Whitney vs. Waterfall

I thought I'd seen all the best hikes from Temescal Canyon to Point Dume, but boy was I wrong. I realized that this weekend after conquering the first tier of the 150 ft. waterfall at Escondido Falls.


You'd never know it while strolling past the million dollar homes in this emerging Malibu neighborhood, but about a mile down Winding Way Road off the PCH begins the Escondido trail.


After a bit of a boring walk (unless you like checking out the palatial pads like I do), you hit the beginning of a dirt path which winds its way down into a secret forest.



I liked this hike from the beginning even though it wasn't as strenuous as others I've done.

Because unlike the usual deserty atmosphere of the Santa Monica mountains, this trail snakes under a balcony of lush trees.


I'm telling you, I felt like I was in Bridge to Terabithia.


After wandering down the path for about a mile, we came to the bottom of the falls.


"Is this it?" I thought.

Not even. Another couple informed us that though some suckers turn back here, if we kept going we would reach the main event.


Here's where the trail got treacherous.


The next quarter mile required some serious rock climbing and even included a rope for assistance in one steep area.


But the work was worth it when we got to the top...


But I didn't stop there.


While my fellow hikers chose to admire the falls at a safe distance, I decided to get a closer look.


And with the hand eye coordination of a spider monkey, I scaled the first tier of the falls with death-defying skill.

Hooray!

The total hike is 4.2 miles roundtrip and takes about 1 1/2 to 2 hours, depending on your speed and whether or not you decide to go for a dip.

I think I'll bring a picnic next time and make a day of it!