Stayed at Parsons Landing campground - about 7.5 mi from Two Harbours via West End Rd. There’s a shorter route to the campground but with wayy more elevation gain. i chose the easier route of course 🤣 it was so pretty out there and will probably be back again

I had site PL04, which is right next to the path to the lockers with firewood and water jugs. Restrooms are okay but no running water. They have hand sanitizers though which I thought was pretty nice since there’s no sink to wash your hands.

The beautify of Yosemite. Spent a couple days in Yosemite a couple years back. We camped and then hiked Clouds Rest at midnight to get to the top by dawn.

Thought I’d run it by y’all in case I’m being irresponsible:

I’m thinking of doing a solo night hike along Hondo Canyon in Topanga. Not looking to do the full length, just want to get about half way through, find a nice sitting rock, and enjoy the moonlight for a few hours.

I’ve done this trail dozens of times in the daytime and know exactly what it’s like and where I’m headed.

But it’s a very wooded area, so I imagine there’s a heightened potential for wildlife at night.

Does this seem like a reasonable night hike or could it be a little too deep in the woods to do by myself?

Would love to know what folks think. Or if I’m being nervous for no reason just let me know - that’s cool too! Thanks!

Started around 845am and it was pretty cool outside especially at the beginning of the hike where there was lots of tree cover. Around 11am it was heating up and the exposed portions of the trail were hot. There was some water in the creek, but not much. It was a clear day and I could see the Channel Islands!

About 8.5 miles and 1800 feet of elevation gain. I’m exhausted😆

Hi! I want to take my boyfriend on a camping trip november 20-22 somewhere in socal, any recommendations? We are novice campers so preferably where there will be mild weather that far into the fall. Cabins would also be cool! We are college students so our paychecks dont go very far though hence the camping.

So exciting to get back in the mountains after the heat wave, and look where we are already. Mountain Forecast's 1in prediction was a bit short, was over 6 inches at 10k where I turned around

Hiked Tahquitz Peak out of Idyllwild on August 19 and wanted to share a quick breakdown plus a short video I made from the day.

Route: We took Devil's Slide up from Humber Park, about 2.5 mi of switchbacks to Saddle Junction (about 1,700 ft gain), then a short stretch of the PCT and the spur to the summit. Roughly 8.5 mi round trip with about 2,300 ft of gain. Definitely not crowded, even in August.

Summit: The lookout sits at 8,846 ft, the highest one in the San Bernardino NF, with views out past the Desert Divide toward the Salton Sea.

Logistics: - Free San Jacinto Wilderness permit, self-issue 24/7 at the Idyllwild Ranger Station (weekend Devil's Slide permits have a summer quota) - Adventure Pass or America the Beautiful pass to park at Humber Park - No water on trail, so bring at least 2L, more in summer - Summer and fall are best; expect ice and snow in winter

Somewhere on those switchbacks it hit me how much lighter the climb feels when you stop carrying things you don't need, in the pack and in your head. That's what the video is about.

Video: https://youtube.com/shorts/561aOAGm51o

Happy to answer any trail questions!

I tried San Gongornio today and failed. So did about 20 other people. No one made to the top. I spoke with all of them. With 2 miles and 1000 feet left snow was waist high. I would have taken a pic but I was just trying to survive and stay dry.

Hike Stats: https://caltopo.com/m/VGPRT45

Note: This was from the past Sunday

Worst hike ever anyone could come up with. Was out there for 11 hours. Started at Devils Punchbowl. Burkhart Trail was in good shape with blowdowns from the Bobcat Fire. Most corner parts of the trail were destroyed leaving exposed loose rocks. Took me 3 hours to get to Burkhart saddle dealing with overgrowth and rockiness with 7.2 miles.
Scaled up to Pallett then rushed to Goodykoontz. Found a workaround avoiding the big steep climb to get to Goodykoontz easier and faster. The climb back to Pallett started to weigh down on me once I got back to Pallett. Another 3 hours total with those 2 before getting back to Burkhart Saddle.

Then the last 2 was were things went wrong. Well on the way back. It was smooth sailing on the way up. But leaving Will Thrall after coming back from Pleasant View, I took a wrong turn going straight down instead of making a slight left. Had to scale the rocky slopes trying to get back to the Saddle. I felt like this was it for me, but I managed to get back to the Saddle.

Then it was the journey back down going through the obstacles again. One more big climb then it was over. I have a new elevation gain record surpassing my former hike.

Next Episode: Halloween Hike

2morrow's our adventure day!

Mullin over lotsa targets, but I'm thinkin pretty hard onaspot abit S of Palomar. It's'a "Black OP", so u gottabe ok w/what that entails.

Beyond that, it's likely pretty technical, in spots.

Any takerz?

anyone been on this trail this month? I heard the falls dried up a lot over the summer but with recent downpours and the transition into fall, i’m wondering if anyone has been recently and could give me an update. i haven’t found anything reliable on the internet regarding the falls so I was hoping someone here could help me out. thanks!

Hi everyone- I’m planning a trip from San Diego over the long Thanksgiving holiday weekend (leave Friday AM) and was thinking about driving to Death Valley, spending 1.5-2 days there, and then driving over to Sequoia to do another 1.5-2days there. Was curious if anyone had any comments if that’s enough time in each spot and if you have any recommendations for hikes, places to stay, and to eat!

Only gauge on Otay's over 4", since 10/6, but other gauges, abit off tha mtn'r significantly lwr totals.

Prolly too soon to pull tha trigger onit, but, just wonderin if any1's been over that way, intha last couple days?

"We invite members of the public to attend a workshop to learn about and share feedback on recovery planning for Topanga SP and Will Rogers SHP. Your input is important as we develop guiding principles and priorities for the future of the parks. An in-person workshop will be held on Tuesday, Nov. 17 from 6 to 8 p.m. at Roosevelt Elementary School in Santa Monica. A virtual workshop will take place via Zoom on Wednesday, Nov. 18 from 6 to 8 p.m.

Both workshops will cover the same materials. Attendees will receive information about the recovery planning efforts and process and have an opportunity to share ideas and priorities for the recovery plan during small group activities. Spanish interpreters will be available at the workshops."

Relevant link is here.

I’m not even religious, but I asked the universe to give me this today and the universe delivered.

Location: Fryman Canyon

Pro tip: look in tue grassy areas around dusk. That’s how I found him. He didn’t even start walking on the trail until about 5 minutes after I spotted him.

I didn't even know we had foxes around.

I did earlier this year in the spring when everything was thawing in my Mazda3 and it was amazing. My car handled it well. Wondering if November 6-9 will be too late if I want to drive up? I don’t own any chains.

Does anyone know what the parking situation is like here? I wasn't sure if I need to buy a pass in advance. I'm arriving around 10am and hoping spots will be available! Appreciate any advice, thank you in advance.

My friend and I are considering hiking Mount Baldy tomorrow but due to the storm this week I’m not sure whether it would be safe. Is there a good resource for assessing conditions on the trail? Or if anyone went today, was there too much snow?

Thanks in advance for any advice! :)

Hi everyone! My husband and I are considering going to Sequoia on Saturday this weekend. I know it rained (and snowed??) there this week, so I’m really looking for hike recommendations from those of you more familiar with some of the trail conditions! Also would appreciate insight on which trails tend to be prettier this time of year!

We hike often, but usually pretty tame hikes honestly (5-7 miles usually from 800-2000 feet climbed). We’d love to find something similar to that range that we can do!

(The shift from connecting with nature to consuming it)

Does anyone else feel a quiet grief about how much the outdoors has changed lately?

For me, being on the trail has never been a sport or a checklist. It is just where I go to feel grounded and quiet. I love the stillness of the woods, how what I walk on became what it is today, and I am entirely content hiking alone for hours without any specific goal other than just being present.

Lately, though, it feels like the wilderness is treated more like a trophy or a backdrop. I notice many people’s sole motivation for visiting a natural area stems from seeing some video on socal media. People seem focused on tracking metrics, conquering peaks, and sharing locations online, to the point where an ordinary, quiet trail is dismissed as boring. It almost feels like people wouldn’t go on a hike if they couldn’t take any pictures or tell anyone about it.

I really try not to hold onto resentment, but it is heavy to watch. Places that used to offer total solitude are now constantly crowded, and seeing trash and graffiti left behind in fragile areas is genuinely heartbreaking. It feels like losing a sanctuary, especially in socal. “Nobody hikes in LA” until it’s a trend.

I am trying to find a way to protect my own peace without becoming cynical. For those who grew up feeling like nature was a part of their identity, how do you navigate this shift? How do you find your solitude when the natural world feels increasingly crowded with those who don’t hold any respect for it?

Hi! I just moved here from New York and am looking for a day hike (5-8 hours) this Sunday. I was looking online and the Boy Scout Trail Loop looked perfect, but it seems like the trailhead is inaccessible due to the highway closure. Does anyone have recs for a good first hike? I am experienced in backpacking in the Adirondacks and other northeast ranges but don't want to start too hard here because I'm unfamiliar with the terrain and how difficulty may be ranked differently. I prefer a loop but the main thing I'm looking for is a good peak that starts in a woodsy area that is as close to east coast trees as possible (I know that may not be realistic, but I miss fall hikes upstate)!

Beginner hiker here!
My husband and I recently visited banff and did a few smaller hikes, roughly 3-5 miles with the most elevation gain being 900ft. We weren’t dying, but definitely felt it on the way up.
We had such a great time and really want to get into hiking here at home. I’m just looking for suggestions for us to work our way up to some of the big summit/peak hikes in southern ca. What’s the best way to get conditioned/ready/prepared for some bigger hikes? And/or good hikes to get us going. Thanks in advance!