LUKE LARSON
Staff Writer
Here lies Pepperdine, nestled into the mountains overlooking the Pacific. But many students sit indoors — or worse, in their cars — and more often than not let nature’s beauty slip by.
Senior Kevin Torchen said he thinks that’s a shame.
“I was blown away when I realized that 10 minutes after class, I could be rock climbing while watching surfers in the ocean below me,” Torchen said. “The diversity of outdoor opportunities literally at our doorstep is incredible.
“It doesn’t matter if they go into the woods for exercise, relaxation, mediation or to just get high on the scent of pine — what is important is that they are getting out there,” he said.
There are plenty such opportunities around Malibu for students to get out.
Hiking trails are one such option, and Torchen described a recent adventure up Malibu’s Solstice Canyon. Located two miles north of campus at the mouth of Corral Canyon, Solstice Canyon is a section of the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area (SMMNRA). It offers hiking, picnicking and biking.
The paved Solstice Canyon trail winds a half-mile before reaching the Dry Canyon Trail. In accordance with its name, the trail follows a seasonal riverbed for another half-mile. Depending on the season, the hike can be a scramble over dry rocks or a climb up a riverbed.
“When the river is running, it is a lot of fun because there are a bunch of great water holes to stop and relax in,” Torchen said.
About halfway up Dry Canyon lie the ruins of an abandoned estate built in 1952 by Paul Williams, a renowned architect. The ruins were even featured in an issue of “Architectural Digest” because they offer a unique mix of natural features with architectural design, according to the Santa Monica historical records.
“It’s so trippy to walk around the area,” Torchen said. “No one knows what happened to the family (that owned the estate).”
The Dry River Trail is one of many natural areas around Pepperdine. The SMMNRA, which encompasses the entire city of Malibu, is 40 miles long and runs from the end of Point Mugu State Park all the way into parts of West Hollywood. But some of its canyons are closed right now due to damage from last week’s fires, including Cheeseboro, Palo Cornado, Libery and Upper Las Virgines canyons.
SMMNRA includes parks, beaches, camping areas and ranches, plus some 800 miles of trails, according to Burt Elliot, a volunteer with the Santa Monica Mountain Trail Council.
One trail in particular, called Backbone trail, spans the entire recreation area. With its twists and turns, it runs some 65 miles east and west, and crosses Malibu Canyon Road near Piuma Road.
“Backbone trail is my favorite,” Elliott said. “My favorite section is in the Point Mugu State Park wilderness area, where it climbs from about 75 feet elevation to the highest point in the Santa Monica Mountains, which is 3,311 (feet) … the views are spectacular.”
Point Mugu State Park is about 20 miles northwest of Pepperdine, but there are closer trails. Malibu Creek State Park, which is just above campus, is 4,000 acres large and offers hiking, fishing and bird watching. According to its Web site, the park has 15 miles of streams and also served as a production site for the movie “Planet of the Apes” and the television show “M.A.S.H.”
“The helicopter pad, an old rusty Jeep and an old rusty ambulance are all that’s there,” Elliott said of the “M.A.S.H.” site. “But people can look around and see the ridges where the helicopters come in the opening scene.”
Other close-by trails off PCH include Winding Way Trail, which is mostly paved but eventually drops off into the mountains, about four miles northwest of campus. Zuma and Trancas canyons also offer their own trails a bit further north.
Outdoor activities need not just be relegated to trails, though. Aquatic areas such as Dan Blocker Beach, Malibu Lagoon State Beach and Zuma Lagoon are all within a short drive of Pepperdine. The latter has plenty of wildlife, offering a habitat to 108 species of birds, according to the SMMNRA Web site.
There are also various parks, some within walking distance of Pepperdine. The closest one is Malibu Bluffs, across PCH from campus, but there are plenty of others scattered along the coastline.
With this many options to explore the outdoors, students just need a reason.
Elliott said his first motivation was exercise.
“What got me out there first was the workout,” he said. “I like to run or mountain bike. I do hike but not a whole lot.” He said exercise and health benefits are something the National Park Services uses to encourage people to use the trails.
For others, the outdoors offer an opportunity to leave school stress behind.
“It is a great place to go and get away from the hectic nature of our lives,” Scott Badenoch, a second-year law student, said about the Solstice Canyon trail. “It seems like a last refuge against the encroachment of urban existence.”
Torchen agrees.
“We all need a mental vacation from time to time,” he said. “The exhilaration of exploring new frontiers, while getting a little bit of exercise, is a high which is difficult to replicate.”
For Torchen, the outdoors can be addictive.
“Like so many things, descriptions don’t offer justice,” he said. “It takes firsthand experience to get you hooked.”
10-06-2005
