Jackson

View from SunSport’s Ken Lawrence

MARC GUEHI may be on standby to have a medical in London before his long signing-posted move to Liverpool.

Arne Slot’s mega-spending club are confident they will get their man having spent the whole summer pursuing the Crystal Palace captain.

But his arrival does not automatically mean that Joe Gomez, a £14M target of AC Milan, will be leaving.

For Liverpool continue to be deeply concerned that Ibrahima Konate will follow Trent Alexander-Arnold and leave for Real Madrid at the end of the season.

The centre back, after a difficult start to the season, played well alongside skipper Virgil van Dijk in Sunday’s 1 – 0 win over Arsenal.

But the fear within Anfield is that he already sees himself as a team mate of Alexander-Arnold by next summer.

And Guehi’s expected arrival, almost certainly as VVD’s regular partner would only further unsettle  the Frenchman, 26.

Slot needs plenty of dependable back – up cover for the centre of his rearguard and Gomez, while susceptible to injury, provided exactly that after replacing thigh-injury victim Konate against the Gunners.

Liverpool do, of course have a new Italian stallion in Giovanni Leoni, bought from Parma for £24M.

There are high hopes for him down the line and last week received his first call – up to the senior national team.

But at the age of 18 he is still seen as one for the future and won’t be pushed so Gomez could well remain as the got – to guy for Slot.

A three-day weekend is approaching, and you’d like to escape to the mountains. But you didn’t plan ahead. What’s an L.A. outdoorsy resident to do?

Don’t fret, my dear Wilder, for there are about 30 first-come, first-served campgrounds around L.A. County, and I’m here to suggest a few where I think even the worst of planners could snag a spot this weekend.

Let’s start with the popular first-come, first-served spots near L.A.

Chilao’s Little Pines loop is aptly named, as it features several sizes of pine trees that provide nice shade and good smells.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

If you leave right now, meaning Thursday late morning when this newsletter publishes, you might get lucky enough to snag a spot at Buckhorn, a 38-site first-come, first-served campground in Angeles National Forest. This pine-dappled paradise is just over an hour’s drive from L.A. and sits at around 6,500 feet elevation, offering a cool reprieve from your steamy apartment. (That window unit can only do so much!)

Or you could try Chilao, an 84-site campground about 10 miles southwest of Buckhorn. It is also first-come, first-served. My wife and I once snagged the last campsite available on a Memorial Day weekend trip (in which we undoubtedly set up our tent in the dark).

The view from a campsite in Chilao campground in Angeles National Forest.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

Buckhorn is very popular and fills up quickly. Chilao is also popular but larger, so again, perhaps you’d get lucky! Make sure to check both the Manzanita and Little Pines loops for spots. If you left Friday morning, I think you’d snag a spot at Chilao.

Crystal Lake — not to be confused with Crystal Cove — is a 120-site campground north of Azusa in Angeles National Forest. If you forget anything, the charming Crystal Lake Cafe is on-site, selling burgers, sandwiches and an array of camping supplies and treats. It is also a popular spot, but given its size, hopefully you could find a spot on Friday.

Coldbrook Creek at Coldbrook Campground.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

On your way to Crystal Lake, you’d pass Coldbrook Campground, which has 22 sites, including some spots next to the creek where the campground gets its name. If it were me and I had enough time, I’d swing by Coldbrook on Friday morning to see whether any spots were still open before heading up to Crystal Lake. That said, Crystal Lake provides stunning views of the night sky. My friends recently camped there around the peak of the Perseid meteor shower and saw shooting stars.

I am too nervous to try this, but resort Mountain High manages five campgrounds near Wrightwood, and some sites are first-come, first-served. Wrightwood is a charming mountain town, and hikes in the surrounding area offer stunning panoramic views. That said, the campgrounds are popular too, so I wouldn’t leave late Friday evening expecting to find a spot.

Several of the sites at Coldbrook Campground sit at the creek the campground was named after. The campground is also nestled among the San Gabriel Mountains and provides great views of nearby peaks.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

For those of you who are stuck at work until 5 p.m. Friday, I want to provide options for you too.

Here are some less popular but still great spots to consider.

• Horse Flat: A 26-site campground in Angeles National Forest shaded by tall pine trees and near the scenic Silver Moccasin Trail. No potable water available.
• Mt. Pacifico: Ten tent-only sites; no potable water; reached by driving a narrow dirt road for about 4.4 miles — an experience that gave me the vapors because of its steep drop-offs — and then another mile on a rougher road recommended only for high-clearance vehicles. It can also be reached by backpacking.
• Sawmill: A remote eight-site campground with striking views of the Antelope Valley and more that’s about a two-hour drive from L.A. There is no potable water, but thanks to recent renovations funded by federal Great American Outdoors money, the campground has bear boxes and campfire rings. The Pacific Crest Trail is nearby and great for day hikes! You must travel a steep dirt road to reach the campground, so consider a vehicle with good clearance.

Lastly, if you have gear handy, you could consider a quick backpacking trip. I wrote this guide on backpacking near L.A., highlighting great spots to check out. I’m personally itching to get back to Valley Forge.

Regardless of where you end up for Labor Day weekend, I hope you have a safe and serene time in our public lands. Feel free to let me know how it goes! I love hearing about your adventures in the wild.

3 things to do

Hikers trek in the Turtle Rock area in Irvine.

(William Vazquez)

1. Clean up a trail with new pals in Irvine
We Explore Earth will host a hike and trail cleanup as well as post-hike yoga and a journaling session from 5 to 8 p.m. Saturday in Irvine. Participants will meet at the Turtle Rock trailhead, hiking 1.7 miles round-trip and picking up trash along the way. Afterward, the group will be led in yoga and nature journaling. Register at eventbrite.com.

2. Gaze at the stars in Silver Lake
The Los Angeles Astronomical Society will host a star party from 8 to 10:30 p.m. Thursday at Sunset Triangle Plaza (3700 Sunset Blvd.). Participants are encouraged to have dinner at nearby local restaurants while they look at the cosmos through provided telescopes. Learn more at nightsky.jpl.nasa.gov.

3. Learn about queer ecology in L.A.
Local naturalist Jason Wise and biological anthropologist Natalia Reagan will host a queer ecology-focused walk at 6 p.m. next Thursday near the Elysian Park Arboretum. Participants will learn about native Californian animals that scientists have documented engaging in homosexual behavior. Tickets on a sliding scale from free to $33.85. Register at eventbrite.com.

The must-read

(Maggie Chiang / For The Times)

Any hiker knows that going outside is restorative, but I was intrigued to learn in my conversation with environmental neuroscientist Marc G. Berman that a person benefits from being in nature even if they don’t enjoy it. I recently spoke to Berman about his new book, “Nature and the Mind: The Science of How Nature Improves Cognitive, Physical, and Social Well-Being.” Berman told me scientists believe nature can restore our attention spans in part because it is “softly fascinating,” like when we gaze at a waterfall. “The kind of stimulation that gives you this restful, restorative experience has to be softly fascinating and not harshly fascinating,” Berman said. The thing that will stay with me most, though, is what Berman told me about the humanizing effects nature can have on our psyche — a crucial bit of data in the midst of so much dehumanizing rhetoric in the news.

Happy adventuring,

P.S.

Back in June, USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins rescinded the 2001 “Roadless Rule,” a landmark environmental law that established significant protections — namely from road construction and logging — for 58.5 million acres of national forestland, including 4.4 million acres in California. The Trump administration says the rule must be revoked to decrease wildfire risk, a claim that environmental advocates found dubious, arguing this is yet another public land grab. Friends of the Inyo recently flagged that the public comment period, which is part of the formal rulemaking process, is expected to start soon on what should be done next regarding the Roadless Rule. You should be able to check this U.S. Forest Service page to stay apprised of the process. I will also keep you posted!

For more insider tips on Southern California’s beaches, trails and parks, check out past editions of The Wild. And to view this newsletter in your browser, click here.

Rams quarterback Matthew Stafford appears on track to start the season opener against the Houston Texans — and now perhaps his primary protector will join him in the preparation.

Left tackle Alaric Jackson, who has been sidelined because of blood-clot issues in his legs, will participate in full-team drills for the first time next week, coach Sean McVay said Monday.

“We’ve got a good plan in place,” McVay said.

Jackson, 27, signed a three-year, $35-million extension in March. But in June, he was diagnosed with blood-clot issues for the second time in his career, and the Rams hurriedly signed veteran tackle D.J. Humphries.

Rams offensive tackle Alaric Jackson stretches with teammates during training camp at Loyola Marymount on July 24.

(Gina Ferazzi/Los Angeles Times)

Whether Jackson can play in the Sept. 7 opener against the Texans, or any time this season, will be determined by how he responds to the increased workload while managing the condition.

McVay and the Rams are hoping Jackson’s trajectory is similar to Stafford’s.

Stafford, sidelined all of training camp and several weeks of practices because of a back issue, returned last week and completed three workouts and a jog-through with no setbacks. He was on the field Monday and continued to look sharp.

“He’s doing a heck of a job taking care of himself with a lot of different things,” McVay said of Stafford, adding, “I can’t see into the future, but if you look at what the last week has entailed, feel really good.

“There’s nothing that would lead me to believe, unless we have an unforeseen setback, that he’s not going to be ready to roll against the Texans.”

Having Jackson available to protect Stafford’s blindside would be a plus for a Rams team regarded as a Super Bowl contender.

The Rams have experience dealing with Jackson’s issue.

In 2022, the season of the Rams’ historic post-Super Bowl collapse, Jackson sat out eight games because of a blood-clot issue.

Since training camp began, Jackson has been doing individual work with trainers. But he has lined up with starters during jog-throughs. Jackson’s participation in full-team drills starting next Monday will be another milestone for the fifth-year pro.

“I’m really happy for him that all things are pointing to him being ready to go and being able to manage this,” McVay said. “There’s been a lot of work behind the scenes of being educated on how many people have really been able to deal with this. … Feel really fortunate that that’s the direction that we’re trending in.”

Etc.

Initial 53-man rosters must be set by Tuesday at 1 p.m. . McVay said the Rams already have made their decisions. … Rookie outside linebacker Josaiah Stewart is in concussion protocol, McVay said.

Data by YCharts.

The S&P 500 (^GSPC -0.40%) slipped 25.6 points, or 0.4%, to 6,370.17 on Thursday, marking its fifth straight daily decline. Losses were broad, with weakness across technology and cyclical sectors, as investors grew cautious ahead of key central bank commentary.

The Nasdaq Composite (^IXIC -0.34%) also moved lower, dropping 72 points, or 0.3%, to finish at 21,100.31. Tech stocks continued to face pressure amid uncertainty over how the Federal Reserve will balance slowing labor market signals with still-sticky inflation.

The Dow Jones Industrial Average (^DJI -0.34%) joined the decline, falling 152.81 points, or 0.3%, to 44,785.50. Financials and industrials slipped alongside technology, leaving all three major benchmarks in negative territory.

Looking ahead, attention is squarely on the Jackson Hole Economic Symposium, where Fed Chair Jerome Powell is set to speak on Friday. Markets are searching for clarity on whether policymakers will move toward easing or maintain a cautious stance given the mixed economic backdrop. Powell’s remarks could prove pivotal in shaping expectations for the September meeting and the broader trajectory of rates.

Market data sourced from Google Finance and Yahoo! Finance on Thursday, Aug. 21, 2025.

Let’s just get this out of the way: Hiking through Yosemite Valley, whether it be to Vernal and Nevada falls or through Cook’s Meadow, is a mesmerizing and special experience.

The hulking granite walls will remind you how small you are — and how remarkable our world is. Listening as waterfalls thunder down the mountain can place you in a meditative trance if you let it. The beauty of the valley is the best kind of sensory overload. It’s the reason that, at times, Yosemite can feel a bit crowded and why so many Angelenos are willing to drive 5½ hours north to reach it.

Patrick, a friend of The Wild, stands at the railing in the Taft Point area of Yosemite National Park.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

If you’re wanting to experience Yosemite’s beauty without the crowds, then dear Wilder, I have a little treat for you. Last week, I visited the park with my friend Patrick in search of a hike around Yosemite Valley where we could still find solitude. I’m so excited to share it with you!

Before we dive in, though, a few reminders:

• Never trod off path into any of Yosemite’s meadows, as they are sensitive habitats.
• Check the weather before heading out; Yosemite’s elevation varies widely, and it heats up in the summer, especially in the valley.
• Pack accordingly — especially on day hikes — as rescue can take hours; your pack should include anything you’d need should you have to spend the night outside.
• Do not feed the wildlife, including squirrels. 🐿️🥜🙅
• In short, please practice Leave No Trace as you explore this national treasure.

Last week, Patrick and I took a 10.4-mile journey to Taft Point, an epic lookout point that many hikers reach through a shorter 2.2-mile trek from the Sentinel Dome/Taft Point Trailhead. Let me tell you why, if your schedule and body allow, the long way is better.

For much of the hike from McGurk Meadow to Taft Point, you’ll be under the shade of massive pine trees and evergreens.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

We started our hike from our campsite in nearby Bridalveil Creek, one of about half a dozen campgrounds in Yosemite where you can book two weeks ahead, and walked .7 miles to the McGurk Meadow Trailhead, where around 11 a.m., there remained ample parking.

The green and golden grasses of McGurk Meadow dappled with white flowers glowing in the August sun.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

I was concerned about how hot it would get since we had gotten a later start, but we were immediately shaded on the trail by tall evergreens amid a forest floor of ferns and other greenery. After a short jaunt through the woods, we spotted the green and golden grasses of McGurk Meadow, still dappled with wildflowers.

As we traversed the narrow dirt path, we stopped to observe the red paintbrushes, purply pink fireweed and yellow goldenrod growing along the trail. No one rushed past us as we debated whether a particular white flower was yarrow or something else. (It was something else.)

About 1.8 miles from the trailhead, we reached the end of the McGurk Meadows Trail and continued northeast on the Pohono Trail. We’d seen around eight people at this point, including SoCal-based photographer Jason Anderson who told us about a bear he’d spotted ahead on the trail. (More on bears later!)

Bridalveil Creek is a good spot to cool off or filter water for your canteens along the Pohono Trail in Yosemite National Park.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

We arrived at Bridalveil Creek shortly thereafter, just over two miles in. We crossed a wooden bridge that takes hikers over the waterway, pausing to observe rainbow trout and chat with a hiker who’d spent the night in a nearby backcountry camp. This creek appeared to be the only water source this late in the summer, so if you have a filter and need to refill your bottles, this is where you should stop.

As we hiked through more pine forest, past yellow California coneflower and purple Sierra Larkspur, I asked Patrick: “Does this hike feel like a ‘Yosemite hike’? Or was this like any other walk in the woods?”

Red paintbrush, clockwise, inflorescence of fireweed, a type of goldenrod, common yarrow, sierra larkspur and California coneflower grow in Yosemite National Park.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

Patrick paused to consider. We’d already passed a large pristine meadow. We’d seen several wildflowers still blooming and the crystal clear river still flowing despite the August heat. And we were almost always hiking under the shade of giant trees.

Still, when you are hiking in Yosemite, you’re expecting to experience the cream of America’s national park crop. Patrick confided in me that although he’d enjoyed everything so far, much of his expectations for our hike would depend on what we observed at Taft Point.

Unlike me, he hadn’t Googled it before coming on the trip and didn’t know what to expect. And although I’d seen the images, I feared this: What if it’s all just clever Instagram angles, and this turns out to be a waste of precious time? (I am perpetually concerned about letting you down, dear Wilder!)

Then, just under four miles from the trailhead, the landscape shifted from pine forest to boulders and short trees and shrubs. We spotted a short metal railing and marched over boulders to the outlook. I gazed down at Yosemite Valley, my fears about the trail’s splendor (or lack thereof) dissipating. El Capitan, which rises over 3,000 feet above the valley floor, was in full view. Yosemite Falls, mostly dry this time of year, was easy to spot.

Wild writer Jaclyn Cosgrove celebrates their successful jaunt to Taft Point, an epic lookout point in Yosemite National Park.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

I went to check out the famous rock outcropping I’d spotted online. Patrick, who was rapidly discovering his fear of heights, stayed at the railing to take my photo. I marveled all around me at all that rivers and glaciers had carved over millions of years.

The view from the railing near the Taft Point lookout.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

Taft Point was the busiest point of our hike, but it was still easy enough to find a spot in the shade to enjoy our lunch. We saw fewer than 20 people on the trail and just a few dozen total at Taft Point. It never felt crowded.

As we headed back, I remarked to Patrick how surprised I was not to see a single bear given how few people were on the trail. I learned why when we met a group of about eight kids from South L.A. swimming in Bridalveil Creek.

“We saw four bears!” one of them shouted to us.

One of their chaperones showed us a picture of a bruin just off trail. I chuckled to myself. The children’s joy over the sightings was infectious. And we still got to see squirrels, chipmunks, woodpeckers, blue jays and one deer just a few feet off trail (who wasn’t particularly concerned about our presence).

A deer rests just off the McGurk Meadow Trail in Yosemite National Park.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

I understand that writing about a less crowded hike in Yosemite will undoubtedly mean more people take this path. I heard similar complaints when I wrote about Kings Canyon last year. This is why I try to always include Leave No Trace principles and encourage hikers to respect the space.

Additionally, I hope my words not only inspire you to visit Yosemite but also to do further research, as this is only one of several less-crowded hikes in the park. Given the park’s fever-pitch overcrowding, I was surprised to learn just how easy it remains to be alone in Yosemite!

I hope you find a similar solitude, should that be what your heart needs.

3 things to do

Dogs are allowed to swim during Pooches in the Pool, an L.A. County Parks and Recreation event that marks the end of the county’s pool season. All pools are drained and cleaned for the year after the event.

(L.A. County Parks)

1. Enjoy the dog days of summer in L.A.
L.A. County Parks and Recreation will host its Pooches in the Pool event on Saturday morning at two county pools. Dogs can swim at Ted Watkins Memorial Park (1335 E. 103rd St.) or Don Knabe Community Regional Park (19700 S. Bloomfield Ave. in Cerritos). Swim times are split between small and large dogs, with small dogs swimming from 9 to 10 a.m. and large dogs from 10 to 11 a.m. Learn more at parks.lacounty.gov.

2. Hike and swim with new pals in Malibu
The Just Trek Crew will celebrate its sixth anniversary with a hike and beach day from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday in Malibu. The group will hike 2.5 miles and then dance and lounge on a secluded beach in Malibu. Register at partiful.com.

3. Soak up the stars in Beverly Hills
TreePeople will host a moonlight hike Friday in Coldwater Canyon Park in Beverly Hills. The event starts at 7 p.m. with a performance by local musicians. Guided hikes will start at 8 p.m., and the group will be split among those taking easy, moderate or strenuous routes. Tickets are $20 per adult and $10 per child under 15. Register at treepeople.org.

The must-read

Yellow 2291, an adult female black bear, gave birth to three cubs (two males, one female) in mid-January in the Santa Monica Mountains, making them the first family of black bears living in the range in years.

(Steve Gonzalez / California Department of Fish and Wildlife)

The bohemian enclave of Topanga Canyon has a new celebrity resident: a roughly 175-pound female black bear known as Yellow 2291, reports Times staff writer Andrew Campa. The 5- to 7-year-old bruin recently gave birth to three cubs, and wildlife officials say the quartet is the first black bear family to reside in the Santa Monica Mountains in years. Thanks to a tracking tag applied to the mama bear by the California Department of Fish and Wildlife, officials know she has an extensive travel history, traversing at least 100 miles across L.A. County before landing in Topanga Canyon. If you happen to spot her and her babies, please give them a wide berth. It’s always best to respect the locals!

Happy adventuring,

P.S.

REI’s annual Labor Day sale starts tomorrow and runs through Sept. 1. You will find 25% off REI Co-op brand tents, sleeping bags and sleeping pads and other deep discounts on the brand’s clothing. I plan to take advantage of the 25% off all Darn Tough socks, my favorite brand of (blister-free!) hiking socks, which I reviewed in last year’s holiday Gift Guide from The Times. This is also a great time to grab a discounted Garmin inReach Mini 2, which will enable you to keep in touch with loved ones while out in the wild. Have fun out there!

For more insider tips on Southern California’s beaches, trails and parks, check out past editions of The Wild. And to view this newsletter in your browser, click here.

Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson is on Aston Villa’s transfer wish list, Chelsea are bidding to sign RB Leipzig midfielder Xavi Simons and Manchester United forward Alejandro Garnacho, plus Tottenham eye Monaco’s Maghnes Akliouche.

Aston Villa are exploring the viability of a move to sign Senegal striker Nicolas Jackson, 24, from Chelsea but the asking price needs to be lower than £60m due to the West Midlands club’s financial restrictions. (Telegraph – subscription required), external

Bayern Munich’s move for French forward Christopher Nkunku, 27, has stalled, delaying Chelsea’s attempts to sign RB Leipzig’s 22-year-old Dutch midfielder Xavi Simons. (Guardian), external

Chelsea are set to increase their efforts to sign Argentina forward Alejandro Garnacho from Manchester United but the 21-year-old will not be allowed to leave Old Trafford on the cheap. (Evening Standard), external

Newcastle are unwilling to pay more than £40m for Brentford striker Yoane Wissa but the Bees have put a £60m price tag on the 28-year-old DR Congo international. (Northern Echo), external

Wolves striker Jorgen Strand Larsen remains of interest to Newcastle – although the 25-year-old Norwegian is not hankering to leave Molineux. (The Athletic – subscription required), external

Tottenham have targeted Monaco’s £47.5m-rated French attacking midfielder Maghnes Akliouche, 23, as a cheaper alternative to Brazil winger Savinho with Manchester City demanding £70m for the 21-year-old. (Independent), external

Crystal Palace want 19-year-old Southampton winger Tyler Dibling to replace fellow Englishman Eberechi Eze, 27, whose move to Tottenham is edging closer. (Talksport), external

Brazil midfielder Douglas Luiz, 27, is set to join Nottingham Forest from Juventus after Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis brokered a deal with the Turin club’s general manager Damien Comolli. (Tuttosport – in Italian), external

Leeds are poised to sign 25-year-old Switzerland striker Noah Okafor from AC Milan in a deal worth £18.4m (21m euros). (Sky Sports Italy – in Italian), external

Wolves and West Ham are both interested in Spain midfielder Marc Casado but face a tough ask persuading the 21-year-old to leave Barcelona. (Marca – in Spanish), external

West Ham are close to finalising a deal which will allow 27-year-old Mexican midfielder Edson Alvarez to join Fenerbahce on loan. (Talksport), external

Espanyol are in talks with Burnley over re-signing 20-year-old Italy U21 forward Luca Koleosho on a season-long loan. (Sky Sports), external

Brazil forward Rodrigo Muniz’s move from Fulham to Atalanta is off after the Cottagers rejected a proposed £35m deal for the 24-year-old from the Serie A club. (Fabrizio Romano), external

Wolves have signed defender Jackson Tchatchoua for 12.5m euros (£10.8m) on a five-year deal from Serie A side Hellas Verona.

The Cameroon international can play as a right-back or wing-back and was last season named the fastest player in Serie A with an average top speed of 34.88 kmph., external

Wolves said the 23-year-old produced a top speed of 36.3kmph last season.

Tottenham’s Micky van de Ven was the fastest player in the Premier League in 2024-25, reaching a top speed of 37.1 kmph and the Dutch defender holds the league record of 37.38kmph.

Belgium-born Tchatchoua started his career at Belgian club Charleroi before spending a year on loan at Hellas before joining them permanently in 2024.

Last season he scored twice and registered three assists in 37 games for Hellas.

He is Wolves’ fifth signing of the window as they secured the permanent transfer of forward Jorgen Strand Larsen for £23m after a successful loan spell, plus forward Fer Lopez for £19m, winger Jhon Arias for £15m and defender David Moller Wolfe for £10m.

Los Angeles and its surrounding landscapes offer limitless opportunity for adventure. But which one should you take your out-of-town guests on?

Should you trek up to Mt. Lee in Griffith Park where you and your pals can take selfies with the Hollywood sign? Or do you wake up early and take on the infamous Bridge to Nowhere trail, making sure to Google its history before you arrive? Or do you escape to the nearby desert, keeping weather in mind as you marvel at the Mojave?

I am a perfectionist, so I have spent hours considering this topic before my guests arrive. Thankfully I’ve found a way to channel that energy into my reporting, including this piece about very specific types of visitors and the hikes they might enjoy.

The sunset as seen from Griffith Park.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

When considering hikes for out-of-town guests, I like to ask myself, and usually my guests, the following:

• What kind of footwear are they bringing for their visit? (L.A. soil is too sandy to hike in a Vans slip-on, full stop.)
• What level of effort would we like to expend?
• How much time do we want to spend on this excursion?
• What’s the weather up to? ☀️

Regardless of what you decide, please remind your guests to pack a hat and sunglasses, and make sure to check the weather forecast wherever you’re headed, as August is bringing the heat.

With that in mind, here are my latest recommendations on fun hikes to tackle with visiting friends and family.

1. For ocean views: The Willow Creek Trail to Nicholas Flat Loop

The coastline as seen from the ocean vista lookout point in Leo Carrillo State Park.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

Distance: 1.8 miles (with an option to extend)
Elevation gained: About 575 feet
Difficulty: Moderate
Dogs allowed? No
Accessible alternative: Marvin Braude Bike Trail

Along with striking views of the Pacific Ocean, the Nicholas Flat Trail offers great vantage points of local peaks.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

The Willow Creek Trail to Nicholas Flat Loop is a 1.8-mile jaunt through coastal sage scrub at Leo Carrillo State Park that quickly rewards hikers with breathtaking ocean views.

You start near the park’s campground and take the Willow Creek Trail about 0.7 miles northeast before it jags to the west. There, you will find a sign for an ocean vista lookout point, which I recommend as long as body and spirit allow. It’s steep but only about 235 feet and provides panoramic views of the mountains and coastline.

From here, you can either take the Nicholas Flat Trail back down to the parking lot or you can continue on another section of the trail that takes you north and eventually to a quaint preserve with a small pond.

If you don’t mind a farther drive from L.A., an alternative option would be to take the Ray Miller Trail at Point Mugu State Park about two miles to a magnificent lookout point where you can see much of the nearby coastline.

2. For mountain views: The Tee Pee Trail

The teepee that you’ll find at the top of the trail, which starts near the Angeles Crest fire station.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

Distance: 5 miles
Elevation gained: About 1,000 feet
Difficulty: Moderate
Dogs allowed? Yes
Accessible alternative: Mt. Wilson Observatory paved loop (with optional, more challenging side quest to Echo Rock)

One of many spectacular views from the top of the Tee Pee Trail in Angeles National Forest.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

The Tee Pee Trail is a five-mile moderate hike mostly along a wide fire road that switchbacks up the hillside. At the top, you’ll find a teepee and panoramic views of L.A. County and the San Gabriel Mountains. It’s the perfect spot for a picnic or extended snack break.

Remarkably, the trailhead is only a 25-minute drive from downtown L.A. You’ll park near the Angeles Crest fire station. If you park across Highway 2, please take good care as you cross the street.

There isn’t much shade on this trek, so consider taking it early in the day or later in the evening — perhaps for a nice group sunset hike. If you bring your dog, please make sure to check the ground temperature by placing the back of your hand against the earth for five seconds. If it’s too hot for you, it’s too hot for them!

3. For an enchanted forest walk: The West Fork National Scenic Bikeway

Waterfalls are a common sight along the West Fork Trail, especially after rain in early spring.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

Distance: 14 miles
Elevation gained: About 1,000 feet
Difficulty: On the easier end of moderate
Dogs allowed? Yes
Accessible alternative: Surprise! It’s this hike. The path remains mostly paved and moderately flat for at least 2.5 miles. Park here to avoid stairs.

The West Fork Scenic Bikeway is a mostly paved 14-mile out-and-back trail in the San Gabriel Mountains.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

The West Fork National Scenic Bikeway is a 14-mile out-and-back, mostly paved path that runs parallel to the river the trail is named after. After a good rain, waterfalls run down the hillsides next to the path. It’s a great spot to practice birding and observe local wildlife, including deer, fox and rainbow trout.

This is one of my favorite places to take visitors, as it is a precious peaceful green space. You can walk any distance along the path and have a nice day in nature.

I generally turn around at Glenn Camp Campground because it’s a nice spot to take a break and the final mile is quite steep, ending at Cogswell Dam.

3 things to do

Musicians entertain cyclists at a previous Culver City-meets-Venice CicLAvia.

(CicLAvia Los Angeles)

1. Bike worry-free through Culver City
CicLAvia will host its 61st car-free, open-streets festival from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday on a 6.75-mile stretch of roadway from Culver City to Venice. The route includes segments of Washington and Venice boulevards and is open to cyclists, walkers, joggers and anyone else on a people-powered form of transportation. The event is free and will feature several activities along the route. Learn more at ciclavia.org.

2. Fly a kite in Long Beach
The Pacific Kite Club will host the 12th Long Beach Kite Festival from 1 to 7 p.m. Sunday at Granada Beach (5100 E. Ocean Blvd). The event started as a small Bangladeshi community gathering and is now a free public celebration showcasing the art form and craftsmanship of kites. Participants can grab free kites as long as supplies last. Register at eventbrite.com.

3. Sit with birds in Montecito Hills
The Audubon Center at Debs Park will host a community bird sit from 8:15 to 10 a.m. Sunday on the center’s property (4700 Griffin Ave.). It is a stationary birding opportunity where visitors will stay in one place as they scan the area for birds. Binoculars and field guides will be provided. No dogs, please. Learn more at audubon.org.

The must-read

(Los Angeles Times; Photo by Getty Images)

After the devastating and deadly January wildfires, it was impossible not to think about the future of L.A.’s varied landscapes. Thankfully we now have a guide of what to consider. In “Imagining a Future L.A.,” my Times colleagues explore how we can create this: “a future that works for all of us,” writes Alice Short, a (legendary) senior editor at The Times. The project outlines what the future of housing, development, water and our environment could look like. “The future gives us an opportunity to reimagine ourselves, to see how the region’s disparate and far-flung communities transform themselves,” Thomas Curwen, a former longtime staffer, writes. I found myself feeling surprisingly hopeful as I read through the project, especially as I learned about the future of firefighting and how we might more effectively extinguish blazes right as they start.

It’s an understatement to say we’ve been through a lot in L.A. this year. The project offers us a robust and realistically optimistic perspective for what we can do to create better days for ourselves and our city.

Happy adventuring,

P.S.

I’ve been writing The Wild for a little over a year now and I’d love to hear from you. What do you want to learn more about? What types of trails would you like to see more of? What questions do you have about our local landscapes? If you’re a Wild subscriber reading this in your inbox, simply reply to this email to send me feedback. If you’ve discovered this article on The Times’ website, you can find my contact information here. Thank you so much for reading The Wild!

For more insider tips on Southern California’s beaches, trails and parks, check out past editions of The Wild. And to view this newsletter in your browser, click here.

Jack Grealish agrees to Everton loan, Chelsea and RB Leipzig in talks over swapping Xavi Simons for Christopher Nkunku, and Nicolas Jackson favours Newcastle move.

England winger Jack Grealish, 29, has agreed to join Everton on loan from Manchester City. (Teamtalk), external

Chelsea are in talks with RB Leipzig over a potential swap deal for Netherlands midfielder Xavi Simons, 22, that could mean France forward Christopher Nkunku, 27, returning to the German club. (Guardian), external

Nicolas Jackson favours a move to Newcastle United should the Senegal striker, 24, leave Chelsea during the summer transfer window. (Telegraph – subscription required), external

Newcastle will wait to resolve the future of Sweden striker Alexander Isak, 25, before deciding whether to move for Chelsea striker Jackson. (PA news agency), external

Newcastle have made a bid for Brentford’s Yoane Wissa but Liverpool are monitoring the situation as they see the DR Congo forward, 28, as an alternative if they fail to sign Isak. (Caught Offside), external

France forward Randal Kolo Muani, 26, would prefer to join Juventus than Newcastle after spending the second half of last season on loan with the Italian club from Paris St-Germain. (Teamtalk), external

Sunderland have enquired about signing 26-year-old English defender Lloyd Kelly, who has just joined Juventus on an obligation-to-buy move after an initial loan from Newcastle. (Gazzetta dello Sport – in Italian), external

AC Milan are in talks over signing Denmark striker Rasmus Hojlund, 22, but they want a loan with a buy option whereas Manchester United would prefer a permanent sale. (Sky Sports), external

After signing Slovenia striker Benjamin Sesko, Manchester United have shifted focus to offloading England winger Jadon Sancho, 25, Argentina winger Alejandro Garnacho, 21, and Brazil forward Antony, 25. (Standard), external

Manchester United are considering signing free agent Dominic Calvert-Lewin after the former England striker, 28, left Everton at the end of last season. (Caught Offside), external

Nottingham Forest have made an offer for Monaco’s 21-year-old French midfielder Soungoutou Magassa. (L’Equipe – in French), external

Kostas Tsimikas is edging nearer to leaving Liverpool after being left out of their Community Shield squad, with Nottingham Forest having been interested in the 29-year-old Greece left-back. (Echo), external

Besiktas and Fenerbahce might make a move for Marseille’s Jonathan Rowe, while Rennes and Atalanta have also been linked with the 22-year-old English winger. (L’Equipe – in French), external

Jamaica forward Michail Antonio, 35, says he is talking to clubs in England and abroad after leaving West Ham at the end of last season. (Talksport), external

Enzo Fernandez will not leave Chelsea this summer despite reports in Spain linking the Argentina midfielder, 24, with a move to Paris St-Germain. (Fabrizio Romano), external

Saudi Pro League club Al-Nassr have reached an agreement with France winger Kingsley Coman, 29, over a move from Bayern Munich. (Bild – in German), external

Mali midfielder Abdoulaye Doucoure, 32, has joined newly promoted Saudi club Neom as a free agent after leaving Everton. (L’Equipe – in French), external

Paris St-Germain expect offers for Gianluigi Donnarumma, Newcastle are set to make improved bid for Yoane Wissa and open talks over move for Randal Kolo Muani.

Paris St-Germain expect offers from Chelsea, Manchester United or Inter Milan for Italy goalkeeper Gianluigi Donnarumma, 26, who has become surplus to requirements at the French club. (ESPN), external

Newcastle are set to make an improved bid of £30m for Brentford’s 28-year-old DR Congo forward Yoane Wissa. (Times – subscription required), external

Newcastle have opened talks with PSG over a deal for 26-year-old France striker Randal Kolo Muani. (Florian Plettenberg), external

The Magpies are also considering a move for Porto and Spain striker Samu Aghehowa, 21, to reinforce their attack. (Athletic – subscription required), external

Senegal forward Nicolas Jackson, 24, would prefer to stay in the Premier League if he leaves Chelsea this summer with Newcastle a possible destination. (Sun), external

Jackson would like to explore a transfer away from Chelsea this month, with AC Milan and Juventus also interested in signing him. (Mail), external

Crystal Palace striker Jean-Philippe Mateta, 28, is top of Atalanta’s transfer list and the Serie A side could offer up to 40m euros (£29.7m) for the Frenchman next week. (Football Italia), external

Atalanta and Nigeria forward Ademola Lookman, 27, is determined to move to Inter Milan, despite being offered to Premier League clubs. (Gazzetta dello Sport – in Italian), external

Manchester United will look to sign a defensive midfielder and a goalkeeper now they have finalised their pursuit of Slovenia striker Benjamin Sesko, 22, from RB Leipzig. (Telegraph – subscription required) , external

Southampton are holding out for at least £50m for their England Under-21 winger Tyler Dibling, 19, with Everton hoping to do a deal. (Liverpool Echo), external

French side Lille are targeting a loan move for Spurs’ Czech goalkeeper Antonin Kinsky. The 22-year-old is on their radar should current first-choice stopper, Frenchman Lucas Chevalier, 23, join PSG. (L’Equipe – in French), external

Brentford are interested in signing Bournemouth winger Dango Ouattara. The 23-year-old Burkina Faso international made 32 Premier League appearances for the Cherries last season. (Sky Sports), external

Newly promoted Leeds United are interested in 20-year-old Brighton midfielder Facundo Buonanotte. The Argentina international is also wanted by Borussia Dortmund. (Yorkshire Evening Post), external

Al-Nassr have made an offer to Bayern Munich winger Kingsley Coman, 29, but the France international has yet to make a decision over the move as the German club await a bid. (Sky Sport Germany), external

My wife and I sat in camp chairs looking up alongside dozens of other curious stargazers. Suddenly, shouts of awe and joy rang out. We’d all spotted a meteor streaking across the sky at the same time.

We’d driven from Los Angeles to the parking lot of the Mt. Pinos Nordic Base, which I’d been told was the closest darkest place to L.A., and were thrilled to find several amateur astronomers and their telescopes dotting the parking lot.

We were all lucky that night to catch glimpses of a handful of shooting stars. But you, dear Wilder, have the opportunity to witness far more in the Perseid meteor shower, which peaks Tuesday night into early Wednesday, between midnight and dawn. And even if you can’t make it out to see this meteor shower, I’ve outlined below how to observe others later in the year.

Before we boldly go into where you can see the Perseids near Los Angeles, I wanted to share what I’ve learned about meteor showers, which I hope deepens your appreciation for them as it did mine.

What exactly is a meteor shower?

A Perseid meteor flashes through the sky above a meadow on Palomar Mountain in the Peninsular Ranges in northern San Diego County.

(Ernie Cowan Photo)

When you’re gazing upward to view a meteor shower, you’re observing space debris, including just “little tiny almost grains of sand”-sized objects, burn up as they slam into Earth’s atmosphere at a speed of tens of thousands of miles per hour, said Vanessa Alarcon, astronomical observer at the Griffith Observatory.

In the case of the Perseid meteor shower, you’re watching debris left behind by the comet Swift-Tuttle as it neared perihelion, its closest approach to the sun. Comets are “cosmic snowballs.” When one gets closer to the sun, Alarcon told me, ice and rock start vaporizing off the comet, leaving a debris field behind.

Earth is orbiting through that debris field, as it does every August. The Perseid meteor shower is named as such because as you’re watching, it appears as if the meteors are emanating from a point in the constellation of Perseus called the “radiant point,” Alarcon said.

How old is the debris you’re watching burn up?

Scientists have found that it takes Swift-Tuttle 133 years to orbit the sun once.

I assumed that the current Perseids meteor shower was from debris left over the last time Swift-Tuttle swung by — and could be seen from Earth with the naked eye — in 1992. I was wrong and delighted over what I learned.

“In general, I would say the particles in the Perseids are at least many hundreds of years old, if not thousands of years old,” Paul Chodas, director of the Center for Near-Earth Object Studies at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Lab, told me.

As you’re watching debris slam into the Earth, consider that a long time ago, someone else was looking up at the sky, watching Swift-Tuttle leave that space dust behind. Humans have been observing Swift-Tuttle since at least 69 BC, when Chinese records noted a “guest-star” moving in the southerly direction across the sky.

The comet will swoosh across our sky and be visible to the naked eye in 2126. Perhaps a baby born today will get to be a happy 101-year-old looking up at the sky, watching Swift-Tuttle leave behind space dust for a meteor shower even further into the future.

Where can you see meteor showers near L.A.?

First, let’s set expectations. This year, the moon will be at 84% full when the Perseids peaks next week, which will make it challenging to see many of its shooting stars. Alarcon told me, though, that studious sky watchers will still spot meteors. And I personally think seeing even a few is still pretty cool. (Alarcon told me she’s spotted meteors even at Griffith Observatory, right in the heart of L.A.!)

Times contributor Matt Pawlik compiled this great list of suggested locations where you can spot the Perseids. I’ll add a few spots to that list.

But first, here’s how I found them. I used a light pollution map to determine where the darkest places near L.A. might be. I knew I’d probably be mostly looking in Angeles National Forest. I knew I wanted to find spots at higher elevations to get above the light dome of L.A., along with any marine layers and smog. Lastly, I wanted to find spots with clear views of the northern and northeastern sky because, per Stellarium, I could see that the Perseus constellation would rise from that direction.

The Vetter Mountain lookout tower in Angeles National Forest.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

Some spots near L.A. to consider:

• The Vetter Mountain Lookout: The lookout is reachable via a 5-mile round-trip hike and offers stunning panoramic views of the San Gabriel Mountains.
• Monte Cristo Campground: This first-come, first-served campground is only at 3,600-feet elevation, but hopefully is far enough from L.A.’s light dome to offer you a nice view of the shower.
• Chilao Campground: This large campground sits at 5,300 feet and offers great views of the night sky. Nearby Mt. Hillyer, which can be reached via an eight-mile round trip from the campground entrance, could also be a nice spot to observe the meteor shower.
• The Buckhorn Day Use Area: If you aren’t up for camping, this parking area is above 6,500 feet and could be a nice spot to take a nap and wake up for the big show. If you’re open to camping, you could check out either the Buckhorn Campground, a pine-dappled treasure, or backpack to nearby Cooper Canyon Trail Camp, which features hulking trees, bear boxes and a vault toilet.
• The Islip Saddle Day Use Area: Similar to Buckhorn, this day use area is even farther into Angeles National Forest and higher up at about 6,660-feet elevation. And if you’re up for backpacking, you could spend an evening at the Little Jimmy Trail Camp, a two-mile trek one way where you’ll gain 700(ish) feet before the trail flattens out.

If you are lucky enough to spot the Perseids, you can help contribute to science by reporting it to the International Meteor Organization. About 4.3 million meteors have been reported to its Visual Meteor Database. Just over 8,000 meteors have been spotted this year by 62 observers. You could add to the list.

Also, if you do go out hiking at night, please bring friends or family and pack accordingly. Also, make sure someone outside your hiking party knows where you’re going and when to expect you back.

What are some upcoming meteor showers if I miss this one?

Visitors relax on a dry lake bed in the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park and wait for the Perseid meteor shower to unfold. The cloud-like Milky Way glows overhead.

(Don Bartletti / Los Angeles Times)

Other meteor showers this year include:

• Orionids: Both experts I spoke to flagged this meteor shower, which is expected to peak Oct. 22-23, as the one to see this year, as the moon will be barely visible, so the sky will be nice and dark.
• Geminids: It is “usually the strongest meteor shower of the year,” according to the American Meteor Society, and will peak around Dec. 13. The moon will be a waning crescent, about 30% full, and will rise at 1:07 a.m. PST. Hopefully you’ll spot several meteors before that!
• Ursids: For those who don’t celebrate Christmas (or would like to spend their final nights of Hanukkah doing some stargazing), you could consider checking out the Ursids meteor shower. This lesser-known shower is expected to peak the night of Dec. 21 into dawn of the following day. The moon will be just barely visible, meaning you’ll get a nice dark sky for the show. If you are really feeling adventurous, you could head to Joshua Tree National Park, an International Dark Sky Park. I checked — there are still plenty of campsites available during that time. That’d be an epic way to spend your holiday season!

I asked Alarcon, whose job it is to ensure Griffith Observatory’s telescopes remain in tip-top shape, what it is about meteor showers that continues to take hold of the human psyche and delight us so much.

“Part of it, I feel like, as an L.A. native, is that it’s because we’re always deprived of [night sky], so it’s nice to go out and try to recognize things our ancestors across the world … had a fascination with,” she said. “It’s getting back to human roots.”

3 things to do

Homes sit in the shadows of the Inglewood oil field.

(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

1. Bike and learn about oil fields in Inglewood
The Sierra Club Angeles Chapter will host a guided bike and bus tour from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday starting in Culver City. Participants will learn about the environmental challenges created by the Inglewood oil fields and about conservation efforts in the Ballona Wetlands. Attendees who bike will take the Park to Playa Trail 5.6 miles each way, while bus riders will take a chartered bus to various locations for walking tours. Register at sierraclub.org.

2. Hike under the full moon in Long Beach
The Los Angeles Hiking Group will host a four-mile full moon walk at 6 p.m. Friday around Naples Island in Long Beach. The group will meet at the Crab Pot (215 N. Marina Drive). Participants have the option to meet up for dinner, drinks and dancing at a nearby restaurant after the hike. Register at meetup.com.

3. Fly a kite in L.A.
The Gratitude Group’s Adam Weiss will co-host a nature walk and kite-making event with Adventure Squad from 9 a.m. to noon Sunday at Griffith Park. The group will nosh on coffee and doughnuts before heading to a forested area of the park to make kites. They will fly the kites at a vista lookout point. A minimum donation of $10 is requested. Register at eventbrite.com.

The must-read

The afternoon sun silhouettes Damian Mejia, 9, of Orange, as he jumps through a fountain to cool off from the heat at Lemon Park Spray Pool in Fullerton.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Let’s all take a moment to appreciate the below-average temperatures we experienced in July because that’s ending soon. Times staff writer Hannah Fry reports that downtown L.A. could reach the mid-90s by the middle of next week. Woodland Hills and Burbank, both near several great trails, could see triple-digit temperatures. “We’re not looking at temperatures like we’ve seen in some previous summers, where we’ve gotten to 120 degrees, but it’s certainly looking like 5 to 10 degrees above normal,” said Mike Wofford, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service in Oxnard. We’ll count that as a small blessing, I guess!

If you plan to go hiking, please go early, choose shady hikes or consider an evening trek with a friend. Or just go jump in the lake.

Happy adventuring,

P.S.

L.A. County Parks and Recreation recently posted a teaser for its annual “Pooches in the Pool,” when it allows dogs to swim in county pools before they’re drained for the season. The event is usually sometime around Labor Day. I asked the parks department for further details, but they’re not ready to spill. “Before a doggy can get soggy with it, we are still finalizing swim dates for our canine chums,” the department’s communications team wrote to me. “We won’t keep you treading water for too long.” The response at least made me snort with laughter. I will keep you posted.

For more insider tips on Southern California’s beaches, trails and parks, check out past editions of The Wild. And to view this newsletter in your browser, click here.

SEATTLE — Dearica Hamby‘s layup with 4.3 seconds left gave the Sparks a 108-106 win over the Seattle Storm on Friday night in the first double-overtime game in the WNBA this season.

Hamby put up a contested shot but Skylar Diggins’ similar shot on the other end fell off the rim as time expired.

Rickea Jackson had 27 points to lead the Sparks (12-15), who have won six of seven. Kelsey Plum added 22 points and seven assists, while Hamby and Azurá Stevens both had 21. Hamby also had 13 rebounds.

Sparks center Azurá Stevens reacts after scoring against Seattle in overtime Friday.

(Soobum Im / Getty Images)

Cameron Brink had seven points, four rebounds, three blocks, two steals and five fouls in 12 minutes in her second game back after ACL surgery last season.

Nneka Ogwumike scored 37 points, one shy of her career high when she played with the Sparks nine years ago, and grabbed 12 rebounds for Seattle (16-12). She became the sixth player to reach 7,000 points for her career. Diggins had 18 points, Erica Wheeler 15 and Gabby Williams 14 points and eight assists. Ezi Magbegor had nine points, 11 rebounds and five blocks.

There were 14 ties and 12 lead changes. Plum’s three-point play following her three-pointer gave the Sparks a 69-68 lead, their first since ending the first quarter up 18-16.

Williams hit a three-pointer to tie the game at 106 with 16.4 seconds to play in the second overtime.

Diggins tied the game at 99 with 18 seconds left in the first extra session before Plum missed at the buzzer.

Jackson tied the game at 86 with 4.3 seconds left in regulation and Wheeler missed a contest 3 at the buzzer.

My friend Bob and I had stopped to rest during a hike in Icehouse Canyon near Mt. Baldy and were having an uncharacteristically quiet moment when we heard rocks tumbling nearby.

We scanned the steep canyon walls and quickly spotted movement. “What do you think it is? Is it deer?” Bob asked.

“Are those rams?” I asked. “Are those mountain goats?”

Bob vowed that this would be the last time we didn’t pack binoculars. (Dear reader, it wasn’t. We always forget them.)

After watching my shaky video several times, I concluded that Bob and I were lucky enough to spot bighorn sheep. It was the first and only time I’ve caught a glimpse of these cloven-footed critters in the wild. I’ve been wondering, though: What do hikers need to know to increase our chances of spotting these elusive ungulates?

I spoke to John D. Wehausen, an applied population ecologist who has studied bighorn sheep for 51 years. “More than half a century,” he pointed out during our call.

Wehausen likes to ask people, “How many populations of bighorn sheep do you think we have in California?”

I guessed seven.

“Just in the desert alone, we have 60 populations of bighorn sheep,” he answered, “and then we have another bunch in the Sierra. … It’s not easy to see them.”

Visitors to the Borrego Palm Canyon trail capture photos of desert bighorn sheep in Borrego Springs. The five females and four males spent a few minutes eating and drinking before taking off into the local mountains.

(Raul Roa / Los Angeles Times)

I felt somewhat validated that California’s premier expert on the species noted how tricky sheep are to spot. Before we dive into Wehausen’s tips, I wanted to share a few other things I learned from our conversation.

• California has two subspecies of bighorn sheep: desert bighorns and Sierra Nevada bighorns.
• That’s essentially because, about 600,000 years ago, Sierra bighorn diverged from desert bighorn and became specialists at living above the tree line in alpine zones; yes, bighorn sheep have lived in the land we now call California for thousands of years.
• Bighorn sheep can live months without drinking water, surviving off moisture they get from the plants they eat.
• Wehausen’s niece, also a scientist, recently discovered a population of bighorn sheep in the Great Western Divide that were previously thought to be extinct. Scientists had thought they’d all been killed in the 2022-23 winter season, which dumped huge amounts of snow on the mountains.
• Outside of the indie rock band that formed in Claremont, Southern California doesn’t have native mountain goats.

I developed a new appreciation for these resilient animals after talking to Wehausen, and I hope you do too. Let’s dive into how to see them.

Understand where sheep live

Desert bighorn often live below the lowest tree line (although there are exceptions), while Sierra bighorn sheep live above the highest tree line. They live in these landscapes because it’s easier to detect predators, mountain lions included, in wide open spaces.

The sheep in the San Gabriel and San Bernardino mountains — which can sometimes be found among the trees — depend on wildfire to clear the land of thick brush, so they can avoid predators.

Desert bighorn sheep at Lake Mead in Nevada.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

Locally, sheep hot spots can be found in areas like Icehouse Canyon and the Mt. Baldy area, north of Piru, along the Pacific Crest Trail near the Little Jimmy Trail Camp and around the Devil’s Punchbowl Natural Area.

Try to be quiet

Bighorns have keen eyesight, thought to be “like us with binoculars,” Wehausen told me.

“Commonly when you find a group of bighorn, they’ve already busted you. They’re watching you,” he said. (Perhaps watching us from their perch on a steep hillside while we shout about whether we are looking at deer or goats?)

Look for water sources

The easiest time to see desert bighorn sheep is, unfortunately for us, in the summer, specifically near water sources.

“If you can break through [the heat], you can go to water sources and just set up a nice little place to sit up on a slope above water. You’ll watch sheep coming and going to water,” Wehausen said. “Very few people do that.”

That includes in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, where visitors frequently see sheep in Palm Canyon, he said.

Lytle Creek, east of the Mt. Baldy area in the San Gabriel Mountains, also used to be a “very predictable” place to spot sheep, Wehausen said. The group has experienced significant population shifts, though, and it might be harder to find them there.

After talking to Wehausen, I looked at iNaturalist and was pleased to see users had documented sheep near the Bonita Falls Trail that runs parallel to the South Fork of Lytle Creek as recently as April.

Scan the shady spots 💤

During the day, desert bighorn will lie under shade trees where they’re easier to spot.

“The sheep will shade up for a considerable time period in the middle of the day,” Wehausen said. “When we’re working out there in the summertime, we would do the same thing,” finding some shade to take a nap.

Learn how to use binoculars 👀

Wehausen regularly hosts field seminars in the Sierra where he teaches participants about spotting bighorn sheep.

First, he finds sheep with binoculars and sets up a spotting scope for students to see them. And then he encourages them to stand back and notice how, if they look closely enough, they can see the sheep with their naked eye.

Wehausen points out that once you develop a “search image,” i.e. understand what sheep look like through a magnified lens, it’s easier to start noticing them by just scanning the terrain.

A desert bighorn sheep sits atop a rocky ledge in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park.

(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)

You’ll start looking for the sheep’s bright white rump patch along with the shape of horns. “What you’re looking for is rocks with legs on them,” he said.

And if the rock with legs moves, congrats. That’s probably a sheep!

“I do find bighorn with my naked eye,” Wehausen said. “I’ve driven across the desert going to meetings and just looked over at mountain ranges on I-40 and see them.” (Goals!)

Listen for the bleats or rock falls

Sierra sheep rarely vocalize, but during the spring when they’re rearing lambs, desert bighorn ewes and lambs talk to each other a lot, Wehausen said.

“And the mothers and the lambs know each other’s individual vocalizations,” he said.

In the Sierra, if you hear repeated rock falls in the same area, or sometimes even “little jiggles of rocks,” you might be near sheep, he said.

I hope these tips empower you to respectfully observe these fascinating animals. Please share your photos if you do. I’d love to see them.

3 things to do

Attendees of the 2024 River Fest, hosted by Friends of the L.A. River, hula hoop at L.A. State Historic Park.

(Friends of the L.A. River)

1. Celebrate the L.A. River near downtown L.A.
Friends of the L.A. River will host the organization’s annual RiverFest from 2 to 8 p.m. Sunday at L.A. State Historic Park (1245 N. Spring St.). Local artists will sell their work, while others offer live performances. Guests can also participate in educational environmental activities and snag food from local vendors. Register for a free ticket at folar.org.

2. Restore wetlands habitat in L.A.
Volunteers are needed from 9:30 a.m. to noon Saturday to clean the Ballona Wetlands freshwater marsh. Participants age 12 and older will remove invasive plants from the wetlands. Volunteers who arrive early will be provided coffee and snacks by nonprofit Breathe Southern California, which is co-hosting the event with Friends of Ballona Wetlands. Register at ballonafriends.org.

3. Learn about giant trees in Claremont
The California Botanic Garden will host a screening of “Giants Rising,” a film about redwoods, at 7 p.m. Aug. 7. Guests attending this outdoor film screening will be treated to native plant popcorn and pre-film crafts and trivia. General admission for adults is $19, $14 for students and seniors and $5 for children ages 3 to 12. Buy tickets at calbg.org.

The must-read

Anya Štajner, a PhD student at UC San Diego’s Scripps Institution of Oceanography, recently spotted this rare species of pelagic sea snail known as Janthina janthina washed up on the beach in La Jolla. These snails are known for their vibrant purple shells and their ability to float at the surface of the ocean thanks to their the bubble rafts they create.

(Anya Štajner)

Oceanographer Anya Štajner was walking along the La Jolla Shores beach when she noticed something astonishing in the sand: a rare species of sea snail, Janthina janthina. “These creatures, more commonly known as violet snails, are distinguished by their striking purple shell and the delicate bubble raft they secrete to stay afloat in the open ocean,” Times staff writer Clara Harter wrote. “They are not known for their presence on Southern California beaches.” So what’s the deal? J. janthina are usually found in toasty subtropical to tropical seas, washing up along Australia’s southern shores. They are found in Southern California usually when warmer offshore waters are flowing toward the shore. “The day that I found my specimens, the water was notably warm,” Štajner said. “I remember when it washed up on my feet, I was like, ‘Whoa, this is hot.’”

Happy adventuring,

P.S.

One of the biggest complaints of outdoorsy Californians is how hard it can be to find a campsite without registering six months in advance. Good news! According to Times staff writer Christopher Reynolds, California State Parks has updated its system to better display campground availability and provide almost real-time data about open sites. The state is also expanding its campground lottery system to include Malibu Creek State Park starting this month, with Morro Bay State Park and McArthur-Burney Falls Memorial State Park coming later this summer. I hope this helps more Californians make memories in our beautiful state!

For more insider tips on Southern California’s beaches, trails and parks, check out past editions of The Wild. And to view this newsletter in your browser, click here.

Manchester United are willing to accept a reduced fee in the region of £17m for Jadon Sancho, 25, with Borussia Dortmund and Juventus interested in the England winger. (Mail), external

United have ended their interest in Chelsea striker Nicolas Jackson, 24, with the Senegal forward demanding too much in wages. (Mirror), external

Napoli want Manchester City midfielder Jack Grealish, 29, but would struggle to meet his wage demands, and also have Chelsea and England winger Raheem Sterling, 30, and Manchester United’s Argentina forward Alejandro Garnacho, 21, on their list of targets. (Gazzetta dello Sport – in Italian), external

United are keen to offload Garnacho and have spoken to Aston Villa and Chelsea about the possibility of striking a deal. (Independent) , external

Everton are prioritising a move for Juventus and Brazil midfielder Douglas Luiz, 27, before acting on their interest in Grealish. (GiveMeSport), external

Manchester United have placed Aston Villa’s Ollie Watkins, 29, at the top of a two-man striker shortlist with RB Leipzig and Slovenia frontman Benjamin Sekso, 22, the second option. (Sun), external

Manchester City have informed German goalkeeper Stefan Ortega, 32, that he can leave the club following the arrival of James Trafford from Burnley. (Fabrizio Romano), external

West Ham are eyeing Portuguese midfielder Fabio Vieira, 25, who joined Arsenal in 2022 but spent last season on loan at Porto. (Ben Jacobs), external

Manchester City and England midfielder Kalvin Phillips, 29, wants to reunite with boyhood club Leeds. (Football Insider), external

Liverpool have reached an agreement to sign 17-year-old striker Will Wright from Salford City. (Athletic – subscription required), external

Portuguese side Famalicao are interested in Tottenham’s English midfielder Tyrese Hall, 19, who attracted interest from Championship clubs in January. (Sky Sports), external

My plan for today’s Wild was to write about three shady hikes near L.A. where you could escape the summer heat.

But last week, as I was busily researching via mapping technology about slope angles, sun exposure and the elevation of various canyon walls near L.A., an editor, observing my fury, suggested I zoom out and teach Wilders how to find their own shady hikes.

This week, you get to peek behind the curtain and learn about some of the tools I use to find the best hikes around L.A.

My goal in writing this is to empower you to find hikes near you that you didn’t realize provided good shade at various times of the day. Lists of hikes are great, as they introduce you to new adventures. But sometimes reaching those hikes involves a long drive when, in actuality, there‘s a great trail waiting for you basically in your backyard.

Griffith Park is a great place to hike and learn how the sun and shade move throughout the day.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

To find a shady hike, you need to consider a few factors:
☀️ Time of day (and year)
📈 The day’s forecast
⛰️ Local topography
🌳 Tree cover

Before we dive in, I want to note: Sometimes it really is too hot to hike. Please use your best judgment when heading out and, as the temperature creeps up, remember to drink more water than usual.

OK, let’s find our next adventure!

The sun sets at Griffith Park, casting shade over the park’s various trails.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

🌅 Time of day (and year)🌇

Let’s say we’d like to find the best time and place to hike at Griffith Park this Saturday without getting up before 7 a.m. or burning our faces off from the sun. (Kudos to the the 5 a.m. Crew. Your faces are always safe from the burn.)

The Gabrielino Trail, a 28-mile trek through Angeles National Forest, passes through various plant communities and through canyons, providing pockets of shade along the way, including near Valley Forge campground.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

This Saturday, the sun in L.A. will rise at 6 a.m., according to data compiled by the Griffith Park Observatory. But where will the sun rise, and how does that help us discern where the shade will be in the morning? (Yes, the sun always rises in the east, but we’re about to get way more specific!)

To figure that out, I’d like you to grab your cell phone and open your phone’s compass app. With the app still open, set your phone on a flat surface parallel to the ground. Your compass app should have a number next to the direction it is facing. For example, my iPhone’s compass app is showing 59 degrees northeast right now. This number is your compass bearing, which is a precise way to describe a direction.

Now, slowly rotate your phone until it reads 66 degrees northeast. That, my friends, is the exact direction the sun will rise this weekend, according to Griffith Observatory’s website.

Why does this bearing point matter? Because the direction the sun rises from will help you discern where the shade will be.

The northeastern side of Griffith Park receives the first rays of sun in the early morning as the sun rises.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

🌄Local topography🌄

Back to our example. We want to hike Saturday morning in Griffith Park. Since the sun rises northeast of the park this time of year, that means that the earliest rays will shine onto the northeast-facing slopes.

The Fern Canyon Trail in Griffith Park in January.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

This includes trails near the Merry-Go-Round, including the Old Zoo Loop, and the Mineral Wells and Bill Eckert trails, along with the area near Amir’s Garden, where the sun will be shining by 6:30 a.m. (Again, this doesn’t mean trees won’t provide you with shade.)

Meanwhile, hikes along southern and southwestern-facing slopes are more likely to be shady, including Fern Dell and trails near the bird sanctuary where a nearby west-facing slope blocks the morning sun.

For a visual, take a look at this map I made focused on sun exposure in Griffith Park at 8 a.m. with bearing lines pointing to the directions of the sunrise and sunset.

You’ll see much of the map covered in yellow, which represents sun exposure, while purple patches remain on the south and southwestern sides of slopes where there will be shade at 8 a.m. By 9 a.m., those patches start to shrink, although the map is only taking into consideration the angles of the slopes and not whether these paths have tree cover.

Although some hikes, like this path in Dunsmore Canyon in Glendale, may appear exposed during the day, you might find they’re shadier in the morning or evening, depending on their local topography.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

☀️The day’s forecast🌥️

OK, we’ve learned about the direction of the sunrise and a bit about local topography. Let’s dive a little deeper.

Let’s plan a hike to Angeles National Forest, somewhere that starts above 5,000 feet elevation. Why? Because this cooler-than-average July will not last forever (sad), and we’ll need to escape to higher elevation soon.

Let’s say it’s going to be a hot day in L.A., and you’d like to hike in the San Gabriel Mountains in a hopefully less hot area. (Also, for the purpose of our example, there’s no strong inversion layer, which can create a scenario where it’s hotter in the mountains than it is in L.A.)

Although some hikes, like this path in Dunsmore Canyon in Glendale, may appear exposed during the day, you might find they’re shadier in the morning or evening, depending on their local topography.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

The plan is to arrive by 8 a.m. to the trailhead. Where can we find a shady reprieve along with hopefully a lower temperature?

First, it will depend on how high we go. “In general, for every 1,000 feet you ascend, the temperature drops approximately 3.5 to 5 degrees Fahrenheit. This predictable temperature decrease is known as the lapse rate,” as this HowStuffWorks article points out.

The amount the temperature drops, though, will vary depending on the weather, humidity and time of day.

I usually start to notice a temperature drop in Angeles National Forest once I travel beyond 5,000 feet. For example, I’ve found on a hot day the parking area at Mt. Wilson might be 10 to 15 degrees cooler than L.A. The Buckhorn Campground, which sits at about 6,500 feet elevation, and the nearby Burkhart Trail are my other go-tos on hot days. You can find the elevation of the hike you’re considering by using Google Maps’ terrain function or by finding your hike on CalTopo, right clicking and choosing the “point information” option.

But how do we find a shady spot at a higher elevation in Angeles National Forest?

The angle and direction a slope faces can help you understand where and when shade will be, like at this range off the Pacific Crest Trail near Three Points.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

For one, we need to consider the direction that a slope faces. I must admit: Figuring out the direction a slope faces broke my brain. I am a bit directionally challenged (a great attribute for an outdoors journalist!). That’s to say if this feels confusing or a bit heady, I understand.

The simplest way to understand the direction a slope faces, or its aspect, and thus how much sun it will get is this: A slope’s direction is the cardinal direction in which it slopes downward.

For our purposes, we’re looking for north-facing slopes because those get less direct sunlight. Why? Here in the Northern Hemisphere, the sun is always to our south, never directly overhead, as it travels across the sky. (Thank you to Mt. Wilson telescope operator and volunteer Nicholas Arkimovich for explaining this and more to me.)

North-facing slopes with trails through them include the Mt. Waterman hike and Mt. Baden-Powell via Vincent Gap. I’ve also found nice shade on the Rim Trail at Mt. Wilson, a path that descends a north-facing slope to Newcomb Pass.

Oak woodlands and riparian habitats are among several plant communities in the mountains around L.A., including along the Gabrielino Trail near Pasadena.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

🌲Tree cover 🌳

Lastly, as mentioned, tree cover plays a huge role in temperature, given we have a dry heat here in Southern California. The type of tree cover you’ll find will vary widely among the San Gabriel and Santa Monica mountains, as these ranges feature robust and different plant communities depending, in part, on elevation and a slope’s direction (and thus sun exposure). I could probably write a series of Wilds about this topic (maybe an entire book). In short: Oak woodlands, areas around rivers and higher elevations with tall pine trees will provide you with great shade.

Oak woodlands, like this area of Placerita Canyon, provide incredible shade on a warm day.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

I know this was a lot of information, but I hope today’s Wild will be something you can repeatedly come back to when planning your summer hikes.

If you’d like a little homework, take a look at the map and look for canyons near you. Do they run north-south or east-west? Is one canyon’s wall taller than the other? How does that affect how much shade the canyon floor will get? And is there a trail leading through the canyon, waiting for you to explore it?

Let me know how it goes! I love hearing from you.

3 things to do

A wigeon is a small duck and one of several waterfowl that birders can spot around the Madrona Marsh, especially after rain when its ponds have water.

(Madrona Marsh Preserve and Nature Center)

1. Bend the curve for birds in Torrance
Keith Haney, a biologist and California naturalist, will present “Bending the Curve with Audubon” at 1 p.m. Saturday at the Madrona Marsh Preserve and Nature Center in Torrance. Haney will explain how the Audubon Society is addressing the downward trend in bird populations and how residents can help locally. Register at eventbrite.com.

2. Meander past murals in East L.A.
People for Mobility Justice will host an art-focused bike ride at 9 a.m. Saturday through East L.A. and Boyle Heights. Riders will start at Mariachi Plaza and ride together to murals in the area. Beginner riders are welcome. Participants should bring a working bike or wheeled device, a helmet, front and back bike lights, reflective clothing and a water bottle. Register at eventbrite.com.

3. Marvel at moths in Valyermo
In celebration of National Moth Week, the Invertebrate Club of Southern California will host a black lighting event from 6 to 9 p.m. Saturday at Devil’s Punchbowl Natural Area in Valyermo. The group will set up black lights to observe moths and hike a short distance into the valley to observe scorpions and other invertebrates. Register to learn more.

The must-read

Professional diver Juan Heredia of Angels Recovery Dive Team, searches the Kaweah River on July 12 for signs of Jomarie Calasanz of Los Angeles, who was swept away in the swift waters near Paradise Creek Bridge during a Memorial Day weekend outing with her family inside Sequoia National Park.

(Gary Kazanjian / For The Times)

Jomarie Calasanz was visiting Sequoia National Park when, seemingly in a flash, she was swept away by the Kaweah River. Her family longed for news — that at the very least, her body could be recovered. But rescuers found the water too treacherous to keep searching. “On the family’s last morning at the hotel, a waitress who had kept her distance out of respect approached (Jomarie’s) grieving mother and gave her a hug and a tip: There’s a local legend, a man not affiliated with official emergency service agencies, who finds people,” Times staff writer Jack Dolan wrote. That man is Juan Heredia, a 53-year-old scuba instructor from Stockton. Over the past year, Heredia has found the bodies of a dozen drowning victims after authorities had either temporarily or fully stopped searching. Heredia has gained a significant following online and has been getting calls from across the world from families pleading for his help. “I think when they call and tell me they have a loved one who has drowned, it opens up a wound in me, too. And then I need closure,” Heredia said. “I can’t stop thinking about them alone in that dark water.”

Stay safe out there, friends.

Happy adventuring,

P.S.

As I was researching this week’s Wild, I called the Mt. Wilson Observatory, as it has a long history of studying the sun (and I had a lot of questions about how the sun moves about). I was greeted by an automated voice prompt: Press 1 for information about visiting the observatory, press 2 to leave a message for the office and “if you’d like to hear an excerpt from the poem ‘The Observatory’ by Alfred Noyes about first light on the 100-inch telescope, press 3.” I pressed 3 and listened for about four minutes to a dramatic reading of a beautiful moment in L.A. space history. “The observatory loomed against the sky; / And the dark mountain with its headlong gulfs, / Had lost all memory of the world below,” a line that reminded me of all the times I’ve escaped to Mt. Wilson on a hot summer day. I politely request more places offer poetry as an option to callers.

For more insider tips on Southern California’s beaches, trails and parks, check out past editions of The Wild. And to view this newsletter in your browser, click here.

Manchester United are considering a move for Aston Villa’s Emi Martinez, Luis Diaz is determined to leave Liverpool and Newcastle may lose out to Manchester City in race to sign James Trafford.

Manchester United are considering a move for Emi Martinez but may be put off by Aston Villa’s £40m valuation of the 32-year-old Argentina goalkeeper. (Mail), external

Colombia winger Luis Diaz, 28, remains determined to leave Liverpool during the summer transfer window and is hoping Bayern Munich will make a new offer in the coming days to try to convince the English club. (ESPN) , external

Newcastle are in danger of losing out to Manchester City in their attempt to buy 22-year-old Burnley and England goalkeeper James Trafford. (Telegraph – subscription required), external

Trafford is “very keen” to return to City this summer after they hijacked his Newcastle deal. (Football Insider), external

Newcastle will offer Tino Livramento a new contract to try and ward off interest from Manchester City, who are prepared to pay £65m for the England full-back, 22. (Times – subscription required), external

Tottenham are considering rivalling Liverpool for the signing of Crystal Palace’s 25-year-old England centre-back Marc Guehi. (Telegraph – subscription required), external

Manchester United’s hopes of signing Nicolas Jackson have received a boost after the Chelsea and Senegal striker, 24, rejected AC Milan and Napoli because he wants to stay in the Premier League. (Sun), external

AC Milan are close to reaching an agreement with Brighton for 27-year-old Ecuador full-back Pervis Estupinan. (Athletic – subscription required), external

Juventus will step up their efforts to sign England winger Jadon Sancho, 25, from Manchester United when Belgium winger Samuel Mbangula, 21, and 25-year-old USA striker Timothy Weah leave the club. (Tuttosport – in Italian), external

Manchester United are set to compete with Manchester City for the signature of 26-year-old Sporting and Denmark midfielder Morten Hjulmand. (A Bola – in Portuguese) , external

Chelsea are interested in RB Leipzig midfielder Xavi Simons, 22, but may need to sell some players first to make room for the Netherlands international in their squad. (Telegraph – subscription required), external

West Ham are interested in Leicester City goalkeeper Mads Hermansen, with a formal approach expected soon for the 25-year-old Dane. (Sky Sports), external

Nottingham Forest are working on a deal to sign Bologna’s 22-year-old Switzerland winger Dan Ndoye. (Guardian), external

Liverpool and England Under-20s midfielder James McConnell, 20, is close to signing a new long-term deal with the club and going out on loan for the season. (Mail), external

Sunderland and Fenerbahce remain interested in Granit Xhaka despite Bayer Leverkusen rejecting both their bids for the 32-year-old Switzerland midfielder. (Florian Plettenberg), external

Napoli, AC Milan, Roma, Juventus and Inter Milan are interested in Liverpool’s 27-year-old Italy winger Federico Chiesa. (Calciomercato – in Italian), external

Everton have spoken to Real Sociedad over a deal for 24-year-old Japan winger Takefusa Kubo. (Teamtalk), external

Fulham are expected to complete the signing of Montpellier’s 34-year-old French goalkeeper Benjamin Lecomte in the next few days. (L’Equipe – in French), external

On Friday, I visited an old friend I hadn’t seen in months: the Mt. Baden Powell trail near Wrightwood. I was nervous about what I’d find, given the trail’s proximity to a recent wildfire.

The Bridge fire started near the Bridge to Nowhere trailhead in Angeles National Forest in early September. It charged northward, burning 56,030 acres and destroying 81 structures, including homes in Wrightwood and Mt. Baldy. It also incinerated campgrounds and scorched dozens of miles of trails.

Given the region’s fire-related closures, I hadn’t been back in 9½ months. I drove toward Wrightwood wondering how devastated the landscape would be. Would the trail be well maintained? Would this place where I’ve spent so many hours bounding up the mountainside still be as beautiful as I remembered?

The San Gabriel Mountains as seen from the Mt. Baden Powell trail.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

After my eight-mile trek to the summit of Mt. Baden Powell and back, I am relieved to report that it was an awesome day on the mountain — with some caveats.

The Mt. Baden Powell hike is one of several trails that reopened in late June after Angeles National Forest officials, for reasons that remain unclear, terminated the Bridge fire order.

Just over two weeks after the closure order was canceled, the California Department of Transportation announced that the section of State Route 2 (Angeles Crest Highway) from Big Pines Highway to the gate near Vincent Gulch in Angeles National Forest had reopened to the public.

From the Mt. Baden Powell trail, hikers can see a portion of the Bridge fire burn scar.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

This meant hikers could actually park near the trailhead rather than parking five miles away and hoofing it down the highway to reach the Baden Powell starting point. (Note: The section of Angeles Crest Highway between Vincent Gulch and Islip Saddle remains closed but could reopen this fall.)

As I drove west out of Wrightwood on Angeles Crest Highway, it was impossible to miss the burned landscape. I stopped at the Inspiration Point vista lookout and the destroyed Grassy Hollow Visitor Center, where blackened trees jut out of the ground like dark skeletal remains.

But pulling into the Vincent Gap parking lot, I was relieved to see green conifers thriving on the mountainsides. I chatted in the parking lot with another hiker who said she’s been coming to Wrightwood since the early 1970s when her grandparents had a home there. She was eager to return after the closure order was lifted but, like me, was nervous to see the fire’s effects.

It was hard to see so many burned and dead trees killed by fire and by drought, she said. She was surprised by how the area around Vincent Gap still looked healthy.

Several burned trees remain in the Bridge fire burn scar near Bear and Vincent gulches around Wrightwood.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

As I started the trail, infamous for its 40(ish) switchbacks, I spotted California sister butterflies as well as chipmunks performing parkour exercises across the trail, trying to remain unseen and looking extremely cute in the process. I listened to the tweets of dark-eyed juncos and the teensy blue-gray gnatcatcher.

About two-thirds of a mile in, I started to take in the views, looking northeast where the fire’s burn scar is easy to track by simply observing the large swaths of brown and dead trees. A begrudgingly optimistic person, I smiled when I saw green cedars and pines still alive among their dying brethren.

I was relieved to see the small wooden bench, just under a mile in, still perched on the mountainside. I yelled at a particular boulder just before Lamel Spring: “I remember you!” Although so much had changed around the trail, so much remained the same.

Chipmunks are easy to spot on the Mt. Baden Powell hike through the San Gabriel Mountains.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

At Lamel Spring, I refilled my water bottle and felt grateful at the burst of colors around me — bright orange lichen and wildflowers including small pink roses, scarlet monkey flowers and the rare lemon lily. A mountain chickadee buzzed past my head before landing on a branch nearby, where it kept watching me as I savored the cool spring water. It’s easy to forget that some of these animals are as curious, if not more, of us than we are of them. They people watch too.

I continued my hike and smiled when I saw the large old log on the trail that someone long ago carved “half way” into. It is, indeed, the halfway point.

The higher I climbed, the cooler and quieter it got, outside of the ravens squawking to each other from across the mountain. After some light grumbling, as I was ready for lunch, I arrived at the Wally Waldron Tree, a limber pine that might be the oldest living thing in the San Gabriel Mountains. Believed to be 1,500 years old, this tree is thankfully yet another thing that remains unchanged on this trail.

The Wally Waldron Tree remains alive and well, perched on a ledge parallel to the Mt. Baden Powell trail. The tree might be the oldest living thing in the San Gabriel Mountains.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

I was the only human on the summit, and I took the opportunity to, for the first time, lie down and enjoy my surroundings. (I did set a timer because I have this nightmare of accidentally falling asleep on the trail!)

Mt. Baden Powell is one of my favorite hikes, in part, because it’s a suffer fest. I have almost given up several times on this hike because it is a challenging slog up the mountain. Outside the trickling spring, there isn’t any water, and it can get hot as you charge up its more exposed switchbacks. But I keep coming back because every single time I reach the top, I am awestruck by the panoramic views of the San Gabriel Mountains, the Antelope Valley and more. It is important to be reminded of the specks of stardust we are sometimes.

Several burned trees near Inspiration Point near Wrightwood.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

This was the first time I’ve hiked Mt. Baden Powell and not seen a single cut-through on the trail, a bad habit of hikers who ignore the switchbacks and charge straight down. The trail was easy to follow and in pristine condition. A forest service worker told me that several volunteers are to thank for that. (Thank you!)

After the hike, I headed west down Big Pines Highway to see how the rest of the region fared in the Bridge fire. The first three-quarters of a mile of the highway are in the burn scar, but as I drove farther west, it became harder to discern where the burn scar was. There was so much green and life around me.

The hike to Mt. Baden Powell was thankfully spared in the Bridge fire and has hundreds of lush green shade trees.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

Multiple campgrounds were damaged or destroyed in the fire and remain closed, including Blue Ridge, Guffy and Lupine. But several are open and offer beautiful escapes in the outdoors.

Those sites, which are managed by Mountain High, include:

• Appletree: Eight first come, first served walk-in campsites, including three that are ADA accessible; piped water available; vault toilets.
• Peavine: Eight first come, first served walk-in tent sites; no potable water; vault toilets.
• Lake: Eight sites, including six requiring reservations, next to Jackson Lake; drinking water available; vault toilets.
• Mountain Oak: Seventeen sites near Jackson Lake featuring flush toilets and water faucets.
• Table Mountain: A large campground featuring more than 100 of both first come, first served and reservation-only sites; drinking water available; vault toilets.

The last place on my list was Jackson Lake, where you can rent kayaks and paddle boats from Mountain High every Thursday through Monday.

Jackson Lake is a popular place near Wrightwood where families enjoy fishing, picnicking and staying at the nearby campground.

(Jaclyn Cosgrove / Los Angeles Times)

Families were picnicking and fishing, including some teenagers standing in the water in waders.

One child, hearing the croak of a local amphibian, shouted to his grandfather about how he was going to catch a frog and have frog legs for dinner that night. Nearby, another youngster had just caught a rainbow trout. She held the fish in her hands, showing an older kid her score.

May they, too, get to visit this area for many years to come.

3 things to do

A cluster of mushrooms in Canyon View Park in Aliso Viejo.

(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)

1. Forage for information in Los Feliz 🍄
In collaboration with Friends of Griffith Park, Foraging & Mushroom Hunting Women of SoCal will host a beginner-friendly talk at 6:30 p.m. tonight at the Los Feliz Branch Library (1874 Hillhurst Ave.) on how to find mushrooms in the summer. Bat Vardeh, the foraging group’s founder, will explain how fungi is always growing in the region. Learn more at the group’s Instagram page.

2. Have a fin-tastic time in Long Beach
Cal State Long Beach’s Shark Lab will host its free family-friendly Sharks @ the Beach event from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday at the CSU Long Beach Hall of Science. Guests can take lab tours, talk with scientists and observe live marine animals. No registration is required. Learn more at the lab’s Instagram page.

3. Help trees recover from wildfire near Malibu
The Resource Conservation District of the Santa Monica Mountains needs volunteers from 9 a.m. to noon Saturday to tend to more than 400 oak trees at Trippet Ranch in Topanga State Park. This is the first tree care event in the park since the Palisades fire. Participants will water trees, yank weeds and apply mulch as well as possibly plant new acorns to replace trees that did not thrive. Volunteers will also collect data for a reforestation project, which started in 2018. Participants should bring sun protection and water and wear clothes they don’t mind getting dirty and durable shoes. Register at eventbrite.com.

The must-read

Deepwater bubblegum coral, a host for California king crab, observed during a 2020 exploration of the Santa Lucia Bank off the central coast of California.

(Associated Press)

Despite continued challenges from the federal government, California is moving close to its goal of conserving 30% of lands and coastal waters by 2030. Times staff writer Lila Seidman reports that almost five years after the state launched its 30×30 initiative, California has conserved 26.1% of its lands and 21.9% of its coastal waters — or roughly 41,000 square miles and 1,150 square miles respectively. It’s great news — though it comes with an asterisk. “Federal attacks on public lands and environmental protections … could impact our progress,” California’s Natural Resources Secretary Wade Crowfoot said, “and we could actually see — if these federal attacks are successful — our acreage moving backwards.”

The Times will keep following these stories in The Wild and in stories from our climate team.

Happy adventuring,

P.S.

The REI store in Burbank will host its first community day from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Sunday. Guests can snag free milkweed for monarchs from Arroyo Foothills Conservancy, which will teach visitors how to raise the milkweed to support pollinators. Shift Our Ways Collective will hand out pumpkin starters and teach folks how to take care of the seasonal plant. Also, other local groups, including Friends of Griffith Park, CicLAvia, We Explore Earth and Northeast Trees will host additional programming, including screening short films.

For more insider tips on Southern California’s beaches, trails and parks, check out past editions of The Wild. And to view this newsletter in your browser, click here.

WASHINGTON — Filmmaker Peter Jackson owns one of the largest private collections of bones of an extinct New Zealand bird called the moa. His fascination with the flightless ostrich-like bird has led to an unusual partnership with a biotech company known for its grand and controversial plans to bring back lost species.

Last week, Colossal Biosciences announced an effort to genetically engineer living birds to resemble the extinct South Island giant moa — which stood 12 feet tall — with $15 million in funding from Jackson and his partner, Fran Walsh. The collaboration also includes the New Zealand-based Ngai Tahu Research Center.

“The movies are my day job, and the moa are my fun thing I do,” Jackson said. “Every New Zealand schoolchild has a fascination with the moa.”

Outside scientists say the idea of bringing back extinct species onto the modern landscape is likely impossible, although it may be feasible to tweak the genes of living animals to have similar physical traits. Scientists have mixed feelings on whether that will be helpful, and some worry that focusing on lost creatures could distract from protecting species that still exist.

The moa had roamed New Zealand for 4,000 years until they became extinct around 600 years ago, mainly because of overhunting. A large skeleton brought to England in the 19th century, now on display at the Yorkshire Museum, prompted international interest in the long-necked bird.

An artist’s depiction of the largest species of moa, the South Island giant moa, which could stand 12 feet tall.

(Colossal Biosciences via AP)

Unlike Colossal’s work with dire wolves, the moa project is in very early stages. It started with a phone call about two years ago after Jackson heard about the company’s efforts to “de-extinct” — or create genetically similar animals to — species such as the woolly mammoth and the dire wolf.

Then Jackson put Colossal in touch with experts he’d met through his own moa bone collecting. At that point, he’d amassed 300 to 400 bones, he said.

In New Zealand, it’s legal to buy and sell moa bones found on private lands, but not on public conservation areas — nor to export them.

The first stage of the moa project will be to identify well-preserved bones from which it may be possible to extract DNA, Colossal’s chief scientist, Beth Shapiro, said.

Those DNA sequences will be compared with genomes of living bird species, including the ground-dwelling tinamou and emu, “to figure out what it is that made the moa unique compared to other birds,” she said.

Colossal used a similar process of comparing ancient DNA of extinct dire wolves to determine the genetic differences with gray wolves. Then scientists took blood cells from a living gray wolf and used the CRISPR gene-editing tool to modify them at 20 sites. Pups with long white hair and muscular jaws were born late last year.

Working with birds presents different challenges, Shapiro said.

Unlike mammals, bird embryos develop inside eggs, so the process of transferring an embryo to a surrogate will not look like mammalian IVF.

“There’s lots of different scientific hurdles that need to be overcome with any species that we pick as a candidate for de-extinction,” Shapiro said. “We are in the very early stages.”

If the Colossal team succeeds in creating a tall bird with huge feet and thick pointed claws resembling the moa, there’s also the pressing question of where to put it, said Duke University ecologist Stuart Pimm, who is not involved in the project.

“Can you put a species back into the wild once you’ve exterminated it there?” he said. “I think it’s exceedingly unlikely that they could do this in any meaningful way.”

“This will be an extremely dangerous animal,” Pimm added.

The direction of the project will be shaped by Maori scholars at the University of Canterbury’s Ngai Tahu Research Center. Ngai Tahu archaeologist Kyle Davis, an expert in moa bones, said the work has “really reinvigorated the interest in examining our own traditions and mythology.”

At one of the archaeological sites that Jackson and Davis visited to study moa remains, called Pyramid Valley, there are also antique rock art done by Maori people — some depicting moa before their extinction.

The South Island giant moa at 12 feet tall would dwarf even the tallest humans.

(Colossal Biosciences via AP)

Paul Scofield, a project advisor and senior curator of natural history at the Canterbury Museum in Christchurch, New Zealand, said he first met the “Lord of the Rings” director when he went to his house to help him identity which of the nine known species of moa the various bones represented.

“He doesn’t just collect some moa bones; he has a comprehensive collection,” Scofield said.

Larson writes for the Associated Press. The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.