Santa Monica Hiking Club

SANDSTONE PEAK is the HIGHEST point in the Santa Monica Mountains at 3,111 feet with gorgeous views of the ocean and Channel Islands. Kinda steep in places, but we'll be taking it a relaxed pace so there be time to take photos and enjoy the scenery. The LOOP is 7 miles.

Depending on the conditions, we'll take a side trip to Balance Rock.

WATER - Bring 3 liters of water.

Bring a snack / lunch for our stop at the TOP. Bring a jacket, hat, comfortable hiking shoes or boots, hiking poles (if needed), sunblock, etc.

CARPOOL - Feel free to meet up at Neptunes Net, park on PCH, and carpool to the lot. You can post a few days out and coordinate amongst yourselves.

RESTROOMS - There is a restroom in the lot. Bring your own TP and hand sanitizer.

PARKING - Parking is Free in the Parking Lot and on the road. PLEASE be considerate and try to SQUEEZE your cars CLOSER together in the lot. If you park on the road, make sure you're INSIDE the white line, or you'll get a ticket! :(

Give yourself (1) hour and 15 minutes travel-time from the West Side.

LEAVE THE WEST SIDE AT 10:15 TO GIVE YOURSELF PLENTY OF TIME TO GET THERE!!!

HIKE STARTS AT 12:00 PM

SMARTPHONE MAP / GOOGLE MAPS / GPS LINK CLICK HERE (https://goo.gl/maps/ctAxuuZySsk)

http://maps.google.com/maps/ms?msid=201782227640152276864.0004873b25484642a77e4&msa=0&ll=34.054651,-118.799973&spn=0.262541,0.528374

From the corner of PCH and Yerba Buena... it's APPROX 5 1/2 - 6 miles to the Ranger Station at Circle X Ranch... and approx an additional 1 1/2 to 2 miles to the parking lot on the LEFT.

DIRECTIONS FROM THE NORTH!!!

If coming from the North via 101 and using Westlake Blvd heading South!! Westlake merges into Mullholland, make sure you stay on Mullholland WEST until you reach the intersection with LITTLE SYCAMORE CANYON RD. at apporox 7.4 miles from the 101, make a right here. (Make sure you get that last merge correct and DON'T continue to Decker Rd) This will turn into Yerba Buena Road. The trailhead is clearly marked and is 4.6 miles from the turn off of Mullholand. It is at Ventura County Mile Marker 6.37

We'll be going to Neptunes Net for food after the hike...

DOG'S ON LEASH OKAY - Dogs are allowed but must remain on a leash at all times. Please pick­ up after your dog.

COVID: If you're not feeling well, please consider joining us next time and skipping the hike. Please follow social distance guidelines, bring a mask, and be considerate of other peoples personal space and comfort levels.

Did Santa track chimney soot all over your new carpet?
Did his reindeer break some of your roofing tiles???
Did Rudolph steal a bottle of Jack Daniels out of your liquor cabinet?????
(Ya didn't think that red nose was NATURAL did you???)
Well then join us on historic Echo Mountain to start your Xmas right!
We'll be back down in time for you to lie to Aunt Tilly about how much you LOVE the CD box set she gave you of Barbara Streisand's greatest hits.

Distance - 5.8 miles
Difficulty - Intermediate
Elevation gain - 1400 feet

Description

We will all meet in front of the metal gate at the corner of Lake Ave and E. Loma Alta Dr. From here it is 3 miles to the old ruins on Echo Mountain. It is all uphill with very little shade. At the ruins we will break for snacks and photos. We will acknowledge how lucky we are to be hikers in beautiful Southern California. We will return the way we came.

Directions

From the 210 take the Lake Ave exit and head north 4 miles. You will come to the intersection of Lake Ave and E Loma Alta Dr. Park anywhere in this area.

What To Bring

Water
Snacks
Camera
Hiking Shoes
Sunscreen/Hat
A hearty "Ho Ho Ho"

For all the info and to sign up, go to www.1000treks.com

You have been dreaming about this for a long time! Let's make it happen and let's go see the Northern Lights in an fun-packed adventure, visiting three countries in one of the beautiful places in world: Scandinavia.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS AND TO SIGN UP: https://www.1000treks.com/trips/scandinavia-northern-lights-adventure

Highlights:

- Visit 3 Scandinavian countries: Finland, Sweden and Norway.

- See the Northern Lights from a GLASS IGLOO! That's right! You've seen the pictures online and now you have the chance to actually do it!

- Have the chance to spend a night in the Arctic Snow Hotel, a hotel made entirely of ice and snow!

- Have 11 chances to see the Northern Lights in some of the best places in the world. We will be all-but-guaranteed to see the Aurora not only once, but several times. Here are some of the unique and amazing ways in which we will see the Lights:

- From Abisko Sky Station in Sweden, where we will take a chairlift to what is possibly the best single spot on the planet to see the Northern Lights.

- From the Lofoten Islands, considered by many as the most beautiful background in the world for the Northern Lights.

- While riding an Electric Snowmobile

- On sled pulled by reindeer.

- On a sled pulled by huskies.

- While Floating on a frozen lake wearing a thermal floating suit.

- While horseback riding surrounded by snow.

- Snowshoeing through the Laplandish wilderness.

- On a cruise on the Barents Sea

We will also do some amazing and unique activities and have some amazing experiences unique to Scandinavia, such as:

- Visit a husky farm and drive your own husky sled

- Visit and take city tours of Helsinki, the capital of Finland, and Oslo, the capital of Norway.

- See a real unearthed Viking ship!

- Take an overnight train from Helsinki to the Finnish Lapland in your own cabin with a bed and shower. A very cool and unique European experience!

- Take a full day tour and sail on a real icebreaker

- Go Ice fishing

- Experience a snow sauna (that's right!) and a snow Jacuzzi

- Go on a Finnish sauna where you can go on a sauna, come out and dip in frozen lake

- Go Ice climbing

- Ride a fatbike on the snow

- Go Ice Karting.

These activities and locations are all absolutely amazing. However, this trip will be even more amazing because we timed it in order to maximize our chances to see the Northern Lights. Displays of the Northern Lights do tend to intensify around the equinox months of March and September because the magnetic fields of the Earth and the Sun’s solar wind are more likely to be in sync. There are no guarantees, but even stronger displays are therefore more likely around the spring equinox, which be on March 19. March also tends to be the winter month with the clearest skies. New moon is March 24, which means not only we will be getting the darkest skies of the month, but also the ski will be very dark on the 19th. No promises, but are likely to see some of the most amazing Northern Lights spectacles of the season during our travel dates.

CLICK HERE FOR MORE DETAILS AND TO SIGN UP: https://www.1000treks.com/trips/scandinavia-northern-lights-adventure

Let's go on an 11 day-trip to see one of the most beautiful and fascinating places in the U.S., Alaska, the final frontier, and one of the most fascinating natural phenomena: The Midnight Sun.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE AND SIGN UP: https://www.1000treks.com/trips/alaska-midnight-sun-adventure

We will be going exactly on Summer Solstice, which is the longest day of the year. In northern Alaska, above the Arctic Circle, that translates into 24 hours of the sun in the sky, even at midnight.

HIGHLIGHTS

- Cross the Arctic Circle on June 21, Summer Solstice, to see the Midnight Sun: when the sun touches the horizon at midnight but never goes below it.

- Visit the breathtaking Denali National Park, one of the most beautiful and unique national parks in the U.S.

- Go on an exciting adventure through Devil's Canyon with Mahay's Jet Boat Adventure, where we will go on CLASS 5 rapids on a jet boat, travelling through the Alaskan backcountry.

- Go on a hike at Denali at midnight, with the sun in the sky.

- Go on an ATV adventure at midnight!

- Get to see some of the most amazing wildlife in the U.S., such as grizzlies, moose, caribou, and bald eagles in their natural habitat.

- Fly over Mt. Denali, the tallest mountain in North America.

- See the mighty Yukon River.

- Do the Kantishna Wilderness Trails Tour, a breathtaking drive through the Denali Highway, the road through Denali National Park.

- Spend a night in Talkeetna, an authentic, small Alaska town

- Travel the Alaska Railroad aboard the Denali Star from Talkeetna through Denali and Fairbanks, on a 271-mile journey through one of the most beautiful countries you can imagine: the nearly-untouched Alaskan wilderness.

- Stay at Chena Hot Springs, a beautiful Alaskan hot spring resort and experience some of the most amazing hot springs in existence.

- Go horseback riding through the Alaskan scenery.

- Go dryland dog sledding.

- Explore Fairbanks, the northernmost metropolis in the United States.

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE AND SIGN UP: https://www.1000treks.com/trips/alaska-midnight-sun-adventure