Hike to the Hollywood Sign

On our last Saturday in Long Beach before Christmas we took a trip to LA to hike up to the Hollywood sign. It was Steph and Sera's final weekend in California so this was something we just had to do. After talking about it for the whole semester, we finally got out and did it, and it was a great trip! It was a really hot day; it did not feel like December at all, and Christmas definitely did not feel like it was little more than a week away!

It was quite a difficult hike due to the heat, but we made it to the top and the view was amazing! It is one of those very iconic things you never expect to do and it felt so surreal.

Our first glimpse of the Hollywood sign:

 Hiking:

Horses, right next to the edge.. scary stuff:

About halfway up: 

The now-famous stick had been found, held by Steph:

Steph and Sonnee decided to follow some guys' lead by taking a short cut up a very steep mountain side. The eery-looking wooden cross did not deter them. With the help of the stick they made their way up while the rest of us were on edge, worrying that they would fall, like good friends.

They made it to the top, and named their climb Mount Copperopolis, after the legendary town we had previously visited. They have not shut up about it since..

 View of the Griffith Observatory and Downtown LA:

Barrier separating us from the sign, sad its not the olden days where you could go sit on it:

The sign and Downtown LA:

 Me and Sera:

Group photo at the top, we made it.. even if we do all look exhausted:

Downtown LA behind:

 On the way back down Steph and Sonnee wanted a celebratory photo at the top of their hill, with their stick... notice the warning barrier...

We saw coyotes:

And again at the bottom of their hill, where they left the stick for the next brave hikers ;)

Great day, great people, great end to the semester! We made our mark on the railings up there, we go down in Hollywood history!

One more post from before Christmas, my (first) last day in Long Beach with Steph and Sera, will be up soon too! Then I will try to keep on track...