Climbing Ontario and Bighorn Peaks

After dropping my son off at the airport for his early morning flight to Chicago, I took advantage of being awake at that hour and drove up Icehouse Canyon to hike Ontario and Bighorn Peaks. The parking lot had some cars in it when I arrived a bit after 7 am. I grabbed my gear, filled out my day-use permit at the trailhead, and set off up the canyon. I have said this before, but it is such a treat to hike in Southern California and hear the sounds of flowing water. As I made my way steadily upward, I passed several folks hiking up with their goal of reaching Icehouse Saddle, and a father and son who were headed to Cedar Glen to camp for the evening. At the saddle, I took a break behind a tree, as a steady breeze was flowing. Given it was going to be another warm day, that breeze was welcomed. After mixing up my electrolytes and finishing my snack, I set off toward Ontario Peak.

Since I hoped to also climb Bighorn Peak afterwards, I kept a close eye on the terrain around where the side trail should be. I found enough visual landmarks at the junction that I felt confident I would find it upon my descent. After finding the turn off, I continued along the ridgeline, pushing past the bushes that bees were busy pollinating. Soon, the peak came into view, and the final push to the summit. As expected, I had the peak to myself. I sat down and enjoyed my PB&J and some of those electrolytes. I planned ahead and bought my tripod to take some better summit photos. When those “chores” were done, I packed up and headed back down.

At the junction, I left the main trail and started toward Bighorn Peak. I caught a glint from the peak, so someone was up there. The trail to the summit was not as used as the main trail and I had to cross over several downed trees. Partway up the mountain, I met the hiker who had been on the summit. We chatted for a bit before parting ways. At the summit, I had another snack and took in the 360° views of the peaks around me: Cucamonga, Ontario, Baldy, Timber, and Telegraph peaks. This was my 50th peak on the Sierra Club Hundred Peaks Section list!

I now took the trail heading east, toward Cucamonga, until I found the trail that would generally follow the ridgeline back toward Icehouse Saddle. It was steep and a bit loose at times, but soon rejoined the Ontario Peak trail, not far from Icehouse Saddle. I continued my descent, stopping for a while to chat with a hiker taking a break. She was training for an attempt to climb Mt. Whitney later this month. I shared what I knew and offered her as much encouragement as I could. While I had enough water for the rest of the descent, I stopped at Columbine Spring to filter some extra. That cold water felt great, as the day had become quite toasty. The rest of the descent went quickly, with just a few flies bothering me from time to time. I got back in the car, changed shirts, and headed home. When I went to look up the actual recorded stats for the hike, Runkeeper lost the track. OnX Backcountry routes out the hike at 11.7 miles with 4,185 feet of gain. Using timestamps on my photos, I did the route in about 7 hours, 20 minutes. Just one more peak, San Jacinto, to climb to finish all 12 of the SoCal Six Pack of Peaks!

I am an avid peak bagger, sometimes backpacker, and former sea kayaker living in San Diego. In 2019, I became the third person to complete the San Diego 100 Peak Challenge. Not stopping with that accomplishment, I set my sights on the harder San Diego Sierra Club 100 Peak list, which I completed in 2021. In addition, I have conquered several Six-Pack of Peaks challenges (SoCal, San Diego, Central Coast, and both the Arizona-Winter and Arizona-Summer). Beyond attempting the San Diego Sierra Club 100 Peak list a second time, I am looking forward to exploring new summits and new adventures across the southwest.

Up the Baldy Bowl Trail

With a cup of hot coffee, I set off for the 2-hour drive to Manker Flats. The goal of today’s hike was to first climb Mt. Baldy, then climb Mt. Harwood as well. While 4:00 am comes awfully early, I certainly enjoy the lighter traffic on the freeways going to my various trailheads. After grabbing McDonald’s along the way, I pulled into a parking space at Manker Flats. While I have climbed Mt. Baldy twice before, those ascents were always during the Climb for Heroes hikes, and they use the Devil’s Backbone route both up and back. Today, I wanted to climb to the summit via the Ski Hut route. I quickly grabbed my gear, made sure my America the Beautiful pass was hanging from my mirror, and set off. My route initially was on the paved road that provides access to some of the cabins along the creek. As the pavement ended, I could see San Antonio Falls streaming down before me. This was another landmark that was new to me. I opted to save hiking over to it upon my return, and continued my climb on the now dirt road. Soon, the sign marking the Baldy Bowl Trail came into view. At the trail register, I signed in, then continued on.

From time to time, I would pass other hikers as I kept climbing. Views of the Baldy Bowl would appear through the trees, as did views of the LA basin to the south. Thankfully, the area was saved from the recent fire. I caught a glimpse of the famous ski hut up ahead of me, and before too long, I reached the small spur trail leading to it. After walking around, I took advantage of the toilet behind it. This would make a lovely rest stop, but I was feeling good, so I pressed on. The nearby spring was flowing nicely. While I had my water filter with me, I did not need any additional water.

The trail turned west, then crossed the base of the Baldy Bowl. Once past that section, the trail turned northward and began the ascent along the west side of the bowl to the peak. The trail would split apart from time to time, but it would always come back together. It was more of a “choose-your-own-adventure” type of experience. Occasionally, signs would help guide me along the route.

I could tell I was nearing the summit just by looking across to the east and seeing my position relative to the bowl. Soon, the rock shelters came into view, as did the metal plaque. I had reached the summit once again! There were a couple of others enjoying the views and the relativel quiet. This was quite the contrast to what the summit looks like during the Climb For Heroes (or probably most weekends).

I enjoyed some snacks and electrolytes under the cloudless skies. After taking a few photos, I began my descent via the Devil’s Backbone. My next goal was to climb Mt. Harwood, which sits just to the north of the main trail. This peak is on the Hundred Peaks Section list and was to be my 49th. Unlike during the Climb for Heroes, I was under no time pressures. A use trail took me up and over to the summit. There is no register or benchmark, just rewarding views.

After rejoining the main trail, I navigated the Devil’s Backbone without issue. I opted to take the straighter route down to the Notch, and my knees were not happy. Once at the Notch, I found a table in the shade and enjoyed my PB&J while staring back up at the peak I just climbed.

While the ski lift was running, which had some appeal, I grabbed my poles and set off down the service road. Soon, I reached the spur trail to the falls and made my way over to them. A few folks were there enjoying the cool water. I grabbed a few photos, dunked my hat under the falls, and headed back to the car. After my miscalculations about Mt. Whitney, doing this hike felt redemptive. I covered the 9.9 miles in 5:11 (sans time at the summit and the Notch), and recorded over 4,495 feet of gain. That leaves just two more peaks left to complete all 12 peaks on the Six Pack of Peaks Challenge-SoCal.

Overnight to San Gorgonio

They say the third time is the charm, right? I wanted one last hard hike before Ted and I attempt to summit Mt. Whitney. I debated between hiking up Ontario and Bighorn or doing San Gorgonio as an overnight trip. With the water sources on San Gorgonio slowly drying up, I figured I should take that option. I pulled into the familiar parking lot and quickly gathered my gear. It was a bit warm, but there was enough of a breeze to offset it. I drank my liter of water and crossed over the road. I opted to only carry 1/2 liter of water and another 1/2 liter of electrolytes. My plan was to possibly filter at the crossing of the South Fork of the Santa Ana River if needed, and really load up on water at Lodgepole Spring. Instead of camping at Dry Lake, I decided to aim for camping further along at the Trail Flats campsite. The first part of the hike went quickly, and I, of course, made a stop at Poopout Hill for a photo. Soon, I reached the junction with Dry Lake Trail and Dollar Lake Trail. I crossed over the side streams and continued to the river. When Ted and I were here last August, it was flowing enough to make us cross cautiously. This time, I could simply rock hop across the water. I still had plenty of water and was feeling good for the next section. The next 1.6 miles would climb about 850 feet, and be a good workout. One difference from my last time here is that I weigh about 25 pounds less! I cruised through this section, and soon Dry Lake came into view. It certainly was smaller than last time. I took the trail along the north side over the spur trail to Lodgepole Spring. The spring was still flowing, but I had to go a bit further to find a good spot to fill up and filter. The plan was to fill both bottles, as well as my 3L CNOC bag, and haul all that up to Trail Flats. My light backpack just got heavier.

I continued looping around the edge of the lake until I rejoined the main trail and started the climb to camp. From here on out, the trail would be new to me. Over the next mile, I would climb over 500 feet. While the pack was about 10 lbs heavier, I felt good. I spotted the campsite sign attached high on a tree, and began to survey my options. I quickly found a nice flat spot and began setting up camp. I opted to bring my REI QuarterDome SL1 this time, since there would be no moon in the night sky, and I could lie in the tent and stare at the stars above.

I made dinner, watching the sun slowly dip behind the ridge. I hung my Adotec food bag and crawled under my quilt. The stars slowly began showing themselves as I continued to listen to The Two Towers. When it was dark enough, I was going to do some astrophotography, but my iPhone had offloaded AstroShader, so I could only use the built-in camera. Since I was hoping to reach the summit for sunrise, I set an alarm for 3 am. Some night hiking will also be good practice for Whitney.

The alarm went off, and I broke camp. I had debated leaving most of the gear here and hiking lighter to the summit. But in the end, I just packed up everything and set off. It was cold, and I was wearing my sun hoodie, my camp shirt, and my puffy, but quickly shed the puffy. The trail was easy to follow under the light of my headlamp. I ate a bar at Mine Shaft Saddle and pushed on under the starry skies.

The trail climbed at a nice grade along the east side of the mountain. The faint glow of the coming sunrise started to show off to the east. I passed the C-47 crash site without seeing it. It started to get colder as I kept gaining elevation, and I finally stopped and put the puffy back on. The lights of Palm Springs also came into view as I worked my way up a series of switchbacks, before the trail turned westward. The sun’s rays illuminated San Jacinto’s summit to my south, letting me know I had mistimed my attempt. Oh well, the night hiking was still good practice. The trail turned northward and reached the junction with the Vivian Creek Trail, just 0.4 miles from the summit. I remember how hard it was this last time I was here. Now I felt pretty good, with just a small headache.

I reached the summit and spotted a tent set up in one of the wind shelters. I took some photos with the summit signs before heading over to the tent. The occupant had come out and he gave me a wave. He had arrived at the summit around 9 last night via Vivian Creek and said it was cold and windy overnight. I fired up my stove, made a cup of coffee, and ate my oatmeal. We chatted for a bit while we each ate our breakfasts. The small headache faded away, and I assume it was either the need for some caffeine or a bit more fluids.

As much as I enjoyed our conversation, I knew I had quite a few miles left to hike to get back to the car. I debated whether I should return the same way I ascended, or loop around and come back via Dollar Lake. I opted to try the Dollar Lake route, as it was a bit shorter. I bid him farewell and set off back down the trail. I paused at the junction back to Dry Lake and mulled it over once again, but decided to stick to the plan. The trail split again, the left fork heading down to Vivian Creek, and the right fork heading toward Dollar Lake. I guess there are enough people not paying attention that a warning sign had to be added to keep people on the right track.

Another reason that I opted to take this route was that the trail passes by several Hundred Peak Section peaks, and I was considering adding them to the adventure. I didn’t do any advanced planning, so I only had whatever the topo maps showed me and what my eyes actually revealed about each summit. The sun had started to warm things up, and I stashed my puffy back into my pack. I was also right near Jepson Peak. I looked over the map, and it looked like it was a 0.2 mile jaunt off-trail to the summit, with almost 300 feet of gain. The legs were feeling good, so I went for it. I zig-zagged up the side of the peak until I reached its summit. There was no marker here, and I skipped signing the register. I did have a nice view of San Gorgonio off to my east as a reward. I then followed the ridgeline over to a small bump to the north, before working my way back down to the trail. Once back on the trail, I cruised along. Santiago and Modejska Peaks could be seen off to the southwest, rising above the marine layer. As I neared Dollar Lake Saddle, I decided that climbing Charleston and Little Charleston Peaks would have to wait. If I had brought an extra liter of water, I might have considered it. The rest of the hike would now be sunny and warm, so I wanted to conserve my fluids, as I still had almost 6 miles to go.

The trail did become both more exposed to the sun and rockier in nature as it worked its way downward. I put on my headphones and resumed my audiobook. I was at the part of the story when Merry and Pippin meet the Ents. Seemed perfect timing as I walked through the wilderness. After 2.3 miles, I again reached the junction to Dry Lake. I took a break under the shade of some lovely trees. I still had enough fluids to get me back to the car, so I did not wander over to the nearby creek to filter some additional water. The last 3.6 miles went quickly, passing backpackers making their way up to their campsites, and a day hiker or two. Soon, I passed the cabins at Horse Meadows and knew my adventure was drawing to a close. I am extremely happy to have climbed San Gorgonio again and to have done it as an overnight adventure. The entire hike was 22.41 miles, with 5,116 feet of gain. My hiking time was 3:59 from the trailhead to camp, 2:38 from camp to summit, and finally 4:45 from summit back to the car. Now to rest up and start packing for Mt. Whitney!

Up Mount Baden-Powell

When the closure order for the Bridge Fire was lifted, this meant Mount Baden-Powell could once again be summited. However, the road to Vincent Gap was still closed, meaning either starting the hike with a 5-mile road walk or approaching it from Windy Gap. A few days ago, the road was opened past Wrightwood to Vincent Gap, so I decided to make the drive up and hike the 40+ switchbacks to the top. As I passed Wrightwood, I could see the damage caused by the Bridge Fire. Drawing nearer to the parking area, Mount Baden-Powell came into view. The south-east side clearly had been hit by the fire, while the north-east side still looked nice and green. Just before the fire occurred, a new parking fee was introduced for the main lot and a $5 pass is needed to park there. Previously, I would just hang my America the Beautiful pass and be fine. Now, even that pass will not work. If I park across the road, my pass is all I need. For more on this, watch this video. There were two cars in the “paid” lot and one car across the road. I grabbed my new backpack and set off. I was trying out the Osprey Hikelite 26 as an option for my upcoming attempt to climb Mt. Whitney.

It had been a few years since I took this route, but I certainly remembered that first steep “Welcome to Mount Baden-Powell” section. The trail eases up after 1/10th of a mile and starts working its way up the face of the mountain. It was slightly humid, but the shade of the trees helped. Switchback after switchback passed by, and I kept a good solid pace.

After two sets of hikers, I drew nearer to the summit as the distance between switchbacks reduced. Then the Wally Walden tree came into view. This tree is estimated to be over 1,500 years old. I made the rest of the push to the summit, where two hikers were hanging out. I found a spot to take a break and soak in the views for a bit. The other hikers said their goodbyes and began their descent. I did some filming of the monument to Lord Baden-Powell and the vistas from the summit before I also headed down. The descent went quickly, and I decided to go over and see Lamel Spring. The trail got a bit dicey just before the spring, but it was still flowing so it was worth it. I suppose if you were camping partway up, you could save a bit of water weight. I passed several other hikers making their way up. Soon, the parking lot came back into view. The new pack worked out nicely and might become my primary daypack. Originally, I had planned to grab lunch in Wrightwood, but it was too early, so I waited until I was closer to home and hit The Rib Shack in Fallbrook. I covered the 8.3-mile (including the side trip to the spring) in 3:393 with an elevation gain of 2,745 feet.

Up on Tecuya Mountain

After spending the night at Mt. Pinos campground, I set off to hike up Tecuya Mountain (#110), which is on the Sierra Club Hundred Peak Section list. Yes, I am also slowly working on another peak list. There are a couple of routes to the summit, and I opted for the easiest. My legs were feeling the 14 miles from the day before. I turned onto Forest Road 9N21 and began driving the fairly well-groomed dirt road. I stopped briefly to move two modest-sized rocks out of the way, as they had tumbled from the hillside. Apart from a couple of minor ruts, the road was in fine form which I suspect is from the logging that is occurring toward the top. A fire occurred here not too long ago, and loggers were removing the dead trees for lumber. The firewood I used last night, I suspect, was from here, as some pieces had some char about them. I had a track from Keith Winston, and he marked the spot where he parked before setting off. The road seemed to be better than what he wrote, so I drove on to his second waypoint. Along the way, I spotted a small herd of deer, including several bucks. They stared at me for a bit before bounding off. I reached the second turnout and, looking at the very steep climb the road took, I knew that this was as far as my Outback was going to go.

I parked under some shade, grabbed my gear, and started up the road. Pictures don’t do it justice as to how steep that road became. Caltopo says it was 30+%, and my calves believed it. Thankfully, the grade eased, and I hiked through some nice forest, with views of the mountains peeking through. The road dipped down to a small saddle before making another steep climb. Once over it, I took the short spur to the actual summit where I had some nice views. Off to the southeast, I could see the I-5. I did not find any markers, so I began my return. I picked up a glass bottle that had been tossed aside and made another short side jaunt to another viewpoint. This one offered views northward and of the Central Valley. After carefully descending those steep sections, I was back at my car and ready for the long drive home. I spotted two more deer on the way out, but could not get a photo in time. Thankfully, the drive home was just about three hours, not bad for the day before a holiday weekend. The hike covered 1.39 miles and had a healthy 480 feet of gain, which I did in 38 minutes.

An afternoon saunter to Sawmill Mountain

After climbing Strawberry Peak in the morning, I drove over to hike the Mt. Pinos-Sawmill Mountain combo. I pulled into another nearly empty parking lot, broke out my camp chair, and enjoyed a tri-tip sandwich I bought at the local market (along with the firewood for later). Properly fueled up, I set off under the shade of the pines toward the first peak, Mt. Pinos. The section is a pleasant stroll up toward the high point of Ventura County. Soon, the familiar communications tower appeared. I grabbed a few photos from the summit and continued on. Just a short distance later is the Tumamait Trailhead and the Condor Viewing area. After briefly enjoying the panoramic view to the southwest, I continued on.

The trail now began descending, with some helpful switchbacks, down to a saddle and losing just under 500 feet of elevation. Here began the climb up to Sawmill Mountain. The temperatures were pleasant, and the light breeze felt great as I regained almost all the elevation I had just lost. The marker for the turnoff of the main trail was just as I remembered, and soon the tall rock cairn came into view. Unlike Mt. Pinos, which did not have any signs, Sawmill had two. I had a snack and some electrolytes before snapping more photos. Although I technically finished my SoCal Six Pack of Peaks Challenge with the summit of Strawberry Peak, I have a goal for myself to climb all 12 on the list this year. Just 5 more to go! The hike back to the car went quickly, even with the section down and up from that saddle. The entire hike took me 2:58, and covered 7.35 miles with a 1,427 feet of gain. All told for the day, I hiked 14.19 miles in 6:19 with 3,222 feet of gain.

Thankfully, I wasn’t driving back to San Diego then. Instead, I was camping at the Mt. Pinos campground. I was able to get the same spot as last year. After unloading and setting up the Luno mattress, I got the fire going. The breeze had picked up, so it was a tad cool. I only brought a fleece, so I did feel it more than I would have liked to. After a nice steak dinner, I watched the fire for a while before dousing it and turning in for the night. I had accidentally left my tripod back at the trailhead, so no real astrophotography on this trip. I awoke at first light and quickly made breakfast and then broke camp. I drove back to the trailhead to see if the tripod might be there, but no luck. Next up was hiking up Tecuya Mountain before driving home.

Sweating on Strawberry Peak

I pulled into an almost empty parking lot at Red Box Gap to begin a multi-peak adventure. It was just a bit before 8:30, and I could feel the day warming up. Thankfully, I knew that Mt. Lawlor would be providing some shade during the first part of the hike. I cruised along the trail, filming bits and pieces of it. Once I reached the Lawlor Saddle, the real effort was about to start. The climb went well, as I was about 25 lbs. lighter than the last time I hiked this peak. I pushed past those annoying false summits until the true summit came into view.

Sadly, upon reaching it, I saw the registers open and their contents scattered about. Some graffiti also adorned the rocks. I looked around to find the summit signs, of which this peak always had several, were missing. I found some shade on the west side of the peak and had a snack and some much-needed electrolytes. I did not linger, as the entire descent back to the saddle would be in full sun. Once past the saddle, I still had stretches of shade to bring me some relief from the ever-warming day.

Back at the trailhead, two women were sitting under the shade of a tree with fully loaded backpacks beside them. I chatted with them a bit and learned they were hiking the entire Gabrielino Trail. I wished them well on their adventure and headed to my car. My Govee, a Bluetooth thermometer that I usually have on my pack, said the temperature was 88° F! I believed it. I drank some ice water, and then set off to my next stop, Sawmill Mountain. My ascent of Strawberry was done in 3:21, covered 6.84 miles, and had 1795 feet of gain.

Conquering San Bernardino Peak

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

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

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

Washington’s Monument

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

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

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

Dedicated October 12, 2002

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

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

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

Atop Modjeska Peak

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

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

Returning to Santiago Peak

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

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

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