Out to Sheep Canyon

In August 2023, Hurricane Hillary caused significant damage in portions of Southern California. In Anza-Borrego, one of the lasting impacts of that storm has been the closure of the road to Sheep Canyon. While the road would close seasonally during the summer to protect the Big Horn Sheep, since 2023, it has remained closed to all vehicles. The primary issue is that Coyote Creek was rerouted onto the road near the Third Crossing. This closure has made climbing five of the peaks on the San Diego Sierra Club list even more challenging, as if those five weren’t hard enough. With some weather in the forecast, and me getting over a slight cold, I decided to hike out to the Sheep Canyon Primitive Campsite and get a sense of what the hike out to the trailhead for three of these peaks would be like. As I drove through Ramona and Santa Ysabel, I could feel the wind blowing against my car, and I wondered if I might have issues down in the desert. Thankfully, as I made a quick stop at Christmas Circle in Borrego Springs, the winds were calm as the sun rose between the clouds. I then drove north until the pavement ended and continued on the very well-groomed dirt road. One challenge of reaching the closure point is that there are two crossings of Coyote Creek. The first crossing was minor, but the second one was a bit more intimidating; the Outback fjorded it without issue. I parked next to the closed gate and gathered my gear.

I enjoyed the sounds of the flowing water as I carefully worked my way along its banks toward dry ground. The water was flowing right down the road, its original channel, just to the west. I continued on, following a well-defined trail and collection of footprints. After navigating another couple of wet sections, I came to the infamous “Boulder Alley”. I remember climbing up this in Greg Gerlach’s truck, wondering if the Outback could safely handle it. I could see the storm damage, but nothing a little grading couldn’t repair. Once over this hill, Collins Valley lay before me, along with my first views of Square Top, Palm & Elder, and Collins Benchmarks. Knob lay hidden behind Palm & Elder. The road was in fine shape, and I made great time. I came to the junction of the Santa Catarina Marker and opted to visit it upon my return. After another 0.6 miles or so, I came to another intersection, this one for the Sheep Canyon Trail. I had seen this marked on my maps, so I opted to give it a go. The route was incredibly well blazed, makers clearly guiding you across the desert floor (the footprints also helped). Eventually, it rejoined the road and continued westward toward Sheep Canyon. The road turned southward and crossed a wide wash; there it split. The road continued southward toward Cougar & Indian Canyons, a place I have been meaning to explore, or westward to the Sheep Canyon Primitive Campground. I stuck to my primary objective. I wandered the various campsite, fire rings, picnic tables, and even a couple of pit toilets. I stared at the bouldery face that I climbed to reach Palm and Elder to my north, and the ridgeline I followed when I summited Square Top, while enjoying a well-earned snack.

As I headed back, I began thinking about how we might shuttle our water cache, and maybe some firewood? At the junction with the Sheep Canyon Trail and the road, I opted to take the road this time. Here, I hiked across softer sand than I had underfoot on the trail. When I reached the junction for the historical marker, I took the short detour to view it. It offers a nice view of the Lower Willows area. You can see the palms and other plant life growing along the creek. I hiked back down Boulder Alley, enjoying the podcast I had been listening to. Before too long, I was back along the flowing waters of Coyote Creek and then to my car. After again making the two water crossings in the Outback, I headed home.

The entire hike was 8.7 miles, in 3:10, with 689 feet of gain. The scouting trip was an overall success. I don’t see any issues, hiking out to Sheep Canyon, camping for the night, then tackling Square Top or Palm & Elder Benchmark. For Collins and Knob Benchmark, I would like to explore setting up our base camp in Salvador Canyon.

I am an avid peak bagger, sometimes backpacker, and former sea kayaker living in San Diego. I am the co-author of Urban Trails: San Diego, coming in Spring 2026!

In 2019, I became the third person to complete the San Diego 100 Peak Challenge. Not stopping with that accomplishment, I set my sights on the harder San Diego Sierra Club 100 Peak list, which I completed in 2021. In addition, I have conquered several Six-Pack of Peaks challenges (SoCal, San Diego, Central Coast, and both the Arizona-Winter and Arizona-Summer).

I am looking forward to exploring new summits and new adventures across the southwest.

A stroll to Split Rock

I drove to the end of Pinyon Wash and parked, finding one other car there when we arrived. Jeremy and I gathered our gear and set off. The plan was to hike down to Split Rock and try to find any of the pictographs. Our adventure began with a bit of scrambling over some rocks before exiting into a nice wash. Jeremy had never done any desert hiking, so this was a new experience for him. The wash worked its way through the canyon before opening into a vast open expanse. We continued southward, finally exiting the state wilderness and onto the road. We heard the sounds of a motorcycle, but never saw it. Whale Peak loomed over us to the southwest.

After our route turned eastward, we found some rocks to take a short snack break. A light breeze kept the day pleasant. Before too long, Split Rock came into view. We had passed one set of morteros along the way, but found many more here. A truck was parked nearby, but we never saw the owner. I scanned the rock for any pictographs and wandered the hillside as well. I came up empty. Our route was basically a lollipop, and this was the top of the lollipop, so we began our arc back toward the stem.

The wash we were now following was a bit narrower, so we had to navigate around some vegetation from time to time. After about a mile, we left the wash and began hiking across the open desert. More “firsts” for Jeremy. We would weave around the agave and other plants, following a generally northwesterly course for about 1.75 miles, until we met back at the point where we had exited from the canyon at the start of this journey.

When we reached the boulders at the beginning of the hike, I decided to take the east side to see if there might be an easier path down. While it initially seemed easier, we found a few drops that took a bit of care to descend. I managed to get Jeremy down safely. Once back at the car, we drove back to the highway and into Borrego Springs for some tacos. We did stop to view the latest sculptures, a rattlesnake and a roadrunner. Now properly fueled, we headed home, but did stop for a pint of cider at Calico Cidery.

I am an avid peak bagger, sometimes backpacker, and former sea kayaker living in San Diego. I am the co-author of Urban Trails: San Diego, coming in Spring 2026!

I am looking forward to exploring new summits and new adventures across the southwest.

Reaching Monument Mountain

With a series of storms on the way, I wanted to get another desert hike in before they arrived. I opted to return to Joshua Tree to hike up Monument Mountain, a peak on the Lower Peaks Committee list. Since it requires about 5 miles of off-road driving along Pinkham Canyon Road, I wanted to do it now in case there was an access issue. The road wasn’t too bad. I wouldn’t take a Civic on it, but nothing was too bothersome. The mountain is quite visible, with a prominence of over 1000 feet.

Mountain prominence is a measure of a peak’s vertical separation from its surroundings.

I parked near where several other hikers had started from and gathered my gear. Angling across the desert floor, I made my way to the base of a ridge. Double-checking my track, which I would do from time to time, I began my climb. The route was pretty uneventful; the ascent wasn’t too steep, except for one small section, and there were a few use trails.

The summit was actually hidden by the various ridges and minor false summits along the way. With regards to those, you can usually sidehill past them with no trouble. Finally, the well-defined summit came into view. I drew next to its base and worked my way up its rocky slope. At the summit, I found the register in good condition, along with the benchmark and two reference marks. I enjoyed a snack and the vistas. Once properly refueled and hydrated, I picked my way down the rocks and back onto the ridgeline.

I was able to follow even more of the faint use trail on my descent. As I came down the final ridge, the sun’s glint bounced off my car, acting as a beacon. Along the desert floor, I spied several different flowers blooming.

Back at the car, I enjoyed some cold water before driving back along Pinkham Canyon. I stopped at the visitor center to give a quick report on the road and hike, knowing the storms might make that information worthless. The parking lot was full, and I had to circle around once to find a spot. I had considered making the hour drive to Malapei Hill and climb it, but opted not to deal with the holiday traffic and save it for another time. This was my 22nd LPC peak, and it took me 3:39 to hike the 5.8 miles.

I am an avid peak bagger, sometimes backpacker, and former sea kayaker living in San Diego. I am the co-author of Urban Trails: San Diego, coming in Spring 2026!

I am looking forward to exploring new summits and new adventures across the southwest.

A Pair of Queens

After climbing Mount Mel, my next hike would take me to the Queens: Queen Mountain and Queen Benchmark. I turned on Big Horn Pass Road, then continued northward onto O’Dell Road. The parking lot was empty, as expected on a Monday. I gathered my gear and 3 liters of water before setting off. The hike actually begins along an old jeep road, so I cruised along toward the base of the mountains. The road eventually faded into a well-worn trail and started its climb. Cairns dotted the way as well. From time to time, I would add or repair them. The steep climb came to a small plateau, then over to a gully for the final push to the saddle between the two peaks.

I opted to make the short climb to Queen Mountain first. A nice, wide slab led to the actual summit. After locating the reference mark and soaking in the views on this HPS peak, I returned to the saddle and then arched around the north side of Queen Benchmark. Once at the summit, I signed the register and found the benchmark. I didn’t stay too long, as I still needed to get back to the car and set up camp at Jumbo Rocks Campground.

The descent went reasonably smoothly, and I was soon back at the car. The campground was a short drive away, and before too long, I had camp set up. After a nice dinner next to a warm campfire, I enjoyed some astrophotography before turning in. Tomorrow was going to be a big day, hiking two more HPS peaks, Bernard and Little Berdoo Peaks, and if the legs have any gas left in them, Malapai Hill. The hike was 3.97 miles long and had a healthy gain of 1,204 feet, which I did in 3:00.

I am an avid peak bagger, sometimes backpacker, and former sea kayaker living in San Diego. I am the co-author of Urban Trails: San Diego, coming in Spring 2026!

I am looking forward to exploring new summits and new adventures across the southwest.

Ascending Mount Mel

With my first semester of graduate courses behind me, I set off to Joshua Tree National Park for some camping and peak bagging. First up was Mount Mel, near Indian Cove Campground. I previously considered climbing this peak while backpacking the Boy Scout Trail, but opted to skip it. I parked at the Nature Trail trailhead and set off to the west. The trail took me past a wash that would follow almost to a saddle to the south of Mount Mel.

Once at the saddle, I scanned the boulders that make up this peak to find a route up. I set off, working my way carefully up through the rocks. Soon, I was nearing the top and began exploring how I might reach the actual summit block. I found the register and then scrambled to the proper summit. From there, I snapped a few photos and began picking my way back down. Once back at the car, I set off to the day’s second hike, up to Queen Mountain and Queen Benchmark. But first, lunch in 29 Palms and some more firewood for camp later. The hike was 2.2 miles, in 1:24, and 400 feet of gain.

I am an avid peak bagger, sometimes backpacker, and former sea kayaker living in San Diego. I am the co-author of Urban Trails: San Diego, coming in Spring 2026!

I am looking forward to exploring new summits and new adventures across the southwest.

A 5 peak day!

Today’s adventure was going to be a collection of HPS peaks near Silverwood Lake. I set off pre-dawn toward the 138 near the Cajon Pass. I had never gone east on this highway; my usual route is west toward the Baden-Powell trailhead. I soon turned off the highway and onto the forest road that would snake around the mountains and 4 of the HPS peaks. Initially, I was behind two trucks making their way up the dirt road ahead of me. One was pulling a trailer, so it was slow going, but before too long, they turned onto a private road, and I continued on the forest road. The first peak of the day was Cajon Mountain. I parked at the junction with the closed gate, grabbed my gear, and set off. Most of this hike would be on the closed road, with just a touch of off-trail fun at the actual summit. I had views of Mt. Baldy and Cucamonga from time to time. Their snow-capped summits shone in the morning sun. At the junction with the use trail to the summit, I opted to go to Cajon Lookout first, just a very short distance further. Here I had more views of the pass, and from time to time, the distant sound of a train whistle. Since I had a long day ahead of me, I returned to the junction and began working my way to the summit. There was both a register and a benchmark here. After signing in, I snapped a few photos and retraced my route. One peak down, four to go.

Cajon Mountain & Lookout

Sugarpine Mountain

Back at the car, I set off to my next summit, Sugerpine Mountain. I knew this was going to be a simple walk-up. I parked off the road, gathered my gear, and hiked up to this summit. Here, I only found the register tucked next to some rocks. While this was another road walk, the road was something beyond what my Outback could handle. Back at the car, it was time to drive to Bailey Peak, a short distance away.

Bailey Peak & Benchmark

The road became a bit rougher, but the Outback still had no problem. I again parked off to the side at a junction and set off for Bailey Benchmark first. There were two communications facilities, and the benchmark was atop a rock between them. A large wall structure was also there, of which I have no clue about its purpose. On the way back, I took a use trail to the summit of Bailey Peak. Sadly, I did not locate anything on the actual summit. Returning to the car, it was off to the last peak along this road, Monument Peak.

Monument Peak

This road did have one tricky section that I had to deal with, a sizable rut to straddle. I conquered it with relative ease. I walked up the road and found an actual monument erected here. It said,

THE MOHAVE INDIAN TRAIL: TRAVELED BY FR. FRANCISCO GARCES

MARCH, 1776 AND JEDEDIAH S. SMITH NOVEMBER, 1826.

I snapped a few photos and had a choice to make: which route back to the 138? I could completely retrace my route, or gamble by taking another forest road that would drop me into the community of Cedarpines Park. I figured I’d keep exploring. The road down was fine and dropped me at the western edge of the community. I weaved my way past all the cabins and eventually back onto the 138.

Cleghorn Mountain

I drove back north, parked at the Lake Vista parking area, and had my lunch. Properly fueled, I headed for my last peak of the day, Cleghorn Mountain. The road I was going to take is part of the Silverwood OHV area, so I expected to encounter some traffic. Not 5 minutes in, a group of off-roaders was parked. A Cybertruck had tried the technical shortcut and gotten stuck. I just missed the recovery. This route has a mainline road, which is not an issue; in fact, it was recently graded. But scattered along the way are side routes that are much more technical. I met a few others enjoying the road as I made my way toward Cleghorn Peak. I found a parking spot near the summit and parked. It looks like you used to be able to drive almost to the summit, but this road is fenced off, and debris is scattered across the former road. I walked up to the top and enjoyed one last summit vista.

I drove further westward until I reached a junction; one road continued west toward the 15, just before the 138. The other option went northward to the Summit OHV Staging Area, then on to the 138. I opted for the latter; in part, I wanted a cold Coke from McDonald’s. The drive was uneventful, and the staging area did have pit toilets (which I did not need, but good to know). Once at McDonald’s, the drive-thru line was pretty long, so I opted to grab a soda from the gas station next door. A small fire erupted just off the 215 but was quickly contained. The final stats for all these hikes were:

Peak	Distance	Time	Elevation
Cajon Mountain	3.25 miles	1:16	575 feet
Sugarpine Mountain	0.3 miles	12 minutes	119 feet
Bailey Benchmark	0.5 miles	16 minutes	95 feet
Bailey Peak	0.3 miles	20 minutes	144 feet
Monument Peak	0.1 miles	5 minutes	26 feet
Cleghorn Mountain	0.25 miles	11 minutes	76 feet
Offroad Driving	22 miles	–	–

I am an avid peak bagger, sometimes backpacker, and former sea kayaker living in San Diego. I am the co-author of Urban Trails: San Diego, coming in Spring 2026!

I am looking forward to exploring new summits and new adventures across the southwest.

Bushwhacking to Buckman Benchmark

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

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

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

I am an avid peak bagger, sometimes backpacker, and former sea kayaker living in San Diego. I am the co-author of Urban Trails: San Diego, coming in Spring 2026!

I am looking forward to exploring new summits and new adventures across the southwest.

Ascending Grunt Benchmark

A few weeks ago, Robert Luher reached out to see if I would be interested in hiking up Grunt Benchmark. While not on either the San Diego Sierra Club or 100 Peak Challenge lists, it is on the San Diego Peak Club list. It is part of a collection of benchmarks around Carrizo Gorge, which I have dubbed “The $%@! benchmarks” (Puff, Moan, Gasp, Groan, and Grunt). In a rare treat, Susie was able to join us. As the two of us made the drive out to meet Robert, we caught up on returning back to school, book-related discussions, and life in general. Robert was waiting at the turn-off onto Carrizo Gorge Road. He transferred into the Outback, and we set off down the road.

With some care, we reached the trailhead, and after gathering our gear, we set off. I initially started toward the wrong wash, but after checking our route, we quickly corrected. (I deleted that mistake from the GPX). Once in the correct wash, we made good time, as it was nice and wide and relatively free of brush. We spotted a cairn indicating the exit from the wash and the start of the climb to the summit. A few other cairns were located, but better still, a fairly well-defined use trail. We stayed on it, working our way ever upward. At some point, I missed a cairn and remained on the use trail. Realizing this, I opted just to head off-trail and work my way back toward the recorded tracks we had. I linked back up with Susie just below the summit, and Robert had snuck past us and called out from atop it.

Once there, we searched around to locate the various marks and the register, which we found. We enjoyed our time at the summit, a few well-earned snacks, and more peak-bagging tales. What was interesting was that several other tracks chose a different route back down. Given how nice the wash was and the use trail as well, we could not fathom why not just retrace your ascent route? We all agreed this was probably one of the easiest desert peaks we had climbed (sans the slightly challenging drive to the trailhead). Once back at the car, we tossed in our gear and began the next challenge, driving back out. Thankfully, there were no issues as I navigated the soft, sandy sections and the rocky portions. We said our goodbyes to Robert, who was camping again in Blair Valley, and offered some easy options if he wanted to tackle something else in the afternoon. Susie and I then drove back home, chatting more about book-related topics. All told, the hike was 2.95 miles in 2:35 with 1,020 feet of gain.

I am an avid peak bagger, sometimes backpacker, and former sea kayaker living in San Diego. I am the co-author of Urban Trails: San Diego, coming in Spring 2026!

I am looking forward to exploring new summits and new adventures across the southwest.

Up Suicide Rock

Today’s hike would be up to Suicide Rock near Idyllwild. I arrived just after the ranger station opened to pick up my permit (free), before making the short drive to the Deer Springs Trailhead. This is the same trail I used during my last ascent of San Jacinto back in October. The parking area was empty as I gathered my gear. I tucked my warmer gloves, a beanie, and my puffy into my pack, as it was a bit chilly. I was also wearing a base layer under my regular hiking pants. For my upper layers, I had my Ridge Merino sun hoodie and my fleece. I locked the car and set off up the trail. The skies were clear, and the sun felt good. After a bit, I decided to shed the fleece as I didn’t want to overheat with it on. I have found that my base layer actually does a good job of keeping me warm.

I cruised up the trail, enjoying the crunch of leaves and acorns under my boots. After about 2.5 miles in, I reached the turn-off to Suicide Rock. The trail passed by a nicely flowing Marion Creek before continuing its climb toward the “summit”. As I drew near, a few small patches of snow lay scattered about. Then I came to one of three small icy snow crossings I would make—nothing dangerous, other than maybe falling on your butt, though I still took care in traversing them. Then the granite dome came into view…Along with some dude fully naked sunbathing! What the heck! He never reacted to me passing by as I looked for a spot well away from him. I soaked in the views I came to see while avoiding the view I did not. After a snack, I set off back down the trail. He never moved the whole time.

After again crossing those icy patches, I motored down the trail, weighing my lunch options once I was down. Along the way back, I met a few other hikers working their way up. I gave them some beta on the trail and a warning about the person getting his vitamin E fix. Before too long, I was back at the car and ready for lunch. Paradise Valley Cafe won the battle for my stomach. I stopped by the ranger station to inform them of the person sunbathing and a general trail update, but they had closed for lunch. I would call them from home later. That was my #55 HPS peak, and with a little luck, I hope to get a few more in during my winter break. I logged the hike at 7.1 miles round trip in 3:14 with 1,751 feet of gain.

I am an avid peak bagger, sometimes backpacker, and former sea kayaker living in San Diego. I am the co-author of Urban Trails: San Diego, coming in Spring 2026!

I am looking forward to exploring new summits and new adventures across the southwest.

Taking the PCT to Lookout Mountain

After wrapping up one of my courses the day before, I decided to summit Lookout Mountain. Just a mile past the Paradise Valley Cafe, I pulled into an empty dirt parking area for the Pacific Crest Trail. I grabbed my gear, carefully crossed the highway, and started hiking south along the PCT. I cruised along the well-worn trail, and as I crested a slight rise, the faint cries of some coyotes could be heard. I continued on, checking my route to make sure I did not miss the use trail to the summit. The use trail initially followed a small gully, then left it, and began the steep climb to the summit. The route was well ducked, so I had almost no issues staying on track. From time to time, I repaired a cairn or two and added a couple that might help fellow hikers.

Soon, the summit came into view. The familiar red register can sat tucked near the benchmark, and I added my name. The summit is relatively flat, and the brush is a bit high, so the views are not the best. After a quick snack, I began retracing my route down the mountain.

Once again on the PCT, I got a message that a friend who got a permit to hike the PCT had booked her flight to San Diego! I plan to join her for a few nights on the trail when she sets off. Back at the car, a few other cars had parked. I suspect they were headed north along the PCT. Initially, I planned to have lunch at PVC, but it was too early for me, so I just headed home. That summit was my #54th HPS peak! I logged the hike as 4.0 miles in 2:14, with 927 feet of gain.

I am an avid peak bagger, sometimes backpacker, and former sea kayaker living in San Diego. I am the co-author of Urban Trails: San Diego, coming in Spring 2026!

I am looking forward to exploring new summits and new adventures across the southwest.