There’s a crispness in the air that calls friends Britta and Ellen to Big Bear, CA. The town may be small, but its adventures are limitless. “When people think of California, it’s the beaches and palm trees that typically come to mind,” muses Hannah. But the San Bernardino range is a great place to catch fall colors on an exhilarating hike.

The two friends are recent transplants to California. “My favorite thing about living here is the diverse geography,” shares Ellen. Hannah agrees; you can be in the desert one day, the beach the next, and lush greenery and trees for the next week’s excursion.

But this time of year, the adventurous duo embarks on myriad trails throughout the mountains. Hailed as “one of the best trail experiences on Earth,” the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) stretches from Mexico to Canada. “We both read Wild and knew we wanted to hike a portion of that trail on our trip,” says Ellen.

The PCT conveniently connects from Castle Rock Trail, a 1.5-mile hike that culminates with sweeping views of Big Bear Lake. For the friends, there are times when hikes feel treacherous or just never-ending. Instead of waiting to get to the end, Ellen and Britta challenge themselves to make the journey a beautiful experience, too. “We’re basically trying to live that Ralph Waldo Emerson quote,” laughs Britta. But the levity is there, as they’ll take a quick break to hydrate and journal thoughts of gratitude or simply speak them out loud to each other.