AND A WALK ON THE WILD SIDE.

Byline: Michelle Nicolosi Orange County Register

For miles you march straight up impossibly steep paths pointing into a pale sky. There are no plants, no animals. The air is bone dry. There is no shade to shelter you from the bald heat of the noon sun.

Paths veer away into the sere valley below. There are no signs anywhere, so you guess the way, hoping you don't get lost and run out of water and die an embarrassing death on the wild west side of tiny Catalina.

You wonder why you are working so hard, what ever made you want to take on the hellish Silver Peak Trail, why there are no signs, whether this tedious mountain will ever end.

And suddenly, miraculously, it does.

As the theme from ``Rocky'' plays through your head, you realize you've made it: You're 1,800 feet high.

The view is incredible: Below on the left, waves sip at the shore of a desolate, craggy bay. Below and to the right, white triangles dot a hidden harbor, and ocean stretches away into sky.

Clouds wash over the arched back of the island, giving the path ahead a mystical Arthurian feel that may well have inspired the name of the island's only town, Avalon. Merlin's spirit whispers through gnarled trees and hardy shrubs.

Hike hint: Stop here. Enjoy.

The torturous tramp up Silver Peak is most certainly worth the view from the top, but this hike is not for everyone.

The 1,800-foot ascent is difficult and long, and the alleged shortcut (Boushay Road) to Parson's Landing Campground on the island's north side was nowhere to be found.

The Silver Peak Trail hike to Parson's takes a fit walker about seven hours. Tack on an extra half-hour to account for the fact that you probably will walk right by the annoyingly UNMARKED trail to Parson's, and will have to angrily double back on blistered feet to the camp.

An overnight stay at Parson's Landing ($16 for the first person, $6 each for the rest) is highly recommended - the campground features eight campsites.Here, you literally sleep on the sand, waves washing up on the shore mere yards away. Stone pits are perfect for heating hot cocoa and canned ravioli. (Bring your own tent and bedding, but 2.5 gallons of water and a bundle of wood are provided.)

There is no Zen feeling like that of staring into a fire you built on a desolate shore after a hard hike in the wilderness. This lasts about five minutes: The day's workout will leave you so exhausted you'll be in bed by 10 p.m.

And a good thing, too. You'll have to break camp early if you want to catch the boat back to San Pedro from Two Harbors (on weekdays, the last boat leaves before 2 p.m.).

The seven-mile hike back is gorgeous, with nonstop views of one isolated harbor after another. Taking fatigue into consideration, this should take a fit hiker about four hours.

Not everybody wants to hike 11 hours just to see a few glorious views, and the good news is you don't have to.

Those up for a shorter hike can take the westward trail from Two Harbors straight to Parson's Landing campground. The three- to four-hour walk is an easy, level one with few challenges and lots of lovely scenery.

If you don't feel like walking, there are few options. In peak season, a shore boat will take you from Two Harbors to Emerald Bay (leaving you with a 1.5-mile hike to Parson's), but in October the schedule becomes sporadic. Call [phone].

You also can bike to Parson's, but permits cost a hefty $50 per person. Call [phone].

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Photo: (Color) Outdoor adventures, including hiking, sailing, camping, bicycling and scuba diving, await at Two Harbors on the rugged island interior.

Catalina Island Chamber of Commber & Visitors Bureau