I have climbed Denk Mountain twice before, but from the western side. After watching Rick’s video of hiking from the Copper Creek trailhead, I decided to go that way next time. Since Ted was restricted on how long he could go hiking, I suggested we stay in town and work on some of those peaks he needed on the 100 Peak Challenge list. Since Denk Mountain was still on his unclimbed list, this would be a perfect opportunity to explore the eastern and southern sides. We found parking near the entrance to a large building and set off along the trail. The June Gloom was strong, and thus the air was humid. We hiked past the buildings, and then came to a locked gate and a nearby kiosk. The trail followed Copper Creek toward the southwest, crossing over it several times. A small weir had been built in a narrow part of the canyon; however, access to it was restricted.
Soon, we came to the Whiptail Loop Trail and saw the edges of the fire that had burned here about a month or so ago. We decided to continue on to the Horned Lizard Trail and use it to begin the actual climb to the summit. Our route mostly skirted the burn area, as the trail had been part of the fire break. There were still some bulldozed fire breaks on the slopes, which had notices posted to keep out. The trail worked its way upward through a series of switchbacks. While this area is popular with mountain bikers, so far we had only seen 3 trail runners. The wooden shade structure came into view, and soon we were atop the broad, flat summit.
After a quick snack and some water, we headed down the trail on the northeast side. We stuck to the main trail and, after passing a few other hikers, were soon back at the car. I enjoyed this route over the route I have used before. All told, we covered 4.3 miles in 1:37 with 680 feet of gain. Now on to the second peak of the day, Double Peak.
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.