SHUTTLE AWAY!!…read more
Continuing the Conditioning Hike Series of reviews. Several months ago, me and The Crew were headed to the backcountry on a strenuous backpacking trip. To prepare, I wanted to do some conditioning hikes to decrease my chances of having to be airlifted out. This was one of the trails I did several times prior to the trip.
Back when I was a wee hiker, The Crew planned a shuttle hike. What the heck is a shuttle hike?!?!?!
STATS:
Distance: 6.5 miles
Time: 2.5-3 hours
Elevation Gain: 1700 ft.
Rating: Intermediate, not for beginners
Trail: Fire Road, Non-maintained Fire Road and Single Track w/very little shade.
Just northeast of Griffith Park lie the Verdugo Mountains. Like Griffith Park, there are a freakton of trails, some are maintained and well-traveled, some are not. Like the trails at Griffith Park, the trails in the Verdugo's are not all that shaded, and it gets super hot haulin yourself up an ascent to capture a 180+ view of the city below, not to mention, watch as planes arrive and depart Bob Hope Airport, as the sun sets. If the air is clear enough, you can see the sun dipping itself into the ocean as its glow illuminates on the water.
Fast forward years of hiking with The Crew, I learned quickly and almost the hard way what a shuttle hike entailed. I also learned that I'm not the only one who goes through this growing pain. Anywhoo, while hikes are up and back, or in and out, or point A to point A, where the starting and ending points are the same, a shuttle hike is a one-way hike and takes a more planning and organizing than a one-way hike. Everyone meets with their cars at the ending point, hikers pile into as few cars as possible, and carpool to the starting point/trailhead. The route mapped out should lead hikers back to the initial meeting point and drive those whose cars parked at the trailhead are carpooled back. Most often, The Crew does shuttle, or loop likes, one-way is typically on backpacking trips.
The Skyline trail is in the Verdugo's, and just as every trail, can be one-way, however, The Crew makes it a car shuttle hike. So we left some cars at our initial meeting point, in this case, Brand Park. A short ride down the street and around the bend, to a residential area is where we began our hike.
The track is overgrown and a bit challenging in a few spots, but rewards hikers with some outstanding scenes of the Burbank and Glendale areas, and a nice steady incline, great for conditioning. The trail back down to our cars is the rutted firebreak that connects Beaudry to the library and can be a bit dangerous, but there are other, safer trails that lead back to the Brand Park, should you choose to do a car shuttle. Otherwise, y'all can return the same way you came, and make it a one-way hike.
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 prepared. 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 firefighter 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.
