With this winter heat dome over the area, my hiking options were very limited. None of my remaining desert peaks were remotely possible, so I turned to some of the other peak lists that I am working on. Out in Joshua Tree National Park, there was one small peak on the Lower Peak Committee list that I needed to climb, Malapai Hill. I had skipped it after climbing Bernard and Little Berdoo. As luck would have it, there was a campsite at Jumbo Rocks Campground for Sunday night, so I grabbed it. As I pulled into the site in the late afternoon, a light breeze was blowing and the air was warm. After quickly setting up camp, I relaxed in my chair, reading. This was my spring break after all. As the sun set, I lit a campfire and started dinner. I watched the flames dance in the fire pit. Today was also the one-year anniversary of the passing of my sister. My thoughts turned to the cherished memories I have with her. Soon, the fire grew low, and I was ready to turn in.
I woke around 6 and quickly broke camp. The plan was to climb Malapai Hill, then possibly drive down to hike the Lost Palm Oasis Trail. Turning onto Geology Road, I stopped and marveled at the sunrise, with a sliver of moon hanging above the desert. I hoped the photo turned out well. After about 7 miles on the road, I pulled into a small parking area and finished gearing up. Malapai stood off to my west, its red, rocky talus slope challenging me.
The morning glow began to fill the valley to my south with its gentle light. It was already 64°F, so I got moving. The desert floor was covered with a wide range of flowers, and their scent filled the air. As I drew near to the base of the climb, I opted to stay to the south (left) of the main talus field to make my ascent to the saddle between the summit of Malapai Hill (the north bump) and Malapai Benchmark (south bump). The climb went very quickly, and I was soon at the saddle. The final climb to the top of Malapai Hill did involve more rocky sections, reminding me of Red Hill in Anza-Borrego. The summit does not appear to have a register or anything beyond some incredible views. I then worked my way back down to the saddle and up to Malapai Benchmark. Again, nothing was found, just better views toward the south.
I returned to the saddle, then back down to the desert floor, snapping photos of some of the flowers along the way.
Once back at the car, I opted to skip Lost Palm Oasis. It was another hour’s drive, and a 7+ mile hike at a lower elevation, all of which meant a toasty one. The climb up Malapai Hill was 1.7 miles in 1:08 with 399 feet of gain. That was also my 25th LPC summit.
I am an avid peak bagger, sometimes backpacker, and former sea kayaker living in San Diego. I am the co-author of Urban Trails: San Diego, coming in Spring 2026!
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 both the Arizona-Winter and Arizona-Summer).
I am looking forward to exploring new summits and new adventures across the southwest.