Climbing Bernardo Mountain

I met Becca at the Piedras Pintadas Trailhead for a hike up Bernardo Mountain. She had never climbed it, and since she only had a few hours, this seemed like a perfect choice. We finally had our first heat wave, so we agreed on an early start to try to beat the heat. The parking lot was empty when I arrived, and Becca arrived soon thereafter. We grabbed our gear and set off down the bike path, then across the bridge. The lake is still mostly dry, as work continues on the Lake Hodges Dam.

The summit was hidden under the marine layer as we turned off the main trail and onto the Bernardo Mountain Trail. A stream of trail runners came down the trail, and we let them pass. We continued along the trail, and mountain bikers would pass us from time to time, along with some other hikers and runners.

We reached the summit, and enjoyed it to ourselves for a bit, and took in the views, as the marine layer had burned off. Puffy clouds hung across the sky as we made our way back down from the summit. More and more hikers and bikers filled the trail, reminding me why I usually hike this peak during the weekdays. When we got back to the car, the temperature was in the mid-80s at 9:30 in the morning. I tracked the hike as 6.6 miles in length and did it in 2:59, and had 832 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 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 O’Leary Peak

I awoke around dawn from my campsite next to Sunset Crater National Monument. Off to the north stood my destination for the day, O’Leary Peak. I made a nice breakfast over the camp stove before I gathered my gear to head out. Bonita Campground was just south of the service road that I would take to the summit. Rather than pack everything up to make the short drive out of my campsite and over to the actual trailhead, I simply hiked a bit cross-country. I did have to make a small scramble over an ancient lava flow, however. Once on the service road, I backtracked about 300 yards to the formal start of the trail, since I was filming this hike. And with that, I set off down the road. The first part of the hike was very mellow, as the road worked its way gently past the edge of the Bonita Lava Flow, then the boundary of Sunset Crater National Monument. At the base of the peak, the road began its climb. Thankfully, being a road, the grade was nothing dramatic.

I kept cruising along, with views of Sunset Crater to my south, Darton Dome to my east, O’Leary rising above me to the north, and mighty Humphreys Peak to my west. Partway up, I saw the dust cloud of a car driving up the road, and moved to the side to let it pass. This was the person who would be staffing the tower, making their way to the summit. I continued on climbing toward the summit. As I passed through the saddle between Darton Dome and O’Leary, I knew I was almost there.

Soon, the tower came into view, and I had reached the summit. I slipped off my pack and took a few photos from the summit. Shawn, who passed me earlier, invited me up the tower. I mentioned I had been in many towers before, so the “Fire Lookout Tower Intro Talk” wasn’t needed. We chatted about various things, including the Dragon Bravo Fire. He shared some video taken by his colleagues of the fire and the aftermath of the Lodge at the North Rim. After about 30 minutes, I said farewell and wished him an easy day. The return from the summit went quickly. From time to time, I would move a rock off to the side of the road to prevent an accidental flat tire. The entire hike was 9.91 miles with 2,032 feet of gain, and I had a moving time of 3:06. After cleaning up at the campsite, I drove into town to take care of some online chores and attend an orientation session for grad school. Just one more peak to climb to finish off the Arizona Summer Six Pack of Peaks Challenge!

Return to Bear Mountain

I wanted to try to complete the Arizona Summer Six Pack of Peaks Challenge before I started grad school and in case the Coconino Forest became closed (which has happened in the past). Unfortunately, I could not stay with my friends in Flagstaff, so I had to work out how I was going to string together the three remaining peaks. The plan was for me to drive to North Phoenix and stay in a hotel, then wake up very, very early to get to the trailhead for Bear Mountain in Sedona. It was still quite toasty there, so an almost sunrise start was called for. The drive over was uneventful, and I had a good night’s sleep in the hotel; however, 4 am still came way too early. I grabbed a shower, then breakfast from the nearby Waffle House, and hit the road. I had hiked this mountain about 4 years ago, so I was familiar enough with the effort and basic route. I had wanted to hike Wilson Mountain, but the length of it and the temperature did not seem to make a good pair. I pulled into the parking lot and a few cars were already there. This is a shared parking area with Doe Mountain, so I wasn’t sure who might also be attempting Bear Mountain. I grabbed my pack and headed off. The early morning sun really showcased the red rocks around me.

After crossing three small drainages, the trail began its first ascent. I remembered the duality of this hike, gentle sections and sections of steep, cliff-face hiking. The first of those cliff-face sections soon appeared, and I could feel the difference between the years. While sweat still dripped from my head, I felt so much stronger. White blazes guided me along the trail, as much of it is on rock, so you are rarely going to see footprints in the dirt to help guide you. I remembered the rocky nature of this trail and thoughtfully brought the rubber tips for my poles. Those certainly helped throughout the hike.

The trail eased after the first cliff face, then up the next one. Bear Mountain was finally in view, as it is hidden from the parking lot. The trail worked its way around and continued the climb. Fay Canyon to the north came into view.

I pushed up the last section, and soon the End of Trail marker came into view. I found some shade under a nearby tree and took a break. I didn’t want to stay too long, as the day was getting hot and there was little shade on this hike. I snapped a few photos around the cairn and some panoramic shots of the views, then headed down.

It went quickly, although I did drift off the trail once or twice, but only for a couple of minutes. I had a sense I might have missed a blaze, and I was right. This is where all those trail miles pay off. Soon, I was starting to see the parking area, and I knew my hike would soon be complete. I logged the hike at 4.69 miles with 2,057 feet of gain in 3:06. On the way out of town, I grabbed a cold soda from McDonald’s and headed off to my next Arizona Adventure.

Way up in Elfin Forest

I wanted to get in a few miles before it got too hot, so I decided to take a hike in Elfin Forest. It had been a while since I hiked any of the trails out there. The parking lot doesn’t open until 8, so I didn’t rush to leave the house. About ten cars were already in the lot when I arrived at about 8:40. I grabbed my gear and set off. After crossing Escondido Creek, the trail begins its ascent via the Way Up Trail.

Nicely designed Trail markers called out the mileage and elevation. There were additional markers for those who might need assistance from emergency personnel. I passed a couple enjoying the shade of one of the shelters that are installed throughout the reserve. Once at the main trail junction, I decided to continue on up to the summit of Mount Israel, off to the west.

I started along the Ridgeline Road, then hopped onto the Equine Incline Loop Trail. While a bit rockier, I soon found myself at the Elfin Forest Overlook. Several more shade structures are here, along with a memorial pole for those who have lost their dogs. Just beyond the main area is the actual summit of Mount Israel. After a few photos, I opted to take the Manzanita trail instead, following the same route back.

This trail was also a rocky one, so a bit of care was needed. When this trail met with the Ridgeline Trail, I took a short walk to the Ray Brooks Overlook. It was warming up, and while the shade was nice, I wanted to get back down. I followed the Ridgeline Trail until the Mariposa Trail. I had never taken this one, so off I went.

It was a short little trail that quickly linked back up to Ridgeline Road. Before heading back down, I did a quick loop through the Ridgetop Picnic Area. I could feel the day continuing to heat up, so I cruised back down. When I reached the junction with the Botanical Trail, I decided to take it. All along the side of the trail, information plaques highlighted various plants and other items of interest. After a simple rock crossing of the creek, I returned back to the staging area. My wandering in Elfin Forest covered 4.7 miles with 1,055 feet of gain in 1:49.

Exploring Cottonwood Lakes

I awoke to a layer of frost on the top of my Outback. Thankfully, my sleep system worked great, and I didn’t feel it overnight. After cooking up a nice warm breakfast and enjoying a hot beverage, Ted and I set off for another acclimation hike. We had several options to choose from: hike up Cottonwood Pass to Chicken Spring Lake, head up to Muir Lake, or go to Cottonwood Lakes. Since I had backpacked Chicken Spring Lake last year, I was more inclined to visit either Muir Lake or some of the Cottonwood Lakes. We wouldn’t have to decide until about 4 1/2 miles in, so we began hiking north along the Cottonwood Lakes Trail. A fairly steady stream of backpackers came hiking down as we kept making our way up. At one point, we had to step aside to allow some burros and their handlers to pass by. They were returning from supplying the Golden Trout Wilderness Camp.

After a couple of crossings of Cottonwood Creek, we came to a trail junction. The left fork headed to New Army Pass, while the right fork would still give us the option to go to Muir Lake. A group of backpackers was taking a break, and we chatted a bit, mostly about the classic external framed pack that one of them was using. It turns out he has been using it since the 60s! While we had been climbing a bit, the real elevation gain was now before us. The climb wasn’t too bad, but you could feel that we were closing in on 11,000 feet.

Soon, the trail eased, and we reached the junction to Muir Lake. We opted to head to Cottonwood Lake #2 as our lunch destination. As we passed by Cottonwood Lake #1, a golden eagle soared above us! What a sight, and we caught a photo of it. We followed the shoreline to a nice spot for lunch. What a view–I can see why permits to camp here are so coveted. Trout could be seen swimming in the clear water as we ate and relaxed. We filtered some water and began to head back to camp. Instead of taking the same trail, this time we used the New Army Pass Trail. I’m so glad we did, as we were rewarded with a lovely waterfall.

As we made our way back, fresh backpackers were making their way up the trail to begin their adventures. After rejoining the Cottonwood Lakes Trail, I began to notice my legs starting to feel the miles and effort. I hoped I had not overdone it with this hike. As we continued on, that fear kept growing. Maybe once at camp and a good night’s sleep, I might recover.

Back at camp, I took it easy. After making a simpler dinner, we again enjoyed a night campfire before turning in. I hoped that I had not sabotaged my ability to climb Mt. Whitney by doing too much to acclimatize. To be continued…The final stats for this hike were 13.1 miles and 1,480 feet of gain. Not counting our lunch break, the hike took us 5:45.

Hiking Trail Pass – Horseshoe Meadows

With the Outback packed with our gear for two nights at Horseshoe Meadows, we set off just after 8. The drive was uneventful, and we made it into Lone Pine for lunch before making the drive up the mountain. Once at the walk-in campground, Ted found a site to pitch his tent, while I registered our stay. I planned to sleep in the car, so all I really had to do was transfer our food into the bear locker. Once everything was squared away, we set off on a light hike up Trail Pass to help us get acclimated.

We strolled through Horseshoe Meadows, making the crossing over the creek that flows through. From there, we began the gentle climb toward the pass. It felt good to stretch my legs after the drive up from San Diego. At the pass, we chatted with some other hikers section hiking the Pacific Crest Trail. After our short break, we set off along the PCT southbound to Mulkey Pass. Once at that pass, we began our return descent to the meadow. This trail was a bit steeper and not as clearly used as the trail we used when we went up. When the trail reached the southern edge of the meadow, it turned northeastward for a bit before crossing the meadow proper. We were a bit east of our camp, so we had a short road walk to complete our loop.

As the day drew to a close, I cooked up some dinner (blackened salmon, rice pilaf, caesar salad, and sourdough) and then we relaxed by the fire before turning in for the night. Our loop covered 5.34 miles, 785 feet of gain, and took us 2:14.

Up Clevenger Canyon North

Both Ted and I are researching new packs for our upcoming hike of Mt. Whitney. We are both trying to find something with enough room for the food and gear we will need, but that is light and comfortable for the 22 miles that the packs will be sitting on our backs. I have one option, my Osprey Daylite Plus, but I am also going to try the Osprey Hikelite 26 Pack. While I have used the Daylite Plus on some longer hikes, my back always seemed drenched. Ted is also working through various pack options, and wanted to try my Osprey Stratos 36, which I typically use. Initially, I thought about hiking one of the hikes on the 2025-2026 Coast to Crest Challenge, but none of them seemed like a good test of the pack for Ted. So, I instead picked one of the 100 Peak Challenge hikes that Ted still needs to do, Clevenger Canyon North. We made the short drive out to the parking area and gathered our gear. The marine layer still hung above us, making the day a bit humid as we set off down toward the creek. We noted the rocks were covered in graffiti. Once at the creek, which was lightly flowing, we began the climb in earnest.

Sadly, the graffiti continued on the trail. I only hope that those who did this got a nice case of poison oak. We kept climbing the south face of the peak, and the sun was slowly burning through. There is no shade on this hike, so I recommend either starting early or waiting for the cooler months to do it. I checked in on Ted of how the pack felt, and he said it was pretty good. After a bit of climbing and seeing even more graffiti, we reached the turn-off to the Clevenger Canyon North Viewpoint. We followed a small spur trail to the viewpoint, where the famous chairs could be seen across the canyon. After scrambling down from the rocks, we set off to also climb Peak 1820, which sits just to the north of the viewpoint. I pulled up a previous track and set off through the low brush. After weaving our way through, we reached the summit. After a few more photos, we headed back down the trail. The descent went quickly, and we pushed back up to the parking area. Ted now has 20 peaks left for the 100 Peak Challenge. I logged this trek at 4.9 miles in 2:29, with 1461 feet of gain. As to whether Ted is going to use that pack on Whitney, not sure yet…

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.