The Backbone Trail
The Palisades Fire in California last year sure has messed things up. Not only was it devastating to the communities in Santa Monica and nearby towns, it burned large swaths of the adjacent Santa...
Category: Backbone Trail
5 responses to “The Backbone Trail”
Hey Mark. I just drove down Hwy 1 (1st time since fire) and was shocked at the number of homes that were lost in the fire. Completely changed the landscape. Would imagine the burned areas and trails are pretty bad in the mountains too.
And we have had lot of rain already this year in Southern California, so there is a general anticipation that it will be another bad fire season. So personally, I think you should consider holding off and give it another year to see how much conditions improves.
My 2 cents…. Oscar
Oz, Thanks! I value your opinion and appreciate your observations and advice. I am definitely leaning toward postponing until next year. I did check a more extensive fire map showing all the fires over the last 20 years in the Santa Monica Mtns, and there have been a surprising number. The Palisades Fire obliterated the first 10 to 12 miles of the trail, beyond that it burned south and below the trail. In other words, the rest of the trail was not affected by the fire last year. The section I mentioned farther west on the trail that is potentially closed, is the result of a fire in 2018.
Anyway, thanks for your thoughts and valuable feedback, brother.
Have you factored in the heat when you think about hiking the Backbone? This week in Los Angeles it’s to be record-breaking upper 90s. Even here in Carp, a summer 80s in mid-March! I’m with Oz thinking you’ll have a more complete experience of the Backbone Trail in 2027 and maybe even better in 2028! Of course, 2028 is an Olympic year in LA! Love that you share the process of your planning with us. The map is superb in giving us a good idea of the challenges you’ll face in 2026.
Hey Dan,
Yep, I do factor in the weather. Unfortunately, with climate change, it’s more of a toss of the dice than it used to be. In the not-too-distant past, the March temperature range in the Santa Monica Mountains has been low 50’s to high 60’s. But, as you note, the temps today, March 17, 2026, are in the upper 80’s. (As we all know, this is not happening and is all just a hoax perpetrated by the liberals.) On the off chance that it is not a hoax, I am thinking hard about doing it next winter, say February or early March. There could be substantial rain at that time, so it’s a gamble. Also, between now and then, it is highly likely there will be another fire. Maybe even a worse one, which could close more of the trail. Yet another gamble. I am monitoring the situation.
We come to Santa Barbara in the off-season because it is, indeed, the rainy season. It’s also the snowy season in Maine. So we’ll roll the dice with SB’s winter weather.