Mt. Wilson is one of the more well-known "peaks" in the San Gabriel Ranges due to its accessibility, visibility, its significant astronomical history, its campus of telescopes, and the presence of a small city of communications arrays. This long, flat ridge isn't a summit in the traditional sense, but any hike to the top is …
Caspers Wilderness Park: Juaneno Loop
Caspers Wilderness Park is a fine patch of preserved wilderness featuring broad canyons supporting oak and sycamore savannas, as well as sage-scrub covered ridges and ocean views. The trail network ranges from easy to strenuous, and the park offers several campgrounds and equestrian staging.Distance: 10.5Elevation Gained: 1,800Difficulty: Moderately StrenuousTime: 3:25Critters: Bunnies, hawks, ravensGet there like …
Relict Species: The Elephant Tree
Relict: N. A remnant or survivorSpecies: N. A distinct sort or kindBursera microphylla Perhaps you’ve had that odd experience where you say a word enough times that it seems to become stranded from its regular associations. When that happens, a common word like “banana” or “toast” suddenly stops representing a thing or a concept and becomes …
Relict Species: California Fan Palm
Relict, n: a remnant or survivor.Species, n: a distinct sort or kindWashingtonia filifera While you wouldn’t know it based on urban development together with beautifully manicured and shady trees throughout the city and suburbs, Los Angeles and San Diego were once largely treeless. The wide, rolling coastal plains were covered by grasses and …
2013 Goal: Take 75 hikes I’ve never taken before.
At the end of 2012, I wrote "I will be setting exploration goals that will help me explore more areas, thus ensuring a better variety of experience." To that end, I determined that I would take 75 hikes that I had never taken before. In some instances, this meant that I would hike places I …
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Santa Ysabel Open Space Preserve West
Everybody knows that happy cows come from California. However, many of them live of polluting and foul smelling feed lots in the Central Valley, which, upon approach, fill the unsuspecting traveler with disgust and nausea. The real happy cows hang out at Santa Ysabel Open Space Preserve, which have all of the rolling hills, trickling …
Mountain Palm Springs
Not to be confused with the far more fabulous Palm Springs in the Coachella Valley, this series of palm-studded oasis features a moderate meandering through several California fan palm groves, a campground, and a rare grove of the bizarre elephant tree, also known as "torote" in Spanish.Distance: 2.5 MilesElevation Gained: 500'Difficulty: EasyTime: 1:30Critters: All kinds …
Bow Willow Canyon – Rockhouse Loop
Way out in the middle of God-Knows-Where, there's a tiny little line shack tucked into one of the myriad desert canyons of Anza-Borrego. The destination is not really the purpose for the hike; rather, this is a hike of silence and solitude in the midst of a stark, nearly pristine wilderness.Distance: 8.7 MilesElevation Gained: 1,200'Difficulty: …
Mt. Woodson via Blue Sky Ecological Preserve
This hike combines a popular and challenging summiting experience with a cool, shady oak woodland for a comprehensive and fairly strenuous workout. Taken on a clear winter day, this hikes reveals impressive views over San Diego County, Mexico, and as far north as Mt. Baldy.Distance: 11 MilesElevation Gained: 2,800'Difficulty: Moderately Strenuous, but on the southern …
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November Summary
During the month of November, I hiked 82.7 Miles and gained 10,700' of elevation. I spent 32.5 hours on the trails, and I burned approximately 12,000 calories doing so. My average hike was 6.36 miles long with an average gain of 823'.I hiked through bone-dry deserts and through rain-soaked canyons. I hiked in forests, summitted …
scott turner hikes 