John Marsland

Jev vs Frontier LLMs

Primer

Every day, millions of datapoints on titles, talent, and companies flowed into Netflix’s Entertainment Knowledge Graph from hundreds of sources, and each one had to be matched to the right entity in the graph. Up to this point, most of the graph was constructed using a suite of ML models, supported by data labelers for edge cases and LLMs for a minority of sources. Both of these supporting solutions had been cost prohibitive to deploy at much larger scale to handle trickier edge cases. Recently, I reran a small version of that problem on a new kind of large language model, and it matched Claude Opus 5.5’s accuracy for about 1% of the cost.

Background

I spent seven years leading product for that graph, which Netflix deployed across the company to inform content licensing, subscriber pricing, competitive positioning, and personalization on the service:

Entertainment knowledge graph. Source

A team of multidisciplinary scientists, engineers, and labelers worked on ensuring the graph had sufficient coverage, freshness, and accuracy across the suite of applications. One of the largest challenges was accurately representing the state of the entertainment world through a process called Entity Resolution: the process of identifying, matching, and linking different records or references that refer to the same real-world entity across heterogeneous and evolving sources.

The original set of algorithms that handled Entity Resolution, specifically the matching step, performed well with source entities that had sufficient, well structured metadata. However, it performed worse with source entities that arrived with little or loosely structured metadata. The ML team that owned matching experimented with attempts to onboard these sources quickly and accurately, but because each source had unique differences that were difficult to generalize, less than desired progress was made to incorporate them into the graph. When critical, many of the low confidence source entities were onboarded with the help of third party data labelers to aid with the matching process.

Enter: LLMs

Human experts were a decent stop gap–but an expensive one, especially when local language expertise and domain knowledge was required. Large language models–equipped with web search tooling–turned out to be the next solution. After much experimentation, these models were able to match these entities at a fraction of the cost of human labelers for some use cases.

While adding LLMs in the loop helped some last mile matching problems, they were not a complete substitute for the ML-based matching process. Each day, millions of entities needed to be evaluated for matching, and since the cost to deploy the LLM-based matching solution with high enough accuracy was prohibitively high, this LLM process could only be effectively deployed where the cost was justified at smaller scale.

Enter: TypeSafe AI’s Jev

On Sept 15, 2026, TypeSafe AI released Jev, which it calls the first “System One” model. Instead of generating language, Jev answers a fixed set of typed questions (choose one option, give a score, or yes/no) with structured values that software can use directly. That is exactly the shape of a matching decision.

There is a LOT of AI noise out there. Filtering out the breakthroughs from the noise has become a skill itself. When I heard about the promise of Jev, I was excited–so much of my scaled work with LLMs had been using structured outputs via the APIs. So I decided to figure out whether the product lived up to the marketing promise.

Jev: Decision model for classification tasks

To test it, I recreated a small version of the Entertainment Knowledge Graph matching problem. I created an evaluation dataset by sourcing a few hundred popular titles from a Spanish top tv ranking website and manually matched the correct Wikipedia page for each program (or supplied none if no page exists), as a human annotator would do. Next, I sourced web context search data via Serper.dev so that each model would be making decisions based on the same internet context. Finally, I developed scripts and provided them with the matching task and the search results. I selected a leading frontier model (Opus 5.5), more cost effective open source model (Qwen 3.8 Max + Flash), and lastly the challenger Jev to evaluate accuracy and cost per task performance.

The Results

In success, each model would reach 95% accuracy or higher. On the first pass, Jev lagged far behind at 52%. After I split Jev’s decision into two questions (which candidate is best, and is any candidate right at all), Jev reached 96%, the same accuracy as Opus 5.5 on the same candidates. Qwen 3.8 Max scored 96%.

The big surprise, however, was cost. Jev was about 100x cheaper than Opus 5.5, 70x cheaper than Qwen 3.8 Max, and just over 5x cheaper than Qwen 3.8 Flash, which also scored lower than the threshold (89%).

Jev: 100x cheaper than Opus 5.5 and 5x cheaper than Qwen 3.8 Flash

A two-orders-of-magnitude cost reduction at comparable accuracy is a breakthrough. At Netflix scale, millions of matches a day, that is the difference between a budget line item and a rounding error. Assuming that this generalizes to many other classification tasks, I can see System One models like this becoming the default for high-volume classification. This was only a small test for one matching task against a small sample set. But the scale of improvement is hard to ignore.

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Are You Not Entertained?

It's 9pm and the kids are finally asleep. Remote in hand, my partner and I are hunting for something to watch across Netflix, HBO Max, and Apple TV. She looks up reviews while I scroll through the services. Ten minutes later, we give up and resign ourselves to doomscrolling.

Aren't streaming services supposed to entertain us?

I should know better. I spent nine years in data at Netflix, where my team built Netflix's Entertainment Knowledge Graph, a repository of global knowledge about shows, talent, and all things entertainment. Teams across Netflix used it to value billions of dollars of content opportunities, improve recommendations, and even make pricing decisions (sorry). The media had declared the streaming wars over and Netflix the victor. Yet despite an ever-growing catalog, subscribers were finding it harder to pick something to watch.

The reason is that almost all the growth in video consumption over the past few years has happened off traditional streaming services. YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok are doing the entertaining, and not just for young people. Increasingly, all generations are gravitating more toward watching content on social platforms.

Incumbents are rarely unseated head-on; they're flanked. User-generated content came from every direction. Ask a millennial to name their favorite celebrities and you'll get movie stars who made it through the traditional studio machinery. Ask a teenager, and you'll get creators you've never heard of whose fame was built entirely on a feed. Creators are the new celebrities.

The streamers are fighting back. Amazon commissioned a hit MrBeast series, and Netflix won over Salish Matter. But both creators are still making content for YouTube, and tens of thousands of other creators are competing to make ever-better content in their niches. Signing a few or even a few hundred top influencers won't slow the growth of UGC, especially as AI makes it easier for ambitious creators to produce studio-level quality content.

It's not all doom and gloom for streamers, though. New titles that win over both tough audiences and critics can still become cultural moments. Think--Tiger King when COVID quarantines kicked into full gear or the KPop Demon Hunters phenomenon that took over streams and song charts. People still want to immerse themselves in great, long-form storytelling.

I believe great stories deserve to be discovered and streamed. So I built an app, vidmired, that highlights the best titles streaming now. Vidmired is your prestige picking pal, it highlights a shortlist of titles that are popular, new, loved by audiences, and loved by critics. Most streaming platforms highlight what's popular and new, but shy away from including concepts of quality for fear of upsetting talent / turning off existing subscribers. Personally, I don't always agree with external reviewers, but most of the time my favorite shows tend to be loved by critics and audiences alike, a helpful rule of thumb for getting to what's great:

vidmired: stop scrolling, start screaming

I love a holiday flick, a feel good rom-com, and even a senseless action movie. But what keeps me going back to the streaming services are the high quality dramas/comedies, immersive worlds, and deep character development best told over a season. Vidmired will help you find more of those. It won't solve the broader UGC threat for streamers, but will elevate the best these services provide.

My work before leaving Netflix was focused on determining how to expand its content offering beyond traditional content, but still keep the premium brand promise. This involved analyzing various content categories, creators, formats (eg Podcasting) and dozens of other dimensions to determine the best fit for the service. Longer term, what I think Netflix and other platforms need to do is to drastically open up the amount of creator-generated content that appears on the platform. Its greatest opportunity will be to find a way to expand into many more sub-genres with the best creators so the experience still feels premium while avoiding becoming the wild west of content ala YouTube. Disallowing midroll product placements, establishing universal quality standards, and focusing in on content could be a meaningful way to create a premium-feeling experience. Once streaming platforms are able to drastically expand the breadth of their content offering, they'll be less likely to lose users who struggle with choosing. This, however, will require considerable change management (and investment) in different payment models, content moderation, creator tools, and personalization on service to be successful.

Sleep is no longer Netflix's biggest competitor. Netflix famously set out to become HBO before HBO could become Netflix. The open question is whether it can become YouTube before YouTube becomes Netflix.

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Explore vs Exploit

For twenty years, I listened to the same music from my twenties. Turns out I'm not alone, most people stop exploring past their youth. My year end Spotify wrapped proved it, calling me out for listening to same song nearly 500x that year, playing it out to the point that I can't play it again (see diminishing returns).

More recently I've gone from a one-genre-wonder to cycling amongst five new ones. In a short while I've become an audiophile. I'm now music obsessed, constructing playlists that number in the hundreds, creating calendar holds when my fav artists come to town, and sharing new music on the weekly with friends.

Learning about a new genre is like developing an acquired taste. It's both uncomfortable and exciting to get into something that feels foreign, especially music loved by another generation. I would have stuck to the same ol' if it wasn't for a music festival I attended in 2022, just as the world was beginning to return to normalcy post covid. At the show, I heard new styles of music I didn't even know existed, popularized by a new generation of listeners. I didn't like it at first--I had to restrain my inner musical curmudgeon--but with time and the help of similiars in Spotify, my tastes slowly began to change. Each new genre went from foreign to familiar. I became ravenous. I couldn't stop listening. Whatever the equivalent of binging on Spotify is I was doing that, listening for hours a day. Here are some of the features that helped making discovering new music fun and easy:

1. Song Radio - Find a song you like, hard press (or click the ...) and select Song Radio. Spotify will generate a playlist of similiar songs catered to your taste. This is my favorite way to discover music in a similiar genre / tone / mood / +.

2. Daylists - Daylists are auto-generated playlists that change every few hours based on your listening habits. They are a great way to find new music, generally within a genre. The fleeting nature of them (they disappear if you don't save them ala a insta story) creates urgency to give 'em a listen before they are reset.

3. Release Radar - An automatically generated playlist of new songs, similiar to the new releases row on Netflix but heavily influenced by the artists you follow. Whenever you find an artist you like--even if it's just a song or two, follow them to get notified when they release new music

4. Create Your Own Playlists - Each year, I create a few playlists of my favorite songs within a genre. Spotify will automatically suggest songs to add to it, periodically play songs you haven't added, and automatically generate a list of five songs (that you can refresh) based on the songs in the playlist. While song radio is a good way to find a song similiar to a focus song, this is a great way to find music similiar to a list of music. Creating new playlists in a genre each year encourages me to discover new music, and it's also fun to go back and see how my listening habits have evolved over the years.

For more inspiration, listen to "How am I supposed to find new music now that I'm old and irrelevant" (link) from one of my favorite podcasts for a varied take

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The perfect view

Breathtaking views are the main draw of Los Angeles trails. This guide will show you how to catch the best vistas on your morning hike.

1) CHECK THE NATIONAL WEATHER FORECAST

First, check the National Weather Service forecast for low clouds or fog the following morning. If clear skies are expected, most trails are great options:

• Griffith Park: Best for shorter hikes and iconic views of the Hollywood Sign, Griffith Observatory, and downtown LA. Expect larger crowds.
• Verdugo Mountains: Easily accessible with higher elevation and fewer crowds than Griffith Park.
• Angeles National Forest: Offers the highest elevation and fewest crowds, though trailheads require a longer drive.

National Weather Forecast from forecast.weather.gov

The best views occur right at sunrise. Most of the year, I wear a headlamp and time my start so I reach the summit about 30 minutes before sunrise to catch the first light. Use this calculator to determine when to set your alarm:

2) CLOUDS OR FOG IN THE FORECAST

When fog or low clouds are forecasted, the goal is to get above the cloud layer. Before setting off, check mountain webcams (via apps like Watch Duty) in this order to determine which mountain peak will help you rise above the inversion:

1. Griffith Park: Mount Lee Camera (1,700 ft)
2. Verdugos: Verdugo Peak Camera (3,200 ft)
3. Angeles National Forest: Mount Lukens Camera (5,100 ft)

Choose your destination based on cloud height. For example, if Griffith Park and the Verdugos are shrouded in fog but Mount Lukens sits above it, head to Lukens. If the cloud layer is low enough that Mount Lee is clear, Griffith Park offers an incredible view above the clouds right next to the Hollywood Sign.

Above the clouds by the Hollywood Sign

OPTIONAL: SUNRISE FORECAST

On mostly sunny mornings, check a tool like Alpenglow for the sunrise quality score. A score over 50% indicates a good sunrise, while 80%+ usually promises vibrant colors from high, scattered clouds without low fog blocking the horizon.

Sunrise quality forecast from Alpenglow

LA Hike-in Campsites

To train for backpacking the John Muir Trail, I went on a series of shakedown hikes to build fitness and test out trail gear. A nice side effect: these hikes gave me an excuse to scout hike-in campsites within a 90-minute drive of my base in Northeast Los Angeles. My favorite campsites have great views and solitude. Water on site and fire permissions were nice-to-haves, though these days it's rare to find a California campsite that still allows fires. Here are four hike-in campsites to consider for your backpacking adventures: Pacifico Mountain, Sheep Camp, Kelly Camp, Sulphur Springs.

PACIFICO MOUNTAIN CAMP

Angeles National Forest  |  campsite at 7,100 ft

Hike: 11.9mi, 2,500 ft gain  |  AllTrails

✅ 270° Views of Angeles National Forest
✅ Rarely Crowded
❌ No water
✅ Picnic Tables
✅ Fire Rings (fires allowed when conditions permit)
✅ Pit Toilets

Pacifico Mountain is my #1 hike-in campsite as it checks nearly all of my top campsite asks. You'll get 270 degree views of the sunrise/sunset from many locations of Angeles National Forest. I've camped here 4x, and each time I had the entire campground to myself. Each campsite has a picnic table, fire ring, and often abundant rocks for sitting and climbing, as well as trees scattered throughout. Lately, the 4x4 road to access it has been shut down, making it more likely that as a backpacker you'll have the entire campground to yourself. As it's just off the PCT, you may meet some PCTers who venture off trail in the spring — but you're more likely to have it to yourself.

Sunset from Pacifico Mountain

SHEEP CAMP

Chumash Wilderness  |  campsite at 8,300 ft

Hike: 9.5mi, 1,900 ft elevation gain  |  AllTrails

✅ Views
✅ Rarely Crowded
✅ Seasonal Water Cistern
❌ No Picnic Tables
❌ No Pit Toilets
🤔 Fire Rings, but currently fires not allowed

For a more alpine experience, head to Sheep Camp. You'll hike through rock meadows and valleys until you arrive at camp, which is protected by pine trees. There's a seasonal water cistern (needs filtering) — be sure to check the AllTrails comments to see if it's still running. Just a minute from the campsite you can sit on some rocks and enjoy a western facing sunset.

Above the clouds in route to Sheep Camp

KELLY CAMP

Cucamonga Wilderness near Baldy  |  campsite at 7,800 ft

Hike: 8.8mi, 2,900 ft gain  |  AllTrails

🤔 Views of Los Angeles and Cucamonga Wilderness (10 min walk away)
✅ Rarely Crowded, but crowds on the hike
🤔 Water en route, but not at camp
❌ No Picnic Tables
❌ No Pit Toilets
❌ No Fire Rings

I love this hiking trail near Mt Baldy. You'll hike alongside a river, within pine forests, and along mountainsides. You'll probably see dozens of hikers at the trailhead, but are less likely to run into folks at the campsite. The campsite is protected and can accommodate a large group of up to twelve people. While there's no water at camp, you can filter it from the river a few miles before you arrive. There are no views at the campsite, but just a 10 minute hike up the ridge will take you to great views of Los Angeles as well as the Cucamonga Wilderness. Last time I was there, I had this amazing sunset:

Sunset from Kelly Camp ridge

SULPHUR SPRINGS CAMP

Angeles National Forest  |  campsite at 5,200 ft

Hike: 7.4mi, 1,100 ft gain  |  AllTrails

❌ No views
🤔 Occasionally crowded
✅ Seasonal Water (filter via river)
✅ Pit Toilets
✅ Picnic Tables
❌ No Fire Rings

Sulphur Springs Camp is a campsite in a canyon and a common stop for PCTers in the spring. There's a seasonal creek that you can filter water from. While the campsite has picnic tables and pit toilets, you won't get any views. It's a great campsite if you want an easy hike with a backpack, but I don't think I'd come back given the lack of views.

HENNINGER FLATS CAMP (CLOSED)

Angeles National Forest  |  campsite at 2,500 ft

Hike: 5.3mi, 1,400 ft gain  |  AllTrails

❌ No water
✅ Views of Los Angeles
✅ Pit Toilets
✅ Picnic Tables
❌ Fire Stoves
🤔 Rarely crowded

Unfortunately, Henninger Flats is closed due to the Eaton fire — and tbd when / whether it will reopen. A shame. The campsites were protected by huge pine trees and had amazing views of Altadena and Los Angeles. It was the first hike-in campsite that I went to in Los Angeles.

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~One million steps: John Muir Trail

My 18-day thru-hike of the John Muir Trail was the most physically and mentally challenging experience of my life — and also one of the most fulfilling.

Sunrise at Cloud's Rest, Yosemite

Thru hikes unearth every emotion. I cried more in three weeks than in the past three years, both with strangers turned confidants and solo surrounded by surreal views. While I primarily hiked alone, my most special moments were shared with hikers from all walks of life: a father turning 50 fulfilling a dream to hike the trail with his teenage son, a peace corp volunteer entering law school, and a pastor on sabbatical achieving a decade+ long calling. I'll never forget cold plunges followed by a prolonged golden-hour sunset with my dad at Yosemite's aptly named Cathedral Peaks. My last day was the most difficult yet also most rewarding. I hiked by headlamp for five hours to reach the top of Clouds Rest in Yosemite--my favorite place in the world--just before first light. There, my usually talkative trail mates who'd arrived earlier were surprisingly silent, each turned inward, taking in the best views of our long journey. I sat down, slowly unzipped a bag from a safe place, and quietly spread my mom and brother's ashes so they could experience that moment with us.

Milky Way Crystal Clear at night

The trail pushed me beyond the possible. Fourteen hour hiking marathon days at altitude over slate, snow, and slippery trails carried by aching feet slowed with 30lb+ packs. Sleepless nights followed by headlamp-guided sunrise summits. Each mountain pass created a potentially trail-ending injury that needed mending. And no matter the distance, the last two miles consistently tested my willpower. But I kept walking, in unity with a community moved by raw beauty of the outdoors.

Mt Whitney Ridgeline at sunrise

I'm struggling to describe the beauty of the trail without getting teary eyed. Mirror pond alpine lakes so still you can't differentiate the reflected sky from the water. Glacially carved valleys so expansive they look AI-generated. Sunsets so vivid they turn desolate peaks into near religious shrines. And just when the landscape starts to feel monotonous you'll glimpse a mother deer and her fawn feeding nearby, a full rainbow after a surprise shower, or a startled black bear bouncing ahead. I expected the trail to be stunning, and was humbled by just how much more alive it was than imagined. Everyone should get to experience this.

Marmot striking a pose

My feelings are mixed on the train home to LA. I'm sad to leave the trail and community behind, but looking forward to seeing my family and friends. I'll miss the generosity of trail strangers, the simplicity of thru-hiking life, and the ease of being fully present. Shoutout to the hikers who made this journal special: Chris (Casa Bonita), Will, Caroline (Sneaker), Katherine, Angie (Coyote), Anthony (Rock Doctor), Carrie, Paul, Craig, Ray+family, and my Dad (Mars). As well as to Joanne, my inlaws, and LA crew for watching the littles + supporting me throughout this phase of my sabbatical. Hope to carry the beauty of the trail back to my LA life... and replenish this feeling during my next trailventure (Dolomites in August)!

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John Muir Trail: Top Tips

To prepare to hike the John Muir Trail Northbound, I watched dozens of videos and read even more articles, and wrapped up the trail in mid July 2026. Here are six tips that you're less likely to see elsewhere — that I hope will make your JMT experience even more special:

1. SUNRISE HIKE WHITNEY AND CLOUDS REST

Both are jaw dropping sunrises — Whitney since it's a bucket list climb and Cloud's Rest for unreal views of the Yosemite valley. Hiking by headlamp (or moonlight) makes for a surreal experience, especially if you're lucky enough to get a full moon or moonless night. My most special memories on the trail were taking in Whitney and Clouds Rest at first light. These experiences will make for great milestones at roughly the beginning and end of your thru hike. Leave extra margin to get to Whitney at sunrise as you'll probably take longer than expected, especially if you're NOBO and not fully acclimated. In addition — for Whitney — consider bringing a stove for a hot drink and/or your sleeping bag/quilt in your daypack. I didn't bring either and regretted it, despite wearing all of my layers.

Sunrise on Mt Whitney

2. START HIKING UNUSUALLY EARLY

I typically woke up between 3:30–4:30am and got started hiking an hour later. Early starts have many benefits:

🦟 Mosquitos. Few mosquitos out when you're packing up / doing your morning business
🌅 Stillness. Beautiful sunrises, mirror-pond lakes, and surreal colors at dawn
🧍 Crowds. You'll likely have the trail to yourself early in the morning
❄️ Cooler Days. You'll bag more miles when the weather is nice and cool
⛺ Top Campsites. You're more likely to get an ideal campsite in a desirable location
☀️ Winddown. You're more likely to arrive at camp early when it's still hot, making it easier to do laundry / hop in the lake and dry off in the sun

Pro tip: Coffee helps get you started!

3. PREPARE FOR LESS SLEEP

I went on five local shakedown overnighters to stress-test my gear, and rarely had trouble sleeping at local campsites between 5,000–8,000 ft in elevation.. However, on trail, I really struggled to stay asleep for most of my trip, despite being exhausted at the end of each day — which I suspect had to do with altitude acclimatization. I tried a number of remedies — reading until I was dozing off, meditation, earplugs, sleep sounds — and few of them worked. Consider packing supplements to help you sleep such as melatonin, NyQuil, or sleeping meds. I rarely need these at home — and I panic-bought some during resupply — wish I had prepared ahead of time for the nights I really needed sleep.

4. CREATE A GPX FOR YOUR WATCH

If you have a sports watch, consider creating a GPX to make navigation easier. This was my first time creating a GPX nearly from scratch. I modified an existing John Muir Trail on All Trails route to include Cloud's Rest and a start from Horseshoe Meadows. View it here. If possible, break it up into several GPXs to make it easier to see the topography. Note a GPX isn't necessary at all — the trail is well marked — but a few times a day I lost the trail, especially when hiking over snow, over new rockslides, and at night. My watch helped me find it fast with minimal detours, and meant I didn't have to pull out my phone as often. I also relied on FarOut for navigation (as well as identifying potential campsites, finding water, and navigating water crossings), but I appreciated glancing at my watch versus using my phone. I also found that FarOut sometimes took a long time to update my GPS location, whereas the location on my phone was almost always spot on.

5. SIGN UP FOR T-SATELLITE

For $10/mo, T-Mobile offers T-Satellite service via Starlink, which you can use even if you're not a T-Mobile subscriber. T-Satellite will allow you to receive text messages (over data), WhatsApp, Google Maps, and a growing list of other apps. It worked for me within 5 minutes 95% of the time on trail. I was easily able to send pictures, videos, and even call my family over WhatsApp video while on the trail. Also nice to get encouraging messages from friends through my traditional apps. The downside is that T-Satellite will consume your phone's battery faster — and you might feel less connected — but I found it comforting to turn it on in the morning and at night to complement my Garmin InReach. I was still happy I had my InReach so I could communicate with trail friends using Garmin Messenger and have one-button access to SOS in the event of an emergency.

6. DUNK YOUR SUN HOODIE IN A RIVER

The sun will wear you down. My favorite wind-down routine was to take a dip in a lake or river, but I didn't always want to do that mid-hike. To stay cool, I'd wet my sleeves / hoodie in a nearby water source and I'd instantly feel cooler, especially when you'd catch a breeze. A simple tip that I didn't learn until halfway through the hike, but one so helpful it deserves to make this list.

Happy planning and trails! If you're looking for pointers for your hike, see my JMT Planner Google Sheet which lists my itinerary (mileage, campsites), gear, and other tidbits.

JMT NOBO Itinerary

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Six days in the dolomites

I recently completed a six-day hike in the Dolomites, a trip I'd been wanting to do for years. If you love mountain views, crave great food and drinks, but prefer to sleep in a bed, add the Dolomites to your future travel list.

Six Day Hut to Hut Route

In the US, the most impressive mountain views are mostly limited to crowded national parks or multi-day backpacking trips. What makes many longer hikes in Europe, and the Dolomites in particular, so special is the presence of refugios. Refugios are mountain huts that serve local food and drinks, and many also offer dormitory-style beds and, occasionally, private rooms. Some are accessible by car or gondola, while others can only be reached on foot (or by helicopter). The Dolomites have a dense network of refugios spread throughout the mountains, making it easy to hike, stop for a meal or drink, and even spend the night on a multi-day trip.

Many of these refugios sit in otherworldly locations. Rifugio Tissi, reachable only on foot, faces a dramatic mountain wall. The view alone was stunning, made even better by a great meal (and a surprise rainbow):

Rainbow photobomb by Refugio Tissi / Monte Civetta

Online, most photos and videos of the Dolomites show off their dramatic, bare peaks. But the trails themselves are far more varied. You'll trek through green valleys, forests, and meadows, all of which set off the chalky, jagged Dolomites rising above everything else.

Foragers in the spring will love picking blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, and other wild berries that grow along the trails. And when that isn't enough, there's usually a refugio somewhere between your start and end point for a quick spritz. Some mountain refugios are also working farms that sell local cheese or honey. You'd be surprised how good the food is at most of these huts, given how hard it is to get supplies up there.

A handful of berries found on the trail

As stunning as the trails are, they're not for everyone. Many of the older routes are especially steep, and switchbacks are far less common than on US trails. Thunderstorms are frequent in summer, usually in the afternoon, making for slippery, wet going. And refugios on the most popular routes book up fast. But if you're patient, plan early, and are up for the challenge, the reward is worth it.

Sunrise just past Refugio Venezia

I'm the type of traveler who likes to book everything independently. But by the time we decided to do a Dolomites hut-to-hut hike, just five months before setting off, most of the refugios along our preferred route (the Alta Via 1) were already booked. So we reached out to a travel agency, Berg Experience, for help. They booked us a route that combined a few days on our desired Alta Via 1 with stretches of the Alta Via 3 and the Anello Zoldano loop.

The detour off the Alta Via 1 delivered both stunning views and far fewer crowds. Rifugio Monte Rite, housed in a converted World War I military barracks atop a 7,000-foot peak, really stood out. It gave us the best 360-degree views of the surrounding ranges of our whole six-day trip. The refugio can host up to 30 guests, but that night we were the only three people staying there. Even so, we still had one of the most memorable, delicious three-course meals of the trip, and the beds and dorms were the cleanest and most comfortable of anywhere we stayed. We felt like we'd hit the hiking lottery.

What we learned is that the Alta Via 1 is heavily trafficked. Step off the main trail, and you may be rewarded with an equally amazing experience, minus the crowds.

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Trails near North East Los Angeles

It took me a few years to appreciate LA trails, which outside of instagrammable landmarks don't have the typical hiking destination draw. Like in the movies, set and timing are everything. What LA lacks in lushness it more than makes up with cloud-free skies, frequent fog, and towering mountains. The views are the appeal, best experienced at dawn for the sunrise. Bonus: avoiding the heat and crowds.

North East LA hiking, most hikes within a 10-20 minute drive from Eagle Rock

Despite the lack of traditional seasons in Southern California, LA hiking experiences change throughout the year. Trails are at their greenest in the spring, bringing superblooms, fragrant california sage, and towering + flowering yucca. June gloom is a misnomer. The summer's thick fog and low cloud cover is ascendable, opening up celestial views of the city of angels. The late rising sun and the earth's ideal tilt make for spectacular sunrise colors in the fall. For a few weeks in the winter, snow will top trails in Angeles National forest, making for fun microspike execursions. Where else can you be in the snow in the morning and 70 degree beach weather in the afternoon?

Below are my goto NELA hikes in nearby Griffith Park, Verdugo Mountains, Angeles National Forest, as well as a a few further favorites

Griffith Park

The go to destination for out of towners for views of the Observatory and famed Hollywood sign, Griffith Park has it all, but gets crowded quickly. If you start your hikes earlier or on the northern part of the park, you’ll run into smaller crowds. Peaks top off at just under 2k feet.

Hollywood Sign via Canyon Drive

6.0mi, 1.2k ft elevation gain | FIRETRAIL - RUNNING - LIMITED SHADE - VIEWS - CROWDED

The view behind the sign and the easy firetrail are the main draw here. This is the go to hike I take out of towners on. Early starters will be rewarded with solitude, fantastic for an intermediate trail run.

Stereotypical but not less beautiful view from behind the hollywood sign

Mount Hollywood via Amir’s Garden

4.0mi, 1.1k ft elevation gain | MOSTLY FIRETRAIL - SOME SHADE - VIEWS

One of my favorite Griffith Park trails to avoid the crowds (at the trailhead) but still take in the views. Always folks at the top, though, no matter when you start.

Southwestern sunrise from Mt. Hollywood

Hollywood Sign and The Wisdom Tree

7.6mi, 2.0k ft elevation gain | SOME SHADE - VIEWS - FIRE TRAIL / SINGLE TRACK

Great trail that hits celebrated Griffith Park destinations (view of the hollywood sign and the Wisdom Tree) but generally avoids the crowds. The single track ridge in the last mile on the way to the wisdom tree has some scrambling, but less frequented and one of the best ways to see the famed Italian stone pine in Griffith during the pandemic.

Verdugos+

With views from up to 3k peaks of Griffith Park, DTLA, and the Angeles National Forest, the Verdugos are a 10-20 minute drive from Eagle Rock, have well maintained firetrails, and plenty of spots to take in the view and have a picnic. My typical togo destination on days with thicker fog and low-lying inversions

Mount Thom via Las Flores Motorway+

4.6mi, 1.2k ft elevation gain | FIRETRAIL - RUNNING - NOSHADE - VIEWS

Less than 10 min drive from my homebase in Eagle Rock, this is my goto sunrise and trail running hike. Limited shade but also fewer crowds. Great 270 degree views, especially great on foggy mornings or sunset. Trailhead starts in a neighborhood, be considerate if you're starting early.

Chandler Motorway

6.1mi, 1.5k elevation gain | FIRETRAIL - RUNNING - NOSHADE - VIEWS

Similar to Mount Thom, this hike ends at a subpeak with a youngish italian stone pine and picnic tables. The perfect destination to do a picnic or trail beers with friends. Firetrail all the way up, great for trail running.

Picnic table and Italian Stone Pine at the end of the motorway

La Tuna Canyon Out and Back

7.5mi, 1.4k elevation gain | FIRETRAIL - RUNNING - NOSHADE - VIEWS

This is a simple firetrail that has a gentler grade and is great for sunrise runs. Follow the recording from the link above (instead of the loop) to avoid the scrambling.

Cherry Canyon Park and Lookout Tower

4.6mi, 900 ft elevation gain | LIMITED SHADE - SOME VIEWS - FIRETRAIL - RUNNING

Technically not in the Verdugos but in nearby rolling hills, this is an easy, somewhat rocky trail that’s easy to access and has good (lower altitude) views of NELA / DTLA / etc. Perfect for those lower key hiking days.

Angeles National Forest

With visible peaks towering 5k feet and hidden ones above 10k, Angeles National Forest is relatively unknown by most but loved by many. This is my destination when I want solitude, elevation, and distance. Fortunately, there are plenty of accessible trailheads just a short drive away--these are some of my favorites within 20 minutes:

Angeles Crest Station to Marslanding

7.4mi, 1.6k ft elevation gain | FIRE TRAIL - NO SHADE - VIEWS

My favorite sunrise route in Angeles National Forest to get above most fog and low inversions. You'll pass a bench at mile 1.2, the Tee Pee at mile ~2.5, and finally arrive at a cistern with a view, perfect for taking in the sunrise.

Above the clouds at Marslanding

Earl Canyon Trail

6.7mi, 2.0k ft elevation gain | FIRETRAIL/SINGLE TRACK - RUNNING - NO SHADE - NOT CROWDED

Starts off on a steepish firetrail that transitions to a single track. I’ve done this hike a half a dozen times and have never seen a person on the way up. Trail ends at a helicopter landing pad along with 270 degree views of LA and Angeles mountains. Perfect for solitude and amazing on a foggy day.

Just above the fog layer at the end of the trailhead

Tee Pee Trail

5.1mi, 1.0k elevation gain | FIRETRAIL/SINGLE TRACK - RUNNING - NO SHADE - NOT CROWDED

The first trail up the 2 into Angeles, this is a great fire trail for running relative to others since it's only an 8% grade. Limited views until a mile in, but then opens up to views of LA. Trail ends at a Tee Pee, but you can continue all the way to Lukens

Crescenta View Trail

6.3mi, 2.2k ft elevation gain | SINGLE TRACK - LIMITED SHADE - NOT CROWDED - VIEWS

Rocky trail that follows a dried river bed and then meanders up. Great views post 1.5mi as well as rock circles and other random hiker vantage points. My favorite nearby trial the day after it snows--can often see snow at around 3k! Surreal to experience that in LA. Also the starter trail on the way to Mt Lukens

Fern Truck, Brown Mountain and El Prieto Trail Loop

7.6mi, 1.4k elevation gain | MOSTLY SINGLE TRACK - MUCH SHADE - CROWDED

Great easy trail to do if you’re looking for trees and shade.

El Prieto Trail

2.7mi, 600ft elevation gain | MOSTLY SINGLE TRACK - MUCH SHADE - CROWDED

Similar to Fern truck, but not as long

San Gabriel Peak via Redbox

4.5mi, 1.6k ft elevation gain | VIEWS

A great short hike to quickly get elevation (6.3k) and views of the valley at sunrise. I typically skip the Mt Disappointment section and go straight to admiring the views from San Gabriel Peak. Great at sunrise. There's a trail that parallels it for part of it--I often take that versus stick to the fire road.

Echo Mountain via Sam Merrill Trail [❌ closed due to Eaton fire]

5.4mi, 1.4k elevation gain | MOSTLY SINGLE TRACK - NO SHADE - CROWDED

A popular trail that brings you to echo mountain, once a popular 1900s destination that has since turned to ruins in the mountains. Great hike to take in a view and have a picnic at the peak.

Henninger Flats Trail [❌ closed due to Eaton fire]

5.5mi, 1.4k ft elevation gain | FIRE TRAIL - NO SHADE - VIEWS

Henninger Flats is first come, first serve walk in campground and one of LA’s best known secrets. Hot and steep until you reach the campground, which is beautifully shaded with lots of great history.

Perfect day above the inversion

Eaton Canyon Trail [❌ closed due to Eaton fire]

4.4mi, 520ft elevation gain | SOME SHADE - WATERFALL - CROWDED

Flattish trail that parallels a river. Rocky and scrambly at places. Get’s especially crowded and popular with families.

Waterfall at the end of Eaton Canyon

Further Favorites

10mi+ trails in Angeles National Forest and San Gabriels, many of which make LA hiking aficionado bucket lists. Up to an hour's drive away.

Mt Baldy Notch Trail

11mi, 3.9k elevation gain | SOME SHADE - VIEWS - CHALLENGING

This is an LA bucket list hike just an hour drive from NELA. Starts off rocky and forested and then transitions to rocky and bare. The back half of the hike is along a ridge and stopovers at a Ski lodge, perfect for lunch and a beer. You can shorten the hike by taking the trail lift down. Best done around the summertime when the snow is absent/minimal.

Sunrise at Mt Baldy

Mount Lukens Via Dunsmore Canyon

9.9mi, 2.8k elevation gain | SOME SHADE - VIEWS

Mt Lukens and Mt Wilson are the two famed viewable peaks from NELA. This hike is a continuation of the Crescenta view trail, and a ton of fun in microspikes if you're lucky enough to get snow.

​​Mt Lukens post snow in December

Strawberry Peak Trail via Redbox Canyon

7.2mi, 1.8k elevation gain | NOSHADE - VIEWS

Beautiful hike. Last two miles get more challenging with some bouldering and many false peaks. But the views at the end make it worthwhile

​​Made it just in time for the sunrise on a snowy december

Inspiration Point Loop [❌ closed due to Eaton fire]

10mi, 2.8k elevation gain | SHADE - VIEWS - SOMEWHAT CROWDED

This is a beautiful primarily single-track trail that travels through crests, a shaded canyon with oak/bay/pine trees, and occasional tree cover that ends at a viewpoint. Mountain bikers often barrel down the back part of the trail so be alert. The first part of the trail gets crowded so you'll have to pass a lot of folks on the way down no matter when you start. But the trail is worth it

Easy to see why they call it inspiration point

Mount Wilson Toll Road Climb [❌ closed due to Eaton fire]

16.9mi, 4.2k elevation gain | ALMOST ALL FIRETRAIL SOME SHADE - VIEWS - CHALLENGING

An LA bucket list hike. Limited crowds and decent views on the way up. I hiked it during the pandemic and the observatory was closed, but when it’s open there’s a restaurant on the top, a welcome reward after a mile of vertical gain.

​​Lucked out on my way to Mt Wilson and got this perfect inversion layer

In artificial intelligence, emergent properties are behaviors that unexpectedly appear in a program. For example, applied Large Language Models (LLM) such as ChatGPT were designed to facilitate Q&A, but can also code and pass the bar exam, even tho designers didn't intend for those skills explicitly.

For most of my life, I'd been uncomfortable with my body. Nearly a decade ago, I lost twenty pounds after a focused year+ on diet and exercise. I didn't set out to lose weight to be healthier or run a mile faster, I just wanted to look better. Vanity was the catalyst, but now I'm motivated to stay healthier because of the unexpected physical and mental benefits--fitness emergent properties.

LLMs are trained on a large corpus of text, goaling to predict the next probable word following a prompt. I kicked started a healthy operating model by logging calories and exercising daily. The more weight I lost, the better I felt. The more regular my exercise routine, the more energy I had, and the healthier I wanted to eat. This fitness flywheel reinforced healthy habits, similar to self-supervision employed to train LLMs today.

Fitness Flywheel and Emergent Properties

Since that year of focus, I've permanently changed my approach food and exercise, gravitating toward a more active lifecycle. After our newborns started sleeping through the night, I began waking up early to exercise while they were still sounds asleep. Too early for scheduled classes, but not too early to hike. From my alone time on the trails, I developed a deep appreciation for soltitude, serenity, and sunrises.

When my kids started waking up even earlier for primary school, I swapped hiking for trail running so I could get home sooner. A decade prior I had back surgury and several year recovery period, and I'm still prone to relapses. I never imagined that my injury would allow me to run trails, yet after two weeks of shure will, I swapped hiking boots for trail runners and started running trails regularly and pain free.

Now trail running is my favorite past time, which in turn has triggered an interest in dancing. I'll take spontaneous dance breaks when I reach a vista or start to feel a song. A runner's high became indistinguishable from a dancer's high, reinvigorated my interest in music, and inspired me to learn how to do shuffle (think: running man dance), my latest emergent interest.

I wake up early and get less sleep, but I don't feel tired. Now I sleep ~20 minutes less per night since developing a morning exercise routine, but I still get the same amount of regenerative sleep. Some studies show that athletes fall asleep faster, reaching the needed sleep phases with less overall duration. Getting in shape not only gave me more energy, but I got back more of the day.

Staying active has graduated from a chore to my identity's core. Shallowness triggered the change, but feeling great has kept me consistent and enabled me to appreciate adjacent interests such as music and the outdoors. I am happier, healthier, and still able to do piggyback rides for my growing twin girls, something I couldn't have imagined would have even been possible a decade ago. If you're struggling with a fitness goal, know that the more you stay focused, the payoff will come, and often in unexpected but rewarding ways.

For more inspiration:

• • Permanent Fitness, similiar articulation of this article

• • Fitness Gamification, tips for getting healthy

Renting a shared apartment in San Francisco 2004 begins with the housing wanted section on Craigslist. Posting about why you'd make a good roommate was less about you and more about filtering for whom you want to live with. Most couples spend years getting to know each other; SF transplants get a paragraph and a meetup before signing a year long lease. These cosigners became my city companions, jointly discovering a umami-laden bite of a great street eat, hiking to a hidden gem, or dancing till dusk at a city festival. The fun seemed like it wouldn't end.

That is, until the engineer in me began trying to maximize these experiences, beginning with an obsession to find the best bay area dishes. I sought out then broke down the features of what made everyday eats great. I went on a best banh mi binge, a coffee craze, and a super quesadilla quest, the last of which should have been paired with exercise (instead, with chips). I learned that the tri-folded SF super quesadilla is commonly mistaken for a burrito, snubbing traditional fillers for more of the good stuff. Paired best with late nights, the perfect one is seared on both sides, elects avocado over guacamole, balances fillings fused with gooey cheese, contains deeply seasoned protein accompanied by at least one intensely flavorful (and not runny) side salsa, and is too much for one sitting for but too good to save for later. Have each of these and you have me hooked.

The problem is that most miss the mark. Experience satisfaction follows a log-normal distribution, the joy is front loaded before slowing diminishing. The newness of enjoying a different super quesadilla is eventually subsumed by the snobbiness of (higher) standards. Setting expectations meant setting myself up for disappointment.

While I took food finding to an extreme, the same diminishing returns principal can be applied more broadly. Filling your life with material possessions might leave you feeling empty, but so can filling it with solely with experiences.

Fast forward years later, my partner and I decided to have kids. Before doing so we took time off from work to travel--we didn't want kids to hold us back. We worried that becoming parents would be a step-function back to banality: a move to suburbia, breakfast routines over brunch runs, and no no reservations dinners.

All of those worries came true, but less freedom didn't mean less fulfillment. What surprised me is how much joy I began to experience through the eyes of our twin daughters. No longer is it about me having the best quesadilla, but watching their eyes light up after tasting one for the first time. Today I watched them jump head first into incoming waves, giggling all the while. First words and big milestones are brought up often, but it's the little things, a spontaneous scribble or song, that bring smiles to their faces and mine. When that happens, my partner and I lock eyes, hands clasped tight, thankful for the glimmers that we get to experience through our girls.

Perhaps the joy I feel now will fade when they turn into teenage monsters. I may just be on the early upward slope of the distribution. Or maybe parents become happier over time because of the shared experiences they have with their children. Kids do mean more routine and less freedom, but not less happiness. After a while, you spend less time seeking experiences for yourself, and instead through those you love.

A morning addiction

Since moving from SF to LA and having kids, I've become an early morning person. There are many reasons why I prefer the early AM over the late PM, the most important that I can control my free time in the morning better than at night.

A ritual helps me stay consistent, starting with an awakening buzz from my watch. Water boiled, beans weighed then ground, a second buzz steaming post five measured pours. Nearly run ready. Exercise later in the day means more energy, but it also means more of life's distractions. Before sunrise, the only thing interrupting me from lacing up is myself.

Most of all, I look forward to trail mornings. The draw is more than just exercise. The outdoors is awakening. Scents of california sage in the spring and the sharpness of bay leaves in the fall. Flickering lights amongst the morning chill of the sleeping city. Collectively, they temper thoughts of dread from the hill ahead, which soon fade behind the rhythm of the run. Each step requires just enough focus to keep my thoughts on a single tract, helped by the lack of daytime distractions.

My attention first wanders then focuses. Pausing to jot down an epiphany happens more frequently than breaks to catch my breath. I can't pinpoint why I think more creatively outside. Maybe it's the change of scenery. Or adrenaline peaking with caffeine. I don't run to think unhindered but love that byproduct.

LA's lesser known celebrities are its rolling hills and towering mountains, spotlighted in the morning. Headlamp on, careful with each step. Then dawn takes the baton. Switchbacks later the opposing sky is pasteled purpled, clouds accented by pink tracers. Trail mornings are an insta' filter, slowly shaping brightness, intensity, and hue until picture perfect, roughly 30 minutes before the sun actually rises. I time each summit for exactly then. The views are breathtaking on their own, combined with actual breathlessness produce a runner's high synesthesia. Chasing that feeling keeps me from hitting snooze.

On a trail morning, the first thing I do is peak out the window. Fog is notoriously hard to forecast in Los Angeles, seeing it on the occasional morning is a welcome surprise. On a few lucky days, Santa Monica's fog meets mountain peaks in Angeles National forest, blanketing the skyline canvas. The city of angels:

I turn into a pumpkin around 9pm. I'm okay with that. At nearly 40, I've gained more from 5am than lost from 11pm. I sleep about 30 minutes less than I did before developing this routine, but don't feel less tired. Some studies show that exercise helps with sleep interia, helping athletes settle into regenerative deep sleep faster despite less overall sleep duration. Seizing the mornings means having more of the day.

Addendum
Will is part of the story. The trail wouldn't be possible without the support of my partner, who is the first line of defense when our sleeply twins stomp their way out of bed. She is backed up by my in-laws, who manage our weekday morning routine. Thank you for being there!

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Two under two

The first thing you learn as a parent is that the kids set the family agenda. Our girls took over early. Zara, and her twin Luna, came wiggling into this world the afternoon of January 9th, 2018 three months before their expected due date.

Full term is 39 weeks. Twin moms generally give birth at 35 weeks, so while we were expecting early arrivals, little could have prepared us for our girls to say hello world at 27 weeks, each weighing in just under 2lbs:

The first thing expecting parents listen for is their newborn’s cry. After a long wait, from behind the operating curtain, we heard Luna cry ever so briefly after delivery. We never heard from Zara. Both babies had Apgar scores close to 0, and had to be intubated immediately. While Luna only had the breathing tube for 24 hours, Zara cycled through different ventilators for nearly six weeks. One of them—the oscillator—pulsed oxygen-enhanced microbreathes 500 times a minute to help her still developing lungs get her the air she needed. Because their caretakers had to carefully position the oscillator, we were only able to touch Zara through her incubator. The first time we held her was six weeks after she was born. Between the two of them they had over a hundred blood draws, half a dozen blood transfusions, brain bleeds, a collapsed lung, slowly closing holes in their hearts, and generally a really tough start in life.

Fast forward nine months—our little ladies just recently celebrated their first Halloween as baby sharks (doo do doo do do). And while our days post the hospital were filled with appointments and normal newborn problems (sleeplessness, sickness, and spit up), in general our twins emerged unscathed. You would have never known that they spent their first three months on life support:

Luna and Zara beat the odds, and we believe the care they received at the hospital as well as the time we were able to spend with them are the primary reasons they are thriving.

The attendings, nurses, and respiratory therapists at Good Samaritan hospital near DTLA became our second family those three months we spent with our newborns in the NICU. They helped our family through every development milestone, from breathing unassisted to nursing from mom. The hospital also allows parents with children in the NICU to “room-in” free of charge so that they can spend more time with their newborns. For mothers of multiples, parents who live far away, or any new parent, a place to spend the night / rest privately was a true blessing. It allowed us to spend more quality time with Luna and Zara when we were emotionally and physically exhausted.

We were fortunate not only to have amazing medical staff but also understanding employers and colleagues. Netflix, where I work, has a generous full-pay parental leave policy, which allowed me to be with our girls both when they were in the hospital as well as for over half a year once they came home. With twins it’s all hands on deck. In the hospital twins are separated on opposite sides of the NICU to to reduce the potential for medical errors. Having both parents present meant we could spend more quality time with our girls.

It’s a shame that the vast majority of US working parents are not able to spend much time with their new arrivals. While some states have enacted paid parental leave programs, the US has not enacted a national program that would extend to all parents. We’re one of the few developed countries in the world that doesn’t have a comprehensive paid leave program. While companies and states are improving their paid leave programs, spending time with your newborns shouldn’t be based on where you live or where you work.

We’re convinced that the extra parental care that Luna and Zara received helped them thrive. Studies show that infants in the NICU who spend time with their parents gain weight faster than infants who don’t. Babies recognize and respond to their parents voices in the womb prior to birth, and being soothed by ours helped them cope with the constant barrage of medical testing. Despite being two of the sickest babies in the hospital, our caretakers told us they were also some of the most calm, and we’d like to think that because they knew their parents were near.

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