My friend Becca was supposed to be heading out on a two-day, one-night backpacking trip. Unfortunately, that adventure was canceled, but since her pack was mostly ready to go, she asked if I might take her on a training hike. I thought, why not do a loop around and up Cush-pi (aka Stonewall Peak)? It is a nice mix of some flatter sections and a bit of gain to test out the legs and the lungs. We drove out to the Paso Picacho campground and parked in the day-use area. After paying the $10 day-use fee and using the facilities, we crossed the highway to the trailhead. Becca also wanted to practice her navigation skills. I recommended that we do the loop clockwise and had her point us in the right direction. We hiked along, chatting about various things from family to hiking. At the next junction, I had her figure out once again where we were and where we needed to go. Since we were now on the California Riding and Hiking Trail, I gave her a brief history of it. That in turn led to talking about backpacking it through Joshua Tree.

At our next junction, we took a short break as the climb was about to begin. Becca pushed herself upward with her heavy pack on her shoulders. Thankfully, I got her to leave 2 liters of water in the car.  She is preparing to overnight on San Jacinto, so I was explaining where the water sources are and about how much she might need. Soon, the summit came into view, and we climbed over the granite and up the stairs to the summit. A couple of people were also at the top, taking in the 360° views. We took a short break before working our way back down from the summit.

Our route now would be the direct route from the campground. While we had seen only two people before reaching the summit, that was about to change. Several large groups passed us, making their way up. Apparently, a father-son group was staying at the campground, and the 30+ were headed to the top. Not sure how they were going to handle that, since they wouldn’t all fit up there at the same time. I pointed out the parking area I use when I climb Cuyamaca, and I noted there were a lot of cars there. It turns out there was a 100-mile race, so it was probably a good thing we opted for the day-use lot. Once back down, we chatted with a park volunteer staffing the entrance kiosk. We had hoped to try The Pub at Lake Cuyamaca, but the parking lot was full from the race (and others), so we opted for Dudley’s instead. Our loop covered 5.0 miles with 1.108 feet of gain.

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. 

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The planned hike today was to start at the Storm Cloud Viewpoint and hike south to Mt. Laguna, where Sara planned to enjoy a warm breakfast at the Pine House Café. This section was pretty flat. I had hiked a portion of it recently when I took Becca up Monument Peak.

I neared Mt. Laguna, stopped at the Desert View picnic area, and had a snack. I tried texting Sara, but had no signal, which was odd. I cruised on down to the general store and found that the AT&T tower was down. I did not want to walk all the way down to the café, but as luck would have it, she was across the street at the visitor center, topping off her water.

Sara filled me in on the rest of Day 1 and Day 2 as we cruised along the trail. I pointed out more local sites as the miles slipped past. We came to the junction with Foster Point, an actual blue line on FarOut. I made the short hike out to the vista, which I had never done. I then reconnected with the red line and Sara and kept moving north. Once back at my car, I broke out a couple of chairs and some cold sodas. Sara snacked, as she was still a bit full from breakfast, and I had a tuna kit. The views of Anza-Borrego were stunning. Soon it was time for Sara to push on, and for me to head home. Hopefully, I will rejoin her near Paradise Valley Cafe in a few days and actually spend a night on the PCT. Today’s adventure was 10.5 miles in 5:07 with just 1,026 feet of gain.

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. 

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Ted and I pulled off Sunrise Highway next to the trailhead. It was just before 7am, and there were only two other cars lining the road. We grabbed our gear and set off down the Sunset Trail. The destination today was Manza Benchmark. Derek mentioned that he had done some trail work recently, and it had been almost 7 years since I last hiked it. I knew that the trail had probably become overgrown during that time. We cruised along the trail, catching the sun poking out through the trees. Soon thereafter, we caught sight of Manza Benchmark off to our west, and the descent and ascent that it required.

We reached the spot to leave the trail and begin our cross-country portion of the hike. A very faint use trail led across the forest floor until it reached the drainage that we would follow. A mix of cairns, clipped brush, and bits of a use trail would guide our journey. Checking my saved route and verifying that we were right on track, we began the steep climb up to the ridgeline. We got quite the workout for those 200 feet or so of elevation. That familiar X of downed trees was still in good shape, so I knew we were now ready to turn north and push on to the summit.

Again, cairns and clippings help navigate us toward our goal. I also remembered various sections from time to time. Atop a false summit, I pointed at the true summit and we pressed on. Soon we made a short scramble up some boulders and reached the summit. I signed the register and, after some photos, enjoyed a snack along with some nice views.

Our return went very smoothly, with just a few double-checks along the way. Once back at the car, the roadsides were no longer empty. Quite a few folks were out enjoying the various trails that start off from this trailhead. Ted now has 14 peaks left to finish Derek’s list and 15 peaks to finish the San Diego Sierra Club list. Our adventure today was 4.0 miles in 2:42, with 764 feet of gain.

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. 

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Since I was ahead on my school assignments, I decided to go on a quick overnight in Barker Valley. I figured the water would still be flowing, and I could enjoy some solitude. After stopping at Kit Fox Outfitters for a new first aid kit, I drove out past Warner Springs. I turned on Palomar Divide Truck Trail and began the 8-mile drive up to the trailhead. Once at the trailhead, another car was already parked there. I did not expect to see that on a Wednesday afternoon. I tossed on my backpack and grabbed my hand clippers (I planned to do some trail maintenance on the way down), and set off. Given the recent heat waves, I kept an extra careful eye out for snakes. There have been several fatal incidents recently in Southern California, and I did not want to become a statistic. Sure enough, I did encounter a snake enjoying the warm afternoon sun on the trail. Thankfully, I spotted it well before it became an issue. I recognized it as a gopher snake and waited for it to slither back into the brush. As I continued down the trail, I kept thinking about that other backpacker and how they probably also picked this spot for some solitude. Once I reached the left turn that would take me off the ridge and descend into the valley, I decided to let them enjoy their time and began hiking back to the car. I reached out to some friends for options to which I might pivot. Maybe a small section of the PCT? Maybe Atáxam Mámta’ash Campground? The one issue I had was that I needed some more water. I had planned to filter almost all my water needs at the campsite, but I was going to need to find a faucet somewhere.

Back at the car, I tossed my gear in and drove back down. I had settled on spending the night at Atáxam Mámta’ash Campground, as that was the easiest option. I drove all the way back to Warner Springs and filled up my water bottles before turning back around to drive up to the campground. The road was nicely paved as it wound its way up from Warner Valley. I reached it just after sunset, and drove around inspecting the possible sites. Only one site was taken by a pair of smaller RVs. I found a nice site away from them with some clear level ground to pitch my tent. 

I set up quickly and then turned to making dinner. I was trying another new meal, Farm to Summit’s Green Chilli Mac & Cheese. Not bad, but it does require 2 cups of water, so not one I would take if dry camping. I also brought a book I needed to read for one of my courses, and once done with dinner, I crawled into my tent and got to reading. The book is titled “Love Letter to the Earth” by Thich Nhat Hanh. I enjoyed it, as several of the book’s themes resonated with me. I then turned in for the night, with the quarter moon shining through the oaks that stood above me. 

I slept fairly well, and I awoke around 6. I brewed some coffee and ate a bar. I decided to skip my oatmeal and treat myself to something from Dudley’s Bakery instead. I broke camp and tossed everything in the back of the Outback. I drove down the road, grabbing a few photos of the early morning vistas along the way. I had my second breakfast at Dudley’s and came home. While not the overnight I had initially planned, it was still a wonderful adventure, and I got to explore a new part of San Diego. 

Note: Atáxam Mámta’ash Campground is closed from April 1 to May 31 for Arroyo Toad’s breeding season.

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. 

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I was looking for a shorter hike this morning, as I needed to get back home to attend one last lunch under the current owners of my favorite Mexican restaurant, Mi Ranchito. With that constraint, I settled on Buckman Benchmark. This peak is on the San Diego Peak Club list and has been staring at me every time I pass by it on the 8. I turned off at Buckman Springs, made a quick stop at the rest area, and drove down Buckman Springs Road. I wasn’t sure if the Forest Road would be open, but it was! I drove up about 1.5 miles to the locked gate and parked. I could have started from the main road, but I was thankful not to have that extra hiking. The day was unseasonably warm, so I was glad to have an early start. After hopping over the gate, I set off northward along the road. At the junction with the Long Valley Loop, I headed west. It might be possible to drive in from the Long Valley Side and park at this junction, but the distance from the locked gate was only about 0.2 miles. I had a couple of tracks from others who had climbed this peak, so I had a good idea where to leave the road and begin the bushwhack to the summit.

The brush wasn’t too bad, and I found a nice use trail that I could follow for most of my way up. I had one or two spots where I had to push through some of the chaparral, but was able to continue upward without any issues. After cresting over a small rise, I spied the summit. I found the reference mark without issue. The actual benchmark was under some brush, along with two register cans. I signed them both and took a few photos before heading back down. 

On my descent, I veered off twice into some heavier brush. Knowing I avoided it on my way up, I checked my track and backtracked. As I neared the road again, I found myself about 10 feet above the road and a sheer road cut. Not wanting to attempt descending that, I hiked parallel to the road until I found a safe spot to descend. Now back on the road, I made my way back to the car. I had meant to make the short side-hike to Fuzz Benchmark, but forgot. Oh well. I drove home, cleaned up, and had one last “Friday Special” at Mi Ranchito before the new owners take over. Sad to see Wendy and Mauricio sell/retire, but that is life. The hike was 2.4 miles in 1:51 and 880 feet of gain.

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. 

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Looking at Ted’s remaining peaks on the 100 Peak Challenge, we settled on Guatay Mountain. We pulled into the Pine Valley Creek Trailhead, and as we stepped out of the car, we were greeted by the cold. I quickly slipped my fleece on, and Ted debated his layering strategy. Once we were settled, we headed toward the trailhead. After passing through the gate, we followed the trail westward. A few bits of poison oak lined the trail, but it was all avoidable. By the time we reached the left turn at the metal barrier, it was time to shed our layers. The trail now began climbing in earnest and was as rutted as I remembered.

Once at the ridgeline, we again turned westward along the trail and started to hear gunshots off to the south. I assume they were hunting doves or other fowl, given the season and time of day.

The trail continued climbing over several false summits and had some steep rocky sections, just like I remembered. Soon, the real summit came into view, and we were atop it. The day had warmed up nicely, and the skies were clear. Familiar mountains stood all around us. I signed the register, and we snapped photos with the summit sign before heading back down. The descent went quickly, and soon we were back at the car. It was still too early to stop at McKinley’s in Alpine, so we opted to hit Board & Brew in Scripps Ranch. Ted now has 18 remaining peaks for the challenge. With a little luck, maybe by Spring 2026, he can complete it! The hike was 5.7 miles in 2:47, and a nice gain of 1,711 feet. Happily, we were 25 minutes faster than my last time.

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. 

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I met up with Larry Edmonds for his “Hike of the Month” at the parking area near Trout Pond, and finally had the chance to meet Jim Wick. Jim is a fellow Peakbagger who joined us for this hike. Six of us made our way eastward towards the Los Caballos trail. It was certainly fall, as it was chilly, but once we got moving, the temperature was perfect.

We crossed over Hwy. 79 and continued southward toward the Paso Pichaco campground. We skirted it as we turned westward and onto the Azalea Glen Loop trail, while the smell of early morning campfires filled the air. Jim, Larry, and I swapped peakbagging stories as we cruised along the trail.

We stopped at the morteros, filled with water from the recent storm. Acorns lay scattered around under a massive oak tree. Once we regrouped, we would begin climbing up toward Azalea Springs Fire Road. Our route then turned north and met Milk Ranch Road. We took a short break here, in part to marvel at the shell of a very old oak, and the new oaks growing inside of it. I had some coursework to attend to, so I bid farewell to the group and headed back along Milk Ranch Road.

Since I needed to drop off some book-related cards at Kit Fox Outfitters, I took the route through Julian and Wynola. Something was happening in Wynola, as the line of cars coming up the hill must have been 1.5 miles long! All told, the hike was 6.35 miles, in 2:51, and had a healthy 780 feet of gain.

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. 

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I pulled into Green Valley Campground and paid my $10 day-use fee. Since the Cuyamaca Endurance 100k was happening, I found parking near the entrance rather than closer to the trailhead, which was being used by the racers. I gathered my gear and set off. I was also trying on my new Ridge Merino hoodie for this hike.

I planned to hike to the Arroyo Seco Primitive Campground, then continue up to the ridge and back down to the trailhead. The hike to the campground follows the Arroyo Seco Fire road. The grade is pretty gentle, so if you have a heavy pack or this is your first overnight adventure, it won’t feel like you are summiting Mt. Everest.

The campground has three sites. Site 1 is back behind the water pump. This water is intended for horses traveling through this area, so please bring your own. Just past this spot, you will see signage to sites 2 and 3, as well as the horse corrals and the path to the pit toilets. Both sites 2 and 3 have picnic tables and enough room for a tent.

After my survey, I continued along the fire road for a bit. When I arrived at the Fox Trail junction, I noticed that the racers had stayed on the fire road, so I took the Fox Trail. This single-track trail worked its way up the slope. I was sweating a bit, as my new shirt was keeping me a bit too toasty. Once it really starts to cool off, it is going to be perfect. Once on the ridge, I turned eastward and followed the West Mesa Trail back down. Since I was going to pass right by Airplane Ridge, I had to hop off the trail and bag that peak again. Unfortunately, it appears that the register is no longer there. 

Once back on the main trail, I kept motoring on. I debated making the side trip to the Airplane Monument, but decided to skip it and follow the Monument Trail instead. From time to time, I had some sweeping views off to the east. Soon, I found myself approaching the campground as I passed the amphitheater just before reaching the parking lot. It was a nice loop for my first fall hike of 2025. I logged it at 5.28 miles in 2:07 with a gain of 999 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. 

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