A loop around Double Peak…

After climbing Denk Mountain, Ted and I made the short drive to hike up Double Peak. We opted for the shorter route from the Ridgeline trailhead instead of from Discovery Lake. When we arrived, the lot was completely full. Thankfully, two hikers had just finished, and we were able to grab their spot. The day was warming up, as the June Gloom was starting to burn off. We set off down the well-groomed trail toward the peak. Soon we came to the junction with the steep use trail to the summit and began powering our way up. I remembered this section from the last time I hiked it and could tell the difference in my fitness, as I drew close to the top.

At the top, we passed by the amphitheater and headed to the main viewing section. Some other hikers were milling about, as were some who simply drove up. After quickly taking in the views, Ted asked if there was an alternative route down, and I said yes, but it is a bit longer. We took the trail west down a steep, but much shorter section to the sidewalk. From there, we left the sidewalk and joined the trail we had been on earlier. We cruised along it until we returned back to our starting point. Skipping that descent was fine by me. This lollipop hike was 2.91 miles in 1:06 with 623 feet of gain. Better still, it gets Ted another peak closer to his 100! Since it was still early, we decided to make the short climb up Battle Mountain before lunch.

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 both the Arizona-Winter and Arizona-Summer). 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.

Denk Mountain via Copper Creek

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.

Conquering San Bernardino Peak

One peak on the Six Pack of Peaks Challenge list that I have never been able to climb was San Bernardino Peak. Initially, the 2020 El Dorado Fire closed the surrounding area, and the 2024 Line Fire closed it again. Finally, the trail to the summit was open again, so I decided to finally climb it. There is a short section of driving on a forest road after passing the fire station in Angelus Oaks, which was not an issue for the Outback, but other cars might need to take care on this short section (one of the two cars at the trailhead was a Prius). Just after 6:30 am, I pulled into the dirt lot for the trailhead. As I gathered my gear, a nearby coyote was howling away. I had already gotten my free day hike permit from the San Gorgonio Wilderness Association, so I knew I was good to go. After checking the information kiosk and remembering to hang my America the Beautiful pass from my mirror, I set off on my journey. The trail passes by a bench and a commemorative cairn that was built in 2017 as a reconstruction of the cairn that was erected for the San Bernardino Initial Point’s sesquicentennial anniversary (2002). The trail quickly leaves the trees and, for almost the rest of the hike, travels through the region burned by the El Dorado Fire. The trail has been repaired, but the scars of the fire remain. Probably, the biggest issue is the lack of shade along the trail, so an early start is highly recommended, along with sun protection and extra water.

After about 3.5 miles and some helpful switchbacks, I reached Manzanita Flats. For about 1/2 mile, the trail was a bit more mellow, and I could cruise along for a bit. Here I met a gentleman also working his way up. We chatted a bit and discovered we both have Mt. Whitney permits and were using this hike as part of our training. I wished him luck on this ascent, as well as his attempt at Whitney.

The trail began climbing again and started to turn southward from what had been a mostly eastward direction. At about 5.8 miles, I reached Limber Pine campground and took a well-earned break. I had kicked around the idea of doing this peak as an overnight, but wanted to first do it as a day hike, so I would have a better sense of the level of effort required. But from what I have heard, the sunset views from here are outstanding! After a snack and some fluids, I set off, as I had about 2.2 miles left to go to reach the summit. About 1/3 of a mile later, I came to the Limber Pine Spring, which was still flowing nicely. I did not need water yet, but I had packed my Sawyer Filter and CNOC water bladder for later. Soon, I came across the Washington’s Monument Plaque. The protective covering made it hard to read the actual plaque, but this is what is on it:

Washington’s Monument

This plaque was set in commemoration of the sesquicentennial anniversary of the establishment of the San Bernardino Mountain Initial Point by Colonel Henry Washington, U.S. Deputy Surveyor, on November 8th, 1852.

A few hundred feet along the ridge to the south you will find the remains of Washington’s monument representing the first step in the land development of Southern California by the organized measurement and numentation of all public and private property in the region.

This plaque is dedicated in memory of Ira Alexander for his contributions to the surveying profession

Dedicated October 12, 2002

I decided to save going over to the actual Monument upon my descent. Shortly thereafter, I met the owner of the Prius on his descent. We chatted a bit, and he was proud as this was his first 10,000 summit. I congratulated him and we went our separate ways. I spotted the spur trail that would take me to the summit. Another nice thing was that I had left the fire-damaged region and had green trees around me. I made the short push to the summit!

A register box sat chained to a rock, and a simple summit sign lay nearby. I took in the views of San Jacinto Peak, San Gorgonio Mountain, and Mt Baldy, before finding a nice log to rest upon and enjoy my lunch. After a nice break, it was time for the 8 miles back down to the car.

The trail overall was in good condition, and I expected to descend at a nice pace. I remembered to take the turnoff to view Washington’s Monument. After seeing it, I continued down the Limber Pine Spring. I filled my CNOC and filtered into my new M!go Water Bottles. With fresh, cool water, I set off once again. Few clouds had formed, so their shade was welcomed, but even so, the day was not too warm, and a light breeze also kept things pleasant. The miles ticked by, and with about 3 miles to go, I took another break for some snacks and electrolytes. Roof tops of buildings in Angelus Oaks started to become visible, but I still had about 1.5 miles left to hike. Finally, I caught the glint of sunlight off my car and knew I had finished my hike up San Bernardino! The entire hike was 16.02 miles, which I covered in 7:04 (not counting time at the summit). The total elevation gain was 4,715 feet, which I felt.

Atop Modjeska Peak

After my road walk up Santiago Peak, I decided to make the relatively short climb up Modjeska Peak. In the past, I could have taken the connector trail from the saddle over to partway up the peak. However, a small landslide had appeared to wipe out a section of that trail. So, instead, I returned to my parked car and took the other road to the summit. There is a fire break cut through here from an older fire. Unlike the road up Santiago, this road was quite rocky and certainly not one I cared to drive. When I passed the junction to the connector trail, I then had the choice to take the short, albeit steeper and direct fire break to the summit, or follow the road around the side of the mountain. I was feeling good, so I pushed up the steep fire break.

From the summit, I could take in the extent of the fire on Santiago Peak. I found the summit sign and took a few photos. It was starting to warm up, so I was ready to return to the car. Rather than deal with that steep rocky fire break, I took the road back. While not exactly rock-free, the grade was certainly less. Once back at the car, I pulled in behind 3 vehicles that were also heading down. Before too long, I was back in Silverado Canyon and headed home. The side trip up Modjeska Peak took 42 minutes to cover the 1.65 miles and 432 feet of gain.

Returning to Santiago Peak

Since the Maple Springs Road and portions of the North Main Divide Road were recently reopened after the Airport Fire, I knew that I should take this opportunity and knock out Santiago and Modjeska Peaks. The drive up from Silverado Canyon was uneventful with just a few folks walking along the paved section, getting their morning exercise in. The north side of the mountain was untouched by the fire, so it was still nice and green. As I neared the ridge, I could start to see the fire damage. When I was atop Sitton Peak a few days earlier, the extent of the fire was clear to see. I parked at my usual spot, at the junction with the road to Modjeska and the road that continues onto Santiago Peak. A water tanker was parked here. Since the road was in really good shape, I assumed it was here to help keep the dust down during the road work. I was surprised to find another car there this early, but it turns out they had driven up the night before and had camped there. After I gathered my gear, I chatted with them a bit. They said that they counted 30 cars driving up to the summit last night. I said my farewell and set off down the road. The landscape was devoid of the trees and brush that lined its slopes. While wildflowers were blooming and some green grasses were taking hold, it was a strange sight. I could easily see the trail I typically took to the summit of Santiago and the connector trail that I used for Modejska.

Once I reached the junction with the Joplin Trail, a warning sign told of its closure. With the Holy Jim Trail also closed, either a very long hike up an active road or starting partway up were the only options (sans just driving to the top) to summit this peak. A bit further down the road that had clearly been rebuilt, I passed the saddle between the two peaks. It is here that the trail breaks away from the road. I knew that no work had been done on it, so I was not too keen on using it. I did find that someone left a summit sign here, so I snapped a quick photo before continuing along the road. Looking back to the south, I could see the damage to Modjeska and also spied a landslide that had passed over the trail. I can recall that section of the trail before the fire as one that seemed a bit unstable. After a few turns, the summit came into view. Along the way, two SUVs passed me. They parked off next to one set of the towers, while I made my way to the summit. I snapped a few pictures before walking to the south end of the area to see the damage. I can recall watching the live video from the tower cameras as the fire raced over the summit.

Since today was a federal holiday, I wanted to get back down before more traffic headed up the mountain. I again thought about taking the trail down, but it was getting warmer and I wanted to summit Modjeska as well. I hustled back to the car, as taking that connector trail was not an option. Back at the car, the boys who had camped had packed up and left, and I stopped my tracker, as I wanted to have a Modjeska-only track recorded. I was up and down in 2 hours flat, covering 6.29 miles with 979 feet of gain.

Sweating up Sitton Peak

I pulled off Ortega Highway across from the now-closed Candy Store. I guess with the nearby campground closed due to the Airport Fire, there wasn’t enough business to keep it open. It was going to be a warm day, so I wasted no time in getting moving. This was going to be my 6th time up this peak, so I cruised along the very familiar trail. I snapped a few photos along the way, as there were still flowers blooming. When I reached 4 Corners, I noticed one of my sand baskets had come off my trekking poles. That happened on this trail once before. I kept hiking along, knowing I would be retracing my route rather than taking the Bear Ridge Trail that I had planned.

I powered up the last steep section to the summit and finally took a break. I did not stay too long, as it was getting even warmer. After grabbing some photos and mixing up some electrolytes, I set off. There actually was more shade than one would think for this hike, and I was thankful for that. As I cruised back to the car, I kept scanning the trail for my missing sand basket (and danger noodles), and as luck would have it, I found it! Soon, the highway came back into view, and my trek was drawing to a close. The car’s thermometer read just over 90°F, and I would believe it (it left my Govee at home, so I did not record the actual trail temps). Including the time at the summit, I clocked this hike in at 3:51 for the 9.4 miles. Not too bad!

Conquering Humphreys Peak

With Bill Williams Mountain (9,256 ft.) and Kendrick Peak (10,418 ft.) climbed earlier in the week, it was time to attempt to summit the state’s highest point, Humphreys Peak (12,633 ft.). Having taken a rest day with a quick trip to the Grand Canyon, I was ready to finally set a new altitude record for myself. Afternoon rainstorms were not predicted, so I would not have to worry about any weather issues. I pulled into Lot 1 at the Arizona Snowbowl and gathered my gear. A few cars were there when I arrived. Unlike the faster paces I held on the other peaks, I planned to keep myself to a more measured pace.

The trail cut across the ski slope before entering the trees and beginning the climb toward the summit. I made my way along the western slope of Humphreys under the shade of the trees. Unlike Kendrick, the trail had more tree roots to be mindful of. Off to the south, some snow still remained, and the now dormant chairlift was visible. The trail made a steady climb toward the Humphreys-Agassiz saddle, my first real milestone for this hike. After 4.1 miles, I reached it! I stopped for a bit and took in the vista. Humphreys used to be about 4,000-5,000 feet taller, before it explosively blew its top long ago. To my east was the bowl that was created after that eruption. A few patches of snow were scattered about, but from recent trip reports, nothing was still on the trail.

The saddle is almost at the tree line, so for the last mile to the summit, I would be hiking under the Arizona sun. The trail also changed, as I was now hiking across mostly exposed rock. Wooden branches helped serve as trail markers to the summit, which lay to the north of the saddle. As I carefully made my way along the trail, the conditions reminded me of many of my hikes in Anza-Borrego, just not at 11,000+ feet. I passed two small snow fields as I continued my journey upward. Soon, I spotted the summit sign and knew I had made it. There was another hiker there when I arrived. He was getting ready to descend, but before he did, I asked him to snap a few photos of me at the summit. I wished him well on his descent, and he said to enjoy the almost calm summit. I found a nice spot to relax and enjoy some snacks. I marveled at the views from 12,633 feet. I could make out the North Rim of the Grand Canyon (although a nearby fire did make it a bit hazy) and the red rocks around Sedona to the south. Both Bill Williams and Kendrick were easily spotted to my west.

After a bit, another hiker reached the summit. Since I was almost ready to descend, I hurried up to allow him to also enjoy the solitude. The route down to the saddle went fairly well. As I neared the saddle, I started to encounter a few more folks making the push to the summit.

I saw that the two state high-pointers I passed during my ascent were still pushing along. I gave them a quick trail report before parting ways. The rest of the descent was uneventful, and I soon found myself crossing back across the ski slope and to my car. I know spending time in Flagstaff and doing those two other peaks helped me prepare for this ascent, but I was really happy at how well the entire hike went. After tossing my gear into the car and putting on a dry shirt, I drove back to Flagstaff and headed to Lumberyard Brewery for some well-earned food and drink. I tracked this hike at 10.2 miles in 6:07 (excluding time at the summit) and 3,369 feet of gain.

Atop Kendrick Peak

I awoke about 3:30 in the morning to dead silence, as the power had gone out. I fell back to sleep until my alarm went off an hour later. Today I was planning to climb Kendrick Peak, about an hour’s drive from Flagstaff. I grabbed breakfast at McDonald’s and set off. After about 30 minutes, I turned off the highway and onto the forest road. The dirt road was in great shape. I could spot various campers tucked away in the forest. If I weren’t staying with good friends, I might have done the same. Pulling into the park area, there was one car parked, but being a Monday, that did not surprise me. The trailhead has pit toilets, but no water. I gathered my gear and set off. Since there were a few afternoon showers yesterday, and the possibility of some today, I wanted to have this early start.

The trail was in pretty good shape, with just an occasional tree to step over. This area had a forest fire back in 2000, and the forest is making a comeback. I had some nice views off to the west, I could even spy Bill Williams Mountain off in the distance. Just before the cabin, I met the owner of the car as he was returning from the summit. We chatted briefly before continuing on. I skipped visiting the cabin on the ascent, saving it for after my primary goal.

The trail made a series of switchbacks just before the summit, and soon the abandoned fire tower came into view. Unlike the tall tower atop Bill Williams, this lookout tower is low, and you can walk up the flight of stairs and walk around the outside. The interior of the tower is closed, but you can look inside to see what it was like for someone to staff it. I took in the sweeping views, lingering on Humphreys off to the southwest of me. In two days’ time, I planned to climb it. I picked a spot on the tower’s walkway to sit and enjoy a snack. Being mindful of the chance of showers, I did not linger too long. However, my rain shell did make a nice cushion while I took that break.

With the primary goal achieved, I made a short side trip to look at the cabin. The Kendrick Mountain cabin was built in 1912 as a place for fire lookouts to stay while watching for wildfires. The cabin was constructed atop Kendrick Mountain in a location that took advantage of the high elevation and provided commanding views to aid in wildfire detection. Firefighters wrapped the historic 1912 lookout cabin and the ruins of a smaller cabin with fire-resistant material. Helicopters doused the lookout tower with fire retardant. Both the historic cabin and lookout tower survived, but fire burned the smaller cabin ruins along the Pumpkin Trail.

When I was done looking at it and noting a nearby tent site, it was time to make my way back to the car. I slipped my AirPods and began flying down the trail. At one point, I met a hiker working his way up, so I removed my AirPods to be able to chat with him. After a short conversation, he continued up, and I headed down. As I slipped the AirPods back into my ears, the left one fell out. I immediately stopped and began looking for it. But it was nowhere to be seen! I tried having it play its location tune, which I could hear, but not well enough to actually locate. After 10 minutes of looking, I gave up. It must have bounced off the trail and gotten lost in the brush. Ugh! The rest of the hike went smoothly, and I was back at the car before I knew it. After tossing my gear in the car, I saw a sign for the Lava River Cave about 2 miles past the junction I took getting to the trailhead, so I decided to check it out.

I pulled into the parking lot, and it had a few more cars here. Along the way, I saw even more campers scattered through the forest. I unfortunately did not have a proper flashlight or headlamp to explore it beyond just what the natural light allowed. Something for the next visit to the area. For the actual hike, I did the 9.2 miles in 4:05 (including looking for that darn AirPod), with 2677 feet of gain. I think I will be ready to tackle the highest peak in Arizona in two days…

Climbing Bill Williams

After an uneventful night in Kingman, I made the drive eastward toward Williams, Arizona. The first peak on my itinerary was to hike up Bill Williams Mountain again. I had done this one back in 2021 and enjoyed it. The parking area had about 5 cars in it as I gathered my gear to set off on the straightforward hike up to the summit. The trail worked its way past the Ponderosa Pines and oaks that dominate the start of the hike. The trail mostly heads along the nouth side of the mountain. The stream that was flowing the last time I hiked here was now dry.

I reached the junction with the Bixler Trail and knew that the summit was drawing near. The trees also changed, and while the Ponderosa Pines became bigger, Douglas Fir, Spruce, and Quaking Aspen now also lined the slopes of the mountain. Soon, the trail reached the service road, and I remembered to use the trail to avoid some of the road walking I did the first time I summited.

The various communication towers stood above me as I headed to the closed fire lookout tower. A mom, her son, and their dog were just leaving as I climbed the ladder to soak in the views. The actual tower is closed, so stopping at one of the landings would be the best I could do. I found a couple of the reference marks, but the benchmark is long gone. After a snack and some filming, I set off back down the mountain.

The descent went smoothly, and I greeted a few other hikers along the way. As I drew near the trailhead, my thoughts turned to lunch in town. My friends who I would be staying with recommended the Grand Canyon Brewery, and I certainly wasn’t going to say no to a post-hike beer! Just as I got back to the car, a few drops of rain began to fall. It is the start of that weather pattern, so early starts were going to be the rule for this trip. I recorded this hike as 7.9 miles, with 2392 feet of gain. Excluding the time at the summit, the total time was 3:45, which was dramatically faster than the time before. I will take that as a good sign, as I have two hard peaks planned.

National Trails Day – Penasquitos Canyon

Originally, the National Trails Day hike was going to be in Tecolote Canyon, but construction work on the sewer line that runs through the canyon prevented me from hosting it there. So, I moved the hike to Los Peñasquitos Canyon, but from the west end. Between the overcast weather we had been having and this last-minute location change, I expected a low turnout. As Ted and I waited, two hikers arrived to join us on our hike to the waterfall and back. Rick and Andrea missed the email and went to Tecolote Canyon, along with one other participant.

We passed under the road and hiked along the south side of the canyon until we reached the Sycamore Crossing. From there, we continued west until we reached the waterfall. While just past 9 am, it was busy. Once we were done enjoying the view, we retraced our route, but continued westward until the Wagon Wheel Crossing. One thing to be said about the west end of Peñasquitos Canyon is that the bridges are cooler. Before too long, we were back at the car. Our two hikers took some 52 Hike Challenge swag and some beverages from Athletic Brewing. Rick and Andrea had driven up to this trailhead and parked next to me. I left some swag on their car, but they arrived from their hike about 5 minutes later. After chatting for a bit, I headed out, as I was driving to Kingman, Arizona, to kick off my Arizona Summer Six Pack of Peaks Challenge.