My son wanted to get away for the weekend, so I suggested that we head up toward Los Padres and camp at McGill Campground. After a small mix-up with the campground reservation, we got an even better site. After setting up, we relaxed a bit before cooking dinner, then continued relaxing by the campfire. The next morning, I made the short drive to Nordic Base to hike out to Sawmill Mountain.
I had considered Antimony Peak, but I was still nursing some calf tightness, and thought I should stick to a trail I knew well. I kept my pace a bit more on the mellow side; there was no need to set a PR. Before too long, the communication tower atop Mt. Pinos came into view. I swung by Ventura County’s high point, snapped a few photos, and motored on.
Quite a few Snow Plants dotted the sides of the trail. Usually, I might see one or two, but this time there were a lot more. A nice breeze kept the hike refreshing as I made my way down the saddle, then up toward Sawmill. Just as I was approaching the massive cairn, I met two hikers. We chatted a bit; they were off to hike Grouse Mountain for the 3-2-1 challenge. At the summit, I snapped a few photos and grabbed a snack. Leaving the summit, I met a trail runner who was hoping to make it all the way to Cerro Norteste. I wished him well on his run and continued back to the trailhead. I met a few other hikers along the way. When I got back to my car, I discovered that something went wrong with my recording. Drat! I was curious to see how long I had been moving, and I only had my total time (I stopped a few times for longer conversations with some of those hikers).
Once back at the campground, we packed up the car and headed off for the next adventure. We grabbed some tri-tip sandwiches from the market, then drove to the top of Frazier Mountain. The road was manageable. There were some rocky sections, but nothing too bothersome with good off-road tires. At the summit, we broke out the chairs and enjoyed both the view and the sandwiches. Afterward, we explored the abandoned fire lookout tower before heading back down the mountain and finally home.
I am an avid peak bagger, sometimes backpacker, and former sea kayaker living in San Diego. I co-authored Urban Trails: San Diego, available now!
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. I’ve also conquered several Six-Pack of Peaks challenges (SoCal, San Diego, Central Coast, and both the Arizona-Winter and Arizona-Summer).
I look forward to exploring new summits and adventures across the Southwest.