HIKING PARADISE VALLEY REGION OFFERS OPPORTUNITIES TO WALK ON THE WILD SIDE.

Byline: Rick Coca Valley News Writer

While there might be some truth to the cliche that nobody walks in L.A., many are hiking in the San Fernando Valley.

Scores of area hikers navigate the miles of dirt trails located in the foothills, gullies and ridgelines of the surrounding mountains.

With the Santa Monica, Simi Hills, Santa Susana, San Gabriel and Verdugo Mountains nearby, there are plenty of trails and starting points to choose from.

Through organizations like the Sierra Club and the Tree People or by trekking with friends, Valley hikers of all ages and fitness levels have learned how quickly they can get from a traffic-clogged freeway to the edge of a gently flowing stream.

Skill requirements are determined not only by the size of the mountain, but also by the hiker's pace. Those trained and certified to lead hikes throughout the Valley and surrounding areas have developed loyal followings depending on the focus of their hikes.

Garen Yegparian of Burbank is a Sierra Club member and trainer for the club's Wilderness Travel Course, an intensive 10-week training course in wildlife survival and navigation. He tells the story of how the Sierra Club Angeles Chapter chairman, Mike Sappingfield, developed hikes that appealed to slower climbers.

Yegparian said Sappingfield complained that ``nobody stopped to smell the flowers,'' so he began to lead slow-paced hikes. They have developed quite a following and are now nicknamed ``Mike Hikes.''

Yegparian explained the range of hikes available to those interested.

``From smelling the flowers, to clawing your way up a hill,'' Yegparian said.

Yegparian has some advice that he's sure will turn occasional hikers into lifelong trail devotees.

Get to a ridge top.

From the northern mountains, people can see the San Gabriel Mountains, the Verdugos and the Santa Susana Mountains, Yegparian said, as well as the Los Angeles Basin and Santa Monica. And if the weather's right, Yegparian added, the shimmering sea appears in the distance.

``On a clear day, you'll see the Santa Monica Bay, and it looks like it's gold,'' Yegparian said. ``It's amazing,'' Yegparian said of the effect of the sun's reflection on the water.

``An expanse of gold.''

One of the places where the ocean can be seen - and a great place to start for beginning hikers and families who want to hike together - is Burbank's Stough Canyon, located in the Verdugo Mountains near the Starlight Bowl and Debell Golf Course.

The Stough Canyon Nature Center is set to celebrate its fifth year in operation and offers hikes and special nature events for adults, children and families. This includes their upcoming April Spring Break Camp and a three-day morning nature camp for children, as well as Saturday Night Alive, a family-friendly evening hike.

In addition to many specialty hikes at Stough Canyon, there are Tuesday and Wednesday hikes beginning at 6:30 p.m. The Tuesday hike is considered easy to moderate, and the Wednesday hike is moderate. The Sierra Club also has a Sunday morning conditioning hike that begins at Stough Canyon.

Mike McHorney is the recreation leader for the Nature Center. McHorney, is a Burbank resident whose familiarity with the surrounding Verdugos spans decades.

``I used to hike (the trails) when I was a little kid in the late 1940s,'' McHorney said. ``There used to be a fire lookout, (and) there used to be a ranger's house up there.''

Even after all these years, McHorney still enjoys retracing the adventurous steps of his childhood and sharing that excitement with the children he leads on hikes.

``The thing I like about it best is you don't have to go very far and you're away from the city,'' McHorney said. ``You can't see the city anymore, and you're in the mountains. It's all right here.''

Pixie Klemic, 56, a Sierra Club member and hike leader, finds that aspect of hiking appealing as well.

``In the hills you can get away from all the noises,'' said Klemic, a Sherman Oaks resident. ``(There's) just so much out there that is designated parkland, it's really incredible. It's so nice.''

A retired project manager for a telecommunications company, Klemic said she began hiking regularly five years ago and completed the training process for getting her Sierra Club leader's status two years ago. She leads slow to moderate hikes Tuesday and Thursday morning around what she calls the ``rim of the Valley.'' Using area freeways as marking points, Klemic has mapped out all the access spots she has hiked from. At last count, there were about 38.

``The trails are all different in many ways,'' Klemic said. ``There are a lot of different ways to get to some of these places. There are streams. There are waterfalls. There's always something blooming. We're just getting into the spring flowers now.''

Klemic recently spotted 14 deer at Trippet Ranch in Topanga State Park. Once hikers know what to look for, there is plenty of natural habitat to see, Klemic said.

One of the hikers who sometimes joins her hiking party is Sierra Club member Willis Simms, 83, of Woodland Hills. Simms is a former Sierra Club hiking leader who has decades of hiking experience. On hikes, he sometimes acts as the trail sweep, bringing up the rear of the line, making sure all the other hikers are safe and accounted for.

Simms hikes about once a week for six to seven miles an outing. His wife, Melba Simms, is also a Sierra Club member and a hiker.

Surrounded by mountain ranges, Simms explained why some Valley residents can't appreciate the beauty that's all around them.

``Some people are aware, but I think there are a lot of people who are not - people who are tuned into watching television,'' Simms said. ``They're not connected to nature.''

For those interested in connecting to nature, hikers recommend they pick up a $6 copy of the Sierra Club Angeles Chapter's Schedule of Activities, available at most outdoor-gear and sporting-goods stores. There are more than 1,100 outdoor activities listed in the schedule for Los Angeles and Orange County, including hikes of every level. Hiking schedules can also be found at www.angeles.sierraclub.org. Sierra Club hikes are generally free of charge, and club membership is not required to participate. Hikers said many people from the Valley enjoy the nighttime hikes - with a variety of focus and for a range of skill levels - at Griffith Park in Los Feliz. Listings are available through the Sierra Club. Organized hikes can also be found through www.outdoorsclub.org

The Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy Web site, www.lamountains.com, is an excellent and extensive source of information on the surrounding mountains, parks and trails.

Hikers point out that springtime is a wonderful time to take a hike to see blooming mountain flowers, berries and a variety of animal wildlife.

Lela Moore, who works at Stough Canyon Nature Center in Burbank, pointed out one of the perks of exploring the Verdugos as lemonade berry makes its springtime appearance.

``One of our teenage volunteers took some home and made lemonade,'' Moore said.

CAPTION(S):

4 photos

Photo:

(1 -- color) Pixie Klemic leads hikers along a trail near the entrance of Reagan Ranch at Malibu Creek.

(2 -- color) The Reagan Ranch entrance of Malibu Creek State Park starts along a paved road, then into trails.

Tina Burch/Valley News

(3 -- color) Ramon Leon nears the end of his climb at Stoney Point Park in Chatsworth. Leon says the spot is popular with hikers and rock climbers.

(4 -- color) Sounding off at "Echo Point" at Stough Canyon in Burbank are the Nature Center's Mike McHorney, with Hairo Danielian, Kristine Danielian, Arthur Ayvazyan, Stephan Trdatian and Sarkis Kaladjyan.

Rick Coca/Valley News