• Artist: Herakut
• Title:
• Artist Website: http://www.herakut.de/

In my opinion, this is one of the nicest murals in Los Angeles. I really like the artist’s style, details and choice of colors. Even some of the weathering looks great with the the pieces. On one side of the building there is a girl sitting cross-legged wearing a blue dress with her knuckles resting on her cheek. She looks really unenthusiastic with the question above ‘Art?’. On the wall that faces Washington, there is a painting of a young winged boy wearing a helmet and sitting on a skateboard. He also has an apathetic expression on his face but the title above him reads ‘Angels come in various sizes.’

• Artist: Unknown

I like this one because it is so simple. Just a bird alone with its thoughts…..

If you have any information on this mural, please email contribute@recreatela.com

• Artist: Unknown
• Title: Indivisible

I don’t really know anything about this mural at this time, but am familiar with this location. This spot has featured many street artists including Shepard Fairey’s work.

If you have any information on this mural, please email contribute@recreatela.com

• Artist: Unknown
• Title: Unknown

This is an awesome large mural in on of the many colorful back alleys of Melrose Ave. It depicts a very large Dalai Lama sitting in the middle of Chinese troops holding guns. The Dalai Lama offers a kind smile and the peace sign while clashing turbulence surrounds him

If you have any additional information on this mural, please email contribute@recreatela.com

• Title: Sisyphus
• Artist: Alexander Liberman
• Date: 1983
• Medium: Painter Steel
• Funded By: City of Beverly Hills Public Art Fund and Dr. Murray Pepper in honor of Mayor Vicki Reynolds Pepper

This sculpture is pretty hard to miss. It is bright red and sits in the large grass median on Burton Ave. in Beverly Hills in front of the courthouse. It is composed of many irregularly shaped painted steel plates. If you would like to find out more about the artists, please check out his Wikipedia page.

In Greek mythology Sisyphus (/ˈsɪsəfəs/; Greek: Σίσυφος Sísyphos) was a king punished by being compelled to roll an immense boulder up a hill, only to watch it roll back down, and to repeat this throughout eternity. He is also found in Roman mythology (Wikipedia link).

• Artist: Andrew Hem
• Artist Website: www.andrewhem.com
• Location: 8800 Washington Boulevard, Culver City, California, United States (corner w/ Landmark St.)

Today we had the pleasure of meeting Andrew Hem and see him work on a large mural. Looking forward to seeing it’s progress to completion.

More info coming up…

Description: This trip begins at Chantry parking head and you’d better be there by 7 am in order to ascend under the sanctuary of the morning sun and return by dinner.

From the intersection at Winter Creek and Santa Anita Canyon, take the Gabrielino Trail to the trail intersection after the cabins, a sign will show the Gabrielino breaking off left and heading up, take it and do not go directly to Sturtevant Falls.  Instead this upper trail will lead you above and behind Sturtevant Falls and continues to Spruce Camp along the Gambrielino Trail, one of the oldest trails in the San Gabriels.  The Sturtevant Trail to Mt. Wilson Observatory will be marked with a sign.

To return as a loop trail take an unamed trail at SE Corner of parking lot to Mt. Wilson Toll Road to Manzanita Trail to Upper Winter Creek Trail to return to the parking head at Chantry Flats.

http://angeles.sierraclub.org/hps/signatures/12g.htm

• Highlights: Fire Ecology, Waterfalls, Wilderness, Roberts Ranch(abandoned), Mountain Biking
• Difficulty: **
• Distance: 3.1 miles, 2 hours (round trip)
• Altitude Gain/Loss: 700ft/700ft
• Links: Paul Williams CurbedLA

Parking is located just off the PCH at Corral Canyon Road. At the light, turn right and into the parking are through gate. Parking starts at 8 a.m.

We like to start up the T.R.W. trail, then, up to the Sunrise Loop, but starting this loop along the creek via Roberts Ranch trail will get you there too. Our way has great views looking into the canyon, out to the sea, and then descends on the Ranch and the falls area. When you do reach the burned out Roberts Ranch, you can enjoy exploring this once wonderfully architectural home, designed by Paul Williams(LAX theme building). Roam the ruins, climb the several tiers of waterfalls, and look in awe at the type of plants and flowers that make up this “Tropical Terrace”.

Found in downtown Los Angeles, this street art piece stands at about 4 stories high and takes up half of a very large wall on the side of a parking lot. You can see the figures here on the outside of his body and his arm has turned into a flock of birds taking away his balloon.

Description: This trip begins on the …post under construction.

• Current Exhibit: Art in the Streets
• Exhibit Dates: April 17 – August 8, 2011
• Hours: SUN: 11am–6pm
  MON: 11am–5pm
  TUES, WED: CLOSED
  THURS: 11am–8pm
  FRI: 11am–5pm
  SAT: 11am–9pm
• Price (includes all MOCA exhibits):General Admission: $10
  Students with I.D.: $5
  Seniors (65+): $5
  Children under 12: Free
  Jurors with I.D.: Free
• Monday Special: FREE thanks to Banksy
• Address: 52 North Central Avenue Los Angeles, CA 90012

1

Art in the Streets

The Museum of Contemporary Art presents Art in the Streets, the first major U.S. museum exhibition of the history of graffiti and street art. The exhibition will trace the development of graffiti and street art from the 1970s to the global movement it has become today, concentrating on key cities where a unique visual language or attitude has evolved. Following MOCA’s presentation, the exhibition will travel to the Brooklyn Museum, where it will be on view March 30–July 8, 2012.

Art in the Streets will showcase installations by 50 of the most dynamic artists from the graffiti and street art community, including Fab 5 Freddy (New York), Lee Quiñones (New York), Futura (New York), Margaret Kilgallen (San Francisco), Swoon (New York), Shepard Fairey (Los Angeles), Os Gemeos (São Paulo), and JR (Paris). MOCA’s exhibition will emphasize Los Angeles’s role in the evolution of graffiti and street art, with special sections dedicated to cholo graffiti and Dogtown skateboard culture. The exhibition will feature projects by influential local artists such as Craig R. Stecyk III, Chaz Bojórquez, Mister Cartoon, RETNA, SABER, REVOK, and RISK. Read More

Fairly well know Banksy street art work where a young girl swings from the ‘PARK’ in ‘PARKING’.  The ‘ING’ has bee lightened with some white paint to emphasize the ‘PARK’.  The piece can be found at the corner of a large parking facility downtown up against a rundown building very typical of modern urban life.

Description: This trip begins on the Burkhart Trail parking head at Buckhorn Campground and provides an amazing cross section of opportunity in the forest.

Fine Art quality work on a gallery party wall facing a vacant lot….pure urban poetry.  Lichtenstein influences, also passion and death, speed and chance, or at least so I think.

We met the gallery representative and she informed us that the artist is UK based d*face.  The work was part of a promotion for the artist’ work, which unfortunately was displayed a few weeks earlier.  The gallery space is extrordinary and located on upper Washington at 8522 in Culver City.

http://www.dface.co.uk/

At the end of  Wavecrest Ave., where it meets the Venice Beach boardwalk, both north and south walls are covered with murals.  The North wall is part of Rey’s Pizza and it’s mural was probably commissioned by the pizza shop to draw attention and with it’s bright colors, it does just that.  The building behind the pizza shop (east) also has its it’s wall colorfully painted with a series of eyeballs and ‘monster parts’.  On the South wall it a tribute to Vincent Van Gogh’s Starry Night.  These murals definitely light up what would normally be a very plain looking alley.

I would love to give credit to the artists so if you have some information, please let me know.  The ‘Starry Night’ artist signed the mural but unfortunately, I did not take note of it.

This is a pretty sweet little skate park right on the beach in Venice.  The area is usually crowded with skaters and spectators.

Gateway to Los Angeles from all points East, this spectacular view of the San Gabriels from the El Cajon Pass welcomes all who come hearing the call….the west is the best, just get here and we’ll do the rest.

We are currently working on the content for the Getty Villa museum in Malibu, Los Angeles County

Visit the Getty website for more information

• Highlights: Soap Box Cars, Costumes, Racing
• Difficulty: *
• Cost: *

Description: Awesome event in downtown L.A., utilizing Bunker Hill as the propellant for a good ole fashion soap box derby.  Teams are carefully selected by presentation of concept for car and 1 minute skit.  The skits are as entertaining as the race itself.  The event is free and is sponsored by Red Bull.

Red Bull Soapbox Race Website

• Holes: 18 (but there is another back 18 to this course)
• Highlights: well maintained and marked course, 36 Holes, hard to lose a disc, nice park, man made lake
• Difficulty: Short to medium distance holes on a mostly open course.  Not very technical but a beautiful FREE course.
• Address: 13701 Adelfa Dr. La Mirada 90638 (Directions)

This is a great course.  Some people even consider it the best in Southern California.  I am more partial to more technical courses such as Morley Field in  San Diego but this course can offer challenges of it’s own.  Please note that on the weekends, you will most likely be sharing the park with families and picnickers, so watch out for kids and be patient.  Although this is a free course, the entire park is well manicured and has a man made lake as it’s center piece which will usually bring along some ducks and geese.  If you look at the water, you will notice its particularly blue / greenish and that is because the town adds some dyes in there to prevent too much algae growth.  Although you may not shoot directly over the water, there are a couple holes which might land you in the water accidentally.  Be careful with the disc deflecting off of a tree or rolling down hill into the water.   This course is definitely worth a visit for any skill level player and with a cooler and some food, you can make an entire day out of it.

La Mirada Disc Golf- Google Map

Links:

• DGCourseReview – La Mirada Regional Park
• PDGA Course Listing – La Mirada Regional Park

Walk through a garden of the alien looking Chola cacti while you enjoy the blue skies and this amazing section of Joshua Tree National Park.  This is one of the many road side exhibits and natural wonders this park has to offer.  It truly is an amazing place.

This is an amazingly scenic view spot in Joshua Tree National Park.  From up here you can see the Coechella Valley, San Adreas Fault, the snow covered peak El Jaciento Mountain and more.

• Current Exhibit: Paris: Life and Luxury
• Exhibit Dates: April 26–August 7, 2011
• Hours: SUN: 10am–5:30pm
  MON: CLOSED
  TUES-FRI: 10am-5:30pm
  SAT: 11am–9pm
• Price: General Admission: FREE
  Parking.: $15
• Address: 1200 Getty Center Drive

The Getty Center is a campus of buildings designed around a court and gardens for the purposes of housing and displaying classical art and sculpture.  The Getty is a private trust created for the passion of antiquities and their restoration.

The style of the campus architecture is high modern, but recalls the ricness of villas in italian tuscan hillsides.  The work follows strict classical rules, proportion, scale, and culminates in a timeless place.   Architect, Richard Meier organises the campus along two sight lines atop the hillside property, to promote views and exterior circulation between the pavillions and the city of Los Angeles.

The gardens are by renowned artist, Robert Irwin.

For more information, contact The Getty at http://www.getty.edu.

Description: This post is Under Construction

• Highlights: Salt water breezes, sea lions, sailboats
• Difficulty: *
• Cost: **

Description: Kayaking Marina Del Rey gives you an up close look at the culture surrounding this L.A. oasis.  At the same time, you can relax and slip away into serenity.  As long as you can swim, there is relatively little more experienced required to set out exploring across the marina.

We are currently seeking sponsorship for this post area from a certain kayaking rental business in MDR (the only kayak rental on water in MDR).

• Highlights: Hot Springs, Wilderness
• Difficulty: **
• Distance: 4 miles, 2 hours (round trip)
• Altitude Gain/Loss: 930ft/930ft

Description: Beautiful untouched wilderness hides this gem.  The trail in and out protects this precious hot spring from mobs of visitors, yet you will never find the tubs empty.  People from all over make their way to this tub of the gods.

• http://www.gplb.com
• Event in mid April.

Badass circuit track built into the streets of the city.

Racing through the streets of Long Beach goes back to 1977, Chris Pook organized the first F/One race and started an economic rennansaince in the downtown which is ongoing today.  Toyota sponsors the races today and while F/One no longer runs this course, during this weekend, the air is rich with ethanol.

This event draws nearly 170,00 to see this 1.97 mile circuit through eleven turns.

Post in progress.

• Highlights: Views, Debris Dams, Camping
• Difficulty: ***
• Distance: 6.6 miles, 3-4 hours (round trip)
• Altitude Gain/Loss: 1700ft/1700ft

Description: Access to the Mount Zion Trail can be found in Big Santa Anita Canyon at a four-way junction about 1.4 miles.

This is a site near my home.  I pass it everyday, I like the urban space and the connections it provides.  This particular site reminds me of the rectilinear squares in front of the churches in Florence, the Piazzas.  This one lacks the relationships which reinforce the public place but nonetheless has some components and is shaped by the adjacent building and block edges.  The street profiles and uniformity and scale of the shops makes this a very pleasant set of streets and spaces.  You somehow feel centered in this space, special, belonging to this neighborhood.

We can’t change the traffic pattern which disrupts this space but we can soften the blow.  We wish to offer guerilla, grassroots manner of providing more architecture in this space.

Our concept is to utilize this forum to show special spaces which could use further thought, attention, ambition and neighborhood love.  We wil provide a design program and a donation forum in order to feed these special projects.  Our hope is that the need and desire for such things will be recognized by the adjacent neighborhood and support such ongoing strategies of improvement.

end.

• Highlights: Bike Path
• Distance: 8 miles

Description: This is developing path along Ballona Creek affording a great break from the grid.  From Culver City to the Bike Path at the beach in Marina Del Rey.

Stacked stone creations are being sculpted along the banks.

• Highlights: Meadow, Stream Crossings
• Difficulty: **
• Distance: 2 miles/ 1 hr. r.t.
• Altitude Gain/Loss: 700ft/700ft

Description: From the bottom, you can reach the parking head via Busch Drive, off the PCH at Zuma Beach.  The trail seems easy enough, through the meadow but with more than a dozen stream crossings, you will want to consider finding a walking stick to use as a third leg.  The easiest route is to take the meadow trail following the stream until the trail ceases at The Narrows.  Here you must either turn around and hike back, or press on through the narrows, rock hopping and getting wet…To return, head back downstream and take the Overlook Loop trail, on right.  This will get you back to the parking lot via an upper trail which will yield you views over the meadow, stream and those harrowing crossings.  You’ll now note that this canyon is very different from every other canyon in the Santa Monica Mountains….it has no road carving its way through the landscape, the systems of nature are largely intact.

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• Highlights: Body Surfing, Seals, Cliffs
• Contact:

Description: Beach with Tides!

• Highlights: Piloti, Solid/Void, Advanced Program and Systems
• Program: TV/Radio Studios
• Difficulty: ***
• Architect: Unknown

Description: Nicely executed modern building, housing broadcast studios and back of house, which in this case is viewed as the executive and administrative functions and housed in a solid block.

On the contrary, the studio program is wonderfully displayed, playfull round spaceship building.  Upon further study you find that this round form is pulled out from the admin/exec. block, so far as to provide a substantial void in between.

This Void is captured across expanse through the use of a skelton frame/structure acting as threshold and support for the landscape circulation methods.

The Architect and whomever paid for this building should be aknowledged for this interesting building which seems to operate for private need and public good.

• Highlights: Forest Wilderness, Camping
• Difficulty: **
• Distance: 2 miles/ 1 hr. r.t.
• Altitude Gain/Loss: 700ft/700ft

Description: Located near the hamlet of Fawnskin, this area is known on the lake as Boulder Bay.  There is a unique building perched on this side of the lake, operated by Cornell University for solar observations.  Across from the east boat ramp, is a small parking lot at trailhead.

Trail climbs steeply right away.  Castle rock offers spectacular lake views, big conifers, and lots of rocks.  You can see the effect of harsh seasons in the weathered decay of wood and rock.  From the top you are at 7,000 feet above sea level.

Camping is nearby and highly suggested.  A nearby trail is the Devils Hole, a dramatic 5 mile excursion where water gorges over granite creating rapids and falls.

• Highlights: Desert Wilderness
• Distance: 2.0 miles, 1 hr. r.t.
• Altitude Gain/Loss: 400ft/400ft

Description: Amazing bunch of hikes through desert vallet and foothills, unique plant life and artist installations in vast openess.

• Highlights: Music, Art, Dancing, Camping
• Time of year: May 13th thru 15th
• Contact info: www.joshuatreemusicfestival.com

Description: Great weekend of music, nature, and camping.  Joshua Tree area comes alive with a lot of music art and fun people.

3 day festival tickets are 120 bucks plus 20 a night for camping. If you get your tickets earlier, you can get them for about $70 for all 3 days. It will be back next year for it 10th time.

• Highlights: Snow Sports, Mountain Taverns
• Difficulty: ****
• Altitude Gain/Loss: 1,800ft/1,800ft
• Contact Info:

Description: Closest mountain resort to Downtown Los Angeles, with no beginners posted, this mountain offers; few crowds, bowl like trails, and great snowboarding with views of the ocean.  Can’t beat that.

• Highlights: Views
• Distance: 1.0 miles, 1 hour (round trip)
• Altitude Gain/Loss: 100ft/100ft

Description:

• Highlights: Views, mountain driving
• Altitude Gain/Loss: 5,000ft

Description:  Amazing views to the Pacific.  Across the tops of mountains you see the blue distance.

This is the scenic route and at times the only route to Big Bear from Los Angeles.  The combination of curves and views are both breathtaking and nuaseating.  At times its you and the edge of nothing.  Great drive, fill up first!

• Highlights: Geologic Formations, Camping
• Distance: 6.7 miles, 3.5 hour r.t.
• Altitude Gain/Loss: 1200ft/1200ft

Description: Great hike through exposed, weathered sandstone, cliffs and caves, shade oaks and chapparral.

Tapanga Canyon Boulevard to Entrada Road.  Walk north on paved drive to where Musch Trail slants right across grassy hillside.  About 1 mile you will come upon Musch trail camp, the only public camping in the Santa Monica Mountains.

• Highlights: Small stream, great running trail
• Difficulty: ***
• Distance: 5.0 miles, 2.5 hr. r.t.
• Altitude Gain/Loss: 700ft/700ft

Description:  Park atop a ridge and hike down into this unspoiled canyon bottom.  Path can get dense at times.

• Highlights: Firepits, Surfing, Bikepath
• Contact: 12001 Vista del Mar, Playa Del Rey, CA 90293 (310) 322-4951

Description: Beach with Firepits!

- Entrance is on Vista Del Mar & Imperial
- $8/car, Free street parking on Vista del Mar but they ticket after 10pm.
- No glass/alcohol allowed but we brought some beer that we drank out of plastic cups.

The beach is very close to LAX so you’ll hear/see a number of planes flying by and making u-turns above the ocean all throughout the evening. Some find this to be a deal-breaker but I think it’s pretty cool.  The park “closes” at 10pm but both times I’ve been there, there hasn’t been much pressure to leave right at 10.. we usually pack up around 11. The park has the right to ticket any cars left in the parking lot after 10pm so if you’re planning on staying past that, I would just keep an eye out for parking enforcement.

• Highlights: Sailing, Swimming, Fishing, Dolphins
• Distance: from MDR 6-8 hours
• GPS Coordinates: 33.44,-118.49

Description: Great sail over 5,000 foot deep channel.  Two Harbors is totally charming.  Call Harbor Master upon arrival for an anchorage.  Take water ferry to pier and enjoy!  Great services, island cantina, camping, hiking, other excursions.  Be sure to take the short hike across the ismuths to the twin harbor on the Pacific Side.  Then come on back and relax at the cantina…gets some drinks then taxi back to the boat at nightfall for shrimp on the barbe.

’bout the best you can do round here.

• Highlights: Great ocean vistas, wild flowers
• Difficulty: ***
• Distance: 6.0 miles, 3.5 hours (round trip)
• Altitude Gain/Loss: 1600ft/1600ft

Description: There are easier trails, but none which offer such expanse of views and detail at your feet.  This is uphill, to the vista views through flowered fields.

• Highlights: Sea Caves, Mussels, Beach Rocks, Cliffs

Description:  A quieter beach, reached from a parking head above.  Take the cliffside path down to secret caves and sandy beaches with rocks.

• Highlights: Resevoir, Fire Ecology
• Distance: 3.0 miles, 2 hours r.t.
• Altitude Gain/Loss: 1050ft/1050ft

Description: High above the Bouquet Resevoir, this little little known trail cuts across the ridge to allow awesome views of Green Valley.

Access is from Spunky Canyon Road.  The trail has moderate inclines and moves tightly along the north face up to the ridge.  A bench at the top of the east summit allows you to take in the view.  It is here, you can view the San Andreas and San Francisquito faults. In 1928, this was the site of the St. Francis Dam disaster.

• Highlights: California Poppies
• Distance: 1.0 miles, 1 hour (round trip)
• Altitude Gain/Loss: 100ft/100ft

Description: The rolling hills of the Antelope Valley come alive with a hundred colors.  Beyond anything I’ve ever seen before these landscapes are made up of crowded colored dots.  This visual dispaly is seasonal and subject to temperature, rain, but if you catch it right in early February to April, you will be impressed.

• Highlights: Waterfalls, fire ecology – RECENT FIRE, AREA MAY BE RESTRICTED
• Difficulty: **
• Distance: 3.6 miles, 2 hours (r.t.)
  
• Altitude Gain/Loss: 700ft/700ft

Description: Cascading rock pools and 4 season distinctions.

The excusion begins from the picnic area along a stream and then along a well laid trail.  The upper falls is less then a miles hike and, at times offers a secret pool in the sun, about six feet deep with room for 10-12. Great escape.

For the heartier, there is the lower falls, via the namesake trail.  This approach is about 2 miles roundtrip and can be a place of solitude when there is conjestion above.

Note: the Royal Gorge can be reached from here.

• Highlights: Waterfalls, Bouldering
• Difficulty: ****
• Distance: 8.0 miles – 6 hours
• Altitude Gain/Loss: 1700ft/1700ft

Description:  The top is reached via Kanan Dume Road. Park at the first parking head after the first tunnel, when approached from the PCH.  You will be looking for an unmarked trailhead that leads to the ridge and down into Zuma Canyon.  This trail head is just to the right of the tunnel overpass trail, it is super hidden and looks more like an animal path or small wash.  You do not have to go up the tunnel overpass hill to reach this, so look carefully.

The ridge can be reached easily from this trail and in moment you will be looking down across all of Zuma Canyon.  Follow this trail (wash) down as it follows a dropping ridge.  Keep aware to be on the right trail, continually working your way lower.  The views are spectacular, supplanted only by the flora and detail at your feet, within an hour you should be approaching the bottom of the canyon.  Look for power transmission lines and spy the Edison right of way which crosses Zuma Creek at the bottom, it is here you should break for lunch.

To continue, follow the creek upstream, boulder hoping about a mile to the top.  This will be very challenging and seem, at times, impossible but it is possible and very rewarding.  There are about six waterfalls on your way back up, all of them can be scrambled.  It will take nearly three hours to reach the parking head from here.  Approximately, 2/3 the way up you will reach the intersection of Zuma Creek and Newton Canyon and spy Newton Falls, spring right and head up and around these.  You are now in Newton Canyon for your final ascent to the parking head.  Press on here through the narrow gorge to yet another waterfall.  It is here the trail ends and you must scramble up to meet the Backbone Trail which will lead you to the parking head.

end.

Oak Valley Park (Pasadena)

Chavez Ridge Course @ Elysian Park (Dodger’s Stadium)

• Highlights: Architecture, Flowers, Library, Fine Art, Hiking, Views, Exercise
• Difficulty: **
• Distance: 1. miles, 1 hour (round trip)
• Altitude Gain/Loss: 1700ft/1700ft

Description: Access to Verdugo Mountain trail network and resources of Brand Park.  There are great views of greater Los Angeles and the San Fernando Valley, but the hike is a feat of endurance.  At the top you are rewarded with great views and if your lucky, an open bench.

The library is dedicated to fine arts and is a wonderful opportunity to view the once house estate of the Brand family, a onetime developer of Glendale.  There are many facilities at Brand Park, galleries, parks, trails are just a few.

Highlights: Dog Friendly (on leash only), Canyon Views, Nice residential area, Convenient 
• Distance: 3 miles (Loop Trail)
• Difficulty / Time: * / 1hr

Fryman Canyon Loop / Tree People - Google Earth Map

Description: The start of this hike is at the end of Canyon Drive which is the entrance to Griffith Park’s Bronson Canyon Park.  You will drive through a residential area, park gate, and a small playground on your way to the parking.  You can go all the way to the end and hope for one of the 6 spots there or park in the large dirt lot on your right a little before.  There are two turnoffs from this road.  One is at the end on the left and goes up hill and the other is on the right and heads a little back towards the entrance to the park.  You don’t want to take either of them but the one to the right is supposed to lead to where the original Batman shows / movies shot the ‘Bat Cave’ about 1 mile down.  All I saw was a man made tunnel in the rock about 40ft long and came out the other side.

The trail to go to the Hollywood sign begins at the gate at the very end of Canyon Drive.  Follow the wide, well used path into the canyon and up along the eastern side of the canyon.  This path will wind back and forth climbing straight up to the ridge. The last turn before the path flattens out is a sharp right which leads into a short steep climb to the top where you will see a sign that says ‘You made it’.  Short after the flat path branches off to the right which would lead you eventually to the Griffith Observatory but you want to continue left towards the Hollywood sign. You may see people riding horses on trail or just find yourself avoiding what they left behind since there is a horse ranch down in one of the canyons.

Continue on this road until it turns into a closed paved road which is actually Mulholland Hwy and follow it up to the top.  This road will will lead you to the other side of the ridge where you can see the San Gabriel Mountains and San Fernando Valley.  There is a radio / cell tower at the top and a small dirt peak which will offer a tremendous view of the top of the Hollywood sign and city.  On a clear day you can even see all the way to Catalina.

To get a view of the Hollywood sign from the bottom, follow Mulholland Dr. down for almost 1 mile past the dirt path turnoff.  Go all the way to where they closed the road and climb a little towards the water tower to get a better view.  You can also approach this area through the other of the road block by the Hollywood reservoir.

Please note: You cannot gain access to the Hollywood sign itself, it is gated off.  The closest you can get is from above it but you are still probably 60 ft from it.

Temescal Canyon

• Highlights: Waterfalls, Cottages, Debris Dams, Gabrielino Trail
• Difficulty: **
• Distance: 3.3 miles, 1-1/2 hours (round trip)
• Altitude Gain/Loss: 700ft/700ft

Description: Hell of a trail system starts out from this seemingly innocous parking head. Five dollar forest fee is due at the store, you can use the change for ice cream or a bandana map.

Across the road from the parking lot is a paved surface that takes you down to the trail heads below at the intersection with Winter Creek.  At the bottom, a sign informs you of this locations history as popular weekend resort from 1912 to 1936.  Here, you can also see one of the CCC era debris dams built here on Winter Creek and all up the Santa Anita Canyon.  Constructed in the early part of the last century, these dams protected the ever encroaching cities edge and their inabitants from torential flood damage.

Make your way across the pedestrian trestle bridge and to the right to begin your hike up the waters of Big Santa Anita Canyon.  The path to the falls is litered with debris dams which delight with sight and sound.  Hidden about half way up the trail is a colony of cottages, built long ago, they have survived to provide quite a differant view on living in LA.  The falls are petite but stately and rank amoung the tallest in the county.

Access to the Mount Zion Trail and Mt. Wilson can be found in Big Santa Anita Canyon at a four-way junction about 1.4 miles.

• Highlights: Rock scrambling, climbing, old MASH site 
• Distance: 2.6 miles, 1-1/2 hours (round trip)
• Altitude Gain/Loss: 650ft/650ft

Description: The Grotto Hike in ventura county

I have never seen this in any other major city but I have to say I am a big fan.  All throughout Los Angeles you will spot large rainbow umbrellas calling out for you attention. Below them is the healthiest street food you can have in town, a bag of freshly cut fruit and vegetable.   You can ask for a regular or large (large is $5) and pick what fruits / veggies you want cut.  They usually offer mangoes, oranges, coconut, watermelon, pineapples, honeydew melons and cucumbers.  In addition, you will be asked if you want ‘chili powder, salt & lime juice’ which I almost always add.  I agree it’s a very strange combination but it somehow works.  I always find myself asking ‘I don’t know if I like this..’ all the way to the end of the bag.  If you see one, give it a shot.  There are many locations but I know of this one (a block from Robertson & 3rd) along with one by Ross on 3rd by the grove.

Last night, I was leaving a decent Indian restaurant on Pico Blvd with my girlfriend around 9pm when I spotted a crunched up dollar bill on the ground. I stopped and reached down to grab the money noticing, in the corner of my eye, a homeless man with all his possessions laying in front of a closed storefront. This man was about four feet from the dollar bill and I thought to myself “This is probably his, I might as well give it to him as I am sure he’ll appreciate it.” I lean over with the bill in my hand reaching over to give it to him when something unexpected happened. I imagined that he would say thank you and that would be it, but no. As I am offering the money he mumbles something incoherent to me waving me off with his hand. At this point, I am slightly caught off guard and not sure of what is happening, so I offer him the money again. Again he denies the money and mumbles something that makes me feel like I am insulting him. This was a weird encounter and very counter intuitive. I put the money in my pocket and walked away.

• Highlights: Waterfalls, fire ecology, mine
• Difficulty: ***
• Distance: 6.5 miles, 4 hrs. r.t.
• Altitude Gain/Loss: 1600ft/1600ft

Description: There are big cone Douglas-Firs, in fact, this hike has nearly everything; bouldering streambeds, spectacular waterfalls, rich history, small Oak groves and Adler meadows, harrowing heights, and fire recovery areas.

Drive Loma Alta out of Altadena to Chaney Trail.  Park at the small lot which leads to the trail head, there is a five dollar forest fee.  The trailhead is a little difficult to find, it is on the left leading down off the fire road.  If you see a forestry fire damage sign, you’ve found the entrance to the trail.  This will allow you to boulder up.  (If you prefer to boulder down, continue up the fire road or Mt. Lowe Railroad, past Sunset Ridge Trail and, just past the Cape of Good Hope is the Dawn Mine Trail to the left.)

Parts of this hike are recovering from fire damage so tread lightly.  You will be above the canyon on a tightrope trail, clinging at times to the mountainside, but the views are breathtaking.  Below you is Millard Canyon, ahead, the trail  tightly winds the canyon walls and will eventually drop to the canyon bottom at Cottage 19.  This is the intersection of the Sunset Ridge Trail and Millard Canyon.  Upstream will take you to the abandoned Dawn Mine, a gold mine from California’s rich past, or if you prefer the Sunset Ridge Trail will return you to the fire road above.

Continuing upstream will bring you in minutes to a branch creek with a noticeable tiered waterfall.  This watershed belongs to Brown Mountain and has a great number of beautiful pools, better as you climb.  After exploring, go right at the branch and continue upstream on Millard Canyon to the Dawn Mine intersection.  You will be doing some serious bouldering and pets and novices are not advised to continue this portion.  There are also three waterfalls and of course the Dawn Mine itself, a gaping hole in the bedrock, black as night.  Stay out, but enjoy.  The spot is nice to relax at.

You can spot the Dawn Mine Trailhead opposite the mine shaft.  This will switchback up steeply and narrowly to the fire road or Mt. Lowe Railroad above.  Use caution on this portion of the trail.

At the top, Congratulations!  What a view, you are looking out to the sea, to the right is Century City in the distance.  Make you way back down the fire road to the parking head.  You may choose also to take the Sunset Ridge Trail back down to Millard Canyon Trail to return to the car.

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Artist:
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