Experiencing the Mishe Mokwa Trail to Sandstone Peak Hike with My Kids

On the President's Day holiday I took my boys to the Sandstone Peak trailhead in the Santa Monica Mountains in Malibu for the six mile Mishe Mokwa Trail to Sandstone Peak.

I've discovered that many, perhaps even most, local residents have never heard of Sandstone Peak. They know about the prominent Boney Mountain overlooking the Conejo Valley, but the highest peak in the Santa Monica Mountain range at 3,111 feet is something new!

Well Sandstone Peak is something that you must explore at some point. Not exactly for the faint of heart, this peak provides panoramic, 360 degree views stretching from the Channel Islands, Conejo Valley, San Fernando Valley and beyond.

Perhaps the biggest challenge is getting to the trailhead. While only 12 miles from the Westlake Boulevard/101 freeway juncture, it take close to 30 minutes to get there via the winding, Decker Canyon, Mulholland Road and Yerba Buena Road. The main dirt parking lot has room for perhaps 25 cars, while there are several smaller dirt lots and some street parking available.

Once we parked, I made sure we had water and snacks packed. We started our trek around 2pm on a cool afternoon, so I also made sure to pack a second layer for us. The first section of the hike from the parking lot to the Mishe Mokwa trailhead is probably the steepest stretch of the entire hike. So of course about 27 steps into the hike my youngest (age 7) wants to stop and take a break. Uggh. But after finding some distractions on the trail, we made it to the Mishe Mokwa trailhead sign. Yippee!

View of Balanced Rock from the south.

The first half of the hike is mainly north/northeast facing and was almost entirely shaded. The trail is fairly moderate all the way to Split Rock, though there are a couple slightly "dicey" sections where the kids made my blood pressure go up a bit.

Within a few miles, you'll see the famous Balanced Rock (pictured above), a display that has you staring in amazement. How the heck that large rock balances on the smaller one is beyond me. And the photo (as well as this closer view from the north on Pinterest) does not do it justice.

Navigating one of the more narrow sections of the trail overlooking Balanced Rock

Just west of Balanced Rock is a small stream and Split Rock, a large boulder with a crack in it large enough to walk through. There's also a picnic bench here, where you can relax and replenish. In the canyons between Balanced Rock and Split Rock are the Echo Cliffs...aptly named as the echo effect in that area is quite fun to explore. Many folks hike to Split Rock, enjoy a picnic, then head back. Or you can continue onward for the full 6 mile or so loop to Sandstone Peak and back.

Split Rock, about 2 miles into the hike

The section of the Mishe Mokwa Trail between Split Rock and the Backbone Trail intersection is about 1 1/2 miles or so.

The sign telling us we are (finally) almost at the Backbone Trail, which will take us to Sandstone Peak and back to our car on Yerba Buena Road

Views from Sandstone Peak looking north towards the Conejo Valley/Ventura County

We had been heading north/northwest on the Mishe Mokwa trail and now we were heading east on the Backbone Trail. A couple times I was slightly confused by offshoot trails, but we found the way by staying on the main trails.

It's a bit of a challenge and rock climb to get to the actual top of Sandstone Peak once you reach its base (CLICK HERE for more details). And once you reach the top, looking down at the canyons below, with the kids running around, can be quite unnerving. (In fact, if your kids are really "active" you may not want to bring them to the top...kind of scary...and dangerous.) But we made it up there and survived!

Views from Sandstone Peak looking towards the Pacific Ocean

Find out more about this and other hikes on the National Park Service Circle X Ranch website at www.nps.gov/samo/planyourvisit/circlexranch.htm, where you will find a detailed pdf map of the various hikes in that area.

Circle X area map excerpt courtesy of National Park Service. Full map with detailed information at www.nps.gov/samo/planyourvisit/circlexranch.htm.

Views From Boney Peak on an Overcast August Morning in the Conejo Valley

The cloud cover has since burned off but this morning it formed a layer over the Conejo Valley that made for surreal views from above on Boney Mountain.

Click this image for a full size version on Pinterest

Boney Peak is a challenge but definitely can be done for those properly equipped and willing to invest half a day to get up and back. The hills are tough but the most technically challenging sections are the steep, rocky sections above the Danielson Monument.

The trail leading from Danielson Monument to Boney Peak is not an "official" trail maintained by the National Park Service and there are no signs. There sections that have deep crevices as shown above that are steep and rocky, one of which is shown below.

Only One in Five Adults Meet CDC Physical Activity Guidelines - Time to Fix That!

One in five adults meet overall physical activity guidelines

About 20% of U.S. adults are meeting both the aerobic and muscle strengthening components of the federal government's physical activity recommendations, according to a report recently published in  Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (catchy name, eh?), a journal of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans recommend that adults get at least 2½ hours a week of moderate-intensity aerobic activity such as walking, or one hour and 15 minutes a week of vigorous-intensity aerobic activity, such as jogging, or a combination of both.  The guidelines also recommend that adults do muscle-strengthening activities, such as push-ups, sit-ups, or activities using resistance bands or weights.  These activities should involve all major muscle groups and be done on two or more days per week. 

The report finds that nationwide nearly 50 percent of adults are getting the recommended amounts of aerobic activity and about 30 percent are engaging in the recommended muscle-strengthening activity.

The report also found that the West (24%) and the Northeast (21%) had the highest proportion of adults who met the guidelines. Women, Hispanics, older adults and obese adults were all less likely to meet the guidelines.

For more information about the Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans, including ways to get and stay active, visit www.cdc.gov/physicalactivity.  Learn more about CDC's efforts to promote walking by visiting www.cdc.gov/vitalsigns/walking.

Here in the Conejo Valley and Greater Ventura County with such great weather year-round, it should be easy to meet CDC's Physical Activity Guidelines. Here are some local options:

Upcoming 5K and 10K runs

Running and cycling groups and activities

Gyms and fitness facilities

Pilates

Gymnastics and dance facilities

Martial arts

Swimming

Local hiking and trails

Take Five Minutes to Learn "Hands Only" CPR and You May Save a Life

Nearly 400,000 Americans suffer out-of-hospital cardiac arrests every year, and almost 90 percent die because they don’t receive immediate CPR from someone on the scene. When begun immediately, CPR can double or triple a person’s chance of survival.

The American Heart Association is on a mission to teach people across the country how to save lives with Hands-Only^™ CPR with the help of 70s disco classic, “Stayin’ Alive” by the Bee Gees.

If you see a teen or adult collapse, call 9-1-1 and push hard and fast in the center of the chest to the beat of the classic Bee Gees' song "Stayin' Alive." The American Heart Association's Hands-Only CPR at this beat can more than double or triple a person's chances of survival.

To learn more about the Hands-Only CPR campaign and tour, hustle to heart.org/HandsOnlyCPR, facebook.com/AHACPR or youtube.com/HandsOnlyCPR.

In June 2012, Ventura County Emergency Medical Services Agency coordinated a "Sidewalk CPR" event in over 2 dozen locations throughout the County. Another Hands-Only CPR event at 10 locations is planned for Tuesday, June 4, 2013.

I attended and learned that "mouth-to-mouth" is not necessary to save a life. The steps they taught us in this 5 minute exercise was:

1. Check for responsiveness - shake and shout. Rub the breast bone with your knuckles.
2. Call 9-1-1 or tell someone to do so - if unresponsive and gasping or not breathing.
3. Compress: Position on the floor face up. Place one hand on the center of the chest and the other hand on top of the first. Push HARD (at least 2 inches) and FAST (about 100 times per minute).
4. Continue until Emergency Medical Services arrives, even if the person gasps. Gasping is not a sign of recovery - it's because you are doing a good job with CPR.

You may just save a life with this knowledge.