Borrego Mountain-East Butte

I felt like I needed to get back out to Anza-Borrego and get a few more peaks under my belt. The plan was to attempt Borrego Mountain East Butte, then meet up with Rabbi Earne and his family and escort them to the Slot Canyon, while I summited Borrego Mountain’s, West Butte. Finally, with time and energy permitting I was going to try to summit Sentenac Mountain.

I arrived at the trailhead for Borrego Mountain just as the sun was just rising. I bundled up and headed toward the gully that would lead me up to the summit. One nice thing about this hike, there is a bathroom.

At the base of the boulder-filled gully, I surveyed my route. I opted to stick to the left side. I carefully and slowly worked my way up through the jumble of boulders. Soon, I found myself past this challenge and at a saddle between two portions of the East Butte. The summit was on the western side, so up I went.

The actual summit is atop a flat butte,  as I walked around, taking in the sweeping views. I found the register and signed in.

I had an approximate time I needed to meet the Rabbi, so I headed back down. This time I opted to travel on the east side of the gully. It was about the same level of difficulty as the other side. I found myself back at the car and ready to continue the day’s adventures.


I am an avid peak bagger, sometimes backpacker, and former sea kayaker living in San Diego. In 2019, I became the third person to complete the San Diego 100 Peak Challenge. Not stopping with that accomplishment, I set my sights on the harder San Diego Sierra Club 100 Peak list, which I completed in 2021. In addition, I have conquered several Six-Pack of Peaks challenges (SoCal, San Diego, Central Coast, and Arizona-Winter). Beyond attempting the San Diego Sierra Club 100 Peak list a second time, I am looking forward to exploring new summits and new adventures across the southwest. 

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