Beneath a hazy morning light, the Help Wanted crew rolled into MAAP LaB LA — coffee in hand, bikes lined in tight formation. Ahead lay the Santa Monica Mountains, a landscape that made headlines in January when wildfires tore through its ridgelines. Months later, the once-scorched hillsides are greening again — a reminder of both the fragility and resilience of the land we ride. With so much love invested in LA’s cycling community, The Santa Monica Mountains Fund was the natural next chapter in our Help Wanted initiative.
A Call to Protect the Mountains - Explore. Protect. Preserve.
At 8:30am, the group gathered as Deanna Armbruster, Executive Director of the Santa Monica Mountains Fund, welcomed riders and shared the work her team is doing to protect, preserve, and educate around one of California’s most ecologically diverse landscapes.
From restoring habitats and rebuilding trails to protecting native wildlife, Deanna spoke about how individuals in the local community can play their part in caring for the mountains that frame LA’s western edge. Their impact runs deep — from the roots of native plants to the communities that ride among them.
Native Seed Program: SaMo collect and clean native seeds, ensuring conservation-quality seed samples of over 600 species of the plants native to the Santa Monica Mountains.
Herbarium: The team grows over 100,000 plants a year, curating a world-class herbarium for current and future scientific research.
Nature Neighbours: Living so close to wild places and wildlife can present challenges. The Nature Neighbors Project aims to educate communities in understanding how to live close to wildlife, value natural habitats, and approach the challenges of co-existing with nature.
Preserving biodiversity: The Santa Monica Mountains National Recreation Area is a haven for thousands of species of wildlife – animals and plants. As one of the few protected Mediterranean places in the world, this area is an extraordinary example of biodiversity.
“It’s about awareness…these mountains are in our backyard — it’s up to all of us to do what we can to keep them alive.” - Andrew Putt, MAAP
Climbing into Recovery
With the morning still cool, the riders rolled north through Santa Monica and Brentwood, winding their way toward Sullivan Canyon. The first climb brought views of golden hillsides and new growth pushing through blackened soil — a landscape still recovering from one of the largest documented wildfires in LA’s history.
The crew regrouped at Dirt Mulholland, trading stories and water refills before tracing the route toward Paseo Miramar. Up top, the Pacific stretched wide — a silver-blue horizon meeting the mountain spine. From there, it was all downhill: a fast, flowing descent to the coast and a spin along the beach back to the LaB.
More coffee. Stacks of pastries. Good times. The post-ride ritual unfolded as it always does — a shared exhale after the effort. The conversation soon circled back to what Deanna had shared earlier: how small, local actions can add up to lasting change.
This wasn’t a fundraiser or campaign. It was a ride that offered a springboard — to learn, to connect, and to contribute. A moment to see firsthand the balance between recreation and restoration.
About the Santa Monica Mountains Fund
The Santa Monica Mountains Fund supports the work of the National Park Service and California State Parks in preserving one of America’s most visited urban mountain ranges. From fire recovery and trail restoration to youth education and wildlife conservation, SaMo Fund empowers the local community to safeguard the natural and cultural heritage of the Santa Monica Mountains for generations to come.
Learn more →
With special thanks to:
Foundation Partner
Santa Monica Mountains Fund — @samofund
Photography
Brian Vernor — @vernor
Support Crew
Emerson Lindenlaub — @em.lindenlaub
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