In Collaboration With
On / Off-Trail Hiking Experience
Santa Monica Mountains
MALIBU | THOUSAND OAKS | OAK PARK | SIMI VALLEY
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Want to learn Wilderness Photography, but don’t have the gear? Book the Photography Experience to get off the beaten path and photograph the wonders of Upper Las Virgenes Open Preserve
Experience Overview
Even if you decide to stay on one of the numerous trails in the area rather than venture off the beaten path, the very first thing you notice when your feet leave the pavement in the eastern Santa Monica Mountains is just how remote it all feels. . .
Nestled in the heart of northern Los Angeles County between the world-famous, star-studded beaches of Malibu and the Conejo Valley with its rich history of native Chumash Indian Tribes (and now the Chumash Indian Museum in Thousand Oaks), this place immediately feels special. Like you just discovered a secret you don’t want to share for fear of spoiling it.
The pastoral landscape will soon fill your imagination with bucolic reveries and the simple delights of a sunset framed by old-growth Live Oaks and brilliant poppy blooms.
Copyright © Google Earth 2019 > CLICK ON MAP TO LINK TO GOOGLE EARTH
A hiking path extends towards the sunset in Thousand Oaks, California
Stay In Style
Need a place to crash before or freshen-up after your adventure? Airbnb® has got you covered…
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Airbnb® Listings - Pacific Palisades | Malibu | Topanga | Hidden Hills | Calabasas | Agoura Hills | Oak Park | Thousand Oaks...
Airbnb® Listings - Pacific Palisades | Malibu | Topanga | Hidden Hills | Calabasas | Agoura Hills | Oak Park | Thousand Oaks...
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Focus on On / Off-Trail Hiking
A young woman sits beneath a shady tree reveling in the beauty of Malibu Creek State Park
There exists a place so near yet so far that the sprawling city - and even time - forgot. It's a place where the grass is always greener. The valley ever wider. And sunsets just a little bit brighter for just a few moments longer.
They call it the land of a Thousand Oaks. But just a single glance will take your breath away. And leave the kind of impression that lasts a lifetime.
A beautiful multi-use hiking / biking trail sweeps up a grass-laden hillside in Cheeseboro | Palo Comado Canyon.
For it is here that single tracks stretch farther than six-lane freeways. And even the locals swing by to say hi in their very own special way.
So slow down. Take a ride or a stroll. Come explore every nook and cranny. Every twist. Every turn. All the bends and every bump.
Because if you stay here long enough, you just might discover an ancient and secret space. Or perhaps, the very best version of yourself.
Skill-Share Modules
The focus of this adventure experience is all about off-grid, off-trail hiking because you don’t always want to stay on the same paths everybody else has taken. If you do, you’ll never have a unique experience in the backcountry.
So my goal is to give you some of the skills I use to plan and execute my trips so you can plan some of your own.
But if you’d prefer to stay on the main trails, we can do that too and still discuss how to venture further than the average trailhead.
OPTIONS
How to discover off-grid travel destinations…
Topo Maps: Planning Your Routes
Basic Backcountry Navigation
SOS: Wilderness Safety & Self-Rescue
What To Do If You Get Lost
Zero Light | Night Land Nav
Want epic photos?
Ask about options…
Revel in the colors of sunset in Santa Monica Mountains NRA.
Experience Itinerary
Sunrise | Sunset Drives, Rides, Hikes, Picnics & Swings
Rendezvous at Trailhead | Get Geared Up | Journey to Viewpoints | Snack & Skill-Share or Picnic & Swing | Back to Base
When you brave off-trail routes, backcountry types don’t call it “hiking” - they call it “scrambling” because every rock becomes a potential playground…
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Ready to go?
A heavy layer of morning fog blankets the landscape as the diurnal shift sets the tone for the day in the Conejo Valley.
Morning Sunrise Excursions
7:30AM - 11AM
Morning Sunrise Excursions: The Santa Monica Mountains, especially in the canyons of the Conejo Valley, are known mostly for what wine aficionados call the “diurnal shift.”
As the sun rises and sets, the barometric pressure swings rapidly in coastal ranges - the warmer air rises through the canyons and is replaced by much cooler air flow from the ocean. This typically leads to heavy layers of fog that blanket the landscape and facilitate healthy, highly-saturated fruits.
Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area looks more like the Serengeti than Southern California. . .
But while the region does have a variety of micro-climates that host some vineyards like Malibu Wines (which is a great place for brunch by the way!) it is not primarily known for its local cellars.
Even the depths of winter reveal fascinating wonders around every bend in the trail in Palo Comado Canyon.
Want a Pooch Pal?
These rolling hills and old-growth oak forests are very similar to what you might find on California’s Central Coast - only they’re right here in sunny Southern Cali!
When you slow down and take the time to watch and listen, you will soon see the landscape reveals its hidden mysteries in surprising ways. . .
Wildlife Subjects: A nesting pair of Golden Eagles display their fortitude while stalking a late-afternoon snack in the Santa Monica Mountains NRA.
Macro-Focus Subjects: California poppies bloom along a springtime trail in the Santa Monica Mountains NRA
Unique People Subjects: Hikers idle the afternoon away under endless waves of gorgeous green grasses in Upper Las Virgenes Open Preserve
Afternoon Sunset Excursions
2PM - SUNSET
Afternoon Sunset Excursions: Mid to late afternoon in the Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area is when you get to enjoy “Golden Hour” at its finest.
As the shadows get longer, the sun seems to get even brighter…
A lone Live Oak stands like a silent sentinel overlooking the sunrise in Upper Las Virgenes Open Preserve.
A favorite staple food of the indigenous Chumash peoples, wild wheat is the first to sprout early in every springtime.
Want to stay overnight?
Whether you’re in tip top shape or even “expecting,” there is never a bad time to put your feet in the wild grasses of Malibu Creek State Park
Want epic Photos | Drone Video?
About Your Host/Guide
CERTIFIED TOUR GUIDE
Dan Smarg leads an expedition in Lander, Wyoming
National Outdoor Leadership School
Wilderness First-Aid Trained
Expertise | Access | Connection
When I’m not producing commercial content, I’m in the backcountry blazing new trails in my Jeep Rubicon, “Dollie Madison.”
Overlanding is like life: Not every road leads where you want to go, but it just might take you exactly where you want to be.
So let’s roll!
Dan Smarg leads groups of any number - from individuals seeking solitude to full-size families and even entire tribes of friends!
Gear & Services
PROFESSIONAL DSLR RENTALS: Want to shoot some professional photos of your adventure with something other than your cell phone? Rent a professional DSLR with a 24-105mm & 70-200mm lens!
An optional rental to help you explore every twist and turn of these majestic paths during your Backcountry Hiking Adventure, you will have access to a brand new Rad Rover eBike. If you plan to adventure with a partner, you can easily rent a second eBike at POWER-UP Electric Bikes in Calabasas.
Cover more ground.
Rent an eBike.
If you opt to combine your biking and photography experiences, your Rad Rover eBike is equipped with 26-inch x 4-inch “Fat” tires to enhance stability and traction control in backcountry conditions.
An optional rental to help you explore every twist and turn of these majestic paths during your Wilderness Photography Adventure, you will have access to a brand new Rad Rover eBike. If you plan to adventure with a partner, you can easily rent a second eBike at POWER-UP Electric Bikes in Calabasas.
Need help transporting your bike(s)?
Multiple Options Available
Equipped with 26x4-inch “fat” tires that enhance stability and traction control in rough, wet or sandy backcountry conditions, this is the perfect “Whip” to get you from A to B.
Peace of mind…
Rest assured, I will guide you to all the coolest spots on my own full-suspension mountain bike or eBike so you never get lost or stranded with a flat.
REQUIRED PERSONAL GEAR
Warm, Waterproof Clothing
Sturdy Footwear
Snacks & Special Dietary Foods
Personal Care Items
PROVIDED GEAR & PROVISIONS
Old School Paper Topo Maps
Military-Issued Land-Nav Compass
Pro & DIY Emergency Locator Strobes
High-Ankle Boots (MEN’S Size 8-9 only)
Backpack
Portable “Shoulder” Cooler
Trekking Poles
Basic Snacks
CLICK TO VIEW RENTALS
INCLUDED WITH ALL RENTALS
Helmet(s) for 1-2 Riders
Knee & Elbow Pads
Small Backpack
Water Bottle
All Bike Recovery Gear (Tubes, Air Pumps etc.)
FREE Hammock for “Tree Naps”
OPTIONAL TERRAIN & VISTAS
Old Growth Oak Forest
Sweeping Rolling Hills
Coastal Ocean Cliffs
OPTIONAL SERVICES
Professional Photography Shoot
Professional Drone Shoot
Professional Video Shoot
Multimedia Shoot
OPTIONAL POOCH PAL(S)
Available Upon Request
OPTIONAL OVERNIGHT CAMPING | GLAMPING
Location & Weather-Dependent
LOCAL PARTNERSHIP DISCOUNTS
Let’s blaze some trails!
Young family enjoys an afternoon stroll in Upper Las Virgenes Open Preserve
