First Rate Second Choice (05/11/2020)

Los Angeles City went back and forth from closing nature completely to opening trails but not able to figure out how to reduce the number of people actually using them. That alone, kept me off their trails. The city of Burbank, however, decided to give people a chance and opened a few of their trails in May to see if we could handle it, or if they needed to turn the whole bus around on account of a few lousy kids in the back shooting spitballs. Having off mid-week while many others were either working from home or schooling their children, I took a shot on a cool day.

Stough Canyon has been a go-to for many years—even before Tucker Time. When I arrived to give it a go in May, I found that it was closed “for maintenance.” So I tried “the other trail” in Burbank. The other trail, Wildwood, was beyond my capabilities some years ago. I had gone just once, and discovered that the first 50 yards of the trail was straight up. I thought my heart was going to explode within the first 20 yards, so I descended, defeated, never to return—until now.

I had read that this wasn’t the only trailhead to get to the top. I could take a meandering, less inclined route up the road with switchbacks, and find the other trail head (or trail end) to begin our hike.

Tucker and I took to the road (which was uneventful) but at least shady so the pavement wasn’t hot on Tucker’s feet. We passed a few picnic areas where some people were sitting, reading books or enjoying a snack. Checking on my app, I found the trail off the pavement, and up we went.

It was a narrow path, but significantly less difficult that those first few yards from the bottom. It was also completely deserted. It wasn’t until we hit the ridgeline where human life became evident again. Not many people have ventured at this hour—only a couple hours before sundown and the end of an at-home-work-day.

The mountains were still a crisp a green from the winter rains, and the wildflowers were in bloom.

Tucker wasn’t overwhelmed by heat, and I wasn’t overwhelmed by people. All and all, a good hike for having been my second choice and spur of the moment substitution.

The way down was indeed steep, and I was grateful for taking the advice of others who had come before and pointed the way to an easier, more enjoyable experience. Those we passed on their way up were huffing, puffing, and heaving, hardly able to turn around and check out the view.

It just proved that while we don’t always get what we believe is the best option, we can still get what we want in unexpected ways.