Category: National Park

Half Dome

One of my bucket list hikes has been to stand atop Half Dome in Yosemite. I got close in 2018, but having turned my ankle in the dark on the way up, I knew it would not be safe for me to continue past the Sub Dome. Ever since then I have been applying for a permit to attempt the hike again. This year I finally won the lottery and got my permit! Unfortunately, Ted would not be able to join me again as he and his family were at West Point to drop off their son. Susie, however, was free and happily agreed to join me.

My permit was for Monday, so we drove up to El Portal on Sunday. We left a bit on the early side, mostly to avoid LA traffic. After checking into the motel, we drove on toward the valley. Susie had just purchased new shoes and wanted to get a couple of miles in before the big day. Yosemite is now on a timed entry system, meaning you have to have a reservation between 6:00 am and 4:00 pm to enter the park. As we neared the entrance, we were 7 minutes early. I was hoping the ranger would let us enter, given I did have a permit for tomorrow, but they still made us turn back around. So, we drove back a bit until it was safe to make another U-turn. This time we arrived after 4:00, so I just showed my Annual Pass and drove on in.  It was just over 90° F on the valley floor, so we were not looking for anything too adventurous. We found a parking spot with almost no trouble. As we crossed over the valley toward Yosemite Falls, Half Dome stood majestically to our east. Its timeless shape stood lit in the afternoon sun. After taking a nice loop to see lower Yosemite Falls, we returned to the car. Susie said the shoes felt good and gave them the green light for tomorrow’s adventure. 

After making a stop at the store to see if there were any souvenirs we wanted, we drove up to Tunnel View to take in that classic vista of the valley. For dinner, we decided to try the new Basecamp restaurant. Unfortunately, both our sandwiches were barely edible. In fact, Susie just ate the fries and the biscuit that served as a bun for her chicken sandwich. 

Once back at the motel, we reviewed our strategy for the hike and set an alarm for 4 am. This time I wanted to start in daylight to hopefully avoid any missteps like last time. Another difference from the last attempt was we planned to filter water several times during the hike, which would keep our pack weight down. Given the predicted warm temperature, this probably meant having to carry around 5 liters. The day before, we had stopped in Oakhurst and grabbed some muffins, bananas, and orange juice for our breakfast. I certainly am not going to find my usual pre-hike breakfast of a sausage biscuit and hash browns. The parking lot was about 60% full when we pulled in. As we gathered our gear, I drank down a liter of water to start off nice and hydrated. Once we were ready to go, we set off down the path toward Happy Isles and the start of the Mist Trail/John Muir Trail (JMT). After hiking about 3/10 of a mile, we came to the Happy Isles bus stop and made a quick bio-break here. As we crossed over the stone bridge that spans the Merced River, the hike would now “formally” begin.

​​Section 1: Mist Trail

The first part of the Mist Trail is a paved, asphalt trail to the Vernal Fall footbridge. While this section is only about a mile long, you do gain about 500 feet, so we made sure to pace ourselves. While I was not thirsty, I had to take a sip at the water fountain, just because. For the rest of the hike, if you need water, you will have to filter it from the Merced or have it already. This is also the last chance for some flush toilets.

Now, the trail began climbing steeply toward Vernal Fall. After a short bit, the trail splits, with the JMT veering to the right and the Mist Trail to the left. The trail now turns into granite rocks and steps that would lead us up. While we had a glimpse of Vernal Fall from the footbridge, it was not until the trail made a slight turn did we get to see it fully. It is also here that you learn why this trail is called the Mist Trail. If there is a breeze, the mist from the waterfall is usually blown onto the trail. Thankfully, we only got a light mist during this section. During the winter, this section of the trail is closed due to it icing over and becoming unsafe. About 3/4 of the way to the top of Vernal Falls, the trail hugs a cliff wall, but thankfully, the metal railing provides some safety for this section.

The trail then pops out at the top of Vernal Fall on a nice wide plateau. I wandered over to the overlook for a bit before continuing on. The trail takes a mini-break from the elevation gain as it passes the Emerald Pool. Once we crossed the Silver Apron bridge, our climb would begin in earnest again toward the top of Nevada Fall. Steep stone switchbacks carried us up, as the river cascaded to our right. At the top of the waterfall, we came to the end of the Mist Trail and our first planned break. While most hikers hang out right at the junction with the JMT, near the bathroom, we hiked toward the falls to a spot that would give us access to the river. We sat on the smooth rocky banks and enjoyed a well-earned snack as we filtered water for the next section of the hike. I opted to have a liter of electrolytes, as well as about 2.5 liters in my water bladder. Our plan was to filter again once we returned from the summit. After about 20 minutes, we were ready for the next portion of the hike.

Section 2: Little Yosemite Valley

Now with our heavier packs, the flat but sandy section of the hike was welcomed. In just over 3 miles, we had already gained about 2,700 feet! Our first glimpses of the backside of Half Dome were coming into view as we cruised along. The trail splits after a bit, and if we continued straight we would enter the backpacking camp. There is a ranger station located at the camp, along with some pit toilets if you need one. Instead, we took the trail veering off to the left. Soon, this respite from the climbing would come to an end, as the trail makes a turn northward.

Section 3: The Climb

From Little Yosemite Valley, we were going to climb about 1,800 feet over the next 2.5 miles or so until we reached the Sub Dome. As we continued north along the JMT through some lovely forest, I felt myself beginning to feel a bit drained. I took a few short breathers that helped a bit. After 1.4 miles, we reached the junction with the Half Dome Trail. I found a nice spot for a break and then realized that I needed some real protein. I snacked on some jerky and soon began to feel better. Susie cruised on ahead and I once again found my groove. The trail finally turned west, and I knew that we would soon be at the Sub Dome.

Section 4: Sub Dome

It was here that I made the decision to turn back in 2018, so from here on out the hike would be filled with unknowns for me. I showed my permit and ID to the ranger who was stationed at the base of the Sub Dome. She gave us a quick safety briefing and we were good to go, but first, I had another snack and a brief rest. The steep stone steps would rise almost 600 feet in just 3/10 mile. I paused a few times as I made my way up, in part to save some energy for the cables, but also to take in the view. Once I crested the Sub Dome, the infamous cable section stood before me. The most challenging part of the hike was about to begin.

Section 5: The Cables and Summit

I have seen photos of the cables hundreds of times, but now they stood before me. We found a nice spot to take another quick break before continuing on. Both Susie and I brought a simple harness that would allow us to clip into the cables as we made our way up. Ted and I had these with us the last time. We stashed our trekking poles by some rocks and set off. Just a mere 400 feet of elevation gain in 1/10 mile up slick granite. Piece of cake, right? 

Across most of the poles that hold the cables up, is a wooden plank, but there are some sections where they are no longer there, and since Half Dome is protected, they will not be replaced. The cables start off mild, but quickly you find yourself pulling up using your arms from pole to pole. It is essentially a 45-degree angle in the beginning, which seems like a 60-degree angle in the middle, and then another 45-degree angle at the end. My gloves gave me a solid grip on the cable and I started to make my ascent. One of the other challenges with this section are the other climbers. We quickly found ourselves stuck behind one who was moving very slowly and we were in one of the more exposed sections of the cables. At that point, I decided that I needed to descend, so we turned back.

We sat once again at the base of the cables and stared up. Susie gave me a bit of pep talk, and we waited for the number of climbers on the cables to ease. The harness had been bothersome to use during our aborted attempt, so we both decided to forgo it this time. Once the crowd thinned, we again began making our way up. I focused on getting from one pole to another.  As I made my way up, if I needed to pause to allow a hiker to descend, I would clip in for a measure of safety. Overall, I knew that soon I would be standing atop the summit. 

As I stepped away from the cables, I felt a sense of accomplishment come over me. I walked over to a nice spot, slipped off my pack, and drank in the view. It was a touch warm, so I knew that we weren’t going to stay a long time on the summit. Plus, we did have the descent down the cables, which many say is harder, and the long hike back to the valley floor. I stood in the queue to have my photo taken on the “Visor”. Susie had already had her photos done while I was recovering from the effort. She hopped back into the queue and I took a new set for her. I also made sure to take a photo looking down from it, as I knew Ted had not ventured out and he might want to see what he missed.

While I wanted to have lunch up here, the heat was doing a number on our appetites, so we decided to head back down. Susie took the lead this time, as we carefully navigated the slick rock beneath our feet. I could feel my feet slip slightly from time to time, but I knew I had a good grip on the cable and focused on keeping myself in a safe place. We would pause and work out how to pass climbers heading up. I offered up words of encouragement to them, just as they had been given to me. Once past the section of the cables without planks, I knew that I had conquered Half Dome!

Section 6: The Descent

We stored our harnesses, retrieved our trekking poles, and started back down the granite stairs of the Sub Dome. My knee felt good, but I still took my time. We paused at the base of the Sub Dome for a bit and I had the last of the orange I had brought. I was also mindful of how much fluid I still had with me. There was still about 3.5 miles until we could filter water from the Merced. Thankfully, it was pretty much all downhill, so that would help.

After about 2.5 miles, I took a break and grabbed my small can of Coke, and drank it down. I knew the caffeine, sugar, and fluid would tide me over until we could refill our water. Finally, I reached Little Yosemite Valley and about ½ mile later, we sat next to the gently flowing Merced and began to filter our water. I had ¼ of a liter of water left when I arrived. We had some snacks while we refilled our bladders. I also filled my side bottle with more Gatorade as well. Once replenished, we set back down. Like most, we planned to descend using the JMT. This route is longer by an additional 1.5 miles, but without the knee-bashing steps along the Mist Trail. 

We could feel the heat as we traveled down. However, the views of Nevada Fall, Liberty Cap, and Half Dome did somewhat offset that. The next four miles were pretty much just more of the same. We both were ready to be done, and our feet were certainly in agreement. Finally, the trail rejoined the Mist Trail, and after a short break, we pushed on toward the end. Crossing back over the Vernal Fall footbridge, the end seemed so close, but that asphalt trail never seemed to end. Finally, the stone bridge came into view, and we just had the short, flat walk back to the car. Even at 6:30 pm, we could still feel the heat. I checked later and the high on the valley floor had been 100°F! We tossed our packs into the back of the Outback, changed shoes, and gave each other well-earned high-fives! 

The final stats for the hike were 17.02 miles in a total time of 13:12 hrs with an elevation gain of 5,485 feet. I did not stop my tracker during the entire hike. According to Susie’s tracker, our moving time was 9:53. We were a little slower than planned, but given the heat that we hiked under, we were quite pleased with our effort. 

Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com

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. 

Yosemite Falls

It was just over 90° F on the valley floor, so we were not looking for anything too adventurous. We found a parking spot with almost no trouble. As we crossed over the valley toward Yosemite Falls, Half Dome stood majestically to our east. Its timeless shape stood lit in the afternoon sun. After taking a nice loop to see lower Yosemite Falls, we returned to the car. Susie said the new shoes felt good and gave them the green light for tomorrow’s adventure. 

Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com

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. 

Keys Peak

While backpacking the Boy Scout Trail in Joshua Tree with my good friend Ted Hoelter, I hoped to summit Keys Peak which is on the Lower Peaks Committee list. After hiking about 4 miles along the trail, we found a nice spot to set up camp for the night. Keys Peak was just a short walk to our east. Once camp was set up, we headed over to the base of the peak.

I looked at the western face and felt that we could tackle it straight on until near the summit where the rocks looked larger and we would stay to the right for the last bit. While I spotted one cairn near the start, I did not see the next one. No matter, the terrain did not provide any issues. About halfway up, something shiny caught my eye, and I found a mylar balloon caught in a bush, so I headed over to collect it. Once the trash was packed away, I headed back toward my original route. As I expected, toward the top, there were a few Class 2 sections to scramble through, but soon we were on the summit.

I found the benchmark and register. We snapped our photos and took advantage of cell service to check in with our spouses. The sun was setting and there was a light breeze, so I was eager to climb back down and start thinking about dinner. Coming down, I quickly found the string of cairns that guided us back to the desert floor. This little excursion was .5 miles with just over 325 feet of gain. Back at camp, we enjoyed our dinner under the evening skies before turning in.

Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com

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. 

Boy Scout Trail

With my usual hiking partners busy, I decided to take a backpacking trip in Joshua Tree National Park. My friend Ted from Santa Barbara, who had joined me when I hiked Santa Cruz Island, was able to join me. We opted to hike the Boy Scout Trail, which would be a nice 8-mile hike, allowing us to explore both the upper Mojave desert with its Joshua Trees and then the lower Mojave desert, with cacti and yuccas. In addition, I hoped to summit two peaks on the Lower Peaks Committee list that are near the trail–Keys Peak and Mount Mel. We were doing this trip as a point-to-point hike, starting at the Keys West Trailhead and working our way down to the Indian Cove Trailhead. I arrived first at the Indian Cove Backcountry parking area and waited for Ted to arrive. Another hiker was getting ready to head off and planned on following the same route, but as a day hike. Since there is cell coverage at this trailhead, he had called for a cab to drive him to the other trailhead. This also could be an option for those who can’t or don’t want to set up a car shuttle. Ted eventually arrived, after getting a late start, and having to get a pass from the ranger station ($30). I took a short nap in the car while I waited. Once Ted arrived, I transferred my hiking gear into his car and he tossed his backpack into mine. With that, we headed back into town to grab lunch before setting off. 

After enjoying a nice burger and soda at JT’s Country Kitchen, we drove back into the park via the West Entrance. This is the main entrance to the park from the north, so be prepared to wait a bit to pass by the ranger station. Since I have a National Parks Annual Pass, I was able to bypass some of the waiting. We drove south toward the Keys West parking lot. This is a large lot but can fill up. Sure enough, upon arriving, there was not a spot to be found. The Boy Scout Trail is also a popular day hiking site, so we decided to wait for some returning hikers and then take their spot. After about 10 or 15 minutes, a couple did return and I was able to take their spot. Two other cars were waiting behind me. I had grabbed two backcountry permits (free) while waiting at the other trailhead and had them filled out.

NOTE: Permits are no longer free for backpacking in Joshua Tree. You need to obtain them from Recreation.gov or from the Park Headquarters in Twentynine Palms.

We had left one at our destination and had the other ready to deposit at the backcountry board in this location. We took advantage of the primitive pit toilet before setting off. Another thing to note, there is no water at this trailhead.

The trail sets off to the north. Soon you will see a mileage sign to the three main destinations from this trailhead; Willow Hole Trail (1.2 miles), the Big Pine Trail (3.7 miles), and Indian Cove (7.7 miles). What is interesting is the mileage sign next to the parking lot lists the Indian Cove at 7.5 miles. Since I had created markers for the turn-offs to each of the side peaks, I wanted to make sure my tracking app was working. For some reason, it was not recording the distance. After relaunching the app a few times, then finally rebooting my phone, it started working. I could have enabled tracking on my Garmin InReach Mini, but I like to only use that for communication with my wife or in a real emergency. 

Off to the west, we could see the snow-capped summit of San Gorgonio, Southern California’s highest peak. The trail is nice and flat for almost the first 3.5 miles, so we were able to cruise along. This area is also a popular climbing area, and we would pass signs indicating various climbing access trails to spots like “Brownie Girl Dome” and “Hidden Dome”. The first real junction that you need to look for is the Willow Hole Trail. Stay to the left to keep on the Boy Scout Trail. As you cruise along the trail, enjoy the Joshua Trees that will dot the landscape.

I knew at a certain point the trail would begin to pass into rockier terrain and we would no longer find a suitable campsite. In addition, there are some rules that we needed to observe. Besides the “stand 1 mile from a road and 500 feet from the trail”, we were also not allowed to camp on the east side of the trail. (NPS rules). We could see the terrain becoming less sandy, and the plant life began to change as well.

NOTE: There are now designated dispersed campsites that you have to camp at to reduce the impact on the area. See https://www.nps.gov/jotr/planyourvisit/the-boy-scout-trail-zone.htm

Off to my right, I could see Key Peak in the afternoon sun. We had been seeing several possible camping sites but decided to keep heading north just a bit. Not really finding anything else suitable, we retraced our route about .1 mile to a nice area near Keys Peak. We picked spots about 20 yards apart, so our snoring did not bother each other. Once camp was set up, we headed over to the base of the peak.

I looked at the western face and felt that we could tackle it straight on until near the summit where the rocks looked larger and we would stay to the right for the last bit. While I spotted one cairn near the start, I did not see the next one. No matter, the terrain did not provide any issues. About halfway up, something shiny caught my eye, and I found a mylar balloon caught in a bush, so I headed over to collect it. Once the trash was packed away, I headed back toward my original route. As I expected, toward the top, there were a few Class 2 sections to scramble through, but soon we were on the summit. I found the benchmark and register. We snapped our photos and took advantage of cell service to check in with our spouses. The sun was setting and there was a light breeze, so I was eager to climb back down and start thinking about dinner. Coming down, I quickly found the string of cairns that guided us back to the desert floor. This little excursion was .5 miles with just over 325 feet of gain. 

As the sun’s light began to fade, I sat back and enjoyed the changing light upon the rocks around us. We each had our dinners and some beers we had packed in as well. It was getting colder, so we each retreated to our tents for the night. Ted had brought a tripod and DSLR in hopes of getting some nice star shots later once the sliver of moon had set. I did not have the best night’s sleep, as I needed just a bit more warmth. I woke before the sun crested the hills to the east, and Ted was up soon thereafter. Ted took a bit longer to get ready, so I scrambled up the mound of boulders to our west for a look around. Once we were done with breakfast, we finished packing and headed back onto the trail.

We came to the intersection with the Big Pine Trail that could take us to the west and eventually to the main road, but we continued working our way northward. The trail was getting rockier and rockier. There were a few boulders to work our way down, but nothing serious. It was more about having a backpack on versus a standard daypack. Along the way, we passed an old water basin from a nearby mine.

The trail markers kept us on the trail, although the route was very easy to follow. We had begun the descent toward the canyon that we would eventually follow out. Ted commented that we certainly picked the right direction, as climbing this with a full pack would take some effort. The next point of interest was the Boy Scout Viewpoint. This spot gave us an epic view toward the east. After capturing the panoramic view, we would descend through a series of switchbacks until we reached another wash. Here the trail made a hard right turn and began heading eastward.

While trail markers would still guide us through the wash, there really is only one route to take. Various cacti would dot the sides of the wash and canyon walls, including some very beautiful and colorful barrel cacti. We still had some shade, so the temperatures were pleasant as we worked through the wash and the narrow slots. I kept an eye on our track for the turn-off to climb Mount Mel. I wasn’t certain if I was going to do it as the poor sleep had not left me overly eager to scramble up the rocky slopes to this summit. Once at the turn-off, I looked at it and decided to skip it. It is close enough to the other trailhead that returning another time was not going to be an issue. 

Finally, the trail left the wash, then hugged the side of the hill before exiting into the wide flat desert. From here we had a long gradual downhill hike back to the car. This trailhead only holds about 6-7 cars, and there were a few open spots. There are no facilities, but both the ranger station and Indian Cove campground do. We changed our shirts and shoes and headed back to go get my car. Along the way, we grabbed lunch at the Crossroad Cafe. They had a one-hour wait, but that gave us time to go into the park, get my car and be back in time. After lunch, Ted and I said our goodbyes until our next adventure.

Day 1: 3.93 miles, 1:35 with maybe 200 or so feet of gain.

Day 2: 4.45 miles, 2:09 with 1,280 of loss.

Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com

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. 

Telescope Peak

With all the forest closures, I wasn’t sure where I might go hiking. As fortune would have it, I found myself driving up to Mahogany Flat campground to tackle Telescope Peak. My wife had volunteered to help a family friend, so she would be busy for part of the weekend. I made the drive to the campground, which sits at just over 8,100 feet, with no issue. I set up my tent and relaxed. There was a bit of a breeze but it was fine. I watched the sun set across Death Valley to my east and had my dinner. As the evening fell, the winds began to pick up, & I moved my car to provide a bit of a break. I had planned to enjoy more of the night sky but retreated to my tent. The winds would rattle my tent all night long, waking me from time to time.

I woke just before dawn and captured a gorgeous sunrise, then made my breakfast and began gearing up. About 7:30, I signed my name in the trail register and set off. This hike can be thought of in three parts; the first 2 miles up the ridge near Roger’s Peak, the next 2 miles or so across the meadow, then the final climb to the summit.

Knowing this, I kept a measured pace as I made my way through the various pine trees. Sweeping views of Death Valley would show themselves to my east. Over these first two miles, I would gain almost 1,500 feet. Once at Arcane Meadow I found the cairn that makes the use trail up to Rogers Peak, as well as a small campsite. It was here that I would get my first glimpse of Telescope Peak. I certainly had some climbing ahead of me.

The trail turned mostly south, wrapping around Bennett Peak. My view had shifted to the Panamint Valley to the west. Far off in the distance stood Mt. Whitney. The next two miles went quickly as the trail was mostly flattish, allowing me some time to recover from that initial push.

As Telescope Peak drew nearer, some Bristlecone Pine began to dot the landscape. I took a short break before the last mile or so to the summit. There were about 11 switchbacks ahead of me and another 1,400 feet of gain. Between the thinner air, a less than restful night of sleep, and a poor choice of breakfast, I was struggling. I would pause frequently to catch my breath and focus my energy.

Finally, the summit came into view! The trio of hikers I had been leapfrogging had arrived just a bit before me. I dropped my pack and sat against the rocks. The views were tremendous, as there was hardly a cloud in the sky. Mt. Charleston could be seen to the east, Mt. Whitney off to the northwest. After eating my lunch, I snapped my photos, signed the summit register, and began my descent.

The wind was still blowing at times, taking the edge off the sun exposure. I looked at both Bennett and Rogers peaks. Initially, I had planned to bag them as well, but I was a bit wiped from that last mile to the summit and opted to skip them.

I took a break at Arcane Meadow before the last push down. My energy levels were a bit low, so I kept focused on the trail ahead of me. The miles would slowly tick down until the trail register appeared once again. I checked my watch and the 12.2 miles had taken me 8:18. Once back at the campsite, I decided to pack up and head home. Unlike when I drove up, I did stop at the Charcoal Kilns and take a look around. I am glad to have had a successful summit and am ready to tackle my next big peak!

Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com

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. 

White Sands National Park

I woke up early and drove out to White Sands National Park to get in a few trails before the heat of the day became too much. The parking lot for the Dunes Nature Trail was empty as I parked the car. Climbing the dunes I was greeted with an incredible vista of the white gypsum dunes and a calming quiet. 

There isn’t a trail in the traditional sense, but a series of blue posts that serve as guides to help you navigate the landscape. There are also various informational plaques, so you should be able to stay on track. Once back at the car, I still had some time before I needed to get back to the family, so I decided to explore the Playa trail which is just across the road. 

This is a short trail that takes you out to see one of the playas, or depressions, that are scattered around the area. After a rain, the playa will be filled with water. Being early August, I knew that the playa would be bone-dry. Regardless, it was still interesting to see.

After rejoining the family, we returned to White Sands National Park and walked the Boardwalk trail, so the family could get a better sense of the park.

Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com

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. 

Carlsbad Caverns

After watching the bats leave Carlsbad Caverns the night before, it was our turn to explore the caverns. We walked down through the natural entrance into the darkness. The trail would descend over 750 feet of elevation along the 1.25 miles until it reached the Big Room Trail.

Since the park requires reservations, we hardly saw anyone as we carefully made our way through the cavern, being mindful of the steepness and dampness of the path. Once at the Big Room trail, we followed the path for another 1.25 miles. Here it did become a bit more crowded, as some had opted to take the elevator down instead.

It is hard to accurately describe all the sights. But what was more impressive was how well my iPhone was able to capture them.

Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com

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. 

Petroglyph National Monument

I had hoped to hike the Piedras Marcadas Canyon trail with the family on the way into Albuquerque, but the afternoon rains prevented that from happening. Instead, I woke up early and drove out to the trailhead. Unlike the other trails in Petroglyph National Monument, this trail is open from sunrise to sunset. I parked the car in the empty lot and set off.

The entire trail is a 1.95 mile loop and fairly flat. Along the way I saw some incredible petroglyphs. I hustled back to the car to return to the hotel and rejoin the family.

After checking out of the hotel and having breakfast, we drove to the Petroglyphs National Monument Visitor Center to get our Junior Ranger Badge, then we set off to explore some of the petroglyphs found along the Boca Negra trail. 

While I would have loved to explore more, it was heating up and we had other sights to see.

Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com

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. 

Petrified Forest National Park

Our first real stop on our road trip to Little Rock to see my sister and her family was the Petrified Forest/Painted Desert. Since it was late July, I knew we were not going to be doing a lot of the trails scattered around the park. One hike we actually did was the Giant Log trail located just behind the Rainbow Forest Museum.

Once back in the cool, air-conditioned car, we continued driving through the park. We hit several of the major sights: Blue Mesa Road Loop, the Teepees, Newspaper Rock.  

The drive also took us into the Painted Desert. We again stopped at a few viewpoints to take in the views. I would love to come back here and do some longer hikes, even an overnight trip.

Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com

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. 

Backpacking across Santa Cruz Island

One of my goals for this year was to take more backpacking trips. In fact, I hope to do many of the Six-Pack of Peaks as overnights. But another adventure I wanted to take was a backpacking trip out on Santa Cruz Island. After doing some research, I settled on arriving at Prisoner’s Harbor and hiking up to Del Norte Primitive Campground. After spending the night there, I would hike across the island to Scorpion Cove and camp there and then depart back to the mainland the next day. The first challenge was to find permits for both of these sites. Del Norte can be tough to get as there are only 4 sites available. Once I had secured my Del Norte site, I selected a site at Scorpion. The next requirement was book passage with Island Packers to be ferried over to the island. But when I tried to book my trip I was unable to arrive at Prisoner’s Harbor and depart from Scorpion. I gave up and called them directly, and learned that you can not book a trip like that on the website, but it was no problem to book over the phone.

I then extended the invitation to the trip to Ted Markus and my college buddy, Ted Hoelter, both quickly said yes. What was going to be nice about this trip is all three of us will be vaccinated, making the trip far less stressful. Ted M. and I drove up to Ventura the night before and shared a hotel room, as neither of us wanted to wake up that early to drive up to Ventura Harbor. It was like pre-Covid.

Probably one of the biggest challenges of this hike was going to be the fact that Del Norte does not have any potable water, meaning we would have to carry enough water for the 3+ mile climb to the campsite, two meals, and the 10+ mile hike over to Scorpion Cove. By our calculations, we each needed to have about 6 liters of fluids. That is a lot of water weight.

Ted M. and I grabbed breakfast at a café at the harbor before heading over to Island Packers’ dock. Our packs were weighed as there is a weight limit. In addition, our fuel had to be removed and stored separately, as did our water/fluids. I opted to put my fluids in my slack pack and keep it with me. Once on-board, we set off for the 1 ½ hour ride. The seas weren’t too bad, with just some light swell. We spotted some bottle-nose dolphins and a minke whale on the way over. Once we docked, we climbed the ladder up onto the pier and headed onto the island. The ranger was giving a briefing to the day visitors, most of whom were taking a guided hike onto the Nature Conservancy portion of the island. It seems the three of us were the only backpackers on this day. We found a picnic table and began to repack our packs. The ranger came over to us and gave us a short briefing and checked that we were properly prepared. With that we set off!

Ted M. and I had brought sandwiches for lunch. Neither of us was ready, so we kept them in our packs, figuring once we reached camp we would enjoy them. To get to the campsite, we followed the Navy Road for about 1.25 miles until it intersected with the Del Norte Trail. This first section was a fairly steady grade, but soon we would lose some of the 600 feet of gain, as the Del Norte trail would dip down into a ravine and back up. The skies were overcast and we would feel the humidity as we made our way up. From a recent YouTube video of this hike, I knew there was another picnic bench that would make a perfect rest stop. We slipped off our packs and took a nice break, enjoying the sweeping views. We debated having lunch here, but we only had one mile to camp, so we pushed on. Our climb continued until we reached the turn off to the campsite. We again slipped off our packs and surveyed the campsite. Not soon after, one of the island’s kit foxes trotted by. We decided to wait a bit to set up our tents as while currently we had the entire campsite to ourselves, in case someone was hiking over from Scorpion we did not want to have taken their site. We had our lunch and then enjoyed a nice nap for a bit. Around 5, we deemed that no one was coming, and we each took a site and set up our tents. I stayed in site 3, while Ted M. picked site 2, and Ted H. opted for site 1. 

With our tents set up, we went for a short stroll up to the ranger’s house. While Gaia showed a loop, once we reached the residence, it was clear that the trail was no longer there. We returned to our camp and made dinner. I enjoyed one of the beers I had hauled in my pack as I ate my dinner. We watched the sun slip out from the cloud layer for a brief moment before sliding behind the island. We chatted around the table for a while, before storing our food in the bear boxes. I hung my pack from a nearby oak to keep some of the island’s animals from getting into it. I crawled into my tent and listened to some podcasts before drifting off to sleep. My only disappointment so far was, due to the cloudy skies, I was not going to get to enjoy the stars. 

Thankfully, we had little wind throughout the night. We had read that it can get a bit windy here since it is an exposed campsite. As expected we all woke around 6. To conserve our water, we all had low-water breakfasts. I opted for oatmeal and one cup of coffee. We packed up fairly soon, as we figured we might as well start hiking while it was cooler. 

We made our way back onto the Del Norte Trail and began heading east until we reached the junction with the trail down to Chinese Harbor. From there we would connect with the East End Road and continue on. While we mostly were gaining elevation along the way, we did have a couple of ravines that dropped through. Although we each were lighter by 2 liters, our packs were still a bit heavy. The fog and clouds were all around us as we made good time.

After about 4.5 miles or so, we came to another picnic bench. This one had seen better days, but it served as a welcome rest stop. We had a bit of uncertainty about the correct route, as Gaia showed a fork in the road, which we did not see. Ted H. and I scouted around and determined that the remaining road that we saw before us was the correct route. After a few minutes of traveling, we spied the overgrown road that we did not want to have taken. The Montanon Ridge stood before us. We debated which of the bumps was El Montanon, the peak I had hoped to summit. The road ended and our route returned to single track. We would now make the climb up the ridge. The Teds were a bit uncertain, but I knew that we would be fine.

We carefully made our way up the steep slope, given we did have backpacks on and our center of gravity was shifted. Once past the ‘hard’ part, we stopped and surveyed our ascent. Off to the side, a short use trail leads up to a viewpoint. Sadly, the fog and clouds hid the view, but it still made for a great photo op.

From there we continued on until we met up with the main trail. Looking off the east, we could see Anacapa Island in the distance. To our left, the main trail would take us down to the campsite for the evening. Off to the right was the use trail up to El Montanon. Looking at the map, this would be about .6 miles to the summit without too much gain. The reason I wanted to climb this summit as it is part of the Lower Peaks Committee list. This is one of the peak lists that I am now turning my attention to. In fact, it is known as the most expensive peak on the list. We followed the ridgeline, drawing close to a research station and its tower. However, the actual peak was one bump further. We were rewarded with some incredible views. Once at the real peak, we did not find a good spot for lunch, so we returned to the research station. After a nice break, we heard some day hikers making their way toward us. We greeted them and pointed out the location of the benchmark. 

Once back at the junction, we opted to head toward another peak listed on Peakbagger — High Mount. This was an even shorter jaunt. While the main trail was just below us, the slope on the use trail was a bit too much, so we backtracked slightly. Now we had about 4 miles to descend to our campsite, where we’d find water. As we continued on, we would pass more hikers that had ventured up from Scorpion. It was quite the difference between the three of us with full backpacks and those just with some water. 

The remaining miles went fairly quickly. We did have to decide if we wanted to enter via Upper Scorpion or via the route near the ocean. Upper Scorpion won. We passed various group sites, and there were a few solo campers as well. One camper inquired if we had come from Del Norte, and we said yes. She asked about the trail and its difficulty, as she was planning to hike over to it tomorrow. After giving her some details of the day’s hike, we wished her luck and continued on. We all thought about all the water she would be lugging.

We found our site and set up camp. We also enjoyed the fresh cool water from the nearby spout. I pulled out my water bladder from my pack and found it still had a liter left. After a rest, we went for a stroll down to the shore and actually had some cell signal. We checked in with our wives and did some other online things before heading back to our camp and having a well-earned dinner. We again sat around the table chatting for some time. Since two of the nearby sites were open, we borrowed one of the “bear” boxes to store our packs, as Ted H. and I have smaller tents.

Anyone who has camped knows that when the first light comes, you tend to wake up. Our last morning was no exception. Our ferry was not slated to arrive until 4, so we had almost a full day to explore. After a leisurely breakfast, we grabbed our slack packs and headed off toward Potato Harbor and Cavern Point.

We climbed up a draw near the edge of Lower Scorpion toward the bluffs. From there we followed it out to the Potato Harbor overlook. Although the skies were still overcast, we had some incredible views. We met a few fellow day hikers along the way. Upon our return, we went out to Cavern Point for some more of the incredible coastline. We then made our way off the bluffs and back to camp. We realized we had technically missed our check-out time, so we hustled back and broke camp. While someone had set up, we never saw them to apologize for not leaving on time. The nice thing about Scorpion is it has a lot of room for tents, so hopefully, they were not too impacted. We walked down to one of the other picnic tables near the pier and had lunch. We poked around the area, wandering through the visitor center and the other kiosks scattered around. 

The ferry arrived on time and we walked down the new pier to board. In fact, this pier had only been open since January. On our return, we encountered more dolphins. The captain said we had a pod of about 200 around us, jumping and playing in our wakes. Shortly thereafter, we spotted two humpback whales — a mother and her calf. We watched them for some time before returning to our course and the harbor. 

Once back at our cars, we changed into clean clothes and set off for dinner. It was a fantastic three days. Now to plan for my next backpacking trip!

Final Stats

Day 1: 3.1 miles, 1,100 feet of gain, 1:43 hrs

Day 2: 11.6 miles, 2,000 feet of gain, 6:43 hrs

Day 3: 5.1 miles, 652 feet of gain, 3:11 hrs

Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com

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.