Marty’s Birthday Trail

Meet: TroGro at 7 am on Sunday 5/1

Return: Early afternoon Sunday 5/1

Member: $14 Non member: $18 Participant Driver (1): $10

Activity: hiking, fossil hunting (loosely), birdwatching

Native Land: Tongva

Difficulty: 4/8 - Medium, Distance: 6.8 miles, Elevation Gain: 1,630 ft

Recommended Prior Experience: some moderate hiking

A wise, young (jk old) man named Marty Power once said to me, “Layla, Hondo Canyon is the most dramatic canyon in the mountains. For the past 30 years, I have hiked this trail every year for my birthday (March 16th).” Tadd and I want to bring this magical landscape to the amazing students of USC in honor of Marty’s (belated) birthday. Hondo Canyon is a 6.8 mile out-and-back trail in the Topanga Wilderness. We will see a pleasant view of the ocean at the peak, with some grassy meadows along the way. We also will have the chance to check out some cool birds “that frequent this trail” and maybe some cool fossils. We were told by the great Marty Power himself that “there is abundant evidence of marine life in the rock off to the side of this trail.” We’ll be leaving campus early Sunday morning (7 am) and will return in the early-to-mid afternoon (2-3ish), so come join Tadd and I on this journey to relish the dramatic experience that is Hondo Canyon.

“It’s pretty darn easy to be happy on this trail” -Marty Power, April 2021

Trail Name: Hondo Canyon Trail

Contact the Guides:

Layla Shakerin- layla.shakerin@scoutfitters.org

Tadd Long- tadd.long@scoutfitters.org

What to Bring:

*REMINDER: if you do not have something on this list, do not panic. SC Outfitters has gear that can supplement whatever you have!*

• hiking shoes/sneakers

• dayback/backpack

• hat

• sunscreen

• 2-3 L of water

• light jacket/layers

• comfortable hiking clothes

• STOKE

• binoculars for birdwatching

• prior experience with any person named Marty

PLEASE REVIEW OUR CANCELLATION AND REFUND POLICY:

All SC Outfitter trips have a no-refund policy unless a substitute participant can be found. In the event your trip requires added reporting measures of participants (plane tickets, external providers, rental services, etc.) dropping the trip close to the date of the trip will not allow for the spot to be re-filled. See the details on trip pages for specific deadlines and reference our complete cancellation/refund policy here.

TRIP DIFFICULTY RATING SYSTEM

• Difficulty rating for trips

  • 1: No physical activity.

  • 2: Leisurely walk.

  • 3: 3-5 miles, about 1500 ft of gain, well maintained trails. About 3 hours of continuous activity.

  • 4: 5-10 miles, about 3000 ft of gain, well maintained trails. 4-6 hours of continuous activity.

  • 5: 10-14 miles, over 3000 ft of gain, variable trail conditions possible. Full day of continuous activity.

  • 6: At high altitude. 10-14 miles, over 3000 ft of gain, variable trail conditions possible. Full day of continuous activity.

  • 7: Technical skills may be necessary. At high altitude. Scrambling involved

  • 8: u gunna die

And that’s it! Well that and make sure to have a blast on your trip!