Ontario Peak

I needed one more peak to complete the SoCal Six-Pack of Peaks Challenge for the year. With Mt. Baldy and Santiago closed until 2025 and Mt. Baden-Powell restricted, that left me only 4 options; San Gorgonio, San Bernardino, Cucamonga, or Ontario. I choose the latter as it is the easiest. I knew I needed to arrive at the trailhead parking lot just after 6 am if I hoped to find parking, so it was going to be an early morning. As expected, the freeways were fairly empty as I made my way, but as I pulled in, the lot was almost completely full. It was chilly but not too cold. I donned my fleece, pulled up my sun hoodie for warmth for my ears, and set off up Ice House Canyon. The stream was flowing nicely and trees in this part of the canyon had begun to show their fall colors.

Unlike the last time I tried to hike this trail and turned back due to some knee pain, I was feeling good as I made my way up toward Ice House Saddle. After about 3.6 miles of climbing, I could hear the voices of other hikers milling about. I found a log and took a well-earned break. Nearby, a sizable group from hikingforall.com was getting ready to continue onto Ontario Peak as well. I cut my break short to start my ascent ahead of them, so I would not be in a conga line of hikers.

A few from their group did catch and pass me, but I mostly stayed ahead of them, giving me the solitude I sought. As I passed through Kelly Camp, a couple of tents were set up off to the west. I continued on, wondering from time to time if I should have taken a longer break back at Ice House Saddle. When the view to the west opened up, I could see Mt. Baldy and the fire damage to the surrounding area. When the trail crested at the ridgeline, it was finally warm enough to stash my fleece before the final push to the top. Soon, the actual peak came into view and the last few switchbacks to the summit. I was paying for the short break as I slogged up the last 1/4 mile to the top.

Once there, I found a spot to drop my pack and snapped a few photos before the others arrived. There were a few folks hanging out, so thankfully not all my photos were selfies. I enjoyed my PB&J, orange slices and some Gatorade. The weather was perfect, with just a light breeze, and barely a cloud in the sky. I chatted with George Rojas, the founder of hikingforall.com, for a bit before I headed down.

I debated hiking over and summiting Bighorn Peak, but opted to skip it. The quickest way down from it is cross-country trek and I would feel better doing it with a companion. As I made my way down, more hikers were working their way up. They could not have picked a better fall day to be on trail.

Once back at Ice House Saddle, I was feeling pretty good, so I just continued my descent. I passed Columbine Spring, which I missed seeing on the way up, where someone was refilling their water bottles. I could tell I was getting closer to the trailhead, as the types of hikers transitioned from more serious hikers to those out for a stroll. The lower part of Ice House Canyon is certainly a lovely spot to enjoy. When I stopped my tracker, it informed me this was my second fastest hike between 11-13 miles. I knew I felt good, but dang! It clocked the 12.01 miles in 5:58. I paused at the saddle and at the summit. I doubt I will be able to get another Six Pack peak this year given my calendar, shorter days, and the uncertainty of weather, but who knows…

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.

Sunrise on San Jacinto…almost

Time for what is now turning out to be an annual trip, backpacking San Jacinto. After checking in at the Ranger Station, I made the short hike up to Round Valley. I had hoped to camp at Upper Chinaquin, but someone beat me to it, so Buckthorn it was.

I was doing this trip a bit late in the season. I had hoped to do it a couple of weeks earlier, but the tram maintenance was extended, so I had to push back my date. Thankfully, the weather hadn’t turned, but I would be dealing with the sun setting around 6. After setting up camp, I made my dinner and opted to turn in early. This time I hoped to make the summit for sunrise, so that meant waking up around 4 am. I listened to a podcast for a bit, then fell asleep. When the moon rose around 2 am, I pulled my wool cap down over my eyes and drifted back to sleep until my alarm went off.

I made some coffee and ate some oatmeal. I debated bringing a slack pack or using my backpack instead. I opted to use my new Osprey Exos for my summit.

With my headlamp illuminating the trail, I began hiking the mile up to Wellman Divide at 5 am. I had hoped to start a bit earlier but got behind schedule. The climb went smoothly, during which I stopped briefly to gaze at the city lights to the southwest. I did not linger as I was racing the rising sun. I made decent time as I headed to the Miller Peak hairpin, but as I made my way, I could see the coming dawn off to the east, along with the lights of Palm Springs and the rest of the valley. It was simply stunning to watch, but I also knew that I was not going to make the summit before the sun rose. After the hairpin, I found a nice spot with a clear view of the east, took a break, and watched the sunrise.

The upside was the final boulder scramble to the summit wouldn’t be in the dark. As I was about halfway up, a young lady was making her way down. We chatted a bit before heading our different directions. Once at the summit, which had a sign this time, I snapped a few photos. One cool photo I took was the actual mountain shadow spread out to the west. I found a nice spot for a well-earned rest and unpacked my cool kit to brew up a cup of coffee. After my snack and warm beverage, I headed back down. Now it was my turn to meet someone at the base of boulders. Turns out she is a SOBO PCTer, who decided to add this summit. Most NOBOs skip it, as they are dealing with snow and ice when they are passing by. We parted company and I began wondering when I might encounter my first day hikers. I guessed it probably to happen just after the Wellman Divide, but a group of 5 young and strong hikers passed me about 1/4 mile before I got to Wellman.

As I made my way down from Wellman, I would encounter a steady stream of day hikers. Some asked about conditions at the summit, while others focused on the climb ahead of them.

Once back at Round Valley, I returned to my campsite to pack up my gear. As I cruised back to toward the tram station, the stream of day hikers continued. Soon, the Ranger Station came into view and I stopped to check out. After chatting with the Ranger a bit, I made the hard slog up the concrete switchbacks that lead to the tram station. With it being the weekend, trams were running every 15 minutes. I soon found myself tossing my gear into the Subaru and slipping on a clean shirt and some tennis shoes for the drive home.

El Cajon Mountain

The original plan was to take advantage of the cooler temperatures in Anza-Borrego and summit Kay Benchmark. Unfortunately, Ted injured his foot and could not join me, so I opted to finish the San Diego Six Pack of Peaks Challenge by climbing El Cajon Mountain. I parked along the shoulder of Wildcat Canyon, as the parking lot was not yet open. A bright moon hung in the sky to the west, I gathered my gear and set off under its light.

As I made my way along the familiar trail, the pre-dawn light began to increase until my moon shadow faded away. The sun was poking out from behind the mountain as I made my first small descent. This hike is “famous” for the fact you get to climb up and down several bumps along the way to the summit, and of course, do them again upon your return.

Portions of the trail certainly suffered some damage from Tropical Storm Hillary, as there were some good-sized ruts along the way. As I continued cruising along toward the summit, a few folks passed me, but I was in no hurry. I stopped at the rusting jeep and had a snack before the final push to the top.

Once at the summit, I enjoyed my PB&J and some orange slices. As a few other climbers mingled about, I snapped a few photos and began my descent. That is when my knees began to hurt. Back at the jeep, I applied some Voltaren, hoping it might provide some pain relief. I reduced my pace and stride length to see if that helped. I pushed on back to the car, fighting through the discomfort. Once back at the car, I headed home, looking forward to putting some ice packs on my aching knees.

Palomar High Point (via Oak Grove)

Normally at this time of year, I would be hiking some of the peaks on the SoCal Six-Pack of Peaks challenge. Sadly, the recent fires have closed many of the peaks I need to summit. I instead opted to knock out one of the peaks I needed to climb for the San Diego Six-Pack of Peaks challenge, Palomar High Point. I pulled into the parking area a touch before dawn. After lacing up my hiking shoes and putting my America the Beautiful pass on my dashboard, I set off.

It was brisk, but I knew the day would be warm later, so I followed the standard mantra “Be bold, start cold!” Some nice trail signage guided me through the network of options that exist at the start of this hike. The sun had not yet crested over Hot Springs Mountain as I began working my way up the trail. Soon, I saw the orange glow on the slopes above me and began keeping an eye out for that first bit of the sun rising.

The trail was as I remembered, and I made good time up to where it connects with the Oak Grove Truck Trail. I had nice views of San Gorgonio and San Jacinto to my north, and Santiago Peak to the northwest. Off to the west, I could pick out Agua Tibia and Eagle Crag.

I reached the junction with High Point Truck Trail and took a short break. I remembered the next stretch of road was a bit steeper and unlike the Oak Grove Truck Trail, open to vehicles. After about 1.2 miles, I reached the junction with the Palomar Divide Truck Trail. There was a nice downed oak tree for me to take another break and mix up some electrolytes before the final push to the summit. I took a well-earned break, enjoying my snack and the views of the observatory domes to the west. A pair of motorcycle riders pulled up and stopped for a quick break. After they left, I chatted with the gentleman staffing the tower for a bit and he awarded me the Order of the Squirrel card! Been wanting to get one of those for some time…

As much as I wanted to linger, I had 6.5 miles to hike down to the car. My left hip started to give me some pain as I hiked along the road. At each break, I would try to stretch it out to see if that might help. For a while, it did ease and I could hold a better pace. Near the summit, I met another challenger. We chatted briefly, and he mentioned he might have lost his Garmin InReach near the start of the hike. I offered to keep an eye out for it.

The day was getting warmer and I needed to be a bit mindful of my water. I had bought two 1.5 liter bottles the day before, but they were too wide to fit into my waist pack, so I only had a total of 2.5 liters on me. That other half liter sure would have been welcomed. I worked my way down the trail, leaving the road walking behind. I kept an eye out for the possible missing Garmin but never spotted it. As I neared my car, a group of wild turkeys walked past. The entire hike took me 7:05, including that nice break at the summit. Not bad, especially with my hip bugging me. I grabbed some cold drinks and snacks from Don’s in Santa Ysabel and cruised home. One more peak to wrap up this year’s San Diego Six-Pack of Peaks Challenge.

Strawberry Peak

I knew the forecast was going to be hot before I left San Diego, but boy, oh boy! I arrived at the Red Box Picnic Area at just after 6 am, and the thermometer read 74°F. I gathered my things and quickly set off. This was my 5th time doing this peak, so I was very familiar with the trail. I cruised along, enjoying the shade from Mt. Lawlor. Then at Lawlor Saddle the “fun” began. I took a short break on one of the false summits for a quick snack before pushing on. I had the summit to myself, sitting on the western side for well-earned shade.

As I headed down, I finally started to encounter other hikers. Just after the first false summit, I ran into another SoCal 6-Pack of Peaks Challenger, Alfred. We chatted for a while before parting ways. Early on, I offered general encouragement to those hiking up, but as I continued on my return I became more concerned about their safety. The day was really warming up, and the section from the saddle to the summit is fully exposed to the blazing sun. Most seemed to be properly equipped, but there were some that did give me some real concern. Back at my car, I quickly turned the A/C on and drank some ice-cold water I had. The car’s thermometer read 90°F, and given how the trail felt that last 1/2 mile, I would believe it. I could not stop thinking that some of those hikers were going to have a miserable time.

Stormy San Gorgonio

I scanned the skies as I shouldered my pack on my back. There were some possible rain clouds forming over the mountains around me, but the forecast from NOAA had the chance at about 30%, so I decided to set off for my overnight trip up San Gorgonio. I crossed the road and onto the trail to begin my 6-mile hike up to Dry Lake. The area burned back in 2015 in the Lake Fire, so the landscape is a mix of new undergrowth and burned trees waiting to fall.

I reached Horse Meadow Camp and made a quick stop to explore a bit, but I knew those clouds around me might become an issue so I pressed on. At the junction for Poopout Hill, a group of young backpackers and their chaperone were taking a break. I chatted with them briefly to learn they were aiming to camp at Dollar Lake. I made the short detour to Poopout Hill, took a break, and enjoyed my PB&J for lunch. Off in the distance, I could see the summit of San Gorgonio. I waited for the group to set off before returning to the main trail. After a bit I felt a few drops of rain starting to fall, so I slipped on my pack cover and had my jacket ready. Pressing on, I knew I was starting to get close to the junction where the trail splits, with the left fork up to Dry Lake, and the right fork onto Dollar Lake. Then, as the rains started to pour, I quickly slipped on my rain jacket and spied a small tree to huddle under to offer maybe just a bit more protection. Thunder began to echo across the mountain and the rains continued. Then a flash of lightning darted across the skies, followed by hail! I had leap-frogged those young backpackers, and they came trundling past. One of them was using their tent’s rainfly as a poncho. I was fine huddling here, hoping the rain showers would be brief. After about 20 minutes or so, and no sign of it letting up, I broke open my bivy to act as my additional layer of protection. I wasn’t 100% certain that my jacket was actually water-proof and was feeling a bit damp. I sat there for about an hour, listening to the storm continue on. When it finally eased, I grabbed my pack and headed back down the mountain. As I made my way down, parts of the trail had now filled with water. Since my shoes were already soaked, I just pushed on through.

Along the way, I passed several hikers making their way up. I think they either hung out at Horse Camp while the storm did its thing or, as one backpacker told me, stayed in the car. When I reached Horse Camp, I had a cell signal and called my wife to let her know about the change of plans, and while I was on the phone, another rain shower passed over me. This time I was safely under the cabin’s roof. After the rain stopped, I hiked the last mile to the car, looking forward to getting out of my wet clothes. As I drove home, I felt very confident that I made the right call to turn back. This trip was just one of mistiming. If I had started later or earlier I could have probably avoided the thunderstorm and had a great trip, but I didn’t. Hopefully, the next time I try backpacking San Gorgonio, the weather will be in my favor…

Sawmill & Mt. Pinos

I spent the night at Mt. Pinos campground enjoying some clear skies and good company with a good friend from college.

After breakfast, we made the short drive to the trailhead for our planned hike to Sawmill. Unfortunately, my breakfast wasn’t sitting well, so I kept a more relaxed pace to see if things might settle themselves. The hike up to Mt. Pinos is pretty mellow, so I knew I had some time to see if my stomach calmed down. We reached the summit without any other incidents and snapped some photos. The summit sign was MIA, but no biggie.

We continued on to the Mount Pinos Condor Observation Site and I sat for a bit. An incident radio station had been set up to assist the firefighters battling the Apache fire to our west. Neither Ted nor I saw any smoke from it. I was feeling better and we began our descent to the saddle between Mt. Pinos and Sawmill. Having done this peak several times, I was comfortable with continuing.

We worked our way up to the summit of Sawmill and had a nice long rest. The smoke from the Borel fire, east of Bakersfield, was clearly visible (later in the day, it may have triggered a pyrocumulus). After chatting with another 6 Pack of Peaks challenger, we set back. While I was better, I was not at 100%, so we took a few breaks along the return. The trail had become more active as the day wore on.

Back at the car, we calculated making the 7.3 miles with a moving time of 3:12. We drove back down the mountain to grab some deli sandwiches for lunch and some more firewood for my campfire later that night. Ted had commitments Sunday morning, so he packed up his tent and headed home. I spent the afternoon relaxing under the pine trees, researching new adventures. I woke again to the first light of the sun, packed up and cruised on home.

Volcan Mountain

Since I needed to hike Volcan Mountain for this year’s Six Pack of Peaks Challenge, I invited Becca Barr and her son, Daniel along for the hike. Both are fairly new to hiking, so this was a perfect hike to test their hiking legs out. They needed to be back in town around noon-ish, so we had an early start to the day. I drove out to the trailhead, and there were just a couple of cars parked along Farmers Road. We gathered our gear and set off. After a quick pit-stop at the port-a-potty, we began our hike in earnest. I spied a new sign that had been posted about the Coast to Crest trail, which was very welcomed. I followed my standard route of taking the 5 Oaks trail up, and service road back. We took a few short breaks along the way, just to make sure everyone was feeling good. We stop at the ruins of the cabin, and the nearby overlooks, before reaching the summit.

After a quick snack, we took our photos at the benchmark. Gazing out across Anza-Borrego, I pointed out the various peaks and other sights. But since we had to be mindful of the time, we began our descent. We passed quite a few folks working their way up to the summit. Once back in the car, we motored home so they could clean up and make the show. It was nice to serve as a hiking guide for some new hikers. Hopefully, I can show them some more great trails around San Diego soon.

Sitton Peak Overnight

As I finished my water and put on my hiking boots, I looked at the thermometer on the car. It read 84°F. It was going to be a warm one hiking to the campsite this afternoon. Rather than hiking Sitton Peak as a day hike again, I had the idea of doing it as a short backpacking trip. The last time I had hiked the peak, I was specifically keeping an eye out for a possible campsite. Turns out, about 0.9 miles before the summit, there is a clear and wide area to set up camp. I had gotten my Wilderness Permit from the Ranger station a few days before, so I was able to legally spend the night in the San Mateo Wilderness. With 3.5 liters of water in my pack, I carefully and quickly crossed the highway. In some ways, this is the scariest part of the entire hike. I snapped a photo at the trailhead and then signed the trail register. With the warm temperatures, I focused on keeping a reasonable pace. I had a lot more weight on my back than when I usually do this hike.

As I came to the boundary with the San Mateo Wilderness, a small stream was still gently flowing. I was also enjoying all the wildflowers that were still blooming along the trail’s edge. That made the climb a bit more enjoyable. Once I reached the junction with Bear Ridge Trail and the Bear Canyon Trail, I knew I had earned a break. I had covered about 2.1 miles in just about 1:15. I sat under the shade of a nice oak tree and drank some water. I still had another 1.9 miles to cover, so I put my pack back on and set off. The trail was a touch overgrown, so I was glad I was wearing long pants. Once I reached the Four Corners, I looked for another spot for a short break. After a few minutes along the trail toward the summit, I found an acceptable spot for another break. The campsite wasn’t too much further, but I now needed to make a decision about setting up. One option was to simply unload my gear, and set up camp after I returned from the summit, or the other option was to properly set up camp first. I decided to do the latter. As I approached the saddle, I knew the site was just off to my left. I followed the use trail back just a few yards behind some bushes to the location I had scouted before and quickly set up camp. I am currently using the Gossamer Gear The One as my tent. For those who don’t know, this tent uses your trekking poles as part of the support structure. I was certainly going to need those trekking poles for my climb to the summit. I carefully removed them, letting the tent collapse. The test would be reinserting them after I got back. With a much lighter pack, I set off toward the summit.

Water was still seeping out at a few spots, even this late in the season. This was probably part of the reason I was wearing my bug net, and overgrowth at times was pretty significant. Nothing that truly blocked my path, but I certainly needed to take some care with my footing. At the turn-off, I began the steep climb to the top of the peak. The hike had taken a touch more out of me than I had hoped, so I just took my time. Once I reached the top, the soft evening sun lit up one of the summit signs that was perched on the register can. I dropped my pack and soaked in the view. The sun sat over the west, sinking slowly. I snapped a few photos before enjoying a summit beer and some snacks. While I had my headlamp in my pack, I had no desire to descend that steep 0.4 miles back to the main trail in the dark, so I left before the sun dipped beyond the horizon. A quarter moon was up, offering a touch of light, as the sun’s light faded. I reached my campsite just before I needed to switch on my headlamp. I changed out of my very damp hiking shirt and began making dinner. The bugs were still out, so I retreated to my tent to enjoy my dinner. After dinner, I finished getting ready for bed. I settled in, enjoying listening to Sir Patrick Stewart’s autobiography for a bit, before going to sleep.

I woke a bit before dawn when nature began calling. Since the forecast was going to be another warm one, I opted to pack up and hike the 3.9 miles back to the car. I really didn’t feel like making any coffee, so I just nibbled on my Nutri-Grain bar while I packed up. My tent had some condensation, so I was going to need to dry it out before I truly put it away. I caught the sunrise coming over the hills to the east and made sure I snapped a few photos for Ted as I cruised back along the trail. At Four Corners, I debated taking the Bear Ridge Trail back instead of the Bear Canyon Trail, but I left my wallet in the car and was a touch nervous about that. The cooler air that had settled along the Bear Canyon Trail was welcome, as I could feel the day warming up. I finally started to pass folks making an early morning attempt at the summit. Finally, the end of the trail came into view, and after carefully crossing Ortega Highway, I walked to my car, hoping that my wallet was still inside. Thankfully, it was! I changed out of my gear into something a bit drier and cleaner and began the drive home. All in all, this was a great overnight trip, and one I would do again, just when it is a bit cooler. One piece of gear I might bring next time is a chair. My only option at the campsite was my small seating pad, and that was it.

Grass Mountain

After a good night’s sleep in Lompoc, I was ready to climb my final peak of the inaugural Central Coast Six Pack of Peaks challenge—Grass Mountain. It was a bit odd staying in Lompoc and not going to see a rocket launch, but the two models in the lobby helped.

I had planned to have breakfast at my usual cafe, but they didn’t open until 7, so McDonald’s again. It was about a 40-minute drive to the trailhead, so I had time to enjoy my coffee. One car was at the trailhead when I pulled in. It was a bit nippy and I debated if I was going to start out in my light fleece. I filled out my day permit and finished getting ready. There is an old hiking rule—it is better to start off too cold than too warm. I left the fleece behind, in part because I also knew most of the hike was fully exposed. The trail follows Birabent Creek for just under a mile, crossing it three times before leaving it behind.

Now the “fun” would begin, as the trail would range between 20-50% grade! This was going to be a slow and steady type of climb. The mountain, which is accurately named, loomed before me. I focused on the trail ahead of me, looking for good footing, as this trail was steep!

I would take a short break from time to time, have some fluids, then continue on. The views behind me were stunning, so I knew the summit view should be worth it.

I carefully made my way up, trying not to think about descending this later. Soon, I knew the summit was almost there, as the grasses ended and the gravel took over. A large peace symbol, made of rocks served as the summit marker, as I did not locate a summit sign. I enjoyed a snack and soaked in the views. Off in the distance, I could spy the Neverland Ranch. Yesterday’s two summits were visible off in the distance. I still needed to descend and then make the long drive home. I took each step with care, hoping not to slip. Thankfully, I made it down with my pride intact. Once back near the creek, I started to pass other hikers out for probably an easier hike along some of the other trails nearby. Once back at the car, I cleaned up before heading to Los Olivos Grocery to reward my effort with a nice tri-tip sandwich and a large Coke. With that, my challenge was complete! This final hike was a mere 4.6 miles but with a whopping 2,330 feet of gain, and I did manage to do it in 4:06 (with my breaks and time at the summit)! Now to finish up my San Diego Challenge.