Photos: Rustic Canyon Nazi Camp Hike

A couple of weekends ago Farilla and I tore ourselves away from the splendor of the Beach House for an adventure. I took him on a hike in Topanga State Park to the ruins of an old 1930's Nazi Commune turned modern day graffiti sanctuary.



From Derelict Urban Structures:

History: In 1933, an heiress named Winona Stephens purchased fifty acres from Will Rogers on property that is now Rustic Canyon (now part of Santa Monica Parks and Recreation). According to records in the Los Angeles Historical Society Archives, Stephens became engaged to an official of the Nazi Party named Herr Schmidt. He convinced her to invest four millions dollars of her fortune in a self-sufficient community which could survive a potential attack during WWII. As records indicate, the renowned Frank Lloyed Wright was commissioned to draw architectural sketches of the main buildings.



In the drawings are terraced orchards, a powerful electric fence, a diesel-powered generator, a 395,000 gallon water tank, an Olympic sized swimming pool, and extensive networks of staircases scattered along the walls canyon. The stairs were believed to be used by guards for patroling the property.



A year or so after construction was completed, rumors spread over late night military drills and loud gun-fire. Police records show that Herr Schmidt was arrested one day after Pearl Harbor was bombed. A short wave radio device was confiscated at the site. Pacific Palisades Historian Betty Young notes, "Herr Schmidt died immediately after, in prison."



It was a stellar afternoon despite the Sunset Boulevard crawl back to the Beach House caused by the Chautauqua grass fires. For a few more snaps from our afternoon click here.

Travel: One Month And Counting...

Every Memorial Day weekend The Colonel heads off to Yosemite National Park with a group of old friends from High School.  Last year I had the pleasure of joining his crew.  Too much fun, indeed!  

I just received the above photo which he took this afternoon right before his final ascent to the top of Half Dome.  It's kind of tough to see but there are tiny little specks of people climbing the cables just beyond TC's head.

From TC:

"Left at 7:45, got up top about noon, back in camp at 5:00 -- and I was jamming the whole way. It's a long-long hike. And it was FREEZING up there! "

Congrats, Colonel!  TOTALLY inspiring!

In exactly one month I'll be heading up those same cables for the second time.  It's been too long...super excited, yo!!!

Green: Happy National John Muir Day!

In case you were wondering, my parents are to blame for my 'green' obsession.  Family vacations ALWAYS involved tents and fishing poles.  I knew what "Leave No Trace" and "Pack It In, Pack It Out" meant YEARS before going to Burning Man.  I grew up with an organic veggie garden in the backyard.  And my family recycled long before it became standard to put those big blue recycle bins out on the curb next to the trash bin.  

My parents were the first environmentalists that I ever knew.  And they taught me well.  My mother has EASILY read every John Muir book ever written. And my father has read at least half (he works a lot). In fact, I'm pretty certain that I knew who John Muir was WELL before George Washington. And growing up only a couple of hours away from Yosemite was like having the most amazing playground right in my backyard.  Yes, we played there often...

So today, on National John Muir Day, I raise my cup to Mr. Muir with much thanks and gratitude.  Without his efforts the wondrous majesty of Yosemite National Park would not exist as we know it.  Without John Muir it would sadly have been lost under a blanket of water much like the Hetch Hetchy Valley.

The mountains are calling and I must go. -John Muir 

I'll be climbing Half Dome again at the end of June...63 days and counting!

Photos: Devil's Punchbowl

Last Sunday, Jeremy and I ventured off to the Northern side of the snow-capped San Gabriel Mountains.  After about an hour (or so) drive from the Westside we ultimately wound up at Devil's Punchbowl way out Pearblossom Highway.

We prepared ourselves for cool snowy conditions but were quite surprised to find the climate to be perfect for an afternoon of trekking!  J and I strolled along the very easy one mile loop down into the Punchbowl while taking some detours along the way.  There were tons of impressive rock formations and on some North facing slopes we even ran across the occasional (albeit dirty) snow patch.

On the way home we encountered this 'little' gem:

Follow this link to see a few more shots from Devil's Punchbowl and to peep some of the craziness that can be found inside the Village of Gnomes (aka Charlie Brown Farms).  Trust me...it's like nothing you've ever seen before!