One of the best parts about living in Los Angeles, besides the weather, is how easy it is to get out of town. When you need a break from what makes LA not so great – the traffic and crowds and smog – there’s no shortage of day trips or weekend spots to explore. In the winter, you can be surfing by morning and skiing by night. And now, adrenaline junkies and nature lovers alike have one more reason to get the heck out of dodge.
Just 75 miles northeast of LA is the Angeles National Forest – the most visited National Forest in the state and one of the few remaining open spaces in the region. Tucked away in the rugged San Gabriel Mountains, in a quaint one-street town called Wrightwood, awaits a one-of-a-kind mountain adventure – a world-class zipline canopy tour.
With stunning views, long and super-high zip lines, artfully crafted tree platforms, and unique features like sky and rope ramp bridges and rappels, Navitat Wrightwood opened in early July. It is just what SoCal needed to get out our woohoo’s and feel a world away from the busy city.
The younger sister to the original Navitat course in Asheville, NC, the Wrightwood course is built in the Buford Canyon area of the Wrightwood Guest Ranch property, just down the road from the popular Mountain High Ski area.
The adventure begins by taking a 1965 Mercedes Unimog, an open-air military vehicle, wearing full mountain climbing/rapelling gear and helmets on a 10-minute ride to the base of the course. Note to participants: There is good reason to wear your helmet and look forward during the ride up – while Navitat keeps the trails impeccably groomed, there’s always the chance that a stray branch may smack you in the face if the side tarps are open. I know from experience! Also, in the event that you get tree sap on your body, enjoy the delicious citrus or butterscotch scent while you’re there. When you get home, baby oil will easily remove it.
Keep reading on Pacific-Punch.com.
Tags: Adventure, navitat, Southern California, Wrightwood, zipline
Posted in Travel |
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