Hike to Famous Mt. Lowe Railway

 

I’ll keep this blog short and let my pictures tell the story. First, though, I want to acknowledge that this blog has been idly sitting  for years, and some of the sidebar links are broken. I apologize for not updating it or fixing the code, it's definitely become an eyesore on my website. I often tell myself I’ll return to blogging, but I never know where to begin. I think about picking up where I left off, but I always end up sharing my updates on My Story or Instagram instead. Visiting this historical site, however, has inspired me to finally get this blog indexed on Google rather than just making another quick post. I never hike since  our Utah adventure some four years ago.    When my friend suggested that we go  hiking,  I doubted myself if I can do it. 

At 7 in the morning, we hit the trail of Mt. Echo  which is part of Angeles National Forest.  It's a 2.5-mile all the way up which makes 5-miles round trip hike.  It's a steep trail for a beginner like me.  The inclined  steps  made us  a lot of stops to catch our breath. It took us more than two hours which is normally  30 mins less for  advanced hikers.  We let others passed behind us for how many  I can't count.  Well, it's not an amazing race anyway.

I should say I. am proud here hitting a 1-mile  hike.  I only planned for an hour  or until as far as I can.  Yes!   It's not even half way.  I'm not gonna give up. 

That's one-mile point.  :) 

Scariest part of the   trail.  One wrong step and you'll see yourself sliding downhill.  

See the view of LA from 1-mile hiking.

How proud!  That's a 2-mile mark!  

Slowing the pace to conserve energy.  

This is the end of trail, at least where we went to at Mt. Lowe.  There's still an Inspiration Point if you hike  and you're  up  for more  for 7.25 miles. 

A reminder to put sunblock before you go hiking.  It was like 85 degrees and there's a heatwave  in LA weather update.  It's the peak of summer!

Don't forget the sunblock.

Should I put a caption?  I'm that far!  Well,  social distancing from my photographer.  Thank you  K for those pictures I am not aware of.   We put mask in this hike as this happened  during covid  season for protection of other  hikers and dust. 

Reaching the top is like hitting two  birds in one stone. I should say three, four.  Well, countless.  Physical benefit is just a bonus. Of course, a  cardio workout,burning calories and more. Seeing the ruins of the hotel built in 1800ish and  the whole view of LA are truly a reward.   I content myself just reading  the history  written in the  inscription.  I know I can Google!   But whenever I see such, I always take a picture for my later reading.   I'm an old school.  Those  are not  there for no reason at all.  So yes, I read it!

See  the railway relics?  That's the mode of transportation

getting to the now-only-remnants of the Hotel to flatlands of Altadena. 

Remnants of  old Hotel

I could just picture the Hotel 1800 in my mind and see people who came here for entertainment in  casino and tennis courts. I wish I live in that era. 

          .        

Let me transcribe here a bit:  This is the view you have as you approach the white city from Alpine Tavern (circa 1898)

Reminders for hikers as posted above:  No campfires, no charcoal/grills, No Garbage Service so please pack it out!