Whiting Ranch Wilderness, Class of 2018

September 23, 2018



One of favorite trails in Orange County that HikingOC.com offers on a weekend is at Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park.

Most often, it could be a group of 20s, 30s, 40s, or more, but sometimes it could be a small group of five. There are some different levels of speed and endurance in a hike, but when Red Rock Canyon includes in a hike, it is mainly for the new group (beginners, those who don't hike often or haven't been hiking before).

It was a full house at the beginning. After ten minutes into the hike and 30 minutes into the flat trail, the group will be separate out in many subgroups by hiking pace and elevation gain.






Each week, each month and each year, we will meet different hikers, but most often only some or few will be remaining in the memories from photos. Thanks to the camera and the phone, many sweet memories stay with us and at the moments writing down, it will share to many others. Hope that the beauty of nature and the exercise in fresh air, hiking will not only be good for an individual who joins the hike for the benefits of body and mind, it will also be inspiring those who have not known about this activity to come out and experience for themselves.

It was Winter time somewhere else, but for Whiting Ranch in Orange County, it was Summer time on the trail...

It was August, early morning or late afternoon to get away with the warm Summer heat...

The past Saturday was the second year in the row without planning, we got exact the same hike on the same day offering to new hikers. With the excited to hike a new trail and to get one progressing to higher levels of hiking, it gave a different inspiration to those who have been hiking for so long. It is a group energy and a begin of a journey to friendships in an activity.

 For more details and photos, check here https://www.meetup.com/HikingOC/events/254693979/

Not too often, but when you had hiking buddies joined, then it was bonding time after the hike was good food to cool down. We got to get in Boiling Point in Irvine, the busy place anytime of a day. It was good for an early hike and came there at the opening time. 

HikingOC Annual Eastern Sierra Trip: Devil's Postpile National Monument, Thousand Island Lake and a Group Gourmet Dinner

Mammoth Lakes in the Nevada Eastern Sierra, a favorite destination with so many beautiful trails for hikers and outdoor lovers. HikingOC.com has at least a trip per year in this area.

Labor Day Weekend last year-September, 2017 after few attempts from previous years, we finally got a chance to hike and complete the Thousand Island Lake in a good weather and a nice group of hikers.














Starting before sunrise leaving town, the drive is long (about 350 miles/6 hours one way from Irvine), but it is best driving early morning or late evening when no traffic.

Beautiful sky show before sunrise by Burbank hills. There was a fire going on that added more dramatic to the clouds http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-brush-fire-verdugo-20170901-story.html#

When the sun was out, we were looking ahead of the high 90 s degrees up to three digits temperatures in Southern California.  

To beat the heat and have a nice cool air in Mammoth Lakes, we visited and got short hikes to a special landmark: Devil's Postpile and Rainbow Falls. 

For more details and photos, check out from the link:  

https://www.meetup.com/HikingOC/photos/28139622/464716002/

The best part of the trip was a group gourmet dinner as a family at the campground (sometimes we would have it at a cabin, a lodge or a house). There were several dishes and HikingOC.com often had it as a "buffet" style that would fit anyone (including vegetarian and vegan). 

 For more details and photos of the trip: https://www.meetup.com/HikingOC/photos/28139577/464297580/