About us
We are a high-performance hiking community in Southern California. Runners, lifters, and endurance athletes who treat the trail as a training ground for metabolic resilience. We've moved past "soft hiking" in favor of an intentional, high-engagement format designed to shift your reference point for ordinary effort.
The Sunday Standard
The Effort: 9 to 13 miles / 1,500 to 2,500+ ft of gain.
The Pace: Brisk and intentional. This is serious cross-training, not a casual stroll.
The Goal: Consistent green exercise that builds a metabolic furnace.
The Saturday Altitude Series
A smaller series focused on high-altitude training for major objectives. Goal-specific sessions for serious hikers and endurance athletes building toward Mt. Whitney, San Jacinto, San Gorgonio, international treks, multi-day alpine routes, and ultra/endurance challenges.
Is this for you?
If you're looking for a community-driven counter to the gym and want to see how far your "normal" can shift, join us at the trailhead. We don't rely on motivation. We rely on a community that treats a 10-mile day as the floor.
-------------
Move with purpose. Connect with people. Leave stronger than you came.
Subscribe to our newsletter: Field notes on human capacity, written from the trail.
Find us on Strava: Strava Club
Follow us on Instagram: Instagram
Join our Facebook group: Facebook
Upcoming events
4
Altitude Series: Mt Baldy via Baldy Bowl & Devil’s Backbone (9.9mi/4,065ft)
San Antonio Falls, Mount Baldy Road, Mount Baldy, CA, USJoin us for the next hike in our Altitude Series, a structured training track designed to build the endurance, pace, and elevation tolerance needed for bigger mountain objectives such as San Jacinto, San Gorgonio, and Mt. Whitney.
This route climbs Mt Baldy (10,064 ft) from Manker Flat via the Baldy Bowl. The ascent is direct and sustained, gaining elevation quickly through the bowl before reaching the summit. The descent follows Devil’s Backbone, a long exposed ridgeline with a steady grade back toward the Notch and down to the trailhead.
Approximately 9.9 miles round trip with 4,065 ft of elevation gain. Typical time 7.5 to 8 hours depending on pace and stops.
Expect continuous climbing on the ascent, exposure along the ridge, and a steady, controlled descent.Here’s the full activity from our recent Altitude Series benchmarks, including all splits and details, to give a clear sense of how each day flows:
[Altitude Series] Cucamonga Peak | Benchmark 1 | NSC | Hike | Strava
[Altitude Series] Mt. Baden-Powell | Benchmark 2 | NSC | Hike | Strava
[Altitude Series] Big Horn and Ontario Peak | Benchmark 3 | NSC | Hike | StravaWho This Hike Is Suited For:
- Hikers comfortable with 10+ mile routes
- Ability to sustain a steady climbing pace on long uphill terrain
- Ability to maintain continuous forward movement for 7–8 hours
- Experience fueling and hydrating during extended efforts
Group Size & Admission Policy: Group size is intentionally limited to maintain safety, cohesion, and steady mountain pacing on long, sustained routes.
All hikers will initially be placed on the waitlist. Admission is based on pace compatibility and experience with sustained elevation routes.
First-Time Participants (Altitude Series):
If you have not previously hiked with us on a comparable route, please message the organizer with:1. Date of your most recent 10+ mile hike
2. Distance, elevation gain, and completion time
3. Your average moving pace
4. Comparable peaks or routes completedSubmission of this information does not guarantee admission. We intend to keep the group intentionally small and will admit hikers off the waitlist as space allows, based on overall pace compatibility and training alignment.
Trailhead: San Antonio Falls Trailhead
Parking: San Antonio Falls Trailhead parking lot (Adventure Pass required)Route Map:
https://www.alltrails.com/explore/custom-routes/custom-route-mount-baldy-via-devil-s-backbone-trail-3d61456?u=i&sh=pxabuh
Download the route for offline use if needed.Essentials:
• Water (3-3.5L; electrolytes recommended)
• Snacks/fuel
• Hat, sunscreen, sunglasses
• Hiking poles (recommended, especially for the descent)
• Extra layers for summit conditions
• Microspikes (recommended depending on conditions)Note on Punctuality & RSVP: Please be on time — we’ll wait up to 5 minutes past the start. If you’re running late, you can post your ETA in the event discussion, but the group may still begin without you. If your plans change, please update your RSVP — it helps us know who to expect on the trail.
Disclaimer & Safety Notice: Not So Casual Hikes are challenging outings designed for hikers in strong shape who know their limits and show up prepared. Organizers are volunteers—not guides—and cannot be responsible for your pace, navigation, or safety. We hike at a steady pace and the group may spread out. Please be prepared to navigate independently if you fall behind, though we’ll aim to check in at major junctions when possible. By signing up, you accept full responsibility for your fitness, gear, hydration, and navigation, and agree to hold harmless the Organizer, Co-Organizer, Assistant Organizers, and fellow participants for any incidents or injuries. Participation also means you agree to Meetup’s Terms of Service. Hiking carries inherent risks, including trip/fall injuries, bee stings, poison oak, ticks, snakes, coyotes, or mountain lions. Be prepared for sun exposure, heat, or marine layer conditions depending on the day.
11 attendees
Santiago Oaks from Mabury Entrance
Mabury Ranch, 5800 E Mabury Ave, Orange, CA, USThis hike is geared down to be a more relaxed and moderate pace but still get a good workout without doing a roadrunner pace.
Lying peacefully in east Orange alongside the Santiago Creek the 1,758 acres Santiago Oaks Regional Park is a natures paradise.
We will start out hiking as a group on a trail with beautiful houses on one side and the Santiago Creek on the other.
After about 10 minutes we enter the actual park, we will hike on both flat shady trails and some hills for a good workout.
We will first go to the picnic area where there are bathrooms and then on to the Historic Dam with a small waterfall. Then we will take the Santiago Creek Trail to the Oak trail up to the Bumble trail and down on the other side then the Coachwhip trail up to Barham ridge then to the flagpole and get on either Oak OR Cactus to the Santiago Creek trail and back to the trail head.
Terrain can be uneven so shoes with good traction are recommended. The different trails chosen will vary from week to week.
Go time: 8:am
Distance: 7+ mi.
Elev. gain: 800-1,000 ft.
Duration: 2-3 hrs.
Difficulty: Moderate
Attention Dog Lovers: This is a dog friendly park & hike, However your canine buddies are required to be on a leash at ALL times as a courtesy and safety to all hikers, Please obey park rules!
NOTE: Rain or extreme heat or low attendance may cancel hike. Please check meetup on the morning of the event.
DIRECTIONS:
From Serrano Ave. in Orange, go south on Orange Park Blvd. After 0.3 miles, the street curves at the end and becomes Mabury Ave. Make a u-turn right after the curve to park along the fence. For your GPS or internet map program - use the closest house address of 6531 E. Mabury Ave., Orange. We will meet in front of the opening in the brown fence area across the street from address above.
NOTE: This is a residential neighborhood so please be respectful by keeping voices low (turn your boom box down).
NECESSITIES: Adequate water (1 to 3 liters), snack, hat, sunscreen, hiking or trail running shoes, and a friendly attitude.
PARK INFO: For more information about the park, visit: OCPARKS
Disclaimer & Safety Notice: Not So Casual Hikes are challenging outings designed for hikers in strong shape who know their limits and show up prepared. Organizers are volunteers—not guides—and cannot be responsible for your pace, navigation, or safety. We hike at a steady pace and the group may spread out. Please be prepared to navigate independently if you fall behind, though we’ll aim to check in at major junctions when possible. By signing up, you accept full responsibility for your fitness, gear, hydration, and navigation, and agree to hold harmless the Organizer, Co-Organizer, Assistant Organizers, and fellow participants for any incidents or injuries. Participation also means you agree to Meetup’s Terms of Service. Hiking carries inherent risks, including trip/fall injuries, bee stings, poison oak, ticks, snakes, coyotes, or mountain lions. Be prepared for sun exposure, heat, or marine layer conditions depending on the day.3 attendees
Past events
777
