GLS - Southern California Gay Backpacking & Hiking - serving Los Angeles, Long Beach, Orange Country & SoCal region

The GLS web site only shows day hikes/events for the current month and all multi-day trips. What if for as little as $10/year, you can join AND support GLS, AND receive comprehensive info on all hikes and events, conservation news, trip reports, and bi-monthly GLS news and stories? You can by subscribing to TRACKS, the GLS newsletter. CST 2087766-40. Registration as a seller of travel does not constitute approval by the State of California.
November 21, Saturday. GLS First Aid Refresher At 1501 South Brand, Glendale, 9 AM, approximately 3-1/2 hours. GLS covers half the $35 for active leaders who need to refresh their first aid to stay certified as Sierra Club hike leaders. Contact Jeff Johnson ahead of time to reserve a spot. Details will be sent out before the day to people who have signed up. It was fun last time doing it as a group, almost 20 people were there!
November 28, Saturday. O: Mugu Peak - La Jolla Valley. Tom M, Alan S. A comprehensive trek through the western quadrant of Pt Mugu State Park. The hike begins in La Jolla Canyon, then crosses a field to ascend Mugu Peak. The trail then descends into La Jolla Valley, a large grassy meadow, and then joins up with a well graded and scenic trek along the ridge dividing La Jolla Cyn and Big Sycamore Cyn. Curving down the rounded slopes east of La Jolla Canyon, the trail takes in sweeping views of the Pt Mugu coastline and the distant Channel Islands. Round-trip: 10 miles, 1950' elevation gain. Bring at least 2 quarts of water, lunch, and the 10 essentials. Call leader to RSVP. Meet 9:30 AM at the parking area for the Ray Miller Trail, about 35 miles north on PCH from Santa Monica. Take the first turn off to the right after passing the Big Sycamore Campground and the "great sand dune". Parking $4 per car. Rain cancels.
*December 5, Saturday. I: Gulch Point & Onyx Peak, Cross-Country Hike. Eva E, Adrienne B (Eva’s Provisional).* Enjoy amazing views of the western Mojave, Big Bear Lake peaks, and the San Bernardino high country from two peaks just east of Sugarloaf Mountain, the unofficially named Lightning Gulch Point (9465 feet) and Onyx Peak (9113 feet), which is on the Hundred Peaks Section list. This all-day loop hike will be a fun but challenging excursion, with lots of (okay, almost all) cross-country travel — approx. 10.5 miles roundtrip, with 3500’ gain/loss. We won’t be racing through the area, but you’ll want to be in good condition and comfortable hiking off trail. Rain cancels. Snow means snowshoes — and a shorter loop. Group size will be limited. Please RSVP with email and phone #.
December 6, Sunday. O: Loop Over Mt. Baldy. Susan C, Robin R. Due to fire closures, the previous trip on this date was changed to: A moderately strenuous loop hike with short car shuttle, total hike 9.4 miles, elev. gain 3904’ and loss 2264’. Meet at Mt. Baldy Ski lift parking lot at 7:30 AM. Hikers will shuttle to Manker Flats to begin the hike. We will hike 5.2 miles via San Antonio ski hut and the “bowl” trail to Mt. Baldy. To return we will go 4.2 miles via the backbone trail to the top of the ski lift at Baldy Notch. After “a bit of tea and happy hour” inside the hut, we can descend on the chair one-way (costs $10) back to the cars. Bring lunch, lug soles, water, appropriate extra clothing, $10 plus. Note that we must pace ourselves to reach and descend the lift by closing, but we should be there long before 5 PM! Heavy rain or snow cancels. You must call or email the leader by the Friday before the hike if you are planning to attend.
December 12, Saturday. O: GLS Holiday Party. Grace H, Mary A. This year the GLS Holiday Party is again at Grace and Mary’s Mount Washington home. This is a time to talk with other GLS members and just have fun sharing the holiday spirit! The festivities start at 2 PM and finish at 6 PM. Please bring a favorite pot luck item to share. GLS provides beverages, plates, and silverware, and a few basic food items. Food is served at the beginning of the party, so please arrive around 2 PM if possible. Let Grace know what food item you think you plan to bring and whether you have special dietary concerns. There will be two door prizes of $25 gift certificates to REI, a “Half and Half” raffle in which there will be 30% to the first winner and 20% to the second winner, and half goes to the GLS treasury. There will also be a silent auction, so please bring a new or used hiking/camping/other item, in good condition, to the party. The proceeds go to GLS. Please reclaim any unsold items at the end of the auction. Also, view and vote on photos submitted for the GLS photo contest. We will count the ballots for election to the GLS Management Committee and announce the new board members at the holiday party. Send a check for the admission charge of $5.00 to ‘GLS’. Send to: Grace Hengst, 1717 Burnell Drive, Los Angeles, CA 90065. Also send SASE if you need directions to the house. Caution: Mapquest can get you really lost in this area. Call Grace at 323-227-6444 if you need clarification. See you at the PARTY!
December 13, Sunday. O: Franklin Canyon. Barbara E, S.K. Franklin Canyon is an undeveloped 600+ acre canyon behind the Beverly Hills Hotel. It features a lake, historic ranch and hillside hiking trails that boast a rich history as movie and TV show locations. Memorable Hollywood moments filmed here can be seen in such films as “It Happened One Night,” and on TV in “The Andy Griffith Show”. We will hike approximately 6 miles, 800 feet elevation gain, on several trails from easy to intermediate levels. Meet at the Sooky Goldman Nature Center parking lot at 9:30 AM, 2600 Franklin Canyon Drive, Beverly Hills, CA 90210. 310 8587272. Coffee, bagels and GLS Holiday Party leftovers will be provided before hiking. Well behaved dogs on leashes permitted. Don’t forget water, lunch and hiking boots. Directions: From the 101 Freeway, take Coldwater Canyon Boulevard south to the intersection of Coldwater Canyon and Mulholland Drive. Make a 90 degree right turn onto Franklin Canyon Drive. There is no street sign "Franklin Canyon." Road signs read "Road Closed 800 Feet" and "Sunset to Sunrise"; this is the park entrance. Do not make a U-turn for this will bring you onto Mulholland Drive instead of Franklin Canyon. Stay on paved surface to reach the Sooky Goldman Nature Center. Rain cancels!
December 16, Wednesday. O: Long Beach Shore Walk. Jeff J, Kirk O. Last regularly scheduled 3rd Wednesday Long Beach beach walk. Meet at the foot of Belmont Pier at 7 PM. Park in the parking lot at the southern end of Termino, free after 6 PM. We will tear down the beach to Naples, make a quick circuit to see the holiday lights, then head back around, stopping on 2nd Street for a bite to eat, back to the parking lot by 9:30. 5 mi., 50’ gain/loss. Beachable shoes, layers for wind or cold, water, $$ for dinner!
December 20, Sunday. O: Ojai Bike Trip. Alan S, Tom M. This is a moderate 20 mile round-trip via the Ojai Valley bike path (there's a little bit of street riding once we get to town). We will enjoy a very gradual uphill climb to Ojai (750' loss/gain), where we will have brunch before returning to Ventura. Meet at 9:30 AM at Foster Park (the 101 to 33 north towards Ojai, exit at Foster Park). Call Tom and Alan for more info. Bring appropriate clothing, helmet, bike lock, water, spare inner tube, money for brunch and parking. Note: Helmets are required. You can’t participate without one. Rain cancels. It’s a great time of year to do this ride, hope to see you there!
December 27 Sun O: Zuma Ridge. Downhill. Diane Ru, Susan C. Downhill Ocean view extravaganza… (car shuttle) We'll do this hike going all downhill other then for the first part which goes through a cool riparian oak forest. This is a unique mostly downhill , mostly ocean view hike, 8.5 mi., approx 600' gain, 2400’ loss, 4.5 hrs. We'll go through beautiful oak and riparian terrain at the head of the canyon, and then again when we finish the hike at the mouth of Zuma Canyon. Most of time we'll wind our way down Zuma Ridge viewing panorama after panorama of ocean, island and mountain views, weather permitting. We'll meet at the end of Bonsall Road in Zuma Canyon, and then car shuttle 10 minutes up hill to our starting point. Bonsal Rd is a sharp right hand turn off of PCH, just before you get to the Zuma Beach parking lot (if you're coming from south), and just before you get to the stop light at Busch Drive. Make a right on Bonsal and drive to the very end where you'll see a dirt parking lot. Call leader to RSVP. Meet there at 10:00am. Bring water, lunch, and lug sole hiking shoes, and of course your 10 essentials!
Dec 31 - Jan 3, Thu – Sun O: Death Valley Camping. Christy V, Grace H. Come celebrate the new year in Death Valley. We will be camping in the group site at Furnace Creek at an elevation of -190 ft. There is drinking water and flush toilets. Bring firewood, potluck for Friday night and if you wish a bottle of bubbly. The fee is $35 and this does not include entrance fee of $20. Send check to: 2449 E. 5th St. #10, Long Beach CA 90814. Questions? Contact the leaders.
Feb 12 - Feb 15, Fri - Mon. O: Joshua Tree National Park. Barbara E, Grace H. Join us Presidents’ Day weekend at the Black Rock Canyon campground (elev. 4000), located in the northwest corner of the park, just 5 miles from Yucca Valley. Campsites are dispersed on the hillside at the mouth of the canyon, and surrounded by Joshua trees, junipers, cholla cacti, and desert shrubs. Trailheads to scenic hiking trails in the hills are easily accessible from the campground. They take hikers to ridge-lines overlooking the snowy peaks of San Jacinto and San Gorgonio via Eureka Peak, Panorama Loop, and Warren Peak trails. If you get tired of scenic hikes, you can head into town. Yucca Valley offers restaurants, shopping and the Hi-Desert Nature Museum. Flush toilets and water are available at the campground. Expect daytime temperatures in the mid 60s and nighttime temps to dip into the 30s. Dogs permitted in campground, but not on most trails. Cost is $30 per person for 3 nights camping. A few RV sites (no hook-ups) are available. Please send check and email address to: Barbara E. See Tracks for address.
March 5-7, 2010. O: Wind Wolves Preserve Car Camp. Marie A, Jeff C. The previously announced dates had to be changed, instead, please save these earlier dates for another trip to magical Wind Wolves preserve. The same rules apply as previous years, and more details will be forthcoming. Please watch the e-mail announcements and Tracks; information and sign-up opportunities available at the Holiday Party December 12. Thank you!

Gay & Lesbian Sierrans

Angeles Chapter of the Sierra Club