I pulled into the empty parking lot for South Clevenger Canyon under cloudy skies. This hike was to be my last to complete this year’s San Dieguito River Valley Conservancy’s Coast to Crest Challenge. I had been saving it in hopes of enjoying some wildflowers along the trail, but the lack of rain at the right time nixed that. I grabbed my gear, including a rain jacket, just in case, and started up the trail. Having hiked this trail numerous times, I cruised along, reflecting on the previous year and the year to come, as this was my birthday hike.











The past year has been one of some great joys: my cervical fusion fixing my neck issues, losing over 50 lbs, and co-writing a hiking book with a good friend. There has also been some sadness: getting laid off after 9 years and losing my sister to COPD. As I reflected on all that, soon the metal chairs atop that boulder came into view. I pulled myself up the rock face using the ropes (I miss the stairs) and sat, soaking in the views off to the west. Today was not really a day to sit and relax, so I carefully scrambled back down and retraced my route. My thoughts turned to the year ahead. There is a lot of uncertainty in the world, and I can control only so much. For me, spending time outside will provide the grounding I will need to navigate the road ahead. Before too long, I neared the trailhead. A couple of hikers passed me, just starting their journey up the trailhead. As I reached the car, I needed 0.01 more miles to log a perfect 4.0 track, so I took a few extra steps in the parking lot to solve that “problem”. With that, my hike was done, 4.0 miles in 1:39 and a healthy 1135 feet of gain. Now, if it weren’t Passover, I would have had some well-earned Mexican food and a beer….
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.