Editor’s note: The Wild is featuring exciting voices from the SoCal outdoor scene. We enjoyed having Matt Pawlik share his adventures and thoughts over the past three months. Starting this week, we are excited to welcome Casey Schreiner as our new guide. Casey has been writing about nature since 2006, when he launched the popular website Modern climber. You may also have received one of his three outdoor books, including his own best selling guide to Griffith Park. For the next few months, he’ll be sharing new hiking and outdoor ideas.
You may notice that the writing in this edition of The Wild is a little different. Well, that’s because there’s a new writer behind the keyboard. Hello! I’m Casey. I am truly honored to follow the boot prints of Mary Forgione and Matt Pawlik. And I’m excited to take you down some new side trails. But first: It’s autumn!
Is fall the cruelest season in Los Angeles? Sometimes it feels that way. When our nation Strategic Stockpile of Pumpkin Spice opens and clothing ads turn to sweaters and scarves, we Angelenos are still likely to face at least a few more heat waves before the rainy season (hopefully) arrives.
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Good news though! For those who don’t really feel at peace until October until they see the green leaves turn different colors, there is hope — and it doesn’t require a plane ticket to Vermont.
I compiled a roundup of some of the best trails to see some fall colors right here in the Golden State. Look, I’ll be honest – really the good stuff calls for a trip to the Eastern Sierra, where high elevations and native Aspen groves offer weeks of spectacular views (not to mention crisp fall temperatures and the region’s beautiful granite peaks and alpine lakes year-round). But if you can’t make it up north, there are some great hikes you can do right here in Southern California…or you can always turn to Julian for some orchards, pies and cider.
However, before you lace up your boots for any of those adventures, you should definitely consult the site Fall color in California. Its editor and publisher, John Poimiroo, has been meticulously documenting and compiling California foliage observations since 2009.
I chatted with Poimiroo about tips for first time California Leaf Devils. His advice: First, drop your expectations if you grew up elsewhere—California’s color is beautiful, but it’s its own thing. Second, when it comes to the timing of your adventure, you have some flexibility. While the most popular foliage spots across the country usually get a week or two of peak fall color (and that’s in a good year), California’s range of elevations and multiple microclimates allow us to see fall hues until in three full months.
Finally, Poimiroo mentioned that cities with good urban tree canopies like Sacramento can also put on a nice show, usually later in the season. He suggested checking the lunar calendar to plan some overnight hikes (harvest moon is Monday, FYI).
As you prepare to head to the groves of Aspen, I’ll just note here that Taylor Swift’s new album is coming out in a few weeks and will probably be the perfect soundtrack to your fall fantasy trip.
4 things to do this week
The roads are yours at CicLAvia.
(Laura Rudich / CicLAvia)
1. Take back the roads with CicLAvia. In 2018, Bicycling Magazine named LA the America’s Worst Bike City (how about being No. 1?), but a bright counterpoint has been CicLAvia. Launched in 2008, the event is an all-too-rare glimpse of what LA might look like without cars — or, at the very least, with half-way decent cycling infrastructure. of The heart of LA returns on Sunday, so take the Metro (the Finally the K Line is open this weekend!), grab your bike, skateboard, or skates—or pennies—and enjoy exploring your city at human speed. Later, make sure that check out these local bike trails also.
Check out The Times podcast for essential news and more.
These days, waking up to current events can be, well, scary. If you’re looking for a more balanced diet of news, The Times podcast is for you. Gustavo Arellano, along with a diverse group of reporters from the award-winning LA Times newsroom, delivers the hottest stories from the Los Angeles Times every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Listen and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.
Desert plants on their way to their new home.
(Mojave Desert Trust)
2. Adopt some rare desert plants at Joshua Tree. I love gardening with native plants and fall is the best time to plant them. If you’re looking to try your hand at this rewarding and habitat-restoring hobby, you’ll want to head over to Mojave Desert Land Trust headquarters in Joshua Tree on Saturday. From 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., you can pick up more than 50 locally grown, hard-to-find species, as well as some cool things to add to your backyard sculpture studio of the house. Staff recommend arriving early – in the past, people lined up an hour before kick-off. Times writer Jeanette Marantos got one preview and some helpful tips for desert planting also.
Micheltorena Stairs at Silver Lake.
(@hikingwithsun)
3. Take your steps – and learn about the history of LA. Saturday at 8 am, join See LA in a day AND Sunny hiking on a collaborative urban walk through Silver Lake’s Insta-famous stairs. Along the way, you’ll learn about the fascinating history of Silver Lake, take lots of beautiful photos, and stop at a local bakery to replenish all those burned calories. Reserve your seat here.
Pumpkins light up the night in Carved.
(Jake Fabricius for Descanso Gardens)
4. Stroll alongside hundreds of carved pumpkins at Carved. Everyone seems to be getting out their Halloween decorations right now, but one of the most fascinating displays you’ll find is at Engraved at Descanso Gardens. In addition to the famous pumpkin house, hay maze and hundreds of carved gourds throughout the garden, this year’s festivities will feature UV black light experiences, live carvings and a Día de los Muertos installation. The tickets are on sale now for the rest of the month and will likely sell out quickly.
Must read
Times reporter Doug Smith returns to the Golden Trout Pack Station where he worked as a teenager in the 1960s.
(Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)
From Mule Trains and Memories: As a young man, veteran Times reporter Doug Smith spent four summers as a mule hand in the southern Sierra along the Kern River. Nearly 60 years later, he returned to revisit his old stomping grounds. His descriptions are beautiful – you can almost taste the high altitude dust and pine in your mouth. The story also investigates how our memories of beloved places can collide and coexist with their current and future state, an experience many of us will have as the frequency of wildfires continues to increase.
red flag
Summer traffic in the Devil’s Garden.
(V. Verdin / National Park Service)
We all love to visit our national parks. What we don’t like is visiting them with crowds belonging to a Black Friday sale. Overcrowding and overuse will affect more of the outdoors we love, and experts are trying different solutions. Arches National Park it already has a transportation program during the summer months, and this year, it experimented with time-limited entry permits. of the pilot program ended this week, and the park will soon announce its overcrowding plan for 2023. If you’re visiting Arches this fall, expect the return of long lines. On Tuesday, the park was full before 10 a.m. and visitors were told to do so try coming back after three to five hours. Yes.
Wild thing
Otis, 2021, 2017, 2016 and 2014 Fat Bear Week Champion.
(L. Law / National Park Service)
It’s Fat Bear Week. Repeat: It’s Fat Bear Week. I’m pretty sure every election I’ve been able to vote in has been called “the most important election of our lives,” but no election is more fun than the annual Fat Bear Week bracket hosted by Alaska. Katmai National Park and conservation. In the contest, which celebrates healthy ecosystems, you can choose your favorite bears based on any criteria you like. You can also join a live online chat with naturalists to learn more about bears. Voting began on Wednesday.
Five questions with…
John Poimiroo in his element.
(John Poimiro)
Name: John Poimiroo, editor and publisher of Fall color in California
What does being outdoors mean to you?
Nature reasons me. The natural world is soothing. There are few of the conflicts that society causes us and all the wonder.
What is a country that inspires you and why?
The forests and riparian meadows are full of glory and life. Spend time by a stream and it will flow through you spiritually.
If you could change one thing about the way people think about nature, what would it be?
That it is wild. We are wild. Nature is not. It is predictable and natural.
What’s your personal item you can’t live without when you’re out and about?
A camera. They are more about expressing experience and place than capturing a moment. Become a student of great photography. Study how they are composed. Then, practice expressing your vision with that knowledge. Good photos tell stories and move the mind and heart.
What is your tip no. 1 for people who want to strengthen their relationship with nature?
Read John Muir. My favorite is his short work “A windstorm in the woods.”
SP
Want to shine a spotlight on a group or person doing good work in nature? An upcoming event our readers might be interested in? Drop us a line and let us know!
For more insider tips on Southern California beaches, trails and parks, check out past issues of The Wild. And to view this newsletter in your browser, click here.
