Experiencing L.A. - Costal Fog & Paseo Miramar Trail at Sunrise, Pacific Palisades (Part 2)

Looking for a workout? A chance to experience L.A. in perhaps a totally different way? Then perhaps the Paseo Miramar trail over in Pacific Palisades is for you!

Hard to believe, but the Paseo Miramar trail is all within Los Angeles city limits. Located in the Pacific Palisades district of L.A. this hike offers views of the mountains, hillside homes, the city, and the ocean. And in the spring and early summer, while the rest of the city is blanketed under June Gloom, coastal fog. 

Time in right and you'll catch the sunrise. 

There's no "bad" time of the year to go,  but experiencing the fog up against the Santa Monica mountains can be pretty spectacular. 

The same view, more of a wide angle shot. Los Angeles experiences a weather phenominon referred to as "June Gloom" in the spring and early summer. As a result, at the beach it can be sunnier - and even warmer - in January than June. In the distance, barely visible, is the outline of the San Garbriel Mountains. 

Same view, wider view. 

Fog, hillsides, palm tree, sunrise. 

On a clear day, this would be looking towards the Santa Monica Bay and Pacific Ocean. Instead, simply an amazing sea of fog. 

The Paseo Miramar trailhead is located at the top of Paseo Miramar, off of Sunset Blvd, 1/2 mile north of Sunset Blvd and the PCH. Thanks to being listed in numerous websites, including the Los Angeles Times "10 Essential Hikes" - this is a very popular hike. Parking is on the street. As stated last week, please keep the noise down and respect the quiet of the neighborhood (no one wants to be woken up by a group of friends meeeting at the trailhead early Saturday morning). 

© 2014 www.experiencingla.com

Experiencing L.A. - Costal Fog & Paseo Miramar Trail at Sunrise, Pacific Palisades

What does Los Angeles look like just before sunrise? What does it look like when shrouded in coastal fog? 

A couple weeks ago I posted a single image of the bluffs along the PCH in the Pacific Palisades district of Los Angeles. When we lived in Los Angeles, I made dozens of early morning hikes in that same area, most notably on the upper Temescal Ridge trail and the Paseo Miramar trail. Here's a link to a previous post on what I consider the best hike in L.A. This week, I'll focus a bit on the Paseo Miramar trail.

There photos are from 2010, our last Spring living in L.A. This is looking east from the Paseo Miramar trail (technically a fire road) towards the office towers of Westwood, Century City, and Downtown Los Angeles..The San Gabriel Mountains are visible in the distance to the left.

The hike is very steep - a great workout. The coastal communities of Pacific Palisades and Santa Monica were completely shrouded in low coastal fog. Because this is so common in the Spring and early summer, this is often referred to as "June Gloom" or "May Gray."

Looking out over the Pacific Ocean - and the vast sea of coastal fog. This is only at about 1200 foot elevation. 

The fog hugging the coast. Most days, it burns off by noon, and then rolls back in the evening.

Another view of the fireroad - and the fog. 

Coming back down, we spotted another hiker along the the trail.

Another view of the same guy. 

This is a reminder of the unique topography and climate of Los Angeles. How, in many ways, it's unlike any other city in the world. 

A final view looking east with the hillside homes of Pacific Palisades and the coastal fog in the distance. 

The Paseo Miramar trailhead is located at the top of Paseo Miramar, off of Sunset Blvd, 1/2 mile north of Sunset Blvd and the PCH. Thanks to being listed in numerous websites, including the Los Angeles Times "10 Essential Hikes" - this is a very popular hike. Parking is on the street. Please keep the noise down and respect the quiet of the neighborhood (no one wants to be woken up by a group of friends meeeting at the trailhead early Saturday morning). 

© 2014 www.experiencingla.com

Sunrise Over Los Angeles, Temescal Ridge Trail

I consider the Temescal Ridge Trail one of the very best hikes in Los Angeles. This photo was taken back on an early Saturday morning back in April 2007, just a few minutes before sunrise.

Completely hidden in a thick blanket of fog, Temescal Canyon - as well as the surrounding ridges - are all within the city limits of Los Angeles. Here's a link with additional photographs and information.

This photograph remains one of my very favorite from our five years living in Los Angeles.

All part of the Creator's handiwork; all part of experiencing Los Angeles.


.יְהוָה--בֹּקֶר, תִּשְׁמַע קוֹלִי;    בֹּקֶר אֶעֱרָךְ-לְךָ, וַאֲצַפֶּה

"In the morning, O LORD, You hear my voice; in the morning I lay my requests before You and wait in expectation." Psalm 5:3

© 2014 www.experiencingla.com



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Beyond June Gloom

Los Angeles, along with the rest of coastal Southern California, experiences a unique weather pattern, known as "June gloom" http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/June_Gloom.

Throughout the spring and early summer, this means very thick low fog along the coastal regions. Ironically, coastal Southern California experiences more sunshine in January than June.

There are several ways to deal with June gloom: ignore it, wait until around noon when it "burns off," drive inland away from the coast, or - perhaps the most interesting - get above it.

One of my favorite hikes in Los Angeles gets above it. It's a fairly easy hike along the western ridge of upper Temescal Canyon, accessible from the top of the Palisades Highlands (in Pacific Palisades).


A recent hike, which started in thick fog, slowly gave way to hints of blue sky as I climbed a bit in elevation.


Sunrise through the edge of the fog a little before 6am. Pretty neat.


More blue sky ahead. On this particular morning, the coastal fog topped off around 1600 feet. While the rest of Los Angeles was socked in, the peaks of the Santa Monica Mountains poked through, making for a great hike.


Turning around, the normally visible Santa Monica Bay and city of Los Angeles were blanketed in low coast fog.


Looking northwest, fog up against the mountains of the upper Palisades Highlands and Topanga Canyon. This entire area is part of the extensive Topanga State Park. Here's a link to a previous post on Topanga State Park: http://www.ExperiencingLA.com/2009/04/topanga-state-park.html.


Another view looking back towards the city. An slight ocean breeze caused the fog to literally pour up and over the ridge I was just on.


I ended up walking another 30 minutes or so, to where the Temescal Ridge Trail connects with the Rogers Road Trail. If you're really ambitious can take this trail and either hike or mountain bike 5 1/2 miles south to Will Rogers State Historic Park. I opted for the easier route back to where I started.


Heading back, the fog against the mountain peaks made for some pretty stellar views. Glad I had my camera. In previous blog posts, I've shared some thoughts on how the creation points to the Creator http://www.ExperiencingLA.com/2010/05sunset-north-of-sunset.html. This was definitely my experience on this hike.

A mountain peak, guessing about 1800 feet, peaking though the fog.


Bright morning sun and blue skies while the rest of coastal Los Angeles was still under a thick blanket of fog.


Looking into upper Temescal Canyon. Here's some previous thoughts on coastal fog and a similar hike: http://www.ExperiencingLA.com/2009/05/fog.html


Weird. No, this isn't a double exposure. Just fog surrounding the same peak on the eastern ridge of upper Temescal Canyon.


This entire area is within Los Angeles city limits.

I've often hiked this ridge with a group of guys from my church. Amazingly, we rarely - if ever - see anyone else on this trail.

A final shot - this one of "1729" - or what a local hiker calls "High Peak"- on the eastern ridge of Temescal Canyon. Another link to this hike: http://www.experiencingla.com/2008/05/not-on-digitized-road-pacific-palisades.html

I headed back into the fog, and to my car. I would definitely recommend a hike along the western ridge of upper Temescal Canyon.

Directions to the trailhead: take the Pacific Coast Highway to Sunset Blvd (in Pacific Palisades) and turn north. Continue four blocks up Sunset and turn LEFT at the 2nd light: Palisades Drive. Continue up Palisades Drive 2 1/2 miles pass a traffic light and continue another 1 1/2 as it curves to the left and becomes Chastain Parkway. At the 2nd stop sign you'll be at Via Las Palmas and turn RIGHT at the Via Las Palmas.


click on this map for a larger view

Via Las Palmas is technically a "private" street - but with public access to the trail head. Continue up Via Las Palmas one block around a traffic circle and continue another short block to the parking lot. There is a parking lot, a bathroom, and a drinking fountain at the trailhead. Walk across the street and follow the paved trail, which becomes a dirt trail after about 1/8 of a mile. Continue to the ridge where you can either turn left (north) and enjoy the hike I took, or turn right (south) to Skull Rock - and eventually back to Sunset Blvd.

click on this map for a larger view

© 2010 www.experiencingla.com
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Fog

The coastal fog up against the Santa Monica mountains can make for some great photos.

These pictures were taken over several Saturday mornings last summer on both the east and west ridges of Temescal Canyon in Topanga State Park.

On an clear day, the Santa Monica Bay and much of the city of Los Angeles would be visible from these trails. Instead, very low coastal fog (topping off at about 1000-1200 ft) blocked everything below from view.


Seeing the swirling shapes and patterns of the fog rolling up the canyons was (and is) simply breathtaking.


It's also very temporal.

Hiking along these ridges, I was reminded where New Testament describes as our lives in the same way ... as a mist, a vapor.

Now listen, you who say, “Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.” Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow. What is your life? You are a mist that appears for a little while and then vanishes. Instead, you ought to say, “If it is the Lord's will, we will live and do this or that.” James 4:13-15

As a teenager (and in my twenties) I tended to live as if I'd live forever. Of course, I'd never had actually said that. But actions speak louder than words.

Now a couple years short of fifty, I'm realizing how brief and temporal our lives on earth really are. In light of eternity our lives are a blink of an eye. As I'm commented elsewhere in this blog, I want to leave a legacy in the lives of others in terms of how I invest my time, my resources, and my abilities.


Lord willing, that'll happen, with a few hikes thrown in. Coastal fog and all.

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