Confessions of a Western Wino: California Gold: The Terranea Trail of Palos Verdes

Approaching the cove

My wife has a friend named Kalina who runs a personal training business. The woman has endless energy and often invites friends out for outdoor activities on weekends. One such morning event involved a hike with a group of about ten people down the Terranea Beach Trail along the edge of Palos Verdes.

The incoming tide

The city of Palos Verdes consists of a large series of hills and plateaus jutting out into the ocean south of Los Angeles and north of Long Beach. The views from atop the cliffs and hilltops of this region are some of the best around prompting the creation of a very regal resort.

The Terranea Resort is one of Southern California's premier luxury getaways. It includes a plush hotel, residential bungalows, and several villas. There are high-end restaurants, a golf course, pools, and immediate access to spectacular views of the Pacific. Our group walked through the main lobby of the hotel, past one of the ocean-facing pools, and continued along a twisting walking path that gradually made its way down to the beach.

Sweeping view of Palos Verdes

Most of the people in our group had taken a yoga class with Kalina. There was a German woman named Emilia. Two brothers of Arabian decent named Kris and Alex. A woman and her nine-year-old son also went along, and we brought our little puppy Nini.

Looking back at the Terranea Resort

A high trail overlooking a cliff

The early morning sky had been awash with mist, but those gray clouds were quickly melting away by the time we hit the trail. The hike down the hillside follows a narrow path that changes direction to and fro with tight switchbacks eventually leading out to a soft and sandy beach hidden by the towering cliffs of the coves.

A warning to hikers

I spent most of the walk talking to Kris and Alex about computers and finance. By the time we reached the beach we all wished we had worn different shoes. My Vans weren't meant for walking down sandy inclines. Ahead of us, a little further down the beach, was a small cove at the base of a high cliff. Slowly, one-by-one, our group climbed out across the rocks and an intertidal area and out onto a giant boulder that had been molded flat by eons of pounding waves.

The high plateaus along Palos Verdes provide amazing views of the ocean, but the coves below are where the real treasures can be found. A couple of men in wet suits were swimming nearby trying to catch fish with small harpoons. Families with young children were relaxing on the beach. Seagulls glided overhead looking for a snack. The shallow tidepools between the rocks provided shelter for

all sorts of little critters: tickling purple anemones, rough limpets, bug-like chitons, small hermit crabs, and plenty of barnacles.

We challenged each other who could go the furthest back into the cave where the tide crashed in. We snapped some photos, re-applied sunscreen, and began our return hike. The luxury of the Terranea Hotel is amazing but those visitors who don't take a moment to get close to the life along the shoreline are really missing something special.