The opportunity came after one of the strongest weather systems to ever hit Southern California.
After one of the rarest storms blanketed much of Los Angeles’ higher elevations in snow last month, a group of adventure-seeking skiers took the opportunity to hike a mountain near Glendale, ski down and capture it all on video.
What follows is a unique and majestic hike to the top, and a humorous and impressive feat of downhill alpine skiing back to the city below.
Produced by SierraDescents Video and posted by prolific YouTube mountaineer and skier Andy Lewicky, the video begins with a fast but twisty drive through downtown Los Angeles and suburban Glendale.
Deukmejian Wilderness Park marks the end of the journey and the beginning of your journey through the neighboring streets and onto the hiking trails and fire roads above, fully equipped with ski-strap backpacks and ski boots that clink underfoot.
The occasion found Mount Lukens covered in enough wet dust to make the outing really worth it for the group. And that shows us.
“That looks promising,” Lewicky says as snow-capped mountain ridges appear in the distance, before turning the camera back on himself.
“Going up Crescenta View Trail on our way to Los Angeles,” he says, as his handful of middle-aged men march up the hill in single file, ahead and behind him. “Yes, you heard correctly: our destination, Mount Lukens, is actually within the Los Angeles city limits. So today we’re going skiing in LA.”
“Wow, this is it,” says Lewicky, with his friends wholeheartedly agreeing. “It is the realization of all our dreams.”
The opportunity came after what the National Weather Service said was one of the strongest storms to ever hit Southern California on February 25. fresh powder gift
“I live in the land of the highway, home to smog and traffic,” says Lewicky, continuing his uphill comment. “Can you even imagine how sweet that feels?”
Watch the full video below.
