Monthly Archives: December 2020

The Front Range of the San Gabriel Mountains. Condor Peak and Fox Benchmark dominate the left side with Waterman Mountain, Twin Peak and Mount San Antonio (Baldy) in the background. Then Strawberry Peak and Mount Lawlor just right of center, San Gabriel Peak, the tell-tale flat-top of Mt. Lowe and Mount Lukens on the farContinue reading “Yerba Buena Ridge”

The Winter Solstice – 21 DECEMBER 2020. W6/CT-225 & 226 These two short hikes are easily done in a few hours. I picked the shortest day of the year to do them – The winter solstice. The Santa Ana winds had petered out and left the Los Angeles Basin sparklingly clear, calm and warm. That’sContinue reading “Cerro Negro Benchmark & Flint Peak”

18 DECEMBER 2020 W6/CT-269 The last time I hiked up Verdugo Mountain my brother Mark and I approached the summit from La Tuna Canyon. Brian WA6JFK warned me that cars parked there have been getting broken into, so I decided to try a new route – from Whiting Woods Road in Verdugo City, next toContinue reading “Verdugo Mountain High Point”

10 DECEMBER 2020 W6/CT-170 The hike to Kagel Mountain is 3 miles long and has modest 1,275 feet of elevation gain. As usual, I did this hike before the sun came up, but I can imagine it would be a hot one on a summer day. There is about 500 feet of elevation loss onContinue reading “Kagel Mountain”

5 DECEMBER 2020 W6/CT-228 Santa Ana winds had been blowing all week triggering a red flag warning and that kept me near home. The winds died down Saturday morning and I decided t make a run for a local summit out near Westlake. It was 53º F in my driveway in Topanga when I leftContinue reading “1,821′”