Since Dad’s Taxi Service was at the airport at 5, I decided to head out and complete one of the hikes on the Cuyamaca Trekker Challenge. I settled on Oakzanita over Cush-Pii. As I drove east, the sky slowly turned pink as the sun began to rise. I pulled into the empty trailhead, grabbed my gear, and set off along the East Mesa Fire Road. While it was a tad cool, I knew that was going to change as the sun continued to rise.
I hustled along the road for about 1/2 mile before jumping onto the trail that I would take to the summit. Before too long, I was atop the summit. I quickly snapped a few photos and retraced my route back to the car. I covered the 5.2 miles in 1:51, with an elevation gain of 966 feet.
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, 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. 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.