My name is Bob. Many years ago I had the experience of a lifetime. It was the experience that sealed the deal for me. I was hooked. I loved the wilderness. I loved the solace, the peaceful feeling that the outdoors afforded anyone who would answer the call.
The Story
I remember it as if it were yesterday; the cool clear skies above the San Gabriel Mountains overlooking Los Angeles. It was Easter Sunday early to mid 1970s. The Santa Ana winds had subsided leaving the whole valley clean, clear, and absent of smog.
I was backpacking a lot then using every chance I got on the weekends to get away into the mountains to enjoy the peace and quiet. I needed the escape from the congestion and the noise of the City.
Trail Head
I had driven to a parking area near the start of a trail leading to the summit of Mt. Lowe on Saturday morning. Donning my hiking boots and backpack with provisions for an overnight stay I started off down the trail.
The trail began toward the south and presently followed along a stream bed for a ways. It was to be about a three-mile hike into the area of the summit as near as I can remember and was fairly easy-going at first.
About a mile in I encountered a man and a woman who had pitched a campsite on a sandy area across the stream bed from the trail sheltered by a bluff in an eroded area in the rock where the stream had worn it away eons ago. I didn’t notice them at first as they were quietly minding their own business. I was almost directly across from them when I looked up and saw that both of them were naked and they seemed to be enjoying all the virtues that nature offered. The man volunteered a wave and to acknowledge them I waved back. I think that they must have been high on something.
The trail then became a little more difficult as it left the stream bed and began to climb toward the top. My boots were not exactly new but had still not quite been broken in. I started to develop blisters on the heels of my feet. I knew that if I stopped before the summit, I might not be able to get my boots back on so I continued on to the summit.
For the sake of sparing myself the weight of a tent and all its accoutrements, I hadn’t brought one but made my camp on the ground using only a foam pad and a sleeping bag. I removed my boots and dressed my feet with salve and moleskin hoping that by morning they would be healed enough to stand putting on my boots again. I quickly made something to eat and climbed into my sleeping bag as the light began to fade and the temperature on the mountain was quickly chilling.
Next Morning
Morning brought cheerful sunlight and radiant warmth and a sense that something special lay in store. I arose and fixed my breakfast and eased my feet back into my boots. I would survive the pain until I was safely off the mountain. Now that it was light again I began to examine the area that I had chosen to camp. To the south there was a view that was exhilarating to me.
I had never in my thirty plus years seen the likes of it. Laid out before me were all of Los Angeles and her surrounding communities. Only the La Habra area was shielded from view by the hills of La Habra Heights but every other city and suburb could be seen and recognized. It was like I was reading a map in 3D. The air was so clear that I could see Santa Catalina Island which I knew to lie 26 miles off shore. Searching down the coastline, I picked out other recognizable communities and way off in the distance I observed San Clemente Island. Later when I returned home I plotted the distance on a map and reckoned that from where I was to San Clemente Island is 108 miles.
On that Easter Sunday morning I felt truly in touch with God. I felt that I was in a natural place of worship. At the time I thought I couldn’t have been any closer to Heaven.
What I Wish for You
This is what I want for you. To travel to a place of serenity; with a calm and peaceful feeling, away from the maddening crowd. With your house on your back and ready to unwind and commune with nature. You can spend a day or longer when you are fully prepared. I will endeavor to be a guide and give you tips for a completely positive experience.