Hiking Soon? Here’s What To Know Before You Go.

I absolutely love hiking, but do you know what scares me as an amateur backpacker? Really steep trails. I couldn’t even think about hiking anywhere right after all that the rain we had earlier. A lot of trails washed out and there was debris flow and mud in several favorite spots. This weekend, we could see more rain showers, too, as the Santa Ana winds let up. And in that mountains, that could mean snow.

Taking Caution While Hiking

It’s scary out there. Rescue search teams are still looking for actor Julian Sands, who went missing in the Mount Baldy area during a solo hike two weeks ago. Another hiker, Jin Chung, went missing in the same area Sunday, but was found by Tuesday. He was taken to the hospital. Another man is missing near Mount Islip.

It should be noted that these men were experienced hikers. But simply put, natural environments have their risks.

My colleague Jill Replogle, who herself loves to hike, wrote about the risks of hitting the trails right now in Southern California, given the current weather with ice and snow, not to mention high winds. Then, when things start warming up, there could be the risk of wet slides, which are like warm weather avalanches.

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Jill spoke to a number of mountaineering and outdoor experts who all agree that this winter’s conditions are just not something most Southern Californians are used to. As much as we fancy ourselves outdoorsy people, most of us do not have the skills to handle difficult terrain, or the tools. Especially in backcountry areas outside the city. Mount Baldy can be particularly treacherous — according to Outside, so far in 2023, 15 people have been rescued in the area.

So, if you plan on taking a trek soon, please read Jill's story, write notes and take heed. She has some great information and tips on how to be smart outdoors. We want you to be as safe as possible, while getting your dosage of Vitamin D.

As always, stay happy and healthy, folks. There’s more news below — just keep reading.

More News

(After you stop hitting snooze)

• Did you know it’s been three years since the first COVID case in L.A. County? Since then, more than 3.6 million cases have been reported, and more than 35,200 Angelenos have died. We've been on a frightening roller coaster ride through this life-altering pandemic but, for the moment, things appear to be calming down. My colleague Jackie Fortiér takes a look at where we are now.
• Hundreds of people came together for a candlelight vigil at the Star Dance Studio in Monterey Park to honor victims who were killed in the mass shooting there on Saturday night, including the co-owner and a beloved dance instructor. Separately, students and faculty gathered at East Los Angeles College to remember. 
• We had a really wet start of 2023, didn’t we? Because of it, the California Department of Water Resources announced Thursday that some cities and farms  could get more water than last year. But don’t get too excited - things can change quickly.  Call it a climate “whiplash”.  
• Congressman Adam Schiff announced his run for U.S. Senate in 2024 Thursday morning. He joins his colleague Rep. Katie Porter who announced her run at the start of the year. Other progressive California reps are also eyeing the seat.
• Today is International Holocaust Remembrance Day, which marks 83 years since Red Army soldiers liberated the Nazi concentration camp Auschwitz. We talked to people about the importance of remembering what took place and have some events for anyone wanting to take part.
• The California Bar Association wants to disbar attorney John Eastman for his involvement with President Donald Trump and efforts to overturn the 2020 election.  
• In a first, the Secret Service has put together a report on mass attacks in the U.S. between 2016-2020. It finds that 96% of the perpetrators in these incidents were male and most had experienced a significant “stressor.” 
• Southwest Airlines took a $800-million hit after the meltdown over the holidays that left travelers stranded, bags lost and a whole lot of people ticked off. But could it just be an early glimpse of what all air travel could become? (Los Angeles Times) 
• MiJa Books, a store for multicultural children’s books, is closing. But while the physical store will be no longer, the mission will continue online and at book fairs.
• Just in time for Rihanna’s Super Bowl weekend, Savage X Fenty is having a three-day pop-up at the Beverly Grove. There’ll be special Game Day fits just for the occasion. Are you a Bob Marley fan? Come out to Ovation Hollywood starting on Jan. 27 to explore the life of Bob Marley with silent disco, a cannabis garden and memorabilia of the reggae legend. Looking for an event to take your pup? Look no further than Standup for Pups at the Wallis Annenberg PetSpace — a dog-friendly comedy show that supports rescuing animals. I really want to know how this is going down, so please tell me if you go! There are so many fun, eclectic events for everyone in this weekend’s list of things to do. Check it out here.

Wait... One More Thing

Cheap Fast Eats: Culver City Edition

Sexy Beans offers it's juicy rotisserie chicken along with a side of it's Brazilian black beans also known as feijoada, containing choice cuts of beef and pork.

(Brian Feinzimer

/

For LAist )

One of my favorite places to run (shout out to Keep It Run Hundred 3-6 mile Tuesdays!) AND to grub with a friend is Culver City. The restaurants out there never cease to amaze me and my eclectic taste buds. Now, our very own Gab Chabrán, LAist associate editor for food and culture, has a list of restaurants that I’ve never even heard of that I cannot wait to try.

I’m not going to lie, the first place that caught my eye was Sexy Beans. My first thought: how in the world can beans be sexy? Well, Brazilian Chef Simoni Siqueira and her kitchen staff definitely know how to make a plate of rotisserie chicken, Brazilian black beans and bitter greens look darn good enough to chow down in 5 seconds. The key is how the stewed beans, or the feijoada, are made.

So…are you like me? Hungry just by looking at the plate of food in the photo above? Good. Now, all you have to do is read the rest of Gab’s article and feast your eyes on vegetable-filled empanadas, sweetly-seasoned teriyaki burgers, and spicy jerk chicken with some reggae bread. Or even better, listen to him and my colleague Brian De Los Santos chow down on it all in the latest episode of How To LA. Yum!

Alright, y’all. It’s not even noon yet and my stomach is rumbling. Looks like I’m going to try to hit up a lunch or dinner date to Culver City later on today. Have a great weekend!