#25in52

My First trail of the 2015 was Switzer Falls and the Bear Canyon trail in the Angeles National Forest. I would highly recommend this one. You follow along a stream under a shaded canopy to the falls after about a mile. This section is family friendly and more of a nature walk. From there you head up just below the ridge line for awhile as the canyon plunges down below. You eventually head down to the canyon floor to another small set of falls. I opted to follow the Bear canyon trail for awhile and found that to be the real treat of the trip. you criss cross along the relatively narrow canyon floor as the stream sings along next you with the occasional swimming hole. It was a rainy day which only added to the experience. It was quiet and refreshing. 

What is #25in52? 

It’s a personal pledge to pick an activity that brings you joy and passion and explore, expand and improve over 52 weeks. Got something you’ve always wanted to do or do more of but “life” always seems to get the way? That, my friend, is your new 25in52. Get Started today.

So what’s my #25in52?

Lets start with a little background. I grew up spending a lot of time outdoors. As a teen in Boy Scouts I was extremely lucky to have been given the opportunity to explore every corner of the Southern California wilderness and beyond on hiking and backpacking trips. Being a typical teen I did not appreciate the moments as much as I should have and memory of a fraction of our trips. Being that Scouts was a very proper organization I am sure a perfect record of every single one of those was in a document long sense purged from a dusty box in the back of the parents garage. In my 20’s I still enjoyed the occasional nature walk or car camping trip it wasn’t until a good friend invited me out for a hike several years ago (tip o’ the hat to you Dave) that I really remembered what I’d been missing. Like many average adults these days I spend most of my days at a computer and live in the buzz of a busy city and all the stress that comes with it. What I had forgotten as a had “grown up” is how much being outside, in the quiet and clean air of nature can completely restore my drained happy tank. Being outside in general brings me a ton of joy but hikes, either by myself or with a friend, bring me to a state where nothing else matters. I forget about work, drama, obligations, noise, distraction. Everything fades away as I become fully present, awake and taking the day one step at a time.

Fast forward to December of 2014. It had been a roller coaster of a year to say the least. I had spent some time outside when I could throughout the year and rediscovered rock climbing as another fantastic happy tank filler. A shoulder injury had kept me pretty stagnate and inactive since October and my tank was completely empty. I decided it was time to cut the excuses and head out to my Favorite place to recharge, Joshua Tree National Park. My wife asked me what my intention or theme for the trip would be so I could get the most out of the day. I decided the theme would be to explore new places. I tend to default to the same hang out spots and trails when I get outside unless someone else had invited me along to a new area and this time I wanted to change it up. It ended up being one of the absolute best days in the park I’d ever had. At some point that day I started thinking that over the next year I should try out a new hike every month and by the drive home late that night I’d realized that I owed it to myself to explore not 12 but 25 new trails big or small over the next 52 weeks. This blog is a place to record those adventures and to keep myself accountable on making sure those 25 get ticked off this year.