#OptOutside, the campaign started by REI to encourage people to go outside on the Friday after Thanksgiving instead of shopping, is a hashtag holiday we can get behind it! Here are some of our favorite places to bike and hike. See you outside!
Hiking
Happy National Trails Day 2017
We began National Trails Day this morning with a rally with Congresswoman Judy Chu, where we celebrated new legislation to expand the monument and create a National Recreation Area, then we embarked on an afternoon of trail work at Crystal Lake.
What you can do:
- Be inspired by some of our favorite places to hike. (Share your own favorites in the comments!)
- Help us protect the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument! Sign our letter to the Interior Department
- Share a video selfie to help us make a film to celebrate the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument
On the Ground Work Update: Guiding The Eagles to Their Nest Project
Leadership Academy graduate Liliana Camacho Guzman led a workshop at Drew Magnet High School, followed by an Eaton Canyon visit and hike with the students. As part of her project, Guiding The Eagles to Their Nest, she discussed environmental justice, access to green and open spaces, and our work in the San Gabriel Mountains National Monument and region, with the students.
“It was so rewarding seeing all these students enjoying themselves in their backyard,” said Liliana. “It was their first time wetting their feet (literally) in the San Gabriel Mountains. They can’t wait to go back with their friends and families!”
Good for Heart & Mind: The Mental Health Hike
Photo courtesy of Bryan Matsumoto
Photo courtesy of Bryan Matsumoto
Photo courtesy of Andrea Alday
Photo courtesy of Andrea Alday
We all know that recreation in the great outdoors is good for your health — and that includes your mental health. We hosted a Mental Health Hike this weekend with the Wilderness Society for mental health professionals, including psychologists, psychology professors, psychology students, social workers, counselors, and others to walk and talk about the connection between nature and mental health. Special thanks to Rep. Judy Chu for joining us, and for the leadership of our speaker, Emily Wu Truong.
Video: Transit to Parks Work
We’re excited to share this short video that documents our work on transit to parks in Los Angeles! When the City of Duarte introduced a pilot program for a free shuttle bus to take passengers from the Gold Line station to the Fish Canyon Falls trailhead, we jumped aboard — and we held an event to celebrate the good transit-to-parks news. We also filmed the day’s event and hike to share this as a great example of providing access to green, open space for our communities. Note: Duarte ran the shuttle bus in May and June and has plans to resume Saturday trips to the trail in the fall.
National Trails Day: Trail Work at Dagger Flat
Dagger Flat Trail
Working on the stairs
Saturday, June 4 marks National Trails Day and SGMF member organization the Community Hiking Club will be working with volunteers on the Dagger Flat trail.
“Dagger Flat has a long history,” says Community Hiking Club’s Dianne Erskine-Hellrigel.”It was originally a Tataviam footpath, then the CCC made an actual trail out of it in the 1930s. No one ever used it after that because there were only a few people that lived in Newhall. Currently we are the 2nd largest population that abuts the forest, and we are in great need to some local access to the beautiful San Gabriel Mountains. This trail connects two Congressional Districts and it is my dream to see all of the congressional districts surrounding the forest connected by trails. Dagger Flat has amazing views, and some great rare plants. My two favorites are Scarlet Larkspur and the endangered Plummer’s Lily.”
Train to Shuttle to Trail: Duarte Shuttle Event Recap
Our event Saturday to celebrate the Duarte shuttle to Fish Canyon Falls was a success! Our SGMF team began the morning by boarding the Gold Line at Union Station. Upon arriving at the Duarte shuttle stop, we met with Duarte city officials, including John Fasana, Margaret Finlay, Sam Kang, and Liz Reilly, and passed the mic to discuss our collective efforts to serve our communities and provide more access to green, open spaces. We presented an award to city officials for their work to lead by example with this shuttle program, then Fasana announced that Duarte would be extending the pilot program through June. The free shuttle runs Saturdays from a stop near the Duarte Gold Line station to the Fish Canyon Falls trailhead. Following the ceremony, we boarded the shuttle for the trail and enjoyed a beautiful day in the great outdoors.
Good coverage: Streetsblog LA and KPCC.
