Surfing and snowboarding in one day? How I survived the ‘California Double’

Good morning, and welcome to the Essential California newsletter. It’s Thursday, March 30. I’m Ryan Fonseca, back from what was far and away the most fun and most grueling reporting assignment of my career.

I took on a challenge Sunday that’s only possible in a few places on Earth: surfing in the ocean and snowboarding in the mountains on the same day.

It’s a good year for the so-called California Double. An uncharacteristically cold and wet Los Angeles winter created plenty of snow in the mountains, and I wanted to go for it.

But I also figured (and my editors agreed) that I shouldn’t attempt the adventure for the first time alone; I needed to find a group of experienced thrill seekers.

Lawrence Doherty picked up the phone at the second surf shop I called. The 29-year-old and some friends had attempted the double recently, but car trouble and heavy snow prevented them from getting to the slopes. They planned to try again, he said, and I was welcome to tag along. He also wanted to add a little twist to the double by skateboarding in between the surfing and snowboarding — a sort of “California Triple.”

Twelve days later, I met Lawrence, his two friends Braden Walker, 28, and Daniel Galan, 31, and his sweater-wearing boxer (Rocco) in Malibu.

For the record: Undertaking the California Double is a significant operation. I packed a duffel bag and backpack with everything I thought I’d need for three board sports in one day: beach towels, sunscreen, a change of clothes for after surfing, plus a base layer, thick socks, snow pants, a beanie, gloves, goggles and a quality winter jacket. I was also flush with snacks, water and electrolyte drinks for the day.

Lawrence had a spare wetsuit and surfboard I borrowed, I brought my own skateboard, and I rented a snowboard, boots and helmet at Mountain High, our final destination.

9 a.m.: Surfing in Malibu

Braden Walker, left, Lawrence Doherty and Ryan Fonseca prepare to surf at Westward Beach to kick off the California Double.

(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

We began the day a little after 9 a.m. at Westward Beach, just north of Point Dume. We wanted to start earlier, but Lawrence pointed out that the waves weren’t great.

That’s key to any double attempt: Pay attention to surf reports and Surfline camera feeds — or go with someone who does.

“The waves are pretty small everywhere else but we somehow found a little cut here where it looks like it’s working,” he told me, sipping a morning beer.

If you need a jolt to fully wake up, dunking your head in the ocean will do the trick; it was in the low 50s when we waded into the Pacific.

Initially the calm ocean and mild waves lulled me into confidence. Then the wind picked up, the sea turned choppy and it was clear I was in for a struggle. I made it past the break eventually, joining Braden and Lawrence. (Daniel sat this part out — he couldn’t risk exposing a fresh tattoo to the water.)

Before too long, a good-looking swell approached. I turned and paddled hard as it pushed me along, but just as I popped up and tried to find my footing, it fizzled and I fell back into the water. Lawrence and Braden gave some encouraging hoots as they waited for their waves. Soon they were ripping like the experienced surfers they are, gliding on the waves with ease.

Braden Walker rides a wave at Westward Beach in Malibu.

(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

I quickly lost steam fighting big waves and a strong current to get back past the break. Before long I was pulled at least 50 yards down shore from where we started.

After about half an hour of fruitless floating and paddling, I headed back in for a break.

Lawrence and Braden were getting it done, though. I sat in the sand and watched as they make it look easy.

When they joined me on the sand a bit later, Lawrence pointed just beyond the break. “Did you see the whales?” he asked. Sure enough, a few water spouts. Gray whales, Lawrence guessed, making their seasonal migration north.

I headed back out to catch at least one last wave. But despite my best effort, I couldn’t.

So another lesson: Make the effort, but don’t get discouraged and be mindful to save your energy.

So far my California Double was a one-two punch of surfing poorly in unflattering water tights. Braden and Lawrence stayed out a bit longer and returned with fist bumps at the ready. “You sent it, dude!” they assured me, stretching the truth along the entire West Coast. “You had it in you, you wanted it, man!” Daniel later added. “A” for effort, I guess. But the real winner was the humbling power of nature.

2 p.m.: Skateboarding in Venice

Lawrence Doherty, left, Daniel Galan, Ryan Fonseca and Braden Walker skateboard on the Venice Beach boardwalk for a bonus segment of the California Double, which includes surfing and snowboarding in the same day.

(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

After drying off, changing out of our wetsuits and dropping Rocco off at Lawrence’s apartment, we loaded up Daniel’s SUV with bags, boards and provisions and drove to Venice. We rolled out on the boardwalk, weaving through the crowd of people enjoying a sunny Sunday — a rarity this year.

The main challenge here is dodging tourists and influencer types filming selfie videos. As I skated, I checked in with my body: arms, back and neck felt tight and sore from all the paddling, but legs and core OK — so far. I went for some tricks I trusted wouldn’t end with me sprawled on the concrete: some coping grinds, boardslides and noseslides.

Some wheels-to-the-ground reporting in Venice.

(Braden Walker)

We skated around Venice for about an hour, but had to move on: It was past 3 p.m. and we still had to drive up to Mountain High. After a quick lunch on the boardwalk, we were back on the road to face our biggest challenge yet: L.A. traffic.

3:30 p.m.: Driving to the mountains

It was about an hour and 40 minutes to the mountains. The friends’ conversation flowed from half-baked business ideas to a debate over who would win in a fight between a triceratops and a woolly mammoth.

Nobody in the car knew anybody who had successfully completed a California Double, though Daniel was familiar with it from Casey Willax, an Instagramming surfer and snowboarder.

“I didn’t expect to ever do it until [Lawrence] hit me up,” he said.

It’s something they heard about “through the grapevine,” Braden said. “This is one of the only places in the world [where] you can do it. … The interest just grew over time.”

Lawrence Doherty, 29, left, Daniel Galan, 31, and Braden Walker, 28, attempted to complete the California Double on Sunday.

(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times)

The group took a moment to appreciate the fact that they’d be riding on two forms of water (liquid and solid) on the same day.

“The stoke level is at an all-time high,” Braden reported. “The boys are maxed out on vibes.”

That’s the key ingredient for the double, Lawrence explained: “Am I bringing the vibe? Everyone in the spot’s gotta bring the vibe constantly.”

I heard that word a lot all day. How exactly does one define “vibes”?

In essence, it’s “being you as authentically as possible,” Braden said.

It’s about “embracing the people around and embracing the place [where] you are,” Lawrence added. “Be in the moment, have fun.”

Driving up Angeles Crest Highway to Mountain High.

(Ryan Fonseca / Los Angeles Times)

We climbed Angeles Crest Highway, past the Joshua trees, through the burn scar from last year’s Sheep fire and into the snowy San Gabriels.

The roads were clear as Daniel drove a route he’s familiar with, as the most experienced snowboarder of the group.

6 p.m.: Snowboarding on Mountain High

Mountain High is one of the few SoCal resorts that offers a night pass, letting skiers and snowboarders hit the slopes under the bright glow of flood lights.

This was where it pays to have your own gear, like Daniel did. We got to the resort as the sun began to sink below the mountain, but by the time Lawrence, Braden and I got changed, grabbed our rental gear and picked up the lift tickets, it was dark. We made our way to the lift a little before 8 p.m., giving us about two hours to snowboard before the slopes closed at 10.

From left, Daniel Galan, Braden Walker and Lawrence Doherty take a brief rest between snowboarding runs at Mountain High in the San Gabriel Mountains.

(Ryan Fonseca / Los Angeles Times)

There was still a solid crowd on the mountain that night. And from the sounds of their boards and skis, we could tell conditions were icy. I’d call myself an intermediate snowboarder, so I was feeling pretty confident starting out. But 10 seconds and one face full of snow later, I remembered that turning and stopping works differently on icy snow compared with fresh powder.

After the first run, Lawrence was beaming. “It’s in the books,” he announced. “We sealed it.”

The hardest part of the day? “Time management, 110%,” according to Braden. He pointed to Lawrence as a person who “likes to settle in [with] everything he does,” which doesn’t always mesh with a well-budgeted day.

“But it’s cool. It allows us to … absorb what’s happening instead of just flying through it,” he added. “And we did it, so it all worked out.”

Ryan Fonseca snowboarding at Mountain High.

(Ryan Fonseca / Los Angeles Times)

The iciness got the best of me a few more times, exfoliating my backside with hard-packed snow. But I got a feel for the board and improved with each run.

As 10 p.m. drew closer, the weight of the last 14 hours started to kick in. The fifth run will be my last of the night, I told Daniel on our way up to the summit. “Second-to-last run,” Daniel corrected me, citing his bad luck with injuries on a few of his previous “last runs” — including a separated AC joint just last month.

As I rode down the slope that “second-to-last” time, I relied on gravity to do most of the work — I was spent.

None of the resort workers I chatted with had heard of the California Double before. “You guys went surfing this morning?” one of them asked with an incredulous tone and equally incredulous look on his face.

Lawrence Doherty and Braden Walker wrap up one last run.

(Ryan Fonseca / Los Angeles Times)

On the way back to Malibu, Braden passed out as Daniel and Lawrence discussed their favorite national parks, the possible doomsday artificial intelligence could bring and the time Daniel saw a UFO in the night sky over Sacramento.

I made a meal out of a bag of trail mix and tried to move as little as possible. My core, butt and legs joined the aches-and-pains party already in progress in my arms, neck and back.

As we wound along Pacific Coast Highway to the Malibu parking lot where we started the day, the trio discussed what they would do differently if they went for another double.

“Do it all faster,” Daniel said. Bringing their own food would have helped cut down on the midday lag and made more time for the mountain. Lawrence conceded they could have gotten to the lifts a little quicker.

They’d also like to expand the party, and imagine taking the challenge on in other locations.

“It was an adventure for sure,” Daniel said, as we ended where we began some 14 hours and 260 miles ago. “You can tell people that you did this and they’ll be like, ‘What the f— is wrong with you guys?’”

I’m asking myself that same question as I write this, still very much sore all over — a lingering reminder of my poor surfing performance and some good spills on the slopes.

It was both fully invigorating and fully exhausting. And through it all, the vibe was fully Californian.

Next time (yes, I’m already thinking about a next time) I’ll be sure to catch a wave or two.

And now, here’s what’s happening across California:

Note: Some of the sites we link to may limit the number of stories you can access without subscribing.

L.A. STORIES

There’s one side effect of L.A.’s recent rain you can feel while driving: more potholes. If your ride is damaged by a pothole, there are some options for seeking reimbursement. Los Angeles Times

POLITICS AND GOVERNMENT

Newport Beach is battling a new breed of luxury party houses: fractional ownership. Residents of Balboa Island are wary of a burgeoning real estate trend known as fractional home ownership, in which multiple people, often strangers, own a small share of a luxury single-family home that they use as a vacation property. Los Angeles Times

California’s reparations task force will leave the amount, if any, to lawmakers. “The task force is pretty much done regarding the compensation component. Our task was to create a methodology for calculation for various forms of compensation that correspond with our findings,” panel chair Kamilah Moore said. Associated Press

California’s state Senate leader wants the state to repeal its ban on government travel to anti-LGBTQ states. San Diego Democrat Toni Atkins is floating an alternative: funding a publicity campaign in red states to promote LGBTQ acceptance. “Polarization is not working,” she said. “We need to adjust our strategy.” Los Angeles Times

State lawmakers are locked in a bitter battle over how to deal with the fentanyl crisis as deaths surge. Left-leaning Democrats killed bills that would have punished dealers even as Republicans and moderate Democrats called for stronger criminal penalties for those selling the dangerous drug. Los Angeles Times

CRIME, COURTS AND POLICING

Seven California Highway Patrol officers and a nurse were charged with manslaughter Wednesday in connection with the death of a man who screamed, “I can’t breathe!” as they tried to draw blood from him, prosecutors said. The encounter was caught on video. Los Angeles Times

CALIFORNIA CULTURE

The Angels and the Dodgers begin their seasons tonight. The Dodgers are entering the 2023 season in the midst of a transitional phase, but they are still confident they can be a title contender. Meanwhile, the Angels are looking to convince star Shohei Ohtani to stay. Los Angeles Times

Researchers have named a new species of beetle after former Gov. Jerry Brown. But it’s not without reason: “Bembidion brownorum” was discovered on Brown’s ranch in Colusa County. SFGATE

AND FINALLY

Today’s California landmark is from John Merkler of San Diego: Torrey Pines State Reserve and Beach, where “you can’t take a bad shot.”

Sunset during low tide at Torrey Pines Beach.

(Courtesy John Merkler)

John writes:

What are California’s essential landmarks? Fill out this form to send us your photos of a special spot in California — natural or human-made. Tell us why it’s interesting and what makes it a symbol of life in the Golden State. Please be sure to include only photos taken directly by you. Your submission could be featured in a future edition of the newsletter.

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