2 Freeway: What Difference Do Trees Make?

Photo: Diane Edwardson, May 20, 2012.  More than 100 people appreciated the shade of the trees on the southbound 2 Freeway parkway as they took  Corralitas Walk from Allesandro Way to the Corralitas Red Car Property on Day 2 of The Big Parade 2012.  (Click on photos to enlarge.)

Photo: Lupita Chapa, August 5, 2016.  Six weeks after the Silver Lake Fire, a clump of 3 big trees and a smattering of smaller trees will not provide much shade now.  In the past month, CalTrans has removed trees on the 2 Freeway to further reduce the fire danger.  

The Eucalyptus on the Red Car Property slope has sprouted new growth near the trunk and larger branches, but should be trimmed back to reduce further fire danger.

Red Car Property: Big Parade 7

Photo: Diane Edwardson, May 3, 2015.  For the 7th year, around 100 people braved the high heat and humidity on The Big Parade LA and took a walk on the Red Car Property as part of the 2 day, 32 mile, 80+ public staircase, epic urban hike.  (Click on photos to enlarge.)

The group took a brief refuge from the glaring sun in the peaceful shade of Red Car Canyon.  There Dan Koeppel introduced the Red Car Property as being on the Big Parade every year since 2009.

Photo: Diane Edwardson, May 3, 2015.  Paolo Perrone of Trust for Public Land (TPL) talked of TPL's involvement, working to aquire the property as permanent public park space.

I (Diane Edwardson) talked about the history of the Red Car Trolleys going from Downtown to Glendale via the Red Car Property.  I also pointed out the neighborhood's 1995 success; winning at the Citywide Planning Commission, against a zone change on a portion of the property.

Photo: Diane Edwardson, May 3, 2015.  It was great to see so many familiar faces in the Big Parade and catch up several on on our walk up to the historic landmark viaduct footings.  

Big Parade LA, led by Dan Koeppel, is a terrific feat of organization: 2 days, 32 miles and more than 80 public staircases grouped in reasonable trail loops that start and stop near public transportation, is a true labor of love for Koeppel. 

Koeppel's collaborator Bob Inman, grew up on Waverly, creator of the Inman 300 author of Finding Los Angeles By Foot, was also on the hike and signed my copy of his book. The Red Car Property is a part of the Inman 300, the world's first urban through-hike. Inman they ex

Red Car Canyon: If The Big Parade Was 2 Months Ago...

Photo: Diane Edwardson, March 1, 2015.  Big Parade LA will walk the Red Car Property today.  Too bad it wasn't in March.  (Click on photo to enlarge.)

The Red Car Property is not a park, it just looks like one.

There's still time to join The Big Parade en route: http://bigparadela.tumblr.com/

What would a park on the Red Car Property look like?  A lot like this.

Historic Landmark Landacre Cabin & Grounds: Big Parade LA Walking By Today

Photo: Andrew Sears, 2005.  Preeminent 20th Century wood-block print artist carved a petrel, his signature bird into the eaves of his cabin in Elysian Heights hidden in the oak trees in the Semi Tropic Spiritualists' Tract where he lived from 1925 to 1963.  (Click on photo to enlarge.)

The City declared Landacre's cabin and grounds a cultural historic landmark in 2005.  Landacre took inspiration from what was a spiritual place neighborhood with dramatic light.  Sadly much of the character of the community fell to a developer's chainsaws and bulldozers in 2011-2013.  Now the tree filled hillside from which Landacre drew inspiration now has an Orange County office park aesthetic.  

The Big Parade LA is the epic urban hike from Hike from Downtown to Hollywood featuring 32 miles and  86 public staircases. It's free, fun and festive.  Join for a few miles, staircases, a day or both days. Info, routes and everything you need to know about the Big Parade: http://bigparadela.tumblr.com/

2 & 5 Freeway Interchange: Big Parade LA Will Walk Around It Saturday

Photo: Smith, 1961. The scale of the 2 & 5 Freeway Interchange is deceptive when you're standing on Riverside Drive.  (Click on photos to enlarge.)

Big Parade LA starts the 2 day, 32 mile, 86 public staircase, epic urban hike, Downtown, Saturday May 2, 2015.  Echo Park Lake, Elysian Park, LA River, Semi Tropic Spiritualists' Tract and all the quirky routes in between are featured in Day 1.  The day is split into multiple trail loops.  Maps, timetables and everything you want to know: http://bigparadela.tumblr.com/

Photo: Smith, 1961.  When seen from the lot next to Paul Landacre's cabin in the Semi-Tropic Spiritualists' Tract, you get a better idea of the impact the freeways and their construction had on the neighborhoods of Elysian Valley, Echo Park and Silver Lake.  The freeways physically and psychologically divided the 3 communities.  This photo also shows the phenomenal volume of earth moved grading for the freeways. Prior to the freeways, there was a valley between Corralitas and the Semi Tropic Spiritualists' Tract. 

Note the huge scarp on the slope  2/3s of the way up the hill on Corralitas where CalTrans cut into the hill moving Corralitas Drive making room for the 2 Freeway.   

We are proud to support Big Parade LA, as we have every year since the first Big Parade in 2009. Click here for all our Big Parade posts.
 

Big Parade LA: May 2 & 3, 2015A Look Back On The First Big Parade

Photo: Diane Edwardson, July 18, 2009.  We've been proud to be a part of The Big Parade LA, every year since its inception, 7 years ago.  More than 60 intrepid urban hikers scaled the Corralitas Public Staircase on Day 1, in mid-July heat and humidity.  (Click on photos to enlarge.)

2015's epic urban hike, The Big Parade LA features 32 miles, fewer staircases (only 86) and more flat stretches. Route maps & everything you need to know is posted on their website: http://bigparadela.tumblr.com/

Friday May 1 is a Bob Inman led prologue hike including  Griffith Park, LA River & Atwater.  

Photo: Diane Edwardson, July 18, 2009.  Day 1 on the first Big Parade skirted the southern end of the Red Car Property on Corralitas Walk.  

Photo: Diane Edwardson, July 19, 2009.  Day 2 looped in and out of the Red Car Property via public staircases, public rights-of-way and back down the Red Car Property at the Adelbert cut-through, heading north toward Fletcher.  The Red Car Property is not a park, it just looks like one.

Photo: Diane Edwardson, July 19, 2009.  The urban hikers made their way down through the City of Los Angeles Cultural Historic Landmark #770: Pacific Electric Viaduct Footings.

The Big Parade will travel the Red Car Property Day 2.  Follow their progress on Twitter @BigParadeLA.  Join for a few staircases, couple of miles or 2 days.
 

All The Stairs In Echo Park: AM Version

Today, the Big Parade LA held a warm-up hike for the upcoming annual 2-day, 35-mile Big Parade from Downtown to Griffith Park (scheduled for May 2-3, 2015).  The route map was just the morning half of today's 12-mile hike of All the Stairs in Echo Park (& one in Silver Lake: Corralitas Public Staircase).  

I caught up with the group of about 60 urban hikers in the Semi Tropic Spiritualists' Tract.  It was great to see a lot of familiar faces in the crowd, including Bob Inman, who grew up near Monte Sano & shared many of his father's photographs of the area with us.

Photo: Diane Edwardson, March 7, 2015.  Rosebud Ave in the Semi Tropic Spiritualists' Tract may not be the steepest street in Los Angeles, but it is among them.  

We took Rosebud under the 2 Freeway & talked about how streets were moved, hillside cut into & Corralitas Public Staircase realigned to build the 2 Freeway.  

We continued up the Corralitas Public Staircase, down the curving "C" shaped street of Corralitas Drive to the southern end of the Red Car Property.  Meanwhile, the Red Tailed Hawks were hunting on the hillside where workers were landscaping, just off the Corralitas Public Staircase. 

Photo: Diane Edwardson, Mach 7, 2015.  We paused at the southern end of the Red Car Property to talk briefly about more about how homes on Corralitas Drive lost their front yards to the 2 Freeway.  They watched countless tons of earth move from what was the former Red Car Trolley Glendale Line, to grading a giant pile of dirt for the 2 Freeway, less than 40 feet from their front doors from 1960-1962.  

We also briefly discussed status of the Red Car Property being under option to Trust for Public Land. Dan Koeppel, leader of the Big Parade LA, recommended taking Silver Lake Loop of the Big Parade LA (May 3) to learn more about the Red Car Property & see what a special place it is.  The group continued up Corralitas Walk alongside the 2 Freeway, on Allesandro Way, past the Holyland Exhibition, past Loma Vista Public Staircase & across the Oak Glen overpass to the rest of all the stairs in Echo Park.

It's been an honor to be featured in the Big Parade LA since its inception.  Learn more about the Big Parade & how to take part for both days, a few miles or even just a couple of staircases: http://bigparadela.tumblr.com/

Red Car Property: Trail In Plans Since 1968

Photo: Diane Edwardson, March 28 2012.  Dodging cars with kids & on-leash dogs, south of the Silver Lake Ave Public Staircase, is trickier in the rainy season.  (Click on photos to enlarge.)

Photo: Diane Edwardson, November 27, 2011. The exact same stretch of trail without cars is more inviting to walk.

The Red Car Property is not a park, it just looks like one.  A former privately owned right-of-way for the Pacific Electric Red Car Trolley Glendale Line, it is still private property that we've all been trespassing on since the tracks were removed in 1955.  

Due to it's unique length, shape, grade & location, in the middle of a residential neighborhood, it is an ideal trail for non-motorized use, connecting people to parks, schools & recreational facilities in a heavily freeway & topographically divided neighborhood.

Planners took note and, for decades, included the Red Car Property as a part of a larger trail system in various State & City plans, including the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy's El Pueblo Trail (1983), a part of the Rim of the Valley Trail Corridor  in the Santa Monica Mountains Conservancy Zone (enabled by State Public Resources Code in 1979); Silver Lake - Echo Park - Elysian Valley Community Plan (1984); as a key link from surrounding community to LA River in LA River Revitalization Master Plan (2007).

It even shows up as far back as 1968 in the City of Los Angeles Equestrian Trails Master Plan showing a general alignment through the hillside area west of the 5 Freeway between Griffith & Elysian Parks. The plan encourages hikers' use of equestrian trails to increase trail safety.

Since its inception 6 years ago, The Big Parade LA has included The Corralitas Red Car Property as a key link in the Silver Lake Loop as part of a growing urban trails movement using public staircases and rights-of-way, encouraging walking our neighborhoods instead of driving between Downtown Los Angeles & the Hollywood Sign in an organized 2-day hike.  

The Red Car Property is not a park, it just looks like one. 

Red Car Property: City Councilmember Mitch O'Farrell Joins The Big Parade LA, TPL, Strongly Supports Our Community's Park Effort

Photo: Diane Edwardson, June 1, 2014.  Once again, 140 urban hikers took the Red Car Property on the Silver Lake Loop of the Big Parade LA's 2-day, 35-mile, 80 public staircase hike from Downtown to the Griffith Observatory. (Click on photos to enlarge.) 

The Big Parade stopped briefly in the shade of Red Car Canyon where City Councilmember Mitch O'Farrell expressed his commitment to our Silver Lake neighborhood, in supporting our goal of preserving the Red Car Property as a public open space park.  He is pleased to support the Trust for Public Land's potential acquisition.  He acknowledged Diane Edwardson's vision & leadership in getting us closer to the goal. 

O'Farrell also applauded Dan Koeppel, founder & leader of Big Parade LA.  Through his urban trail blazing, Koeppel created a series of trail loops making it possible to connect people in disconnected communities, with parks, recreational facilities and even public transportation all on foot.  We do walk in Los Angeles.  

O'Farrell also reiterated his commitment to the preserving the public staircases in the district.  Los Angeles, particularly Silver Lake & Echo Park, has more public staircases than any other big city.  They are a part of our history and are still a vital and viable means of getting around the community.    

Paolo Perrone of the Trust for Public Land spoke of the role TPL plays in land acquisition to preserve the Red Car Property as permanent public open space.  TPL has the property under exclusive option with a current property owner, a willing seller, while TPL gets a fair market value appraisal, the first step toward potential acquisition.

Diane Edwardson did the usual history of when-the-Red-Car-Trolleys-ran-through-the neighborhood-the-property-looked-dramatically-different-talk.  We are proud to support and be apart of the Big Parade LA since its inception 6 years ago.  And we all walked the Red Car Property together.

The Big Parade LA is still on the trail toward Griffith Park, Sunday.  Follow along, or see what you missed on Twitter.

Historic Fletcher Viaduct: The Big Parade Will Walk Through History Today

Photo: Loren Ayers, June 19, 1955.  The last day of Pacific Electric Red Car Trolley service for the Glendale Line crossing the Fletcher Viaduct as seen from Waverly.  (Click on photos to enlarge.)

The Big Parade, the ultimate urban hike, will have to cross Fletcher at street level but can marvel at how the bridge stood up to earthquakes and rainy seasons on such shallow concrete viaduct footings.  City of Los Angeles Cultural Historic Landmark #770 as seen from the Waverly Public Staircase.

Follow The Big Parade on Twitter  as they work their way toward Griffith Park Observatory on Day 2.

Red Car Property: The Big Parade LA

Video: Red Car Canyon Neighbor, May 19, 2013.  Around 140 urban hikers walked through Red Car Canyon in less than 2 minutes.  

The Big Parade LA 2014 covers a lot of ground in their 2 day hike from Downtown to the Griffith Park Observatory.  This year, they're only doing around 80 public staircases instead of the usual 100 staircases in the 35 miles.  

The Red Car Property has been a part of The Big Parade from its inception.  The Big Parade 2014 comes through the Red Car Property again today.  Follow their progress on Twitter.

Semi Tropic Spiritualists' Tract: The Big Parade Will Walk Through Today

Photo: Diane Edwardson, 2011. It doesn't look like this anymore. (Click on photos to enlarge.)  

The Big Parade will walk through what was once one of the most beautiful hillsides of Elysian Heights.  It's hard to believe it was only 2011 when it still lived up to its name, "Semi Tropic Spiritualists' Tract."  Now it's more like "Orange County Office Park."

The preeminent 20th Century wood-cut print artist, Paul Landacre was inspired by the beauty of the landscape of the hillside, creating art in his 40 years of living and working on his (now neglected historic cultural landmark cabin & grounds on the hill.  

Photo: Diane Edwardson, 2013.  What was once 4 acres of mostly native trees below Landacre's modest home, a natural habitat for wildlife, is now a sterile, controversial, eyeball searingly bright white series of stucco boxes on an unnaturally graded slope.  

The developer did see the light of day when potential buyers said what do you mean there's an acre of open space that we pay to maintain above our house and we can't walk to it?  So as an afterthought, they built a publicly accessible staircase that is extremely steep out of railroad ties.

The Big Parade, the ultimate urban hike, will walk down the Artis quasi-public staircase today.  Follow their progress on Twitter.

Corralitas Public Staircase: The Big Parade Will Pass By Today

Photo: Smith, 1961.  When they cleared the path for the 2 Freeway in 1960, the State cut steeply into many of the adjacent hillsides, like Corralitas Drive.  They also rebuilt the lower third of the Corralitas Public Staircase.  (Click on photos to enlarge.)

Photo: Smith, 1961.  The Corralitas Public Staircase dates back to at least 1922, when it used to go straight up and down the hill.  The above photo shows the framing for the 1961 retaining wall & new set of stairs on the lower 3 levels.  

Brian Smith, who grew up on Corralitas & who's father shot the photos, said, "The stairway from upper Corralitas to lower Corralitas used to be a straight stairway. When the freeway cut was made it took out the lower portion of the stairway. The State rebuilt the lower portion of the stairway at an angle to allow for the cut. Otherwise there would not have been enough room for the number of steps needed."

Photo: Diane Edwardson, 2013.  Today the Corralitas Public Staircase is a well used staircase by neighbors for exercise and for getting around the neighborhood - particularly on Red Flag Days.  It's also a highlight of many a staircase tourist adventure. 

Today The Big Parade will pass by, but not take the Corralitas Public Staircase on Loop 4, Stairways of Echo Park.  Join The Big Parade for a few staircases, miles, hours or both days on a 35 mile trek and 80 public staircases from Downtown to Griffith Observatory.  It's free & a great way to explore your neighborhood.

http://bigparadela.tumblr.com/

Follow their progress live on Twitter

Red Car Property: India Street Trolley Stop

Photo: Donald Duke, circa 1955.  The India Street Red Car Trolley Stop was at a higher grade than the property sits today.  Countless tons of earth were removed for nearby freeway construction 1960-62.  (Click on photos to enlarge.) 

Photo: Jonathan Vandiveer, May 22, 2011.  The Big Parade walks down the historic Red Car Property, gathering just south of the India Street Stop.

The 2014 Big Parade is this weekend May 31 - June 1.

Red Car Property Neighborhood: Great Training For The Big Parade

Photo: Diane Edwardson, 2011.  The Loma Vista Public Staircase is known as the "Mother of All Staircases." 

The Big Parade, the 35-mile, 100+ public staircase hike from Downtown to the Hollywood Sign is scheduled for May 31 - June 1, 2014.  The Mt Washington warmup hike is May 30.

Our neighborhood is great training ground as, according to Alex Pudlin, we have 5 of the 10 public staircases with the most steps in Silver Lake.  (He counts either side of Loma Vista in Silver Lake as separate staircases - like once you go all the way up, you're not going to go down the other side?!)  Those 5 public staircases are Earl, Loma Vista West 1 & 2, Oak Glen** & Corralitas.  There are also a bunch of other public staircases* and public walkways that link to the Red Car Property, creating a great urban trail through the neighborhood.

Read about Pudlin's charts: The Eastsider
Take a Hike: The Big Parade

*Pudlin understandably misidentifies a couple of our public staircases: India is actually Roselin & Silver Ridge is in fact Silver Lake Ave.  
**I suspect the Oak Glen Stairs are actually the Edendale Place Public Staircase accessed via Fair Oak View Terrace. You'll just have to go for a hike and find out.  But nonetheless - he created a great chart of Silver Lake's public staircases. 

Red Car Property: The Big Parade 2013

Photo: Diane Edwardson, May 19, 2013.  Around 140 people walked the entire Red Car Property today as a part of the 2 day-mostly public staircase hike from Downtown to the Hollywood Sign.

See what you missed on their Twitter feed.

Corralitas Public Staircase: The Big Parade Will Pass By

Photo: Diane Edwardson, May 13, 2013.  The secret to walking big public staircases is to not look up.  If you look up it's all over.  (Click on photo to enlarge.)

The Big Parade is May 18-19, 2013.  More info: http://bigparadela.tumblr.com/

Silver Lake Ave Public Staircase: Coming Next Weekend, The Big Parade

Photo: Diane Edwardson, May 8, 2013.  Sadly, our most well used public staircases are also the ones in most dire need of cleaning & repair.  We've written about it a number of times.  (Click on photo to enlarge.)

The Big Parade is the FREE 2-day, 100+ public staircase hike from Downtown to the Hollywood Sign, May 18 & 19, 2013. Join for a few staircases, a few miles or both days, plus a warm up hike in Mt Washington, May 17.

More info: http://bigparadela.tumblr.com/

Click here for all our Big Parade related posts.

Cove Way: Silver Lake Public Staircase Least Likely To Be On The Big Parade

Photo: Diane Edwardson, September 9, 2012.  The Cove Public Staircase was cut off by construction of the 2 Freeway in 1960.  There used to be a bridge crossing the "Allesandro Cut" for the Red Car Trolley connecting Silver Lake with Echo Park.  (Click on photos to enlarge.)

The Big Parade is a FREE, 2 day, 100+ public staircase hike from Downtown to the Hollywood Sign - next weekend - May 18 & 19, 2013, with a warm-up Mt Washington hike on Friday May 17.  More routes, timetables, more info: http://bigparadela.tumblr.com/

Photo: Diane Edwardson, September 9, 2012.  Of course the signage on the Silver Lake side of the Cove Public Staircase is really confusing, only indicating "Cove Way" as the staircase.

Click here for all our Big Parade related posts.

Semi Tropic Spiritualists' Tract: Big Dig

Photo: Alissa Walker via The Big Parade's Twitter feed, May 19, 2012.  Sight of the deforested (and now a big dig) Semi Tropic Spiritualists' Tract was devastating to hikers on Saturday's Big Parade. (Click on photo to enlarge.)