From left to right: First-years Colin Papé, Kellan Davidson, Zavi Nat and Jaden Mahomed smile at the peak of the Hike to the Cross on Aug. 30. The group speed-walked on the way up taking only two breaks, Papé said. Photo courtesy of Colin Papé
The Hike to the Cross is an out-and-back, three-mile hike from the back of Pepperdine’s campus into the Santa Monica Mountains. The peak holds five wooden crosses and offers views of the entire Malibu campus, the Pacific Ocean, Catalina Island, the mountains and the coastline — all at once.
Students said they take advantage of the view by hiking during sunrise or sunset. The hike isn’t just a physical activity, but also a ‘Pepperdine-exclusive’ social and spiritual exercise.
“It’s one of those Pepperdine traditions that no other university has,” first-year Sofia Borras said. “Not every campus can say they have this beautiful hike on top of a mountain overlooking Malibu and the ocean.”
The Memorial Crosses
At the peak of the hike stands one large cross between four mini crosses.
The Woolsey Fire destroyed the original cross in November 2018, but members of the Sigma Chi fraternity replaced it Dec. 1, 2018, according to a Pepperdine Magazine article. The 20-foot-tall wooden cross was placed in honor of Alaina Housley, a Pepperdine student killed at the Borderline Bar and Grill shooting one day before the Woolsey Fire erupted.
Dev Singh was a member of Pepperdine’s Sigma Chi fraternity and part of the group who reinstalled the large cross after the Woolsey Fire, according to previous Graphic reporting. He was killed in a traffic collision Nov. 4, 2021. Members of Sigma Chi later added his name to the large cross, according to Pepperdine Sigma Chi’s Instagram.
Five cross statues stand tall on the destination peak of the Hike to the Cross on Feb. 16, 2024. These crosses were placed in memory of Alaina Housley, Dev Singh, Deslyn Williams, Asha Weir, Niamh Rolston and Peyton Stewart. Photo courtesy of Angel Nguyen
On each side of the large cross are two smaller crosses as a memorial for four Pepperdine students killed in a car accident along Pacific Coast Highway on Oct. 17, 2023, according to The Malibu Times. Deslyn Williams, Asha Weir, Niamh Rolston and Peyton Stewart (‘Our Girls’) were seniors and members of Pepperdine’s Alpha Phi chapter.
Accessing the Trailhead
The Hike to the Cross trail is accessible through the Pepperdine Malibu campus — that’s part of the reason why the hike feels exclusive to students.
Students can drive through Baxter Drive — the road between George Page Apartments and the parking lot — and up the street to access the start of the trail, senior Angel Nguyen said.
First-year Sofia Borras strikes a pose while hiking the trail with her friend Jan. 19. They chose to hike to the Cross to celebrate her friend’s 19th birthday and start the year on a positive, athletic note, Borras said. Photo courtesy of Sofia Borras
Nguyen said it’s important to do the hike when the sun is out.
“If it gets dark, it’s scary and it’s easy to trip,” Nguyen said. “I went once during the sunset and it was stunning, but you’ve got to hurry down.”
Nguyen said it’s also important to wear proper attire, such as leggings and hiking shoes, for safety, especially when hiking the trail during the summer months when the brush is overgrown or after a rainy season when the pathway becomes unclear or slippery.
Level of Difficulty
The Hike to the Cross is rated as a “hard” hike, according to 57% of reviewers on All Trails due to the long distances, steep climbs and difficult obstacles. At 2.8 miles long, the trail has an elevation gain of over one thousand feet and little to no shade.
Borras said the hardest part of the hike is the steepness.
“It’s not super long, but there’s definitely tons of steep hills and going up and down,” Borras said.
First-year Colin Papé said he suggested bringing a water bottle and being cautious of protruding plants.
“There’s quite a bit of overgrown brush on the side, but it’s not a super big deal,” Papé said. “There’s also a couple parts where you have to watch out — you don’t want to slip and fall.”
A Rite of Passage For Pepperdine Students
The Hike to the Cross offers a view that other universities don’t have. At the peak, hikers can view the entire campus, the ocean, inland and the mountains.
It’s something to take advantage of, Nguyen said.
“It’s very ‘Malibu’ and you really get the full Pepperdine view from it,” Nguyen said. “It’s an experience to go up there and be able to see everything and I think everyone should go at least once.”
The Hike to the Cross is a staple adventure and a badge of honor for students, Papé said.
“It meant getting closer with people — I wasn’t even a month into being at Pepperdine and I was already getting into a community here,” Papé said.
The hike wasn’t as easy as people said it was, Nguyen said. She got lost and went off-trail her first time hiking the trail because of the rain in February 2024, but in July 2024, the hike went smoother because she could actually see the trail.
“I used to go on hikes, but they were more of a walk or a chill hike,” Nguyen said. “This is a real, strenuous hike — you’re literally climbing up steep hills and running down them. But I think if you can do it, you should.”
The sunset paints a colorful sky from the top of the hike Aug. 30. Papé said he spontaneously joined his suitemates on a random Saturday evening. Photo courtesy of Colin Papé
As a member of Alpha Phi, Borras said seeing the crosses of Williams, Weir, Rolston and Stewart made her feel closer to God.
“I’m the type of person that finds God through nature and His beauty,” Borras said. “It’s important to take a moment and look at what He’s created and the beauty around us.”
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Contact Jordan Baquiran via email: jordanisabel.baquiran@pepperdine.edu