Self Realization Fellowship Lake Shrine

This lake is an oasis within the city. I briefly visited this spot today and it is immediately calming. It is a no camera, no cell phone zone, so I don't have any pictures. I encourage you to go there to relax. Take a book, or just take your stressed out mind and enjoy this lake. This site is for those days that you don't have quite enough time to go on a long hike, but would still like to relax and be outside. Here's the web site with hours and direction information. Have fun. Namaste.http://www.yogananda-srf.org/temples/lakeshrine/

Hundred Peaks Section of the Sierra Club

There's been a lot of talk among the hiking community in California about losing funding for State Parks. This has got me thinking about donating money to outdoor organizations. I did a little research about the Sierra Club and found this great group. It's called the Hundred Peaks Section and in order to join there are a few prerequisites.

1. Join the Sierra Club. This part is easy! You can join online right now for $15.00 and they are giving out a backpack as a gift for joining. https://secure2.convio.net/sierra/site/Donation2?idb=0&df_id=7040&7040.donation=form1&autologin=true&s_src=J09WOT0400&s_subsrc=JRG

2. Subscribe to Lookout, their newsletter. This costs only $9.00 for a year.

3. Climb 25 peaks. There's even a list with information about the elevation of each peak and how to get to the trailheads. http://angeles.sierraclub.org/hps/hpslist.htm

So the last part may be a bit of a challenge but then again, I like a challenge. My plan is to get started right away with the Forsee Creek Trail located off highway 38 in the San Bernadino Mountains. At the end of this trail there is a junction that connects with the San Bernadino Peak Divide Trail. Along this portion of the trail there are 4 peaks above 10,000 feet; Shields Peak , San Bernadino East Peak, San Bernadino Peak and the highest Anderson Peak at 10,840 feet. What's your plan?

Towsley Canyon Loop

There's something going on under there. This is an easy trail with great mountain views, a slot canyon, a creek and tar pits. And when I say tar pits, I mean actual, bubbling tar coming up from the ground. It was very cool and kind of creepy, like nothing I had seen before except maybe in Yellowstone NP. I'm certainly no expert on tar pits, but you can explore further at the Page Museum and La Brea Tar Pits. http://www.tarpits.org Although the tar pits were definitely a highlight, the mountains surrounding the trail were my favorite part. The hike takes about 2 hours to do the whole loop at just over 5 miles. This would be perfect for a little exercise before or after work.

How to get there: Take the 5 North to the Calgrove exit and turn left, bearing left again at the Old Road. Ed Davis Park is clearly marked on the right. Pay $7.00 at the station and drive to the end of the road. The trail is marked and follows the dirt road past the gate. All the information you need is right here. http://www.lamountains.com/maps/towsley.pdf

Mount San Antonio

Sick of June Gloom? Bag Mt. San Antonio, the highest peak in Los Angeles County at 10,064 ft. Follow the winding Mt. Baldy Road up the canyon, and through the clouds until you emerge, basking in the sun and peaks around you. The clouds form a blanket, covering the congestion of the city below and turning it into a sea of puffy white. All you really need to see are the mountains anyway. Right away you will come across the cascading San Antonio Falls. There's also a Sierra Club ski hut at 8,300 ft. that you'll definitely want to check out. You can't go in, but there are scheduled work parties that you can sign up for through the Sierra Club. http://www.angeles.sierraclub.org/lodges/Pages/workparty.html There's a sweet rock that's perfect to read from on the canyon side of the hut. So perfect that you'll never want to leave! You have to trek on though in order to see the amazing view from the top. It's not easy, but so worth it! The Devil's Backbone trail is also a highlight of the hike because there are points where the trail is very narrow and you're balancing on the ridge between two cliffs. Overall a blissful hike that comes with bragging rights!

How to get there: Take the 210 towards San Bernadino and exit Mountain Ave in Upland. Continue right on Mt. Baldy Rd. past Icehouse Canyon. The trailhead is on the left at San Antonio Falls road just past the Manker Flats campground. You have two options when you choose your ascent to the top. The first is to follow the road up and through the Mt. Baldy ski area. This is the long way up, about 7 miles and a little under 4,000 ft. elevation. OR you can do it the extreme way, which is to head up the Baldy Bowl trail, going the same elevation in 4 miles. Both trails begin at the trailhead I mentioned, just follow the paved road up past the waterfall until it becomes a dirt access road. If you choose to take the short way up, there is an obvious offshoot trail on the left. You'll know you're in the right place because there is a register almost immediately where you can sign your name. If you want to take the longer, less steep route continue on the road and follow the trail left when you reach the ski school for Mt. Baldy.

Don't Forget: Display your Adventure Pass, or your America The Beautiful Interagency Pass. Bring extra layers because it can be cold and windy on the top. On the other hand, it can be sunny and beautiful so bring extra sunscreen! You can also bring an extra couple bucks to donate to the Sierra Club. There's a donation box in the outhouse at the ski hut! Lastly, bring a book because you'll need to rest so you might as well make a nice relaxing time out of it.

Mountain Girl in the City

I'm a big fan of "Extreme Day", which for me is the day that comes between Wednesday and Friday. I've never heard of Thursday, I don't know what you're talking about. I just moved to LA from Montana and realized that I can do all the things I loved doing in Big Sky country right here in Los Angeles and the surrounding areas. Every week I do something new and awesome! I've created this blog to show that you, too can have adventures here in So Cal anytime you want.