Great Hikes

Four Tough Trails

Scott Regberg
Mirror contributing writer

   In mid-February, our Monday and Wednesday hiking group begins a new cycle of twenty-one different Westside hikes. The route starts at the most extreme west and moves, trail-by-trail, inland to the 405. In between is just about every worthwhile trailhead you can find, and a few that we’ve pioneered.
   The first hike on the schedule is the popular Los Liones overlook. Many folks know about this destination from the long-standing Friday night Sierra Club hike, led by Ed Lubin. However, we usually approach the climb from a different trailhead. Informally called the “backdoor” or the “hardway,” it starts adjacent to the church in the cul de sac atop Los Liones Drive, near Sunset and PCH. The little trail heads straight-up the steep hillside, eliminating the fireroad loop that most folks know about.
   This is a rugged trail and not recommended for beginners. Apparently, in the last month or so, some good people have made some significant improvements, neatly grooming the narrow path and even installing some thick ropes to help along the steeper passages. I hope to write about the new improvements in a coming article.
   Most of us regulars agree that the more interesting and challenging hikes in our repertoire are in the earlier part of our schedule, along the Santa Ynez Trail and Palisades Highlands areas. Here’s an abbreviated summary of what’s coming up in the next few weeks:
   Feb. 13 Los Liones
   Feb. 18 Santa Ynez
   Feb. 20 The Crack
   Feb. 25 Trailer Canyon
   Feb. 27 Wind Caves
   Mar. 4 Wirebreak
   The Santa Ynez main trail and Trailer Canyon are benign hikes suitable for beginners. If you’ve never hiked before, I don’t suggest trying out the other four alone or on your first time out. If you’re up to a good pace and want to join some more experienced hikers just show-up at 6:30 p.m. and you’ll probably be back in two hours, likely in one piece.
   P.S. My thanks to the Twilight Hikers, another group that I never knew about, who called last week to report their weekly outings.
   Fearless readers who are interested in free Monday and Wednesday night hikes should contact Scott Regberg at (310) 475-5735.