Local hike of the week: Pasadena's Mt. Echo

I am starting a new blog feature, here with the local hike of the week.... the idea here is to list hikes that are 30 minutes or less away from most in the San Gabriel Valley. I am starting with one of the best in Echo Mountain.

This is a good after-work leg muscle builder, but also a nice piece of local history. The mountain once contained several resorts, including the White City resort, which you reach at the top of Echo Mountain.

There used to be a railway which you could take from Pasadena to get up to the resort, which had hotel rooms, tennis, and gardens. Today all that is left are some old tracks (below, right), and old foundations (shown on left).

Apparently the mountains were not kind to the resorts, which were subject to falling rock and fires, and were ultimately abandoned.

The hike up is on the Sam Merrill trail, and is about 2.5 to 2.7 miles, depending on whose estimate you believe. It takes me about two hours round-trip to go up and down and hang out for a few minutes up top. It is a hefty uphill climb, but not too steep, about 1,400 feet elevation gain. Up there you can see out to Catalina Island on a clear day, but as it was far from clear the day I took these photos, I chose to spare you all the view of the white cloud of smog I was staring into.

It is a busy trail on weekends, and even on weekday mornings, but head there around 5 on a Friday afternoon and you have the mountains to yourself. It is located at the top of Lake Avenue. Go behind the metal fence, and follow the signs.

There are many dedicated historical societies, archaeologists and other obsessive folk who drop by this place occasionally. Most seem to go up for fitness... lots of joggers on this hike.

For more on location, check out my fledgling hiking map.... I plan to eventually integrate it into the blog a little better.