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Excellent Backpacking

You have entered my most excellent backpacking page, please enjoy.

Don't even think about going backpacking without the items below.

CAMPING STOVE
The only camp stove I would ever use is the Stratus Trailstove. It runs on wood that you pick up on site so you don't have to bring any fuel of any kind with you. It's absolutely fool proof, even if it gets smashed beyond recognition you can bend it back into shape and it'll work just fine.

MEDICAL KIT
I recommend bringing a good first aid kit, even the ones with lots of stuff weigh very little.

STEELWIRE
If you don't have a piece of steel wire you might regret it. You can fix a lot of stuff if you have some.

BUG PROTECTION
Mosquitoes used to be annoying but now you have to worry about all kinds of germs they might carry as well, make sure you protect yourself from these filthy creatures in some way.

CAMPING SAW
Being able to quickly and easily cut wood in case of an emergency is very important. Always bring a camp saw with you, they're great in non emergencies too to cut fire wood.

TOOL
Your multi purpose tool must have a knife, pliers, drill, and screw driver. Those are absolutely necessary, other features are good to have but probably won't mean the difference between life and death.

CATCH ANIMALS WITH A ROLLING SNARE

Pick a spot where animals have an easy time passing by surrounded by natural obstacles where they would have a hard time passing through and where there is a small tree.

Find a piece of wood about an inch in diameter and a few inches long, cut a notch in it.

Find another piece of wood also about an inch in diameter but about a foot long. Cut a notch in this piece of wood too close to one end. Sharpen the other end of this stick, the notches on the two pieces should be such that they fit in each other and can take a good amount of pull along their axis but let go easily if the smaller stick is pushed sideways.

Make a lasso type knot on the string you will use and tie the string to the shorter stick in such a way that the lasso reaches the stick when open.
Bang the sharp end of the longer stick into the ground with a rock.

Tie the rope to the tree at an appropriate height and with an appropriate length of string. You may need to adjust this later to get it right.
Hook the notch of the short stick to the notch of the long stick.

Suspend the loop in the air with a couple of small twigs. That's it, all done.

Check your snares often since an animal may be able to escape, if you want you can attach some type of noise maker that goes off when an animal gets pulled up in the air. It's very important that you beat the animal to death before you take it out of the snare since they will bite you if they get a chance.

Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area

Thousand Oaks, CA

Santa Monica Mountains rise above Los Angeles, widen to meet the curve of Santa Monica Bay and reach their highest peaks facing the ocean, forming a beautiful and multi-faceted landscape. Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area is a cooperative effort that joins federal, state and local park agencies with private preserves and landowners to protect the natural and cultural resources of this transverse mountain range and seashore. Located in a Mediterranean ecosystem, the Santa Monica Mountains contain a wide variety of plants and wildlife. The mountains also have an interesting and diverse cultural history which begins with the Chumash and Gabrielino/Tongva peoples and continues today in "L.A.'s backyard."

CONTACTS

Email - SAMO_interpretation@nps.gov

Fax- (805)370-1850

Write to
Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area
401 West Hillcrest Drive
Thousand Oaks, CA 91360

- or -
California State Parks
1925 Las Virgenes Road
Calabasas, CA 91302

Phone
Headquarters Recorded Message - (805) 370-2300
Visitor Information - (805) 370-2301
Education OfficesRecorded Message - (805) 370-2348

TRAVEL BASICS

Operating Hours, Seasons
The National Park Service Visitor Center is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. It is closed on Thanksgiving, Christmas and New Year's Day. The Visitor Center contains a bookstore which is open during the same hours.

VISITATION: Mountains: Highest in spring; Lowest in summer

Beaches: Highest in summer; Lowest in winter

Getting There
PLANE - Nearby Airports include the Los Angeles International Airport and the Hollywood/Burbank Airport.

CAR - The Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area is located west of Griffith Park in Los Angeles County and to the east of the Oxnard Plain in Ventura County. U.S. Highway 101 (Ventura Freeway) borders the mountains on the north, and State Highway 1 (Pacific Coast Highway) and the Pacific Ocean form the southern boundary. Access to most park areas is available via many roads that cross the mountains between these two major highways. A portion of the park also stretches into the Simi Hills, north of U.S. Highway 101.

The National Park Service Visitor Center is located at 401 West Hillcrest Drive in Thousand Oaks, California.

From Ventura Freeway (U. S. Highway 101) to Lynn Rd turn north on Lynn road turn east (right) on Hillcrest Drive left onto McCloud Ave. First driveway on the right.

If you are going South on the 23 Freeway, exit at the Thousand Oaks Blvd/ Hillcrest Drive exit go west or right onto Hillcrest and turn right onto McCloud.

PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION - Public Transportation is available through: Thousand Oaks Transit (800) 438-1112 in Thousand Oaks and Vista in Ventura County.

Weather & Climate
The Santa Monica Mountains have a true Mediterranean climate with hot, dry summers (80 to 100 degrees Fahrenheit) and relatively cool, wet winters (40 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit). Nights can be cool any time of the year. In the summer, the coastal side of the mountains is generally 10 to 15 degrees cooler than the inland side. In the winter this pattern is reversed with warmer temperatures along the coast.

Layer your clothing to be comfortable anywhere in the mountains. For safety and comfort, use a hat, sunscreen and appropriate shoes or boots.

Accessibility
Various tours, programs, and trails are accessible or partially accessible to persons with disabilities. Contact our Visitor Center for a list of Accessible sites in Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area.

Sometimes changes in weather will make a trail less accessible. Use your best judgement before embarking on a trail that looks potentially inaccessible.

Please contact the park visitor center to find out more details on accessiblity of our trails and programs.

The National Park Visitor Center in Thousand Oaks and the Satwiwa Culture Center are fully accessible. Both of these centers have accessible exhibits.

Getting Around
Traveling by car is the most convenient way to get around the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. Maps are available for planning your visit.

FEES/PERMITS

Special Use Permits
CLICK "MORE INFO" TO LEARN ABOUT PERMITS IN SANTA MONICA MOUNTAINS NATIONAL RECREATION AREA.
Free!

CAMPING

California State Parks Campgrounds
Open All Year
There are 4 California State Parks in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. Their facilities vary. Most require reservations.
For More Information on this campground please call 818-880-0350

Circle X Group Campground (10-75 people)
Open All Year
Reservation Required. Located on Yerba Buena Road in Malibu. Has trails leading to the highest points in the Santa Monica Mountain Range. Drinking water, pit toilets, tent spaces are available. Pets are permitted
For More Information on this campground please call 805-370-2300, Ext. 1702

LODGING

There are no lodging facilities in the Santa Monica Mountains NRA
Please explore local chambers of commerce or use a search engine to find lodging. Cities with lodging convenient to the Santa Monica Mountains include: Los Angeles, Thousand Oaks, Agoura Hills, Malibu, Santa Monica, Woodland Hills, Westlake Village, Calabasas, Encino, Newbury Park, Camarillo, Beverly Hills, Hollywood, Sherman Oaks, Bel Air, Brentwood, Simi Valley.

FACILITIES

Visitor Centers
HEADQUARTERS VISITOR CENTER
Open All Year 9 AM- 5 PM
Phone - 805-370-2301
Location - 401 West Hillcrest Drive Thousand Oaks, CA 91360
Closures - Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day and New Years Day
Exhibits - Mountains to Ocean is an exhibit that will guide you through the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area. It features interactive displays and historical art work.
Available Facilities - Audio/Visual Room, Restrooms

Some content donated by Hikercentral.com and the National Park Service

CAMPING STOVE	The only camp stove I would ever use is the Stratus Trailstove. It runs on wood that you pick up on site so you don't have to bring any fuel of any kind with you. It's absolutely fool proof, even if it gets smashed beyond recognition you can bend it back into shape and it'll work just fine.
MEDICAL KIT	I recommend bringing a good first aid kit, even the ones with lots of stuff weigh very little.
STEELWIRE	If you don't have a piece of steel wire you might regret it. You can fix a lot of stuff if you have some.
BUG PROTECTION	Mosquitoes used to be annoying but now you have to worry about all kinds of germs they might carry as well, make sure you protect yourself from these filthy creatures in some way.
CAMPING SAW	Being able to quickly and easily cut wood in case of an emergency is very important. Always bring a camp saw with you, they're great in non emergencies too to cut fire wood.
TOOL	Your multi purpose tool must have a knife, pliers, drill, and screw driver. Those are absolutely necessary, other features are good to have but probably won't mean the difference between life and death.