Cactus Eaters. How I lost My Mind and Almost Found Myself on the Pacific Crest Trail

Cactus Eaters Dan white

I just finished Catus Eaters by first-time author Dan White. It was one of the best things I've read all year. Cactus Eaters is a dark comedy about a guy who goes hiking with his girlfriend on the Pacific Crest Trail and all the mishaps they ecounter along the way. This is really a novel about man vs nature, where nature kicks man's ass for most of the story. The Amazon reviews are mostly favorable, but I got a kick out of reading the negative responses from readers who thought Dan was a narcissistic asshole. I can just see those West Coast hippies at their LGBT book club ranting about gender inequality and male privilege and it cracks me up. If you plan on hiking the PCT, you may want to read this book first. Perhaps it will knock some sense into you.

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The Best Hikes in Los Angeles

The Best Hikes in LA

This is a Google map put together by ModernHiker.com of some of the best hikes in LA with detailed trail descriptions and directions to the trailheads. Click the picture of the map and it should open in a new window.

Here is a list of hikes on the map:

	Sandstone Peak and Tri-Peaks An easy hike for ‘intermediate beginners’ and novice hikers looking for a challenge. Great scenery, well-maintained trails, and lots of opportunities to branch out and explore. This is definitely one ...
	Cucamonga Peak A lengthy, steep hike up one of the tallest peaks in the San Gabriels. You’ll get a great workout, and amazing views off the peak’s nearly-sheer face — a small promontory that reveals the great L.A. S...
	Timber Mountain A long, tall hike down one of the most beautiful canyons in the Angeles National Forest. Probably the easiest way to reach Timber Mountain, the southernmost of the ‘Three Tees.’ Icehouse Saddle - just...
	Dry Lake A backpacking trip down a rarely-used route to a popular mid-mountain campground — an alpine lake-side camp in view of Southern California’s tallest mountains. A great way to get deep into the heart o...
	Matilija Creek A beautiful, isolated, and rugged river canyon in the Los Padres National Forest. Lots of river crossings, swimming holes, fascinating geology, and opportunities for off-trail adventuring. Read more...
	Mount Lawlor A short but rugged trip up to one of the lesser-known summits in the San Gabriels. Easily accessible, but still moderately challenging, with some light rock-scrambling and a use-trail descent if you’r...

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Nobody Hikes in LA.

This is a HUGE list of hikes in the LA/Orange County area. Many of the links are clickable.

Abalone Cove

ABCD Loop – see Santiago Oaks Regional Park

Airport in the Sky – see Catalina Island

Airport Loop Trail – see Catalina Island

Alger Trail Camp – see Momyer Trail

Aliso Canyon Trail (San Fernando Valley) – see Porter Ranch Loop

Aliso Peak

-from Seaview Park

-via Valdido Trail

Aliso Summit Trail

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Mount Baldy

I had never seen someone get altitude sickness until recently when my girlfriend and I were hiking up the Ski Hut trail to the top of Mount Baldy. Most people hike the loop counter-clockwise, but we were short on time, so we decided to shave off a few miles and hike the most direct line to the top. She started to show symptoms right around the time we hit the Sierra Club’s cabin. She developed a severe head and stomach ache, and she couldn’t seem to catch her breath. From what I’ve read, its a condition that can actually be fatal in some cases. People get disoriented, they panic, and then they wander off the trail. At first, I thought that she had been food poisoned. Then it dawned on me that we were over 7,000 feet above sea level. She seriously considered pushing through the pain, but after some debate, we decided to head back down to the car. About a month earlier, she and I had hiked to the top of Angel’s Landing in Zion national Park, a much more difficult hike, with absolutely no issues. I’ve dragged this girl on some pretty rough trails. We’ve swam across raging rivers, bushwhacked inch by inch through unnamed canyons, and hiked up mountains with only the clothes on our backs. And despite this, she now refuses to attempt Mt Baldy a second time. Her bout with altitude sickness has given her a mental block about hiking Baldy.

Read about Our Second Attempt at Hiking Mount Baldy here.

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