Day Hiking in Temescal Gateway Park

During our recent visit to SoCal we made it a point to visit the trails at Temescal Gateway Park. My two outings here offered welcomed reprieves from the bustling crowds we encountered everywhere else during our week-long stay in L.A. The spillover into early July of what the locals call "June Gloom" coincided with our visit and kept the hot sun at bay, though it did also detract from the magnificent views of the city and ocean from high atop the Santa Monica Mountains.

Trailhead at Temescal Gateway Park

 

With so much to see and do in Southern California, we were on a tight schedule. Hiking, though a priority for me, wasn't on my kids' radars at all. I had to squeeze it in when I could. My plan for both days was to start early, go as far as time permitted, and turn around from wherever I may be on the trail, giving myself just enough time to make it back to my aunt's condo at the appointed hour. We made an executive decision to throw precaution to the wind. Instead of wasting time in the parking lot familiarizing ourselves with a trail map, we would look for a well-worn trail and take it. Nearly two weeks later, as I sit here with a copy of the trail map by my side, I can see we were headed up the Viewpoint Trail, also shown as the Temescal Ridge Trail on Google Maps. This was hiking at its best: cool, dry air; no mud or slick surfaces, no crowds, and no mosquitos or ticks.

 

Cool enough for a jacket in July

 

My aunt had told us about a waterfall 1.3 miles away from the trailhead. As it would turn out, the waterfall was not along the path we were traversing. But we didn't know this at the time and because the hiking was so exceptional, we didn't care. Besides, in our minds, we were hiking to the waterfall. I soon began outpacing my wife so, after synchronizing our watches and agreeing on a turn around time, I trekked on ahead.

 

Though the gloom lingered, it was still breathtaking

 



Looking back at my pictures I can now ascertain that I made it to the junction of the Leacock and Temescal Ridge trails before turning back due to time constraints. Fortunately, I was able to make it back to the park two days later, and this time I explored the Temescal Canyon Trail. Still cloudy and cool, and again with one eye on my watch, I sometimes ran and sometimes hiked 1.7 miles into the park's mountain range before my allotted time elapsed, forcing me to retrace my steps back to the hustle and bustle of the city below.

 

Before turning around, I came upon the location of the waterfall. Not surprisingly, it was dry. I didn't even realize this was the location of the wet weather waterfall until my uncle described the area to me the following day. Now piecing things together on the map, I can see it would have been nearly as easy for me to hike the loop trail formed by the Temescal Canyon and Temescal Ridge trails in opposite directions rather than backtracking both days. Oh, well. Hindsight's 20/20.

 

Near the sight of the wet weather waterfall



  



Either way, the hiking was outstanding. On our final full day in town, under sunny skies, we walked the picturesque streets of Pacific Palisades and viewed the Pacific Ocean from Palisades Park. The next time we visit we will have to allocate more time for walking and less time for traffic jams, as there are many miles of trails connecting to Temescal Gateway Park, as well as an extensive network of city sidewalks, remaining to explore.

 

 

Views from the Temescal Canyon Trail

 



Sun is out at Palisades Park on our last day in town

    

Palisades/Will Rogers 5k

We were in the Los Angeles area on July 4th to visit family and participate in a local 5k benefiting the Pacific Palisades Optimist Club, a volunteer organization supporting various youth charities and activities.

My anticipation for this event had been mounting from the day we booked our flights to LAX in early April. For the next three months, I decided, my training would be focused solely on this run and achieving a degree of fitness which would allow me to perform at my very best level. Amazingly, life cooperated nicely during those 90 days so that I was able to follow through on my training program pretty well as designed. By the time training was over, I actually felt like a runner.

The day before the race we walked with my aunt to the local sporting goods retailer to collect our bibs and then around the community to sort of get the lay of the land and a feel for the course itself. As workers were erecting the start and finish structures, my aunt was showing us how deep the crowd would be gathered at the starting line in the morning. It became clear to me this would be the largest race in which I had ever participated.

Setting up the day before the race

 

The morning of the race was cool and overcast. Thank goodness! We made our way through the field of entrants, and I settled in the 7-8 minute per mile grouping. Unfortunately, my aunt had to sit this year's race out, and the rest of my family felt more comfortable starting a little deeper in the pack. With a crowd this size, it was certainly wise not attempting to run in pairs or as a group. After a sterling rendition of The Star-Spangled Banner, the starting gun sounded and the mass of people slowly began moving forward.

 

Participants gather before the race

 

The beginning of the race was a cluster, of course. Slower runners, including parents pushing strollers and some very young children who had no business up front, were causing many folks to jump the curbs and run on the sidewalks. The first half-mile or so was spent running more or less a zigzag pattern, simply trying to find space enough in which to settle into a good pace. Fortunately, this part was all downhill. Everything frustrating about running is easier to deal with when going downhill.

 

A walker's perspective

 

Somewhere around 1.2 miles, the Pacific Ocean came into view and the course transitioned from downhill to uphill. For the next 1.5 miles or so, we would climb 120 feet. This was it. This is what I had been training for months to conquer. If I could get to the top of this hill in good shape, the rest of the course would be easy peasy. As homeowners waved from their front lawns, shouting words of encouragement to all of the runners, I felt like pulling up a chair and doing the same. Instead, I kept plugging away until I somehow made it to the top. Though I wouldn't necessarily classify my condition as "good" at this point and the remainder of the course certainly wasn't easy peasy for me, I knew I had enough in the tank to see it through and finish with a respectable time.

 

The bulk of the climb was over by mile 2

 

On the ascension I eclipsed several people, many of whom had slowed to a walk. Heading down the homestretch, I gave back a few of those gains to smarter, better conditioned runners. Running harder downhill to the finish line which was now within sight, I observed a boy in front of me determined not to let me pass. As he increased his pace to a sprint, so did I, and we crossed the finish line neck and neck, though I do believe his chip time was faster than mine.

 

I finished with a pace of 8:05 per mile, 10th out of 74 participants in my division. Though I had entertained notions of breaking the 8-minute mile, I felt satisfied with my time, particularly given the inevitable slow start due to the sheer number of participants in this popular event. My family and I rendezvoused beyond the finish line at the Palisades Park and Recreation Center to review our times and collect our shirts. The opinion among us was unanimous: the Palisades 5k was everything we hoped it to be - a great way to celebrate the 4th and a perfect beginning to our week in California.

 

Rested and ready for the 4th of July parade to begin