fond memories, fond farewell
With over 4,000 members, the Calabasas Day Hikers Meetup group is one of the fastest growing, most interesting hiking groups in Southern California.
We are passionate about hiking in the Santa Monica Mountains, hiking in the San Gabriels, and hiking in other areas, too!
Our hikes range from beautiful, simple nature hikes just right for beginners to "down and dirty" cross-country treks and scrambles, and just about every kind of hike in between.
We enjoy hiking with our dogs, and hiking with a wide variety of great people.
Join us on one of our hikes and savor the natural wonders and beauty that surround us.
Ben . . . thanks for taking the initiative to start The Calabasas Day Hikers back in 2010 when The Outdoors Club was fading away. We've met a lot of people and done a lot of events since then. Shortly after its beginning you brought on Brew and we became the Three Old Geezers.
Now you're moving on to Texas to start a new chapter in your life.
Wishing you well ~ Paul Taylor
P.S. When your legs and feet hold you back, it's time to take up E biking.
"This club has truly enriched my life and I am eternally grateful to Ben and Paul for starting this club. I speak for my husband, Putt, as well. We love CDH and we love Ben! Thank you Ben, for all of the wonderful memories and for leading this club so well. We wish you all the best, now and always,"
xo ~ Kimberly
Kimberly & Putt at CDH events throughout the years!
SHORT AND SWEET TRIBUTES
"Thank you Ben for all the awesome hikes we did together and I wish you good luck and good health." - Randa
"Ben . . . You are a GIANT of a hiking leader and no other can compare! I wish you well and hope our paths cross again!!! I will miss your kindness and love of hiking" - Barbara Bohr
"Wish I could be there (for your going away brunch) but I’m in Oregon until August. Those were some of the best days". ~ Annette Johnson
Ben, yes you are the king of hikers and so many of us are eternally grateful for you & your leadership over the years. Wishing you & your family well on your move to Texas. Stay in touch through Facebook. Safe travels." 🥾😍👣 ~ Marla Keesee
"Good luck on your new journey Ben. Sending blessings to you and your family. Sorry that I couldn’t attend your fair well. I’m up Northern California busting my son. Thanks all the memories you’ve brought to Calabasas Day Hiker’s!" ❤️ ~ Elyse Jeannette Thompson
Ben . . . good luck on your new journey. You and all those great hiking stories will be missed. ~ Betsy Bruckel
Good luck ~ Becky Gonzalez
Bless your heart for the creation of Calabasas Day Hikers! My first hike with you was the Mash site in 2015.
You impressed me with your kindness and leadership.
Since then I've made lots of friends along the way and have met like-minded people that share a love for hiking.
Because of CDH, I have learned lots of things about Santa Monica mountains. An area I hardly new anything about before I joined. I've explored and hiked new trails and thoroughly enjoyed every event I attended.
Ben, you will always be special to me and your CDH family.
Thank you for all the memories. I wish you all the best and hope to always keep in touch.
~ Hiker Girl (Aka Cecelia)
In 100% agreement with Kimberly, I have a deep sense of gratitude for all Ben has done for the Calabasas Day Hikers. He always tries to make each person feel welcome and it's no secret that goes double for the pretty girls! (Haha).
Paul Taylor has called all the areas we hike locally as "Ben's Backyard" - and that is 100% true. You hike with Ben and you WILL NOT get lost and he will share the history about the trail or what to look out for.
Ben, I'm amazed at your extensive hiking resume including summiting Mt. Whitney many times and sharing how you helped to hike in the materials to create the Baden-Powell memorial that many of us have seen at the top of the hike of the same name. Those are brag-able rights that you earned.
There is so much more to say I can say about you - but I think we all agree that if the Calabasas Day Hikers group was never formed, we would not have learned all we know about hiking and hiking safely.
God Bless and may you have long life, like a Bristlecone! ~ Cece
Congratulations Ben!
So many memories and reasons to thank you! I always felt like you were watching out for me. We’ve been good friends back to ODC (Outdoor Club) days.
Think our first hike together was the 50th anniversary of your Boy Scout hike up Baden-Powell. And since then, we’ve spent many days together not only hiking, but socially too.
You passed on your love of hiking. You loaned me your books about Mt. Whitney. And after my summit, we got together over lunch, you wanted to hear all about it. You helped me with my EMT skills by being my Guinea Pig.
I enjoyed a day at the track, watched one of your racehorses. And learned about that hobby, or should I say Joanne’s hobby.
Sorry I never made it to one of the Bristlecone weekends. It was high on my to do list. Seemed something always got in the way. Whether it was being out of town or the injuries that plagued me. But we had soooo many fun hikes together. All such wonderful memories.
I’ve missed you! And think about you often. Wish you much happiness in Texas!
Much love ~ Alison 💕
What started out as sharing a love of hiking and the outdoors, has grown into an incredible group of diverse hikers, and more importantly caring people. Ben, you have personally touched so many lives, from the hundreds you have personally met and led, to the thousands in CDH.
If it weren't for you, many of us never would have met and become such good friends on and off the trail. There aren't enough words to thank you for all you've done for all of us, and the impact you've had.
We are truly blessed and grateful to have you in our lives, and we wish you and your family all the best as you embark on this new trail. We will miss your jokes, your laughter, your smile, and your presence, and we will never forget all you have meant to us.
- Jonathan Pajion
What can I say? Six years ago I started hiking with you and the CDH - my life has never been the same!!
You introduced me to a whole new world and changed me from a “biker girl” to a “hiker girl.”
You told me about the many hikes you had done and piqued my interest in the great Mt. Whitney.
You encouraged me, gave me books, gave advice and coached me every step of the way. After six months of conditioning, I was able to summit with our dear friend, Bob Patel.
I am eternally grateful for you and your support. I’m sorry you’re no longer able to hike, but rest assured, every summit I make, I will think of you.
The best of luck to you and Joanne in your new endeavor in Texas. ~ Vicki Waier
Dear Ben ~ It has been great to know you and experience so many amazing adventures with you. Thanks for all you did with the Calabasas Hiking Group.
I made so many wonderful friends and memories with that group thanks to you.
I wish you all the very best in Texas and I hope you find beauty and fulfillment on the trails you explore there. Please stay in touch.
All the best, Joyce
“Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt.” - John Muir
“And into the forest I go, to lose my mind and find my soul.” - John Muir
"When everything feels like an uphill struggle, Just think of the view from the top." - Anonymous
Without the introduction to hiking it became a seed that grew into a love for hiking and then blossomed into a hiking lifestyle - many of us attainted the skills and tenacity to summit Whitney. - Thank you Ben, Paul & CDH
CDH'ers who summited Whitney.
* more photos will be added as members submit them!
