The North County group of the Sierra Club is celebrating its 50 anniversary. As part of that celebration, they are hosting a 50 Hike Challenge. I decided to work on this list as my backup hikes or my mid-week hikes. Yesterday was such a day. Denk Mountain is just a few minutes from work, and even on my way home. I parked near the trailhead and laced up my boots, grabbed my poles, and set off.
While it was sunny, the temperatures were not too warm as I quickly made my way up the trail. There is quite a network of trails across this mountain, so you do need to take some care at junctions to stay on the route you want to take to the summit.
At the summit, I snapped a few photos, including the one for the challenge, and headed back down. There were a few flowers dotting the sides of the trail. Judging by the tracks on the trail and the repair stand at the summit, it is safe to assume this area is favored by mountain bikers, so make sure you keep an ear and an eye out for them when you hike it. The hike was 2.8 miles in 1:07 with 663 feet of gain.
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.