Malibu hiking – Memoirs From The Trails

At one point during my stay in California, I had hiked almost all of the trails in the Santa Monica Mountains. So I figured it was time to hike to the top. The highest point is 3,111 ft., which is not very high compared to summits like Mt. Whitney, but it was an important milestone for me and I believe for my friend who was such a good sport letting me drag her miles away to hike two to three times every week for four months. There were two different trails to choose from. Each led to the same spot, but one was long and the other short. We had class that night so we decided on the short trail. Of course, we all know what the combination of short and elevation leads to: steepness. This fact was not overlooked, but it was not nerve-inducing either. I was too excited to worry so I quickly packed my bag and left for the journey. Continue reading “Sandstone Peak Hike” →

The Solstice Canyon hike is in the area of the Santa Monica mountains that stretches into Malibu. It was the first trail I hiked in that area and was one of my favorite hikes during my time in Southern California. Many of the trails I hiked in Malibu were only accessible via narrow, winding roads along enormous canyon walls and within extremely small towns. Can a place even be considered a town if it’s population only consist of 12 people? The answer is yes, and it’s located in a Malibu Canyon. Thankfully for this hike, the trail head was right off the Pacific Coast Highway (PCH) and actually provided two paved parking lots, but a late arrival will most likely lead to you driving a little farther up the mountain and parking on the side of the road. Continue reading “Solstice Canyon Hike” →