Spring Hike from the Sierra Club meeting area – with Princeton Alumni Club guests

When the clocks were pushed ahead for daylight savings time, the tables seemed to turn on the L.A. monsoon season.  And suddenly the Spring hiking season is in full bloom.  The sun is shining and the hills are as green as they get and filled with wildflowers, reawakened rivulets and scores of nature-loving hikers.  Because so many participants from past Cornell hikes have asked about the Sierra Club* hikes, we’ll be meeting close to where the Sierra Club meets and taking the trails they hike.  We’ll also be joined by guests from the Princeton Alumni Club of L.A.

For anyone who wants to look online to see the path of our hike, go to:  http://griffithobservatory.org/about/pdf/Griffith_Park_Map.pdf

We’ll start from Parking Lot 1, just above the Merry-Go-Round (100 yards from the Ranger Station) in the middle of Griffith Park, hike up Fern Canyon Nature Trail to 5-Points to Vista View Point and up Hogback Trail to Mt. Hollywood (this is different from the Hollywood Sign) which overlooks the Observatory.  Top-of-the-world views much of the way up and down.  360-degree views on top from the Valley, to Malibu, downtown L.A., Catalina Island (on a clear day), Long Beach, Pasadena, Glendale, Burbank….Then we’ll take the North Trail down to Bill Eckert Trail, past the the Old Zoo Picnic Area and finishing at the Merry-Go-Round parking lot….For beginners, this hike has a difficulty level of 6 on a scale from one to 10 owing to the somewhat steep grade of Hogback Trail.  And for experienced hikers, the difficulty level is a 4.  (Photos by Jeff Hyman)

Bring at least (2) 17-oz bottles of water, a hat, a good sun block and footwear that gives good traction to prevent slipping and sliding on any sandy sections.  You’ll be required to sign a waiver form before the hike starts.

Date: Saturday, March 30, 2019

Time:  8:00 am arrival; we’ll leave at 8:15, down by around 10:30.  We start early: 1) to beat the heat  and 2) to be down in time to enjoy the rest of the day.

Location:  Meet at Parking Lot 1 right above the Merry-Go-Round in the middle of Griffith Park

Parking: Free, easy parking in Parking Lot 1 or 2

Directions: Click on the Griffith Park Map site above.  Or Google the Griffith Park Merry-Go-Round or the Ranger Station. If you think you’re going to get lost, leave 15 minutes early. Jeff Hyman will have his cell phone on alert.

Cost: Free

Click here to register.

More Info: Jeff Hyman at jmh876@yahoo.com or at 213.798.7730 (c)

*The Sierra Club hikes leave from Parking Lot 2 on Tuesdays and Thursdays promptly at 7 pm