Mandarin Friends,

We’re happy to announce a day hike in the Pasadena area on Sunday, August 15th at 8:45am.

We’ll be hiking to Echo Mountain via the Sam Merrill Trail. This is one of the favorite hikes of local residents as you can experience great views of the San Gabriel Valley and visit the ruins of the historic hotel and resort that once stood on the top of the mountain.

This immensely popular trail is a must hike if you haven’t tried it before. This classic trail starts at the head of Lake Avenue in Altadena and climbs 2.5 miles to the historic ruins of Professor Lowe's famous White City. En route you are treated to amazing vistas of the urban sprawl while climbing steadily through rich, mature chaparral with views into the rugged Los Flores Canyon and the surrounding mountains. When you reach Echo Mountain, exploring the ruins has a feel of visiting historic ancient sites in Egypt or Greece. There are other hikes in the San Gabriels that visit historic spots, but none compare to Echo Mountain.
We will have lunch (pack your own meal) at Echo Mountain and stay on the peak for about an hour. There are a few picnic tables in the area, shade trees, and the hotel and railway ruins to explore.

Yelp.com rates this hike as 4.5 stars from 55 reviewers.
search Yelp for "Echo Mountain via the Sam Merrill Trail"

We highly recommend this as a prep hike for Mount Baldy.

MEETING LOCATION: 

The Stone Gate located at the intersection of
Lake Ave and E Loma Atla Drive
Altadena, CA 91001

DIRECTIONS:
From the 210 Foothill Freeway in Pasadena, exit at Lake Avenue. Drive north for 3.4 miles to the end of Lake Avenue (where it intersects with East Loma Alta Drive). Park along the street. The hike begins to the right of the stone gateway on the east side of the street.

TIME: >> PLEASE get there early :) 

We will meeting at 8:45AM . You’ll have a few minutes to stretch, say hi to your Mandarin Friends, and we’ll be off on the hike. We will begin hiking exactly at 9:00AM so we can take advantage of as much shade as possible before the sun gets too high. Return should be around 1:00 P.M.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED: 

1) Sensible clothing. 

2) Lunch

3) Sun Protection: Sunglasses, Lotion, Hat, UV Umbrella...whatever you like. It will be hot and sunny.

4) Water: At least 2-3 quarts per person. 

5) Mobile Phones will have limited service on the hike 
6) Camera

Do I need to be an experienced hiker?

Absolutely not, but you should be in good health and good physical condition. We will make sure that everyone is comfortable with the pace. The trail is well maintained, however there are a few rocky & sandy areas where we will need to be careful. The trail is also mostly uphill on the way there, so be ready to burn a few calories while enjoying a great trip.

If you have any questions or concerns please don’t hesitate to contact Oliver.