: 400 feet from the lowest to highest points, but this route has a lot of ups and downs
- Time: 3 hours – give yourself time to explore!
- Trail Condition: Good. While the fire roads and paved routes are very well maintained, some of the single-track portions were a bit overgrown. Nothing too difficult to get through, but you’ll definitely want to do some tick-checks along the way. NONE of the junctions are marked – so be sure to grab a map from the Audubon Center or print one out before you head onto the trail. It’s a small park, so I’d be surprised if anyone got lost in here, but nobody wants to not know where they’re going when they’re on a hike.
- How To get There: From the 110 north of downtown, take the exit for Avenue 52 and head east (there should be a sign for the Audubon Center). Ave 52 turns into Griffin Ave after a sharp southward turn (note the giant metal bug sculptures and speed bumps). The entrance for the Audubon Center will be on the east side of the road just down the street. There is a free parking lot near the Center, but it’s small and will most likely be full (the lot closes at 5PM, too). Park on the street and just walk back up the entrance road to get to the trailhead.

- Map Trailhead

The Notables:

- Mostly easily-graded trails
- Lots of great views of downtown L.A. and Pasadena
- Most trails are dog-friendly
- Picnic grounds
- Small fishing pond
- Great Audubon Center building with lots of family activities

More Pictures:

- on Flickr

Ernest E. Debs Regional Park is a 300 acre gem on old ranch land in the Arroyo Seco neighborhood just northeast of downtown L.A. Chances are, you’ve driven past this place dozens of times already and never even knew it was there – and that’s mostly reflected in the park itself, too. For being completely surrounded on all sides by the city, there were long stretches I hiked in this park where I was the only person on the trail.

There are a few different entrances to this park. Surprisingly, for such a small green space, Debs does have several very different feelings depending on what part of the park you’re in. For this route, start in the park’s western entrance near the Audubon Center.

The Audubon Center at Debs has the distinction of being the very first carbon-neutral building built in the United States. It’s worth a stop here before you head out onto your hike – the building is beautiful and the volunteer staff is very helpful. They’ll have maps and recommendations for you … and – in one of the coolest things I’ve seen at any park – free backpacks! If you leave your ID or car keys, you can borrow a backpack for your hike and stuff it with bird guides, notebooks and binoculars!

If you’re an amateur ornithologist, you’re going to love this park. Not just because of the free binoculars – but I can’t remember a time I’ve ever heard so much birdsong while on a hike. This place is full of the flying, feathered guys – which is even more surprising because it’s so close to the city.

If you’re hiking with kids, you may want to explore the Audubon Center a bit further. There’s an extensive play and exploration area just behind the building with plenty of activities for kids to do – as well as a short Butterfly Trail. It’s a very pretty area that’s definitely worth seeing. The Center also occasionally leads short group hikes and nature walks from here, and you can ask about that at the information desk.

Once you’re done getting your bearings, double back toward the main street and look for the unused paved road and small trail on the right hand side of the road. This will get you onto the Scrub Jay Trail.

This starts out as a very brief single-track trail just to the east of the unused paved road before joining the road. From here, it’s a well-graded dirt road. Continue on this road. At the 0.4 mile mark (including the distance walking up the entrance road from the street), the trail hits a three-way-junction at a short green staircase in the woods:

Keep as far right as possible and round the sharp corner to stay on the trail, which will keep up a slow but steady incline for another 0.2 miles.

Along this stretch, you’ll start to see some of the great views to the north. Assuming it’s a clear day, you’ll be able to see north past Pasadena and well into the San Gabriels.

At the 0.6 mile mark, you’ll reach another three way junction at a bench … and you should have a pretty tremendous view south of the skyscrapers in downtown Los Angeles, too.

Keep a sharp left at this junction to go onto the Walnut Forest Trail (the one that doesn’t take a steep incline up). The Walnut Forest Trail drops about 60 feet before picking up the incline again, gaining about 214 feet in the next 0.36 miles. Here, the trail crosses a paved road. If you’d like a short detour to the tallest point on this route (880ft), take a left and walk down to the cul-de-sac, where you’ll find some benches in a lovely shaded grove.

Backtrack down to the intersection and continue east on the dirt Walnut Forest Trail, again keeping left at the two-way junction with the single-track Oak Grove Trail. This dirt road descends to about 770ft at the 1.4 mile mark, at which point you’ll want to keep right to turn into the Seco View Trail.

So by now you’re probably getting sick of hiking on fire roads. Well, you’re in luck, because at 1.6 miles you’ll come to a junction with the Oak Grove Trail that looks like this:

This trail will loop around the northeast corner of the park (and actually leave the park boundaries for short while), but it very quickly turns into a lovely little single-track that hugs the side of the hills.

It’s a bit overgrown in some places – and you’ll definitely want to check for ticks if you’re hiking in shorts – but it’s a very well routed and serene stretch of trail. You’ll even pass some old wells and chimneys from the ranch days along the way.

The trail drops you back off near the junction with the paved road to the high-point. This time, head south on the paved road, passing a sizable gazebo along the way. Just past the gazebo, you’ll notice a faint use-trail heading off the paved path. Save your boots some wear and tear and hop onto this – the Valley View Trail.

The Valley View Trail pretty much parallels the paved road for the entire route south but it’s a much nicer path. Not only is it close to single-track in most places, but you’ll also get a lot of nice views of the hills to the east and – if you’ve got good weather – a ton of birdsong, too.

This uncrowded stretch of trail does go all the way to the southern parking lot of the park, but at about the 2.6 mile mark I encountered a few large downed trees. The trail seemed to peter out here, save for a short spur that joined back up with the paved road. You can continue down the paved road to the southern parking lot, which you’ll hit in another 0.2 miles.

The southern end of Debs Park is very different than the north. Here, a large parking lot sits directly next to two large, open, grassy picnic areas – stocked with benches and tables, roofed structures, and lots of barbecue pits. You’re much more likely to find ice cream trucks, sunbathers, and birthday parties down here than anywhere in the northern part of the park.

Head south along the paved trails through the first picnic area and you’ll spot another short trail to a second, slightly quieter picnic area. While I saw a few birthday parties in the upper picnic area, the only company I had in the southern section was a couple playing fetch with their dog and a few kids talking to each other on a bench.

There are a number of trails in the southern end of the park, but they’re not nearly as well traveled as those in the northern end and are therefore a bit tougher to find. I read about a Native American Terrace Garden on the park’s southern boundary and headed toward the southwest corner of the second picnic area, where my map told me a trail began. Look for this white gate near an old dirt road grade and head south.

This short path travels another 0.2 miles to the park’s southern entrance, where the Native American garden is. I’m not sure if I was just too early in the season to see anything or if the garden had fallen victim to slashed park budgets, but what I saw was not definitely not worth the extra journey to this corner of the park unless you’re just looking to get the maximum mileage.

Backtrack to the second picnic area and look for this small dirt path that climbs up a ridge.

Keep right at the junction just up the first hill to stay on the Rose Hill Trail. This single-track trail winds its way through some brush before climbing another hill and passing an excellent bird-watching bench at the 3.7 mile mark.

This trail continues to skirt the park’s western boundary before it drops back down another hill to rejoin the northern picnic area’s parking lot. From here, look for a small staircase at the western end of the lot and climb up that to meet up with the Lake View Trail at about the 4 mile mark.

Shortly above the stairs, there’s a junction between the trail and a fire break. For a more direct and steep route, hike up the firebreak, which will spit you out right at the edge of a small pond surrounded by pine trees.

Do a quick loop around the pond or take a seat and relax for a bit. Rejoin the paved path and head north. At about the 4.4. mile mark (or slightly less if you just headed north on the road instead of backtracking a bit like I did), you’ll pass a small bathroom facility. Just north of that, you should see another small single-track on the west side of the road. Hop onto this trail heading west and you’ll quickly find out why it’s called the City View Trail.

Click here to view the embedded video.

At 4.8 miles, the City View Trail rejoins the Scrub Jay Trail. From here, retrace your steps back to the Audubon Center or your parked car.

If you’ve been hiking in California for a little while, you’re eventually going to hear about Mount Whitney. It’s the tallest peak in the Lower 48 and not too far away from L.A. Additionally, if you go during the summer months, you can summit this peak without any additional tech like ice-axes or other climbing gear. I won’t mince words: it’s a very, very tough hike – one of the most difficult I’ve ever done. But with the right training and preparation it’s doable for just about everyone … and on top of that, it’s a gorgeous, life-changing experience, too!

If you’ve decided that you want to tackle this beast, there are a lot of things you need to get ready for – like a complicated permit lottery, black bears, marmots, and WAG bags (not as bad as you think they are, really). But in terms of physical conditioning, you’re mostly going to have to worry about two things: endurance and altitude.

The best things you can do to train for Whitney are to hike steep trails (preferably with your backpacking weight on) and to spend as much time above 8000 feet as possible. And lucky for you, there are a number of excellent local hikes you can do to help get yourself ready for Whitney. Unfortunately, acclimatizing doesn’t “store up” in your body – you can’t hike two 10k peaks on a weekend then expect to drive to Whitney the next week and be ready to go – but here are some great trails you can do to a). get yourself in shape for the Whitney Trail and b). find out if you’re susceptible to AMS.

Mount San Jacinto via Mountain Station is the easiest trail on this list and the simplest way to test out your altitude readiness. Since the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway takes you from 2600 feet to 8500 feet in a matter of minutes, you’ll feel firsthand what it’s like to get to altitude without acclimatizing. You may be a bit out of breath or notice that you’re not moving as quickly as you’re used to while you make the moderate ascent to the peak at 10,834 feet. Pay attention to what’s going on with your body, so you can learn the difference between regular ol’ exhaustion and the early signs of Altitude Sickness. Try doing this hike with your full pack on or better yet – camp overnight to see what it’s like sleeping at high altitude, too.

Mount Wilson has many, many ways to reach its summit – but this route over firebreaks and down the Winter Creek Trails is grueling enough that my hiking buddies have lovingly re-named it The Mount Wilson Death March. While this trek starts out on some well-graded dirt road, your legs will definitely feel it once you hit the firebreaks. You’ll ascend and descend no-nonsense, bee-line paths over several bumps on your way up to the summit. The descent to the trailhead isn’t much easier – the Winter Creek Trails are fairly steep and will put a lot of pressure on your knees on the way down. You won’t get altitude experience here, but this is a great, close hike to punish your legs and get them ready for the inclines on the Whitney Trail.

You can’t talk about good training hikes without talking about Mount Baldy (Mount San Antonio). The highest peak in Los Angeles County tops out at 10,068 feet and is a leg-busting climb no matter which way you tackle it. This route will challenge you with steep ascents, scree slopes, a probably-windy summit and a narrow section of track called the Devil’s Backbone, but it will also reward you with outstanding views and a tremendous sense of accomplishment. If you can get up the Ski Hut Trail with a heavy pack on, your legs are going to be in great shape for Whitney.

The peaks near the Icehouse Canyon area make for great day trips or overnight test-runs. The trek up Icehouse Canyon itself isn’t that tough (except for a seemingly relentless stretch up to Icehouse Saddle), but done with a heavy pack this route is more good practice for the Whitney Trail. Pitch a tent at the wilderness campsite at Kelly Camp to see what it’s like cooking food without a campfire and how you fare sleeping above 8000 feet. Tag Ontario and Bighorn Peaks in the morning and trek back down to the trailhead, or tack on the additional slog up to Cucamonga Peak for an extra challenge.

If you’re planning on hiking the tallest mountain in the lower 48, you should probably spend some time with the tallest mountain in Southern California first. Backpacking San Gorgonio Mountain will give you a good idea of the logistics and motivation needed to pack in your campsite on a long trail at high altitude. Camp at Dry Lake and make an early morning summit at 11,502 feet before packing up and heading back to the trailhead – which is exactly the way you’ll tackle Whitney if you’re spending more than a day there. The section of trail between Dry Lake and the summit is a perfect place for you to feel exactly what high-altitude exhaustion is like (hopefully without the headache indicating AMS). It’s important to be able to tell the difference between just being winded and having symptoms of AMS. I was incredibly winded on the final summit push here, but it felt exactly the same on the last push to Whitney after Trail Crest.

In terms of altitude, you’re going to have to know the signs of acute mountain sickness, or altitude sickness. Altitude sickness is caused by a combination of reduced air pressure and lower oxygen levels at high altitudes, and can be exacerbated by physical exertion (which you’ll most definitely be doing on the trail) and if you’ve spent a lot of time near sea level (which, if you live in Los Angeles, I’ll guess you do).

While you can get a prescription for Diamox, it may or may not prevent AMS on your hike. You can summit a dozen high peaks and never get it, or you can get it once, or every time. Every body is different and fitness isn’t necessarily an indicator of whether or not you’re going to get it.

The symptoms of AMS are often confused for other, more minor problems. If you’re getting it, you’ll probably notice a headache at first. If you develop ANY of the following, congratulations – you have AMS:
- Vomiting, nausea, or diarrhea
- Dizziness or lightheadedness
- Fatigue or unusual weakness (beyond what you’d expect from a grueling hike)
- Difficulty sleeping

The good news is, with most cases of AMS, you’ll improve with time. Time allows your body to acclimatize to the new altitude, and can be helped along with some rest and hydration. If the symptoms do not improve or worsen, a full-proof cure is DESCENDING. Do not be ashamed to descend if you have AMS and DO NOT get “summit fever” and attempt to try to make it up anyway – untreated AMS can progress to pulmonary or cerebral edema, both of which are potentially deadly conditions. There’s more good info on AMS here.

When my group hiked Mount Whitney, we went up to Lone Pine a few days early to help us acclimate – spending one night at Whitney Portal Campground (around 8000 ft) and the next night at nearby Horseshoe Meadows (around 10,000) feet to help us get ready for sleeping at Trail Camp (around 12,000 feet) for the summit trip. I know for me, personally, it helped a lot. I was pretty exhausted trying to sleep at 8 and 10k, but at Trail Camp I got one of the most restful nights’ sleep I’ve ever had and woke up fully energized for the pre-dawn summit push.

If you have any other questions about hiking Mount Whitney or other local trails you like to use to train for big peaks, leave ‘em in the comments. And if you’re headed up to Lone Pine this summer – best of luck! Be sure to let us know how it goes!

As part of the welcome package to Columbia’s OmniTen program, the company sent me a blue Omni-Freeze Ice Solar Polar t-shirt to test out.

If you’re at all familiar with outdoor or sports clothing, you’ve already seen an enormous amount fabrics that aim to keep you cool in hot weather – from natural merino wool to synthetics, wicking fabrics and semipermeable membranes like Gore-Tex … but Columbia’s Omni-Freeze has a little something extra working in its favor.

The Ice utilizes two Columbia technologies – Omni-Freeze and Omni-Wick (they’re really going all-out with this Omni prefix this year). Omni-Wick is Columbia’s wicking fabric, made of flat fibers that claim to come in contact with about 35% more surface area of your skin. Wicking is a term you’ve heard before – it just refers to any fabric that can take moisture away from your skin and transfer it to the outer layer of clothing for evaporation, which is important both for keeping you from becoming too hot in the summer and from getting clammy and cool in the winter.

What makes the Columbia garments special is this Omni-Freeze feature – a chemical treatment of the garment’s fibers that literally lower its temperature when it’s wet – either from sweat or humidity in the air (Columbia says this treatment should last between 50 and 70 washes). Engadget got a piece of test fabric last year and took a video with some thermometers so you can actually see the temperature dropping – or you can see a similar demonstration on Columbia’s Omni-Freeze subsite under the “learn more” button. That’s Science, people!

Other than that, the shirt also has some nice reflective stripes, ventilation areas, and an antimicrobial treatment that will help keep the funk off the shirt if you can’t wash it.

So, the big question is – how’d it hold up?

Pretty darn well, actually.

Over the weekend, I threw the Ice on, hopped on my bike, and participated in my second CicLAvia – a day-long festival where L.A. closes down 10 miles of city streets to cars and turns them into a sprawling cyclist / pedestrian / whatever public space. It’s got architecture walks and downtown tours for urban hikers, too, but I did the full circuit on my bike, then rode back to Echo Park from the Bicycle District when I was done. It really is one of my favorite things about living in L.A. and you should definitely try to do it when the next one rolls around in October.

But back to the Ice … here’s the thing about me and biking – I sweat a LOT when I’m doing it. Sunday wasn’t an especially hot day, but it was warm and sunny and I spent a good three and a half hours riding my bike around L.A., so I definitely worked up some body heat – but, instead of being covered in sweat like I usually am after biking home from work, I was pretty dry and definitely much cooler than I was expecting to be. When I was done with the ride and took the shirt off, it was only damp in a few choice spots, mostly where it was covered by my backpack. And I didn’t have a Columbia Logo sunburned into my upper back from that venting area either!

All in all, I was fairly impressed with the Ice, and may even spring for a tank-top version on my own dime when I start hitting the trails in the summer heat.

More CicLAvia pics here.

The shirt I reviewed retails for $60. Omni-Freeze Ice is available on a variety of garments, including hats, baselayers, jackets and pants ranging from $25-100. They are available at Columbia.com as well as retailers like Backcountry.com.

Columbia Sportswear provided me with this item free of charge for review.

The Angeles National Forest is celebrating Earth Day this Saturday, April 21st with a volunteer event to give the San Gabriel River a little spruce-up and you’re invited to help.

The event will start at 8:30AM and run until 12:30 in the afternoon. If you want to help out, meet at the San Gabriel Canyon Gateway Center at 8:30, where you’ll caravan to the cleanup sites near the Rincon Fire Station. Trash bags will be provided, but you should bring your own drinking water, snacks, sunscreen, and sturdy (probably waterproof) shoes.

I’ve been a bit busy lately, so I wasn’t able to break the exciting news in time – but Modern Hiker has joined Columbia Sportswear‘s OmniTen Program.

So, you might be asking yourself – just what IS OmniTen, exactly? Apparently, the fine folks up at Columbia picked ten outdoorsy writers, bloggers, gear-testers, and social-media troubadours from around the country to test out their new line of 2012 products before they hit store shelves. I’ve already received a few goodies and will be writing about them shortly. They’re also taking us out into the field to test the gear first-hand, too — in mid June I will be joining my compatriots in Sedona for a few days before revisiting my backpacking trip to Havasu Canyon.

The people they’ve selected for this program seem to run a fairly broad range of interests – skiers, bikers, runners, climbers, and surfers – but it looks like a pretty good crew. And it includes the venerable Calipidder, who joined me on a trip to the GORE-TEX factory a few years back.

As most of the other group members have stated, I will be very transparent with all of my reviews of products and anything else Columbia throws my way. Columbia is giving Modern Hiker a lot of goods and services for free, but if I don’t like something I’m definitely gonna let you know about it.

In conclusion, woo!