JUST A WEIRD RELIC OF THE COLD WAR ABOVE ENCINO AT SAN VICENTE MOUNTAIN PARK
SUNDAY MAY 15TH, 2011 FROM 3 TO 7 pm
DISTANCE: 8 MILES TOTAL. DIFFICULTY: easy to medium. 650 Feet elevation gain over 4 miles (from 1300 to 1950 feet). We start at the top of the ridge and follow it as it goes up and down all the way to dirt Mulholland drive.
OPTIONAL DINNER: 7:30 PM at Souplantation in Brentwood, 11911 San Vicente Blvd. (at intersection with Montana Avenue). Lots of free parking in garage underneath
DIRECTIONS: Sunset Blvd west of the 405 freeway. Turn right (north) onto Mandeville Canyon. Then turn left at the first road called Westridge. Follow Westridge up the hill all the way until it dead ends at the end of the neighborhood. Park on the street.
ALTERNATE DIRECTIONS FOR SHORTER 2 MILE HIKE: If you're coming from another hike (and you know who you are!) and you just want to see this bizarre post-industrial military site located in pristine wilderness, you can park at the west end of Mulholland and hike a mile on Mulholland to the Nike site, AKA San Vicente Mountain Park. Then your hike is only 2 miles total. We will get to the Nike site around 5 PM. (NOTE: Sometimes, the gate is open and you can drive all the way to the Nike Site, so there's virtually no hiking required at all).
A PRINTABLE VERSION OF THE TRAIL MAP AND 2 PARKING LOCATIONS IS HERE:
