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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Sunrise Over Los Angeles

Yesterday morning involved an early morning hike in the Santa Monica Mountains with a couple other guys from church. We try to get together once a week to hike, as well as to pray for each other, our families, and the larger community.

The the low coastal fog yesterday morning made for an especially spectacular sunrise.

Equally as impressive was the fog up against the Santa Monica Mountains. In the distance is the faint outline of the San Gabriel Mountains.

A lone palm tree peaking up through otherwise shrouded hillside homes here in Los Angeles.

A view out towards the ocean. By mid-morning this fog burned off, but we were able to enjoy it as it hugged the mountains.

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"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

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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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