Hike #9 in the 2024 Saturday in the Santa Monica Mountains series, is a strenuous 11 mile, 2800 gain hike in the Verdugo Mountains. The trail starts with a challenging steep ascent to Mount Thom and then mellows out along the ridge with panoramic views of the city. We’ll take Verdugo Motorway past Tongva Peak to brunch at Verdugo Peak with a relaxed descent down Brand Motorway.
Bring water, snacks, sunscreen, and a good attitude. Hiking poles and footwear with good traction are recommended as some portions of the trail are covered in scree. Rain, excessive heat, and Red Flag alert cancels.
Meet at 8:00 AM at the Miss American Green Cross statue (statue is just NW of Brand Library) in Brand Park (located in Glendale take Western Avenue off the Interstate-5). There is plenty of parking available at Brand Park.
This is a Back Country hike, and a medical form is required. Please print it out and carry it with you. Copies of the form will be available to fill out at the trailhead as well. You can download the form here.
well. You can download the form here. https://tinyurl.com/ycy985mt.
