Let's light up Echo Mountain!

SAVE THE DATE!
December 20th, the Friends of Echo Mountain will be having their First Annual Echo Mountain Festival of Lights!
Let's join them as they LIGHT UP THE MOUNTAIN!

We will start hiking up the trail between 5 and 6 PM.
The idea is to light up the entire trail from the bottom to the top of Echo Mountain.
At 6:30 PM, Photographers will take pictures of the mountain from across Las Flores Canyon, and other places in Pasadena.
Bring all the lights you can carry or wear!
Colored lights or white lights are fine, no candles or flames, please.
Don't miss this Fun Holiday Hike!

Note: We will not be hiking together. The hike itself is 2.6 miles round trip from top to bottom. You do not have to hike the whole way. Because the Friends of Echo Mountain want us to light the entire trail, if you only want to hike a few hundred feet, that will be fine, or if you want to hike to the top, that will be fine too! Hike as far and as fast as you want! We need everyone to be spread out over the entire 2.6 miles of the Sam Merrill Trail. If everyone left at the same time, it would be chaos and we wouldn't have the effect we hope to create for the photograph.

Since there will be a crowd, it will be dark, and everyone will be hiking to different sections of the trail, it will be next to impossible to all try to hike together. It will be much easier if we meet after for dinner. I am suggesting PizzaRev - a make your own pizza place in Pasadena. It is located on Foothill Blvd just off the 210 Fwy and Sierra Madre Villa Ave. The address is: 3455 E. Foothill Blvd, Pasadena. Here is their Yelp page:

http://www.yelp.com/biz/pizzarev-pasadena

12/18/15: From the Friends of Echo Mountain Facebook page:

Here are some important notes about this Sunday's hike:

1. Carry warm clothes to change in to. If you are toasty warm at the bottom, you will be sweaty and hot during the hike up, then wet and cold at the top. Dress in layers, so you can peel them off before you get too hot. Once you stop hiking uphill, you will need something warm to put on, or you will be miserable.

2. There are no restrooms at the bottom or top of the trail, so make sure everyone goes potty before you head out.

3. There are no trashcans anywhere on the mountain. Bring a bag for your trash and pack it out. We want to be able to do this every year, so we need to treat the mountain with respect!

4. There is room for parking at Farnsworth Park, located 3 blocks down Lake from the trailhead. Make sure to be respectful of the neighbors during your visit, and keep the noise down.

5. The trail is 2.6 miles in length, with 1450 feet of elevation gain. It is considered moderately strenuous. You dont have to hike the entire trail. there are great views to be had from down low too. If you feel tired, stop. The top is only the halfway point, as you must hike down too!

6. Make sure to bring some water along for the hike. Although it will be chilly out, you will still sweat on the climb up. It sucks to be thristy. You may even bring a warm beverage along.

7. Remember to have fun! This isn't a hard core workout hike. It's a fun holiday treat. Slow down, and enjoy the views!