For my latest adventure I tackled Mount Lukens, the highest peak in the Los Angeles city region. We summited the mountain using the Haines Canyon trail, which is roughly nine miles long with an elevation gain around 3,500 ft. The hike is short but quite strenuous because of the consistent steepness of the trail. I would consider this hike to be intermediate in difficulty, but I still suggest that it only be attempted by experienced hikers.

This was one of the most fascinating hikes I have ever completed. There are tons of different species of wildlife throughout the trail. We counted numerous different types of plants and flower along the trail, which is amazing when considering the damage Lukens endured after the 2009 station fire. It was interesting to see how the terrain changed as the altitude rose. It felt like we had teleported from desert to forest within a couple of miles. There was also tons of animals spotted along the way including: hawks, bearded dragons, rabbits, deer and a stubborn snake who would not let us pass.

Hello Mr. Sun “Its like a Disney Movie” – Matt Stubborn snake Amazing Still remnants of the fire

The trail itself is only about four and a half miles each way, but don’t let that fool you. It’s treacherously steep and has little overhead coverage so be prepared to sweat. The trails have been kept in great condidtion and the summit is visible half way through the hike. We started around 6:45 a.m. and peaked in about two and a half hours, but that was at a pretty fast pace. At the top of the mountain there are government towers and facilities that control different utilities within Los Angeles.

Start of the hike And were off! Beautiful view Matt Holzhauer Aar Jay Soria Me at the top The seal at the top.

One of the biggest factors in choosing this hike had to do with the “Mystery Bug.” We read a couple articles online that stated there was a mystery Volkswagen VW Bug that had been stranded high up on the mountain. According to the locals, no one knows how it got there because there are no roads anywhere near the placement of the bug. There is supposed to be a hidden cutoff near the top of the mountain that leads to a small trail where the hidden bug is. We missed the trail on the way up, but after peaking we noticed a small blue dot below us. On our way down the mountain it was imperative that we investigate.

Inside the bug we found an old note from a local asking people to respect the bug. The note went on to say that the old VW has been there longer than any of the local hikers and that it was the symbol of the mountain. You can tell that the car has been repainted and that locals routinely keep it cleaned out. It was nice to see a community take pride in their trails and I can guarantee that I will be back to visit the Blue Bug of Lukens.

Happy Trails!

All photos and video by Ryan Whittington.