I've been on a few trips with this organization and they've been the best adventures of my life…read more You get to experience the outdoors with a very professional guide with many years of experience who is able to create extreme adventures and keep you safe at the same time. It's a great way to enjoy the outdoors like you've never experienced it before and get to bond with fellow adventurers.

My Fiance and I love doing the Moonlight hikes. It's good fun exercise and the atmosphere at the…read moreNotch is great. However, we've stopped partaking. The "BBQ" is wildly overpriced and just really not very good. If they would put more effort into making the food better and more reasonably priced we would probably go almost every time it happens.

This review will be exhaustive. I will list lots of positives and negatives. When reading the…read morenegatives, please keep in mind that my wife and I both loved every moment of our 2 night stay at the tent cabin, and we plan on making this an annual tradition. It was sublimely enjoyable from beginning to end. Though we are still tired and sore from the hike to the top of Mt. San Antonio, we are both thoroughly satisfied and mentally rested. We arrived around 4:30 on Friday. We went into the office and got our wristbands. Stephanie (and the guy with her, we didn't get his name) were really friendly and told us about the things we get with our ticket. We were surprised to know we get all meals comped, plus a free zipline. We asked about parking. They said our car will be fine, but just for peace of mind wrote us a note to put in the car indicating we were there for the 2 night package. We said thank and made our way to the lift. Lift operator put our bags in the following 2 lifts and we got to ride together. We had two large backpacking bags. The meal the first night was brisket, chicken, tater tots, mac n cheese, salad, and some very tasty beans. Everything was super good. They were not stingy - they will give you as much as you want. TIP - get all you will eat on your first trip. You are not guaranteed seconds. Drinks are not included, but we got unlimited refills of lemonade and/or iced tea for $3. We also enjoyed some live music and some very delicious churros (not included). The tent was bare bone. It had a bed, a water dispenser, a shelf. The bed had clean sheets. 3 windows and a door with a lock. That's it - but that's all we expected. We saw a few ants in there and the occasional mosquito. If you are super sensitive to bugs, you may want to bring a bottle of bug spray. The tent withstood the wind really well, and won't leak if it rains, but it's not 100% bug proof. It gets cold at night! My wife and I brought a nice throw blanket, a plain sheet, and a double sleeping bag. We opened the sleeping bag to be just a blanket and used all three. We were WARM. the 40-50 degree weather was not an issue. During the day the windows produced a nice breeze. We took a nap both days, and slept like babies. It was super restful. Bathrooms - there are porta-potties. We did not use them. They keep the door to the restaurant open 24 hours. There is a gate - so really you can only use the bathroom. But the heater is on, so when we woke up at 5:00 am for our hike, the bathroom was open, warm, and clean to start our day. First morning we did not eat breakfast. We hiked from early in the morning until around 12:30. When we came back, we were expecting some type of small bag-type lunch. We were surprised when they told us to pick anything off the menu. We had some VERY tasty burgers and fries. We paid $3 each for lemonade, and got a couple refills each throughout the day. It's GOOD lemonade. We took our nap and went back for dinner. Dinner was great! tri-tip and chicken was good, vegetarian lasagna very tasty, and I loved the corn. We were stuffed. The live music Saturday night was on point, and about 200 people showed up to enjoy the food and music. It was a party! Good times and dancing. Despite the nap, we were fast asleep by 10. We woke up around 5 and went to the bathroom. No one was at the lodge, so we relaxed and enjoyed the sights and sounds of nature. BTW - there is a very friendly cat that lives right at the lodge. Hopefully you see her! (or him) We took another great nap and woke up around 9:00. we packed our things and took our bags to the lodge to get some breakfast. Generally, you get a continental breakfast, but they had a special fathers day brunch planned. My God the brunch was good. The usual breakfast stuff - plus BEEF RIBS! We enjoyed breakfast and hopped on the lift to end our vacation. We ended up not doing the zipline. I'll be honest - it looks kind of like a kids thing. It's not a very long zipline. I want to really underline what a value we believe this was. $300 for 2 serene nights at Mt. Baldy for 2 people. A total of 5 meals. Not 5 star cooking, but much better than we expected. We really felt like we got a great experience for a very reasonable price. I also want to underline how FRIENDLY the staff was. Stephanie, as mentioned, was great. Christina at the bar was also SUPER friendly and helpful. She answered all our questions and made sure we knew all the various perks that came with the package. Those are the only two names we got, but every single person we interacted with was friendly, helpful, and overall a pleasure to be around. Are you looking for a 5 star hotel experience? This isn't for you. Are you looking for a camping trip with 3 meals a day and some additional creature comforts? This is for you! We absolutely loved our experience and the people that made our experience what it is, and we absolutely WILL be back next year.

A small park in the neighborhood of some of the community partners I work with. Have had a couple…read moreof meetings here, enjoyed a quick lunch and read online news to get caught up on the latest. Usually really quiet, not a lot of foot traffic. There is a play area benches and picnic table. There are 2 dedication stone markers for Jazz musician Horace Tapscott and community leader Johnnie Raines Jr. both placed in 2004.

In FOUR WEEKS from TODAY (June 9th) will mark the 30th Anniversary that Officer Louis Pompei made…read morethe ultimate sacrifice. I will post an UPDATE when details are available on a Tribute service. Photos of past services are posted on this page. I come here from time to time to reflect and pause from my daily routine. Taking a break from our busy schedule does wonders to one's mind and spirit. ========== ========== Born: August 4, 1964 EOW: June 9, 1995 ========== ========== At Age 30, Officer Pompei was off duty at Vons market on Via Verde, he observed a robbery in progress. He identified himself as a police officer, two perpetrators opened fire. According to news reports, Officer Pompei was able to return fire, striking both men before they made their getaway. Officer Pompei was transported to the hospital, where he passed from his injuries. It took months before the perpetrators were arrested, eventually went to trial and sent to prison. The City of San Dimas has built this small memorial park in his honor. Rest in peace, Hero.

This is a nice little sports complex hidden away behind a giant strip mall area in Glendora. Just…read moresouth of the 210 freeway, you can see the cars and trucks going by, but it does not take away from the all turf sports fields. With five different softball/baseball diamonds, several soccer pitches, and at least one full size football field, this is definitely a nice little complex for youth sports. Restroom facilities, batting cages, and a snack shack round it out. Parking is available, but limited for a big tournament. Nearby street parking provides an alternative.

If you've driven through Santa Clarita on the 14 Antelope Valley Freeway, you've probably seen the…read morestate designated Oak of the Golden Dream sign. Just take the Placerita Canyon Rd. off ramp into the beautiful Placerita Canyon Park. You'll pass the gates of the 800+ acre Walt Disney owned Golden Oak Ranch. Film location for numerous motion picture and television shooting locations; everything from Old Yeller, to Roots and the 1950s Mickey Mouse Club series Spin and Marty (if you're old enough to remember Annette Funicello, riding on horseback at the ranch). Keep going to the parking lot and follow the Oak of the Golden Dream trail. In 1839, the Mexican Government granted Antonio del Valle some 48,000 acres called Del Valle Rancho. On March 9, 1842 his brother-in-law, Francisco Lopez y Arbello took a rest from his horseback ride around the rancho under an oak tree, and dreamed of being surrounded by gold. So the story goes. Noticing his horse grazing on wild onions, Francisco spied a bright glimmer and began pulling the onions up by the roots. They were flaked with small specks of gold. The official California Gold Rush actually began right here in Santa Clarita, California. Southern not Northern California. Hmmmmm? It's an easy access hike to this wooded and serene spot.

While not particularly amazing on its own, it seems worthy for its historical significance. And…read moreit's easy to visit. While there, two people in wheelchairs joined me. The path is more a sidewalk and many upgrades (informative signs) are clearly in the works. Also, there are a few very good trails in the same park.

A small; local; peaceful; & useful park right across the street from Inglewood High…read more This is not a park designed for exercise; more for dog walking; Pokémon catching, or taking a look at the "historic" Transportation mural that was moved there some years ago. Since the virus started; the park has been mostly empty besides for a few transients and locals from the adjacent apartment complex hanging out or smoking; the park usually used to be packed with parents and students. Once in a while; photo shoots and outdoor fundraisers hosted by the City of Inglewood are held here. Otherwise, it's pretty much dead. Bottom line; if you're a local, you know it & use it. If not; this is definitely not a relevant enough place to purposefully trek to.

I liked it. I wouldn't classify it as hard. The trail is a smooth fire road all the way to the top…read more It is a steady incline, but not terribly steep. There are a few alternatives for side tracking, but I stuck with the mapped trail. Absolutely no shade, but if you wear a nice white hat, you'll be fine. Telecommunications tower at the top. Great views off in the distance. Great geology close up. Read up on the interesting geology of the Verdugo Mountains, and you'll get a little more out of the trail-side scenery.

It is three miles up and a gain of 2,200 feet to get to the top of Mount Thom aka Mount Verdugo…read more This is eastern peak of the Verdugo Mountains which lies in the City of Glendale is about 2,450 feet above sea level. When you are near the top it feels a lot higher than it is. It is such a landmark when you are driving on the 2 Glendale Freeway or the 134 because it just looms over the City of Glendale. The Verdugo Mountains are right in the middle of the suburbs, but no development is allowed, thank goodness. I believe the Verdugos contains around 4,000 acres. There are black bears and one was just spotted and tranquilized on the northwestern side of the range. They look brown, but the Grizzly bears have not been seen since the early 1900's. There are also mountain lions and I believe they have been spotted on the Burbank side. There are lots of native chaparral, live oaks, sycamores and non-native pine trees that were planted after some of the forest fires in the past. The view is really is incredible on the Los Flores Motorway Trail and I bet you can see the ocean on a clear day. On your way up to the top you will have an unbelievable view of Glendale, Downtown L.A. and Griffith Park. As you approach the top you will be able to see Burbank, Universal City and the Crescenta Valley. You can't really stand on the very top of Mount Thom because of the large communication tower and the heavy duty fence that surrounds it. You will be able to see a few other roads up at the top. One is the Beaudry Motorway Loop and the Verdugo Motorway. Here is a map: http://parks.ci.glendale.ca.us/pdf/COG_TrailsAndFireRoadsBrochure.pdf Read my earlier review of where to park for this particular route. Make sure you look at the signs because there is a lot of permit parking and red curbs. We parked about a 1/4 mile from the beginning of the fire road.

YOUCH!!! THAT''S GOING TO LEAVE A MARK!…read more Background Sugarloaf Mountain is a large prominent peak at 9,952 feet in the San Bernardino Mountains and is the highest peak in the San Bernardino Mountains outside the San Gorgonio Wilderness. Ontario Peak, at 8,693 ft, is a high peak in the San Gabriel Mountains Stats Difficulty - 8/10 Miles - 14 Elevation gain - 6,000/7,000 feet Class 2-3 scrambling Bouldering Waterfall climbing (optional) Miles and miles of scree Essentials 4-liters of water Snacks & lunch Handy wipes for any BOT (Blood on Trail from the rocks) Gloves (gardening or work gloves-rocks are jagged) Knee pads (totally optional, thick pants should be fine) Helmet Electrolytes Sunscreen Hiking Poles Camera Headlamp Hat (optional) Our Route Starting North Mount Baldy Road, Mt. Baldy, we headed up Icehouse Canyon until we reached the first obvious switchback trail and followed the trail to the canyon. This is where the fun all started, or at least for a little while. For just a little over two miles and 4,000 foot elevation gain, we took one small step forward one huge slide back up mountain side of scree. Nearly jumping from one tree or bush root to the next was the best we could do to stop from sliding down the canyon. What a quad workout, not to mention lower back from all the baby crawling to the next "safe zone." Alas, after over three hours of jumping, grabbing, crawling on all fours holding on to whatever we could, we reach the top of the scree portion of the canyon. Sure did feel good to stand straight up again. From there we followed a trail when we could see it, made our own trail when couldn't until we reached the Ontario Saddle. Beat, beat-up, exhausted, and stiff, we sit for lunch. With food in our stomachs, much careful consideration and looking at the time, we decide it best not to continue onto Ontario Peak, instead head back down the mountain. Unfortunately, the shortest way down is the same way we came up. You know the saying, "it's all downhill from here" is typically meant to be a good thing, well, in this case, not so much. Although the scree hill makes for some magnificent scree skiing when heading down, one wrong step and you become a falling rock with no end in sight, at least not alive. The alternative was to follow a trail down which was an additional nine miles, and would get us to the bottom of the mountain well after dark. This is not one mountain hikers want to be on in the dark as the terrain and weather are extremely unstable. Applying the foot breaks slowly, adjusting with every slide, we make are way down the mountain. In most areas I just use my God given asset to slide down as this decreases the chance of taking a tumble. Ooops, took a wrong turn, ended up having to do backward climbing down boulders, not an easy task to climb down something when you can't see what is behind you or where the next foothold is. One boulder was so large in size and no foot or handholds for this little climbing foodie so had to put my life in someone else's hands, literally. Hugging the bouldering the best I could I let go of the last tree root and slid down into the arms of a fellow hiker, another perk to being small enough to fit into children's clothes. And the scree skiing continued. Whoopee!!! We made it down to the bottom of the canyon without incident, or so I thought, more on that in a minute. Completely bent, not broken, we follow the Ice House Canyon trail back to the parking lot, while taking pictures of remnants of cabins gone bye-bye. Over the course of a few days, bruises (honor badges) began to show, over 20 on my legs not to mention a trail of bruises from my lower back to my upper hamstring, all thanks to the scree skiing. Graphic in nature, and for the sake of all things PC and Yelp, pictures will not be posted of these honor badges. This was quite the experience, one I shall never forget and do not recommend our route to anyone. Early on, we lost our route, thus the increase in difficulty. Others have completed this route safely and soundly, but they took the route we were supposed to have taken in the first place. Although a relatively enjoyable challenge, this was a one and done hike for me Disclaimer: Hiking is not something that can be taken lightly. It can be life-threatening as you see and hear on the news, people die or get lost all time. Please if you are going to hike, never go alone and prepare for the worst, hope for the best. Remember when going for a hike, no matter how short you think it may be, always be prepare. Carry at least two liters of water for every five miles (more if the weather is warm), protein bar, nuts, and electrolytes. Wear sturdy lug sole shoes and protective clothing. Some areas the weather can change quicker than a fireman can put on his gear. It is also very important, always always always let a family member or friend know where you are going and when you expect to be back. Lastly, have fun when you hike it up.