It was the perfect day to set our sights on the Topa Trio - one of the those clear, bluebird winter days Southern California is famous for. We got an early start and charged up the trail, gaining a mile of elevation gain to the foot of monstrous Hines Peak, at over 6,700' the king of the Topa Topa Mountains. We huddled up at the saddle 500' feet below the peak and gazed up at the summit with open mouths and sweaty palms. From far away, Hines looks like any old mountain, but close-up, you see the challenge: steep, slippery slopes, with likely fatal drop-offs on either side! We carefully started up, but one by one, we came to the realization that today was not the day for it. Three of us nearly made it to the summit, but some slick ice from last month's snowstorm made it too treacherous to make the final push. So they made the call that it's better to live and hike another day. Discretion is the better part of valor, after all.

It wasn't a total loss, though. We did make the summit of nearby Topa Topa Bluff, at over 6,250' definitely no mole hill. We were rewarded with jaw-dropping views in every direction, and we could see in one sweeping gaze all the way from the downtown LA skyline to each and every one of the Channel Islands! Awesome.

But the real reward was the fellowship of our cheerful new friends and hiking buddies, who in spite of our setbacks maintained smiles and a good attitude right up until we got back to our cars in the dark, 20 miles and 12 hours after our start. 

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