This past Thursday, January 4th, I took off in the morning for a loop out of Laguna Beach into Aliso and Wood Canyons. I was greeted by a field of deer at the bottom of Mentally Sensitive Trail. Then I meandered about a bit on some of my usual trails, Wood Canyon, Cave Rock, Mathis and Coyote Run. I climbed a tree on Cave Rock (seriously, I did – but it was fairly easy being that a branch reached out right up against a giant boulder that I was sitting on. After a while, I meandered about a bit more, and then off onto another trail that I had not been on in a long time. And that’s I found a new secret place that was hidden practically in plain sight. How many times have I hiked or ran the trails in Wood Canyon? I cannot number. This new secret place is on a giant rock cropping overlooking Mathis Canyon. (I am sure to return!). After that lovely experience, I decided to torture myself by hiking up Mentally Sensitive. That was not quite murder, but it was tough.

Overlooking Aliso Canyon (From Moulton Meadows Park)Moving down Mentally Sensitive Trail with a view of Saddleback Mountains

Descending Mentally Sensitive TrailBottom of Mentally Sensitive, near Meadows TrailCave Rock Trail:In my tree on Cave Rock:In my cave on Cave RockWood CreekNature’s StaircaseMy newest secret placeThe climb out, up Car Wreck Trail

About 9 miles, 1,800’ of elevation gain