Tackling Cucamonga and Etiwanda Peaks

I pulled into the Ice House Canyon parking lot just around 6:30 am. Given this was a Monday, I did not have any trouble finding a spot, as there were only about 8 other cars here. It was nippy, but I knew that once I started up Ice House Canyon, I would be shedding that fleece layer in no time, so it stayed tucked in the pack. Next to the trailhead, work has begun on the new Heroes Project retreat. This is the organization that holds the Climb for Heroes event up Mt. Baldy, which I have done in the past. I had already gotten the free permit online needed to hike Cucamonga, so I skipped filling out the paper one and set off. The creek was flowing nicely as I passed by the cabins in the canyon. Just a few wildflowers remained along the side of the trail. About two miles in, the sun finally rose over the ridgeline. I stopped and got a photo for Ted, as he does enjoy a good sunrise. The trail continued its climb toward Icehouse Saddle. At the junction with the trail from Cedar Glen Campground, a trail runner was standing in front of the sign with a puzzled look on his face. I inquired about where he was trying to get to, and he replied, “Cucamonga”. I told him to stay on this trail and then look for the sign toward the east once you were at Icehouse Saddle. He thanked me and began jogging off. I shook my head at how unprepared he was. Before too long, I reached the saddle and took a well-earned break.

After enjoying the silence, I set off along the Cucamonga Trail toward the summit. From time to time, I had some great views of the high desert to the northeast. I stopped at the Bighorn Mine for a quick photo, but did not venture inside either tunnel. I reached the Bighorn Saddle and got ready for the 1,200 or so feet of gain that lay ahead of me. A few trail runners had passed me earlier in the climb, and they were now making their return as I climbed the switchbacks. I asked about that trail runner I helped earlier to find out if he got on the right trail. They said they did see him, so I didn’t have to worry about him heading the wrong way.

Partway up, I met two backpackers making their return from camping on the summit. I asked what their water load was for their trip, and they replied 6 liters. They had filled up at Columbine Spring, so they did have all that water weight from the beginning. We wished each other a safe hike and continued on. Soon, I spotted the wooden post indicating the side trail that you use to reach the summit, and I remembered the struggle up this section the last time I climbed Cucamonga. Thankfully, it was a bit easier this time around. As I reached the broad summit, I looked around for anyone else, but it was deserted! Slipping off my pack, I pulled out my tripod to be able to take the classic photo standing on the rock outcropping. I was glad I had the foresight to bring it, just in case. After snapping some more photos, I found a nice spot to enjoy an early lunch. A chipmunk chirped nearby as it tried to work its way over to grab some crumbs. As I was finishing my PB&J, two pairs of hikers joined me on the summit. We swapped cameras for some photos, and then I set off for my next destination, Etiwanda Peak.

Sitting just under a mile to the east of Cucamonga Peak is Etiwanda Peak, which is on the Sierra Club Hundred Peaks Section list. The trail mostly follows the ridgeline until a nice-sized cairn marks the junction with its side trail to the summit. After a short but steep climb, I stood atop the white quartz that sits at the top of the summit and soaked in the views. Unlike Cucamonga, I had a full 360° view of the area. After a quick snack, it was time to make my way back down.

One of the pair of hikers who joined me at the summit was also making their way to Etiwanda, and I let them know the cairn for the side trail was very visible. At Bighorn Saddle, I briefly thought about climbing the ridgeline and summiting it as well, but I plan on climbing Ontario again, so I opted to save it for that trip.

Back at Icehouse Saddle, I paused for just a bit to rearrange some snacks for the hike down the canyon into one of my hip pockets. I cruised along, making good time on the descent. I passed a couple of backpackers making their way up to Kelly Camp for the night, and a few folks exploring Ice House Canyon. Before too long, I started passing the cabins again and knew the end of the trail was not far off. Once back at the car, I tossed in my gear and changed into a dry shirt. After a well-earned meal from In-N-Out, I hit the freeway home. The hike was 14.48 miles in 7:04 with 4770 feet of gain.

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.

Climbing Mt. Willson from Chantry Flats

Finally had the chance to hike Mt. Wilson from Chantry Flats, as this route had been closed since the 2020 Bobcat Fire. So, with a very early morning start, I made the drive up. Pulling into the nearly empty parking lot just after 6, I gathered my gear and got ready to head off. From what I have read, this parking lot becomes packed on the weekends, much like Ice House Canyon’s parking area can be. For now, my Outback was one of only about 8 cars. I was planning on doing the hike as a loop, up the Gabrielino Trail, with a side hike to Sturtevant Falls, and returning to Chantry Flats via the Winter Creek Trail.

I followed the dirt road down into San Olene Canyon and made the first of many water crossings. To the left was the Lower Winter Creek Trail, and to the right, the Gabrielino Trail continued. Due to budgeting issues, the toilets at this junction were closed. I now entered the East Fork Santa Anita Canyon and began following the Big Santa Anita Creek. Here I passed by the Big Santa Anita Canyon Cabin Tract. These historic cabins were built by private citizens on Forest Service land under a Special Use Permit over 100 years ago. They are still owned by local families, many of whom are descendants of the original owners. As I continued past these cabins, sill dams lined the creek. The goal of these dams was to keep silt and other debris from impacting the main dam further downstream. After about 0.7 miles, I came to the junction with the side trail to Sturtevant Falls, and I hustled along it for about 0.3 miles. After a simple water crossing followed by a short scramble, the 50-foot falls stood before me. I enjoyed a bit of solitude, and I can only imagine what it is like on a hot weekend. I returned to the last junction and began my climb in earnest. I was thankful to have the “May grey” in effect. While I had my AirPods with me, the sounds of the flowing water were just too enchanting not to be my hike’s soundtrack for a while. The trail was in pretty good shape, with just one or two spots to watch my footing.

Soon, I came to Spruce Grove Trail Camp and saw that someone had made the trek here to spend the night. A small hot spot was forming on my right foot, so I stopped briefly to address it with some KT tape. I also took this as a good time for a snack before continuing. Shortly thereafter, I came to Sturtevant Camp. Apparently, you can rent cabins here on the weekend. Not sure if I can convince my wife to make the hike up to them. Just past here is the connector trail over Mt. Zion. Signs cautioned hikers that while the trail is open, it is still being rebuilt and to use extreme caution if they choose to hike it. I stayed on the Gabrielino Trail and continued my ascent toward Mt. Wilson. The overcast skies I had previously were gone, so I could feel the warmth of the sun.

The trail had a good amount of shade, so it wasn’t too much of an issue. In fact, for the most part, I kept my sun hoodie down. Checking my map, I saw I was getting close to the summit, which was good, as I was in need of a break. Being so close, I pushed on for the last 1/4 mile. As I reached the top, I turned right to the viewpoint on Echo Rock to snap my summit selfies. I did not linger as I really wanted to sit in the shade at the Cosmic Café and eat my lunch. As I strolled along the road, past the various domes and other astronomical items, I ran into another hiker about to make his way down the Gabrielino. We swapped a few bits of trail beta and then went our separate ways. Once at the Café, I slipped off my pack, took off my shoes and socks to give my feet a rest, and broke out my lunch. Being a weekday, the café is not open. On the upside, there wasn’t another person there, so I ate my PB&J in blissful silence. I drank a liter of water and mixed up some electrolytes for the descent. I carried up 2.75 liters, but next time I will probably carry less and maybe pack my water filter if I am really concerned.

After walking over to the benchmark and the plaque honoring Wilson (who I am distantly related to), I stepped onto the Mt. Wilson Trail. This section of the trail was completely burned over by the Bobcat fire. After about 0.6 miles, this trail joins the Mt. Wilson Toll Road. I thought about taking the side road up to Mt. Harvard, but opted to skip it. While this used to be an actual road, large rocks have now fallen onto the roadway. With the sounds of flowing water long since gone, I slipped my AirPods on and enjoyed an episode of Backpacker radio. In 0.5 miles, the Mt. Wilson trail again leaves the Toll Road. Since the Toll Road is still closed from the fire (a large sign informs you of such), I made my left-hand turn back onto the trail. I hiked down the trail toward Manazanita Ridge. Here, a nice bench offers some respite for hikers needing a break from their climb. The Mt. Wilson Trail veers to the right, but it is also still closed due to the fire damage. Instead, I followed the Winter Creek Trail down. After about 1.2 miles, the sounds of Winter Creek began to fill the air, and I put my AirPods away. How often do you get to hike next to flowing water in Southern California?

At Hoegee Trail Camp, where a few more private Cabins were, along with 13 primitive campsites, the trail splits. The Lower Winter Creek Trail follows the creek back and connects with the Gabrielino before Chantry Flats. While the Upper Winter Creek Trails return you to Chantry Flats proper. My routes that I had loaded onto my phone did not properly sync overnight, so I was hiking a bit in the blind. Since how often do I get to hike next to a flowing stream, I opted for the lAt Hoegee Trail Camp, where a few more private cabins are, along with 13 primitive campsites, the trail splits. The Lower Winter Creek Trail follows the creek back and connects with the Gabrielino before Chantry Flats. While the Upper Winter Creek Trails return you to Chantry Flats proper, my routes I had tried to load onto my phone did not properly sync overnight, so I was hiking a bit in the blind. Since I don’t often get to hike next to a flowing stream, I opted for the lower trail. The trail crisscrossed the stream 5 or 6 times. I passed the other end of the Zion Trail, along with the same warnings posted. After 1.5 miles, I came back to the junction with the Gabrielino Trail. There were now other folks on the trail, and a crew from the Forest Service doing some work. I made the 0.6-mile, 390-foot climb back up to the parking area, all the while questioning whether the stream was worth this climb. Once back at the trailhead, I walked over to the Pack Station and bought a cold Coke and a Snickers and enjoyed them on the patio. After tossing my gear into the car and putting on a dry shirt, I began the drive home, hoping the LA traffic wouldn’t be too bad. I logged my loop at 15.23 miles, in 6:39 (turning off the tracker at the Café) and 4,808 feet of gain. That was my first peak for the 2025 SoCal Six Pack of Peaks Challenge.

A Challenge on El Cajon Mountain

As we approached the parking lot for the trailhead, cars lined both sides of Wildcat Canyon. I decided to gamble and see if there might be a spot still in the lot, and there was! Ted and I gathered our gear and walked over to the sign-in tent. Today was the Warrior Hike Challenge up El Cajon Mountain in honor of Memorial Day. We attached our commemorative carabiners to our packs and small American flags as well and set off. The overcast skies were welcomed as we made the first climb of the day. The 1-mile Celebration Station was still setting up as we passed by. Wildflowers dotted the edges of the trail from time to time. We were making good time as we continued pushing onward. The trail splits around the 2.5-mile mark, and we opted to take the trail to the left. This section is one of the steeper portions of the climb, but I felt good pushing upward. When the trail came back together, we saw the 3-mile Celebration Station about 100 yards down the other trail. We decided to stop at it upon our return. I was curious about what our time to the summit might be, as I was feeling good.

From time to time, hikers who had gotten an even earlier start were making their way back from the summit. A small stream was still flowing across the trail, just before the final climb. We passed the abandoned truck, and soon the junction with the trail to El Cajon Mountain and El Capitan. Now we followed the single-track trail up the last bit to the summit. As expected, the summit was crowded, but we found a spot to take a break and refuel. I pulled up my tracker and saw that we had reached the summit in 2:27!

After snapping some photos, including with the summit sign, we set off back down the mountain. We would pause from time to time to allow the uphill hikers the right of way. Once at the junction with El Capitan, we decided to make the 0.2-mile trek to visit that summit. In all my times up El Cajon, I never hiked over. As we approached the summit, the ruins of the building came into view. I joked this was practice for seeing the hut atop Mt. Whitney. After snapping some more photos, we returned to the junction and went back down. One of the challenges of this hike is that you have two modest climbs to make upon your return, so we were mindful of that.

At the junction with the spur trail to the old mines, we opted to make the 0.1-mile trek to see them. We took a few photos in the entrance to one of the mines, but opted not to go exploring further. Once back on the main trail, we soon came to the 3-mile Celebration Station. We grabbed some free snacks and one of the cords we needed to earn our commemorative patch and challenge coin.

As we continued down the trail, my knees were feeling the steep descent, and Ted’s foot was also feeling it. The miles ticked by, and off in the distance was the blue tent of the 1-mile Celebration Station. One final climb brought us to it, and we got our second cord and another round of snacks. As we headed to the trailhead, the thought of burritos filled our heads. Back at the trailhead, we got our last cords, earning the patch and coin. If we repeat this hike for Veterans Day, we can earn two more coins. After tossing our gear back into the car, Ted and I compared our recorded stats, which did vary quite a bit. Ted’s Garmin recorded 12.02 and Strava on his phone recorded 11.89! My tracker logged the hike at 11.5 miles in 5:51 and 3,152 feet of gain. With that summit, my San Diego Six Pack of Peaks was completed. Now to start on the SoCal Six Pack.

Up to Kay Benchmark

With desert season drawing to a close, I decided to try to get another San Diego Sierra Club peak crossed off my list. I decided on attempting Kay Benchmark, which is just to the west of the Anza-Borrego State Park Visitor Center. I arrived a bit after 8 am, paid my $10 day use fee, and took advantage of the freshly cleaned restrooms. After a short walk across the desert floor, it was time to ascend the ridgeline that I would follow. A faint use trail guided me through the early section of the climb, and about a 1/2 hour later, I was standing atop Ode Benchmark. Ted and I had climbed this peak back in 2019 but did not venture past it. I actually have never climbed up to Kay Benchmark, as my only “ascent” was when I hiked over from Ranchita.

After a quick check-in at Ode, I descended toward a small saddle before continuing my climb. It was here that, during Greg Gerlach’s last summit, he exited the ridge and returned via the drainage to the north. I might consider that option upon my return, but for now, my focus was on the steep climb ahead of me.

I would dodge and weave around cacti and look for more friendly routes up the slope. A slight breeze helped keep things pleasant from a temperature point of view. As I neared 3,400 feet in elevation, the ascent became more difficult, and I was now faced with some serious rocks to pick my way through. That section was not going to be fun upon my return. I worked my way through them, and the summit was almost in view.

As I reached it, a sense of accomplishment came over me. When I last stood atop this pile of rocks, I had just down-climbed some serious terrain. While the ascent had a few challenges, nothing compared to that. I took in the views and had a nice, relaxing snack. Unfortunately, I forgot to pack any electrolytes, so I hoped that wouldn’t be an issue on the descent. I still had plenty of water, so I was not worried about that at least.

Now for the long descent. I carefully worked my way down past that steep rock face, only having to retreat once from a route that was not safe. Once that section was behind me, I could feel my anxiety level drop. Now, it was mostly standard desert ridgeline hiking. I just needed to take care and dodge and weave around the cacti and find solid footing.

Once at the saddle, I looked up at the climb to pass over Ode Benchmark and said to myself, “Greg had the right idea”. So down a side ridge I went, and soon I was in the wide drainage leading back to the east. While a bit rocky, it was still easier than continuing on the ridge. Before too long, I spotted the flagpole at the Visitor Center, and not much later, I was back at my car. I tossed my gear in and headed into the center for information about my next adventure: Vallecito Mountains High Point. They did not have a lot of information, but it was worth checking. After grabbing lunch in town, a well-earned burrito, I also grabbed a sandwich for dinner later. For Kay Benchmark, my stats were 4.51 miles in 5:31 with 2,860 feet of elevation gain.

Seeking Paradise Mountain

The original plan was for us to tackle Goat Benchmark, San Ysidro East Peak, and The Sirens as an overnight adventure. However, checking the forecast Friday morning quickly put an end to that plan. Winds between 25-30 mph, with predicted gusts up to 50 mph. None of us wanted to camp in that, especially in an exposed open flat, so we began looking for alternate hikes. The high winds scuttled anything out in the desert. Rick and Andrea suggested an interesting loop in Mission Trails, and I offered up doing either Mt. Gower or Paradise Mountain (both of which Ted needs). We settled on Paradise Mountain and agreed to meet at the trailhead at 8. Ted and I arrived first, and just before 8, Rick and Andrea pulled into the parking lot. The skies were overcast, and the summit of the peak was obscured by the clouds as we set off down the trail.

The trail almost immediately began to descend 300 feet down to Hell Creek. After the simple water crossing, the trail became mostly flat before beginning the climb to the summit. We chatted about all sorts of topics as we motored along the fairly well-maintained trail. The clouds had lifted, and the summit stood above us.

When we reached the junction, we all agreed that we should do the loop in a clockwise fashion. We pushed upward, pausing a few times to link back up. A side trail took us over to Viewpoint A, as labeled on Peakbagger. It did offer some nice views from there, but we did not linger. Once back on the main loop, we quickly reached Ditch Benchmark and stopped for a few photos. Someone had incorrectly left a summit sign for Paradise Mountain there. We tucked it into my pack and carried it over to the proper summit, about 1/2 mile to the east. We stopped for a snack break and to soak in the views.

Once refueled, we set off down the trail. Unlike our steep ascent, the descent was a gentler grade, which made everyone’s knees happier. Before we knew it, we were crossing back over the creek, starting the climb back to the trailhead. Along the way, a horse and rider passed us, heading down the trail. Once back at the trailhead, five more horses were getting ready to take their riders along the trail. We quickly cleaned up and headed out for a well-earned lunch at Burger Bench. I logged the hike at 8.25 miles in 4:31, with an elevation gain of 2,080 feet. The only negative was that I did find a tick on me later. It was still crawling, so I removed it and crushed it. Rick found one on him while hiking, so we’re keeping an out for any more.

Up on Granite Mountain

After the scouting trip to the trailhead on Saturday, I decided to take advantage of the break between the storms to go climb Granite Mountain again. The other time I summited this peak was via the Cool Canyon route, and this time I really wanted to use the Rodriguez Canyon trailhead. After filling up the gas tank and grabbing my breakfast and coffee, I headed out to the desert. As I drove through Julian, I spied a PCT hiker thumbing a ride back down to the trail. I pulled over and offered a lift. We had a lovely chat as we drove down the Banner Grade. I dropped him off at the Scissors Crossing parking lot and wished him well on his journey. I then cruised down to the trailhead, making a quick stop at the pit toilets in Blair Valley. I was glad I had my “poop kit” with me, as both toilets had no toilet paper. I turned off the highway, and began driving the road that Ted and I drove on Saturday. The heavy construction equipment that was parked beside the road had been busy, as one section of the road had been smoothed over. I still had to carefully pick my way up out of Vallecito Wash, but the Outback handled it like a champ. I drove up Rodriguez Canyon a short distance and found a nice spot to pull off. Grabbing my gear I headed north across the open desert floor until I linked up with an old jeep road that led to a couple of abandoned mines. The road was overgrown and would fade from time to time.

At some point I lost the road and began working my way up a ridge. When I checked my position again, using Keith Winston’s route, I found myself on the wrong side of a ravine. I decided to keep on my route, follow the contour to get closer to Keith’s route and go from there. I knew after the mines that I missed, the route follows the ridgeline up. I began weaving and dodging cacti as I kept climbing. The temperature was perfect, cool with a slight breeze. I had a fleece and a wind shell in my pack, but never needed them. I would stop to snap a photo from time to time, but just kept motoring on.

From time to time, cairns would appear. Around 5000 feet in elevation, small patches of snow started to appear in the shade. I could see snow over on the Laguna Mountains to my southwest and on Volcan Mountain to my northwest. As I neared the end of this ridgeline, there was one small bouldery section to climb, but nothing like the mess I recall from the Cool Canyon Route. At the end of this ridgeline, I followed another ridgeline to the northeast. Once over a small false summit, the peak and its massive granite boulders stood before me. This was certainly an easy route, although the section in Cool Canyon itself is a highlight.

I scouted around the boulders looking for a route up, and eventually found one. As I made my final move onto the summit, my two full water bottles on the side of my pack fell out. One went bouncing one way and the other a different way. Crud! I hoped I would be able to find them in the rocks below, otherwise I would be collecting some of that snow to turn into drinking water.

On the summit, I enjoyed some snacks and the last of the water from the bottle that I keep in my shoulder pouch. The views were as stunning as I remembered. If there was a register, it is tucked somewhere below, and I did not bother to go scouting for it, I figured I would have enough scouting to find my water. After a nice break atop the summit, it was time to head back. I surveyed where one bottle bounced, and declared it lost. I worked my way down from the summit block and hoped that the second bottle could be located, and thankfully it was. Since I was heading down and had water in the car, I felt I should be ok. I slipped the recovered bottle into the side pouch and tightened the strap to be sure.

My goal for the descent was to stick to Keith’s track more closely, as I really wanted to see one or two of the abandoned mines. The descent went fine, and there was a faint use trail that I picked up from time to time, just like on the ascent. For the most part, though, it was again weaving past the cacti as I hiked down the ridge. I reached Keith’s turn off spot and generally stayed on course.

I spotted the first mine and peered in, but really did not have any interest in clamoring inside. I walked over to where the second mine was, but it appears that it is no longer open. I could see the outline of the jeep road across the ravine and worked my way carefully down to it. Once on it, I continued to follow it down the mountain. I could see my car off in the distance, always a good sign. Once back at the car, I drank 1/2 liter of water, as I had finished my remaining water about a mile back.

As I drove out, a lone backpacker was hiking along the road. I stopped and chatted with him. He had hiked down Oriflame Canyon and was headed over to the campground at Stagecoach Trails. I offered him a ride, as I was stopping there for a cold soda and snack, but he wanted to hike the whole route. I wished him well and drove away to get that aforementioned soda and begin my drive home. All told, I hiked 7.4 miles with just over 3,000 feet of elevation gain in 6:01.

Climbing Whale Peak

With a bit of weather rolling in, Ted and I headed out to the desert to find something hike-able. We settled on Whale Peak, one that Ted still needed to climb, and maybe we would add on Pinyon Mountain after. The clouds covered the mountains as we drove through Julian and down toward the desert. The Subaru handled the off-road section to the trailhead without incident.

We parked at the trailhead, and felt the cold wind as we stepped out. Ted stayed in his puffy and I slipped on my fleece and made sure my wind shell was in my pack before setting off. The trail immediately starts climbing, so if you need to warm up first, I suggest a short hike down the road. We followed the drainage up to the first saddle. I drifted out of the drainage area toward the end, but in hindsight should have just stayed in it. Once at the saddle, a clear trail could be spotted, plus an extensive collection of cairns would line our route. We cruised along, chatting about recent college visits or other upcoming trips. This would be my third time doing this peak, so much of the route was familiar.

The route would climb over several small ridges before making the final climb to the summit. We had some dramatic views of the surrounding mountains and the swirling clouds. Along the way, we found an iPhone lying on the trail. It didn’t power up as the cold probably drained its battery. I slipped it into my pack to hopefully be able to return it to its owner. Note: We were able to locate the owner and return the phone to him.

Soon, we were on the summit plateau and we strolled over to the proper summit. We took in the views, found the benchmark and a reference mark, and of course the metal sign. We ducked behind a rock wall to hide from the wind and have a snack. That wind shell came in handy, despite the sun starting to poke out.

After our break, we began our descent. This time, I made sure to head in the right direction. As we worked our way down the steep section, I noted that we were a little off track, so we made a course correction and were soon back on track. We cruised along, and after about half a mile, we shed our layers and continued. As we cruised along one of the small flat areas, we encountered a trail runner making his way up the summit.

Our route down the drainage went smoothly and we were back at the car. Beyond the mystery of the found iPhone, Ted’s recorded mileage and my recorded mileage varied by 3/10 of a mile. Quite a difference! I asked Ted if he wanted to try for Pinyon Mountain next. The issue was this hike would be along a ridgeline and subject to the cold winds. We decided to pass and return another day. As we drove back to the highway, our adventure was not over. Since we had time, we drove down to explore the trailhead for the southern route for Granite Mountain. This road certainly was tougher than the one we drove to the trailhead for Whale, but not as tricky as the road to Jacumba. We stopped short of exiting the wash, as we had a nice spot to turn around. We did walk the next section of the route and I felt it was drivable. This was a good sign as I want to climb Granite via the southern route. We drove back to Julian and had some food and beers at Julian Beer Company before continuing on home. Our ascent of Whale took us 3:03 and on my tracker, 4.3 miles.

Along the California Riding and Hiking Trail

Hiking the California Riding and Hiking Trail through Joshua Tree National Park had been high on my to-do list. I got the required wilderness permit and opened invitations for any of my hiking buddies to join me.

My good friend Ted H. said he would love to join me, along with one of his long-time hiking buddies. The basic plan was for me to drive to various spots along the trail and cache the water we would need along our trek. After that, I would spend the night car camping at Blackrock Campground, which is conveniently located next to the western end of the trail. With my gear packed into the Subaru, I left for Joshua Tree in the morning, hoping to have a relaxing day. I pre-ordered a sandwich from Jersey Mike’s along the way. Not 15 minutes into the drive, Anita calls me to let me know I forgot to pack my eggs in the cooler. Thankfully, she was headed in my general direction, so at least I did not have to drive all the way home. With that crisis averted, I again headed northward, just a little behind schedule. Around Menifee, something clicked in my head, “Did I pack my hiking boots?!” Normally, I wear them out the door when I go hiking, but I was in my regular shoes for some comfort. I found a place to pull over and check, and sure enough, I had forgotten them! Anita was working in East County, so she could not help me this time. Back to San Diego I went. I called Jersey Mike’s to put my sandwich away, as I would be delayed in picking it up. With my hiking shoes acquired, I got back on the road. Given the delay I did swap the order of the water caches, just in case I had further unexpected delays.

Stop one was now the end of Upper Covington Flats Road. Since this was about a ten-mile drive along a dirt road, it made sense to do this while I had daylight. The rest of the caches would be near easily accessible roads. The road was in good shape, and a few pools of water from the recent rains did offer a little fun to the drive (and the need for a car wash later). A lone Prius sat at the trailhead as I tucked 3 gallons of water under some brush. Each cache would have a gallon for each of us. Next, I headed to what would be our last cache, near the parking area for Arch Rock. I wanted to place these jugs a little further from the trailhead, as this spot is heavily trafficked, and did not want someone to accidentally use our water. From there, I drove westward to Geology Road for what was planned for our water for the end of day 2. The final cache was to be placed at the trailhead to Juniper Flats. With our water safely tucked away, I drove back toward Blackrock, making a stop at Stater Bros. to grab a steak to grill, some firewood, and an orange juice for the morning.

The sun had set, so it took a little bit to find my campsite. I quickly unloaded, set up the Luno, and started a fire. The winds made it chilly, so I was glad to have a fire to warm up. I grilled my steak, this time just right. I enjoyed it, along with a nice salad and fine beer from The Bruery. Tomorrow was going to be the start of a big adventure, so I turned in just as the moon was rising over the hills to the east.

It was chilly when I woke up, and I quickly cooked my eggs. I packed up my car camping gear and drove over to the backcountry parking area. The plan was for Mark to drive over to the eastern terminus of the trail and get picked up by Ted and Andrea. The original plan was to start at around 8. Unfortunately, Mark got a late start leaving his campsite. Adding to the mix, the cell network was completely down, so we had no method of communication with each other. Finally, just before 10, they returned from the car shuttle setup, and we could hit the trail.

I carried 3.75 liters of water as we set off on the trail. I did consider having Andrea drive us down to Covington Flats Trailhead and just start from there so we would have time to easily make the planned campsite. The others felt that we should be ok, so we stuck to the original plan. The recent rains compacted the sandy section, making the hiking a bit nicer. This first section was a steady climb, the wind was making the day chilly. Both San Jacinto and San Gorgonio’s snow-capped summits peaked into view from time to time.

After about 6 miles, we found a spot out of the wind and had a snack break. I had hoped to film a lot more on the trip, but that 2-hour delay scuttled that plan. Once we reached Upper Covington Flats, we each strapped our gallon of water to our packs and continued on (after another snack). The sun was setting, and it was pretty clear that we were not going to make the planned campsite. There was another possible site that was only 2.8 miles further, so that became our new destination.

The water jug made a rhythmic sound as I hiked down the trail. When I came to the location of the campsite, it was clearly not going to work. The site sat on the crest above a valley, and the winds were howling. I was actually being pushed from time to time. Setting up camp here was not an option. So, we dropped down and found a spot that was a bit more sheltered. We each found a spot to pitch our respective tents. I did not repeat what happened on San Gorgonio, so I made sure all my tent stakes were highly secured. I set up my camp chair I opted to bring and cooked up dinner. The winds made it too chilly to sit around and chat, so after I ate, I retreated to my tent and listened to an audiobook. The tent would feel the wind, but it held firm. I drifted off to a little sleep, as the winds would wake me briefly. Around midnight, the winds calmed down, and I drifted into a nice slumber. I woke up just before sunrise to answer nature’s call and caught a nice morning sky. I crawled back under my quilt for a little more rest before really starting the day.

I emerged from my tent around 7, and I cooked up some oatmeal and a nice hot cup of coffee. As I was packing up, I could not locate my tent stake bag. My guess was that I left it out and the winds blew it away. I did scout the surrounding brush, but no luck (I later found them tucked in my jacket). I was ready to hit the trail at about 8, however, we did not hit the trail until 9. Thankfully, without the wind, it was quite pleasant. From time to time, we would see trail runners race past along the trail above us.

The trail continued descending for a while before we would have two steep climbs that would have us enter Juniper Flats proper. I reached the crest and found a nice rock to wait for Ted and Mark to rejoin me. I soaked in the view and the silence. Once back together, Ted and I set off together, with Mark keeping his own pace. The plan was to rejoin at the Juniper Flats trailhead and top off our water from the cache I had left on Friday. As I was descending, I felt a couple of hot spots forming. At the trailhead, I put some KT blister tape on where I thought they were.

After a nice lunch, I went solo, as Mark was just pulling in as I was set to head out. I again was concerned about our timing to reach the next planned site and the water as well. I tossed my empty water jug into the recycling at Ryan Campground and motored on. I could feel my feet, but I hoped the blister tape would do its job. I had a slight climb leaving Ryan Campground, but then the trail leveled out.

My feet started to hurt more, so I stopped under the shade of a Juniper tree and took a look at them. A quarter-sized blister had formed on the balls of each foot. This was not good. I applied more KT tape, but I suspected that I might have to call it. My best guess is I actually was hiking too fast to make up for our delayed starts and created the friction to cause them to form. I began thinking of options. I could camp early and then hike to Geology Road in the morning. I could attempt to make it to the planned site and either backtrack to Geology Road and get picked up or if the feet were up to it, limp to Arch Rock and bail there. Hiking to the end was no longer an option. As I drew nearer to Geology Road, I began messaging Anita about her driving out to pick me up. I actually hoped to hitch a ride from someone who could take me back to my car, but first I needed to tell Ted and Mark of my plan to bail here. So I set up my chair and waited. I actually had a cell signal, so I called Anita and gave her the details for plan B if I could not hitch a ride.

After about 30 minutes, they reached the trailhead. I told Ted where the water was at Arch Rock and began looking for someone returning from driving Geology Road. Sure enough, the first car stopped and had room for me and my gear and was headed in the right direction. I said my farewells to Ted and Mark. My rescuers kindly drove me back to my car. Once back out of the park, I texted Anita that she could return home, as she had preemptively started out to meet me. I tossed my gear into my car and bid farewell to my rescuers.

My adventure was not quite over. I opted to fuel up at the Morongo gas station and grab dinner at In-n-Out. As I entered the traffic circle, a Mercedes Benz SUV cut in front of me, causing me to slam on my brakes, and unfortunately, my burger and fries flew off the seat onto the floor. I lost about half my fries, but the burger was still intact. Thankfully, that was the last of the misadventures.

I did hear from Ted that they completed the hike, but he, too, had blisters that slowed him down.

Apart from the blisters, everything else felt good. In March, I went back and hiked the missing section of the trail.

The final stats for this section were:

Day 1: 11.4 miles in 5:30 hrs

Day 2: 14.4 miles in 6:40 hrs

A visit to Ted Benchmark

As we cruised out toward Anza-Borrego, the eastern sky was glowing a fiery red as the sun began to rise above the mountains. The plan for today was to hike up the ridgeline to Webo Benchmark which sits atop its end. Along the way, we would pass over Ted Benchmark. Rick and Andrea needed both toward their quest to complete the San Diego Sierra Club 100 peak list. I had done this hike several times before, but I was happy to make the climb again, as who doesn’t love a good desert hike? The parking area had one other car there when we pulled in just after 7:30. Rick went to pay the $10 day-use fee, while I liberally applied some Voltaren on my achy left knee. Once we were geared up, we set off down the trail that most visitors take to view Maidenhair Falls (which given the lack of rain probably are not even flowing). The weather was pleasant, even a touch warm. After about a mile, we headed cross-country for a short distance before ascending onto the ridgeline that we now followed toward our destination.

We weaved our way upward, avoiding the various cacti along our journey. Rick and I cruised along carrying a good pace, but Andrea just wasn’t feeling it. Something I can relate to. She felt that she could make it Ted Benchmark, but would probably turn back at that point. Once Rick and I reached Ted Benchmark, we signed the register and snapped a few photos. We then began discussing options: do we continue on up to Webo and give the car keys to Andrea and let her return solo, or do we all just turn back and get Webo another time (either repeating this hike or tacking it on when we try for San Ysidro East)? In the end, we opted to return together and drive over to scout Sunset Mountain for them. Once off the ridge, we encountered a few folks headed to the falls and the nearly empty parking lot now had quite a few more cars parked.

It was still too early for lunch as we drove through Borrego Springs on our way over to Pinyon Canyon. Turning off the 78 onto the dirt road, we cruised along the fairly well-groomed route. We parked near the starting point I used the last two times when I climbed Sunset Mountain and gave them a brief rundown of the route. Once that was completed, we continued driving down the road, wondering what it might lead to. Finally, the road came to an end, and we then retraced our route back into Borrego Springs and grabbed lunch at Los Jilbertos. With our stomachs now full, we drove home. While we didn’t get both benchmarks, we did have a nice 4.2-mile hike and were able to explore a little bit more of Anza-Borrego.

A windy hike to Cuyamaca Peak

Having knocked out two peaks on the San Diego Six Pack of Peaks challenge on New Year’s Day, I decided to cross another off the list — Cuyamaca Peak. While the forecast did call for some windy conditions, that did not deter me. I arrived at the trailhead just before 8. Unlike last time when I was racing against the heat of the day, this time I wanted some of the sun’s warmth to offset the winter chill. I cruised along Milk Ranch Road, falling into a nice groove. I wondered if I might see any wild turkeys, and a few minutes later, almost 20 stood in a field next to the road.

The day felt more like a fall day rather than a day in January. I turned on to the Conejos Trail and began the climb in earnest. The legs still felt good, even after the adventure in the desert the day before. I passed two hikers making their way back from the summit. They said it was quite breezy up there. I thanked for the information and continued on. Once at the service road I slipped rubber tips onto my trekking poles as there was no need to wear down the metal tips on the asphalt. As I approached the summit, I could hear the wind at times whistling through the communications tower. The summit itself was actually fairly well sheltered, so I snapped my photos and enjoyed my PB&J. I didn’t linger past that, set off back down the road, and passed a few other hikers making their way to the summit.

The legs continued to feel good as I turned on to the Azalea Glen Fire Road. Just after the spring, I saw the SD Sloth group. Some of them had been on yesterday’s hike, so I knew they had this on their calendar. I said a quick hello before continuing on. Before too long the end of the trail came into view. I had resisted really looking at my time/pace, but was very curious what my final time would be. I did the 8.6 miles in 3:17! That was a great pace for me on this climb. Since I was solo, I decided to grab some tri-tip from Grand Ole BBQ in Flinn Springs, which hit the spot.