Summit Steppy

Five Best Hikes for a First Date Going on a first date? Don't know what to do? Don't want to have to worry about offering to pay? Hikes are the answer if you live in LA. Especially as I write this during Covid times. Here's the key on a first date hike: KEEP IT EASY. I don't care if you're in pretty good shape. Don't add the extra layer of trying to push your self to keep up the same pace and then all of a sudden you're out of breath and trying to maintain a conversation. The trails I chose are all in close proximity to Los Angeles. They each have plenty of foot traffic (Except maybe the last one), so you won't truly be alone.  Maybe save that last one for an old friend but new lover, or date number 3. I tried not to include the typical Griffith Observatory or Silverlake Reservoir . But do what you want. Our lives are upside down and familiarity is comforting.  Eaton Canyon Falls Trail 3.5 miles 436 ft elevation gain out and back It's not far from L...

 I am a self diagnosed peak bagger. I'm sick, but I don't want a cure. I crave being at the top of a mountain and knowing I made it there on my own two feet (and sometimes all fours). The sense of accomplishment is the reason I started loving hiking. Personally, I find a lot of my life is not in my control (auditions, interviews, capitalism). So I climb mountains and the only person that can stop me is me. Summit hikes are often long and arduous, but I found some that don't have to be an all day affair. Here are five summit hikes in under five miles. You'll be on top of the world and back down in time for lunch, which for me is always a cheeseburger and fries from Burgers Never Say Die . I know this blog is about hiking, but maybe it should also be about burgers.  1. San Gabriel Peak 2.8 miles 1,030 ft elevation gain Out and Back I love this little hike. The views start immediately but the vistas from the top are worth the effort. You even get to pass through an old tun...

I don't believe in having to spend money to hike. But if you want to start doing more and more intense hikes, there is some stuff you can buy that will make your hikes easier or even just more enjoyable. My boyfriend is not a hiking enthusiast. But I've convinced him to go on more and more difficult hikes by allowing him to use some of my gear. Now he won't hike without it and I'm up a creek without a paddle (a paddle is not one of the items). I will list these in the order I think is most important. I'll try to talk about pros and cons to the gear I have personally, and try to give some criteria I think you should look for when you are bargain hunting. The luxury of truly not "NEEDING" anything, is that you can wait and just buy a quality product when you have the funds. When you buy something that will last, you'll end up saving money in the long run. And truly the most important quality to look for in all of your gear: WATERPROOF. WATERPROOF WATERPR...

Who doesn't love a water feature? And in Southern California, it's warm enough year round to at least dip your toes in. The problem with waterfall hikes is that normally all the work is on the way back. But luckily for you, I've got a couple hikes where that isn't necessarily the case. The even bigger problem with SoCal waterfalls is that they will turn into trickles from July-January (Not all of them, there are a couple with full on swimming holes). So get over it and be grateful; We live in a desert. All of these hikes are out and back, meaning the mileage is the total amount miles you are hiking. Elevation gain is tricky to understand until you've got a few hikes under your belt. I normally think of it in terms of 500 ft: 500 ft elevation gain in the span of a mile is a steady incline that will get your booty burning, so anything less than that is ideal for beginner/moderate hikers. If it is 500 or more per mile, think about how long you want to be doing that for...