Solstice Canyon Hike

I’ve been scouting shooting locations for my clients in LA for a forest-feel type of scenery, plus wild flowers.  So last Sunday we decided to go hiking at Solstice Canyon in Malibu, we’ve been wanting to do more of this, but just never made the time for it and boy have we missed out.

We started early, I woke up at 6:00 AM and made coffee and toast while Kris packed up all our snacks and survival kit (if you know Kris, you know how paranoid he is) and headed out at 7:00 AM. I loved being able to cruise on all the way up the 60 to the 10 freeway with no traffic, I guess only on an early Sunday morning. Even the drive up the road to the main entrance is beautiful. It was love at first sight! I had already done my research so I knew which trail to do, the easy slow paced one (you know, for non-experienced hikers) and at the end of the trail is a waterfall, perfect. So we started off with this trail, it took about 45 minutes, very easy, even saw an 80 year old woman and pregnant lady along the way. We headed back and learned about the Rising Sun Trail, the hard, steep, you want to cry for your mommy trail, that one. It loops around and around, steep all the way up, the end you is the top and can see the whole coast, downtown la and beyond. Gorgeous indeed, but I was not prepared for it. I go to the gym 2-3 times a week, but this could not have prepared me, it kicked me you know where really hard. Kris of course had no problem, show off! He also thinks it’s fun to race up the mountain because he can’t wait to see the view, get the picture? Then you’d think that going down is easy? Not so much. Almost just as bad, but believe it or not, I didn’t complain much during the hike (too busy trying to catch my breath).

However, I am really glad I did, it’s one of those feelings of accomplishment, like hey, I can do this. It was probably about 5 miles all together. We were both beat and hungry at the end of it all. I was sore that day and the next in body parts I didn’t even know existed.  Thank goodness we’ve been in the area before and know a yummy, healthy cafe in Pacific Palisades. It’s called Cafe Vida and a lot of hikers go there after for breakfast or lunch. They have the best peanut butter milkshake made with almond milk, peanut butter, whey chocolate protein and banana – delish! Not to mention great healthy breakfasts, all organic, plus unique and fresh salads.

That my friends is a healthy, fun, refreshing Sunday Orozco-Jasie style. We plan on going hiking every Sunday for the rest of spring (mostly in LA) unless I have a photo session of course, friends are welcome to join.Even went yesterday to Temescal Canyon, also amazing and beautiful. It has a more of a forest-like feel, with lot’s of trees and vegetation for shade, but not as many wild flowers. Finished the morning with a stop at the farmer’s market there and grabbed produce for the week and had yummy Indian food.

I hope to document more trips soon. I didn’t take my camera to Temescal Canyon yesterday, sometimes it just distracts you and you can’t enjoy your surroundings the same way.  I love that there is so much to discover and do in So Cal, definitely a great place to live.

Stand off, no one won, we scared them off.

Texture.

Movement.

So what do you think? It’s hard not to fall in love. Such a freeing experience, just imagine… no cell phone, noise, tv or nothing else for 3-4 hours. Just pure silence in nature. Thanks for viewing, more from my photo sessions this last week coming up.