Climbing Pinnacle Mountain

We were back in Arkansas for my sister’s celebration of life, and originally hoped to drive over to Hot Springs to get in a hike on Saturday morning. However, the chaos around getting my daughter to Little Rock from DC had me staying closer to Little Rock. Instead, I opted to hike Pinnacle Mountain, which was just 20 minutes from the hotel. I had climbed this peak in 2018 on my first visit to Little Rock with my son and nephew-in-law. This time, I opted to ascend the peak from the East Summit trail instead. There were a few cars in the parking lot when I pulled in. A nice trailhead sign guided me into the woods and onto the trail. I followed the blazes through the forest, being mindful of the roots and rocks. These trails are quite different from those back in San Diego. Soon, I came to the base of the mountain, and it was time to gain 510 feet in just about 0.2 miles. Not only was this approach steeper, but the entire ascent is Class 2. The blazes guided me up the rocks toward the summit. While it was early, it was warm and muggy. I soon heard voices and knew the summit was close.

I stood atop the summit and once again took in the view. My daughter was finally on her last leg of her journey, and I was no longer worried about having to help her navigate options to get to Little Rock in time. After enjoying the views, I descended via the West Summit Trail. While initially, the trail was rocky, it eased up and became more trail-like. Benches were placed along the route to provide respite for those not physically capable of the climb or who just needed a rest.

Once at the base of the trail, I took the Base Trail around the south side of the mountain. Here, I would spy some mushrooms from time to time as I cruised along the mostly flat trail back to the car.

On the drive back, I stopped at the Pinnacle Mountain Visitor Center. This is a beautiful building and I explored the exhibits some before grabbing some stickers and a better hiking map. I hoped that I might return the next day for some more trail time. My stats for this hike were: 2.58 miles, with 784 feet of gain in 1:34.

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.

Bushwhacking the Oriflamme Mountains

After not being able to backpack Sitton Peak the day before due to the parking issue at San Juan Trailhead, I opted to hike the Oriflammes in the Laguna Mountains instead. I made the all-too-familiar drive through Ramona and Julian and parked at the small turnout next to the Lucky 5 Ranch. This would be my third time on some portion of this trail, twice before when I climbed Roost Benchmark, and the previous summit of Oriflamme Mountain. The truck trail appeared to have been recently graded, and I wondered what the rest of the route would be like. I did recall a few good-sized ruts, so not something I would take my Subaru down.

Soon, I passed the junction with the PCT. We are near the end of the NOBO season, but it was still early in the morning, and I doubted I would encounter any thru-hikers yet. I continued working my way down. The car thermometer read 41° F when I left, but I knew it would be warming up, and I would have almost no shade. The ruts were still there, but a Jeep would be fine. In fact, I think some of the tire tracks I saw were from one.

Some wildflowers dotted the sides of the trail. Soon, I reached the point where I would leave the truck trail and climb through the chaparral to the summit. A cairn marked the exit, which had not been there when I first climbed this peak. I weaved my way through the brush without too much difficulty. Soon, I found myself on the summit. It was a nice, clear day, so I had some sweeping views of the desert to my east. If there is a register located here, I did not find it. I knew that there was no benchmark, so after a few photos, I set off to climb Oriflamme Mountain North Peak. I did not attempt it the last time I was here due to time constraints, but now I had the time. North Peak is one of the peaks on the original San Diego Peak Club list, which is the “mother” list for both the San Diego Sierra Club list and the 100 Peak challenge list. While I could have followed the brush-covered ridgeline down to the North Peak, I opted to descend back to the road, follow it to a spot, and climb it from there. Once I reached a point close to a straight line to the summit, I scanned for an entry point into the chaparral. I found one and began weaving my way through the scrub. Initially, it was a bit bothersome, but I quickly found a fairly clear route and was atop the summit with less trouble than the primary Oriflamme. Here, I did find a register and added my name to the list of those who had stood atop this peak. I could see Roost Benchmark off to the north, but I did not bring enough water to continue on.

I made my way back down to the truck trail with no major issues. Now the “fun” would begin, as this is an inverted hike, meaning I now had to make the climb up to the trailhead. I slipped on my AirPods, listened to the season finale of “It’s Story Time with Wil Wheaton,” and started back up. Along the way, about 30 members of the Laguna Mountain Hot Shots were making their way down to do some fire prevention work. I thanked them for their efforts. Soon, the climb came to an end, and I tossed my gear into the car. I took the 8 home, since by the time I got back into town, it would be lunchtime and I could swing by Mi Ranchito and grab a well-earned burrito. With that second ascent of Oriflamme, I need just four more peaks to finish the 100 Peak Challenge a second time. The final stats were 6.0 miles, with 1,156 feet of gain in 2:54.

Overnight in Noble Canyon

My original plan was to backpack Barker Valley near Palomar; however, about an hour before I was set to drive out, I decided to check the status of the road to the actual trailhead, and it was closed! According to the Forest Service website, the Palomar Divide Trail was closed, meaning I could not get to the trailhead. Not to let a fully packed backpack go to waste, I considered some alternatives; Sitton Peak, Arroyo Seco, and Noble Canyon were options that quickly came to mind. I did not have the ability to quickly get an overnight permit for Sitton, so it was out of the running. Arroyo Seco was possible, but Noble Canyon was closer to the overnight I had planned for Barker Valley. After stopping at the ranger station in Alpine to pick up my permit, I drove on up to the Penny Pines trailhead. I gathered my gear, hung my Adventure Pass (not sure I needed to, but better safe than sorry), and walked through the gate onto the trail. Around the picnic table, 6 PCT thru-hikers were chilling in the shade. We chatted a bit and I learned two were from New Zealand, two from the Netherlands, and two were Americans. I shared some local trail knowledge before wishing them all luck on their journey and set off down my trail to the west. I cruised along, glad to be doing this hike on a weekday and not being worried about getting run over by mountain bikers. Some clouds hung in the air, offering some shade from time to time. Off to the north, I could spy Garnet Peak and Pine Mountain as I worked my way toward Noble Canyon proper.

At about 3.5 miles in, I passed a nice campsite under a large oak tree. I didn’t have any planned camping spot, so I was playing it all by ear. I kept working my way down the canyon, and soon, flowing water could be heard. I came to another campsite, this one larger, but the ground was not nearly as flat as the first one, so I passed on it. After about 5 miles, I threw in the towel and turned back; that first campsite (32.885492° -116.499558°) was going to be my home for the evening.

I set up camp quickly as the sun was starting to dip behind the hill to the west. After dinner, I retreated into my tent to listen to my audiobook before turning in around “hiker midnight“. The nearly full moon shone through the benches and made an interesting pattern on my tent.

I remembered to bring the new pillow this time, and it worked well. I still need to add a bit more loft, but that was to be expected. Around 5:30, I woke up and crawled out of my tent. According to my thermometer, it was about 40°F. I made a cup of coffee and began to break camp. I decided not to have breakfast here, but to head back to Mt. Laguna to hopefully enjoy some tales from PCTers and have a hot meal at the Pine House Café. I made good time back to the car, even doing some filming along the way. At the trailhead, I chatted with some local day hikers getting ready to make a loop up to Garnet Peak. Once their friends pulled in, I said farewell and set off for breakfast. The Kind bar was enough for those 3 miles, but I now needed a real meal. The Café was closed when I arrived, and a few PCTers were milling about, waiting for it to open. Normally, they are closed on Thursday, but the owner decided to open anyway. I shared a table with a gentleman who has hiked the PCT multiple times. We had a fantastic chat over coffee and our meal. The common thread was “taking advantage of the time you have”. With our stomachs full, we bid goodbye, he continued walking northward and I drove back home. I am going to need to find the time to hike Noble Canyon from the other trailhead and see if there are campsites in that section.

A loop through Estes Canyon

Just about a mile down the road from the Arch Canyon Trail is the Estes Canyon/Bull Pasture Trailhead. I pulled into the empty parking lot, refilled my water bottles, and snacked on some dried apricots before heading out. This hike was going to be a loop, but I didn’t know which direction I was going to go. Looking over the information panel, the grade looked nicer going in a clockwise direction. I was feeling good, but still would rather play it safe. At the junction, I signed the logbook and set off along the Estes Canyon Trail. I cruised along the trail, crossing a wash from time to time. After about a mile, I reached the pasture, and off to the south, I could see the switchbacks that I would climb to loop back.

I kept my head focused on the trail and not the climb. Soon, I reached the junction that one could take to an overlook (and if it had been cooler out, onto the summit of Mount Ajo). I was not interested in adding another mile to this hike, so I continued on toward the parking lot. More switchbacks took me down, and soon the road came back into view. Another 2.4 miles under my belt. Since the visitor center was already closed, there was no need to add in the last few tenths of a mile I needed to reach 5 miles of hiking in the Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument and earn my “I Hiked the Green Desert” pin. Officially, this hike was 2.48 miles with 487 feet of gain.

Back at the car, I finished the Ajo Mountain Drive loop and set off to my campsite at Alamo Primitive Campground. I quickly set up my Luno in the back of the Subaru and relaxed while enjoying my dinner and a well-earned beer. The sunset was incredible, and soon the stars began to appear. I spent some time working on my astro-photography before turning in for the night.

Hiking up Arch Canyon

My first stop on my southern Arizona adventure was to explore Organ Pipe Cactus National Monument. I had secured a site at the Alamo Primitive Campground for Thursday night, so I used that as my anchor for planning the rest of the adventure. Originally, I was going to be backpacking the Highline National Trail, but some scheduling issues made that no longer possible. After making the drive over from San Diego, I fueled up in Gila Bend, grabbed a Subway sandwich for dinner, and headed south on the 85.

I first made a stop at the Kris Engel Visitor Center to get my Junior Ranger badge and to check about the trails I hoped to hike that afternoon. Leaving the visitor center, I set off along Ajo Mountain Drive to the respective trailheads. This road is one way, so I really did not have a choice in the order I hiked them. I had a drive tour guide booklet, but I had watched a good YouTube video of this drive, so I was familiar with the sights. I pulled into the parking area for the Arch trail. The arch, actually a double arch, is visible from the trailhead, but I wanted to hike up the canyon and explore the area near it. Two cars were in the lot when I arrived, and another joined soon after I did. I changed into my hiking gear and set off. I had frozen two bottles of water, and they were still about half ice when I set off. The car thermometer read 85° F.

The maintained trail headed along the south side of the canyon, working its way back and around the ridge on which the arch is located. After about 0.6 miles, the maintained trail ends. A metal bar lies on the ground. From here, you follow a well-marked use trail up the slope of the ridge. Cairns are plentiful, and usually, you can also see the well-worn path. I came upon a couple from Finland who were not enjoying this hike. I offered water or snacks if they needed them, but they refused. I think they decided to turn back, as I did not see them again. A short time later, a hiker passed me coming back from the top. We chatted briefly before going our respective ways.

I reached the ridgeline and made my way toward the arch, but as I drew near, I could not find a safe enough route to fully get to it. I could see a portion of it, and that would have to do. I began working my way back down when the hiker who pulled in the parking lot after me arrived at the summit. She had hit the trail before I did, and I was wondering where she had gone. She mentioned that she poked around the southern part of the ridge before coming close to the arch. The descent was slow as the route was a combination of steep grade and loose rocks. I took my time and enjoyed the shade offered by the ridge and the light breeze. Soon, I was back on the maintained trail and cruised back to the car. Got in 2.4 miles and 1,004 feet of gain. I need a total of 5 miles hiked to earn my “I Hiked the Green Desert” pin. Let’s see how many miles I can do along the next trail.

Hello, Mount Hollywood

Besides my love of hiking, I also have a passion for space, particularly crewed capsules. In fact, I also run American-spacecraft.org, which catalogs the locations of the various spacecraft. Recently, the three capsules on display at the California Science Center in Los Angeles were temporarily moved to a new gallery and shown without their usual protective enclosures. I wanted to drive up and photograph them for the site.

The Mercury-Redstone-2, Gemini 11, and the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project capsules

Since I was in the LA area, I also decided to do a hike. I opted to hike up Mount Hollywood in Griffith Park, which was not too far away from the museum. I arrived near the Trails Café and found parking along the street. I gathered my waist pack and poles and set off up the East Observatory Trail. This moderately steep trail works its way up toward, as you might guess, the Griffith Observatory. (FYI, no relation to that Griffith).

From there, I walked across the parking area to the Charlie Turner Trailhead to begin the second portion of the climb. I could see the summit from the parking lot. Tourists milled about, snapping photos with the Hollywood sign behind them, or next to the memorial for James Dean. Carefully crossing the road, I took the trail to start the second portion of this climb. Following the wide trail, it worked its way around the mountain with a gentler grade than the first section. Along the way, I quickly stopped at the Tiffany & Co. Foundation Overlook for a nice view of that famous sign. From there, I continued upward, passing Captain’s Roost, one of three folk gardens in Griffith Park, before reaching the actual summit (aka the Tom LaBonge Panorama). I snapped a few photos, but the west side of LA was still pretty fogged in, and the rest of LA had a bit of haze as well. I need to come up here on a good Santa Ana day.

I retraced my route down to the Observatory. I wanted to pop in and see if a friend was working, but they are closed on Monday. Instead of taking the East Observatory trail back to the car, I opted to take the West Observatory trail instead. Both rejoin right where I parked, so it was not an issue. I stopped off at the Trails Café and enjoyed a cold iced tea and part of a delicious chocolate chip cookie. With another peak crossed off the Lower Peaks Committee list, I changed my shirt and shoes and made the 30-minute drive to the museum to see those capsules. The actual hike was 5.31 miles with 1087 feet of gain that I covered in 1:45. There is one more LPC peak in Griffith Park, so I will be back soon.

Venturing to Three Sister Falls

Don’t judge me, but I have never hiked down to Three Sisters Falls. Whenever I have been out there hiking to Eagle Peak, the falls weren’t flowing, so I never added the extra miles to go see them. Since I knew they were currently flowing, I made the trek out. In 2024, the parking area for the trailhead got a major upgrade: pit toilets, picnic benches (with shade structures), and an expanded parking lot. More importantly, the trailhead was renamed to Cha’chaany Hamuk Trailhead, which translates roughly to “three sisters” in the Kumeyaay language. A few cars were already here when I pulled in. I quickly read over the information on the nearby kiosk before setting off down the trail. It was a pleasant morning as I reached the signpost indicating my left-hand turn to begin my long descent to the falls. From time to time, I could spy them off in the distance, as the trail followed the contours downward. Before the trail realignment, a portion of the trek down to the falls entailed using ropes to scale the steep slope!

Soon, I began hearing the flowing sounds coming from Boulder Creek and knew my destination was getting closer. With a short climb, the falls stood before me, cascading over the smooth rocks into large pools. A few people milled about, some exploring the upper two falls, while some stayed at the first fall. I found a nice rock to take a break and soak in the view. I wandered about the lower pool, as I didn’t feel like climbing to the upper falls. Since I had some chores waiting for me back home, I did not linger too long. I snapped a few more photos and began my ascent back to the car. As I climbed, I began to encounter more and more hikers making their way down, including one group of about 20! I was glad I arrived early. Before too long, the parking area came into view. The old parking area appears to be either an overflow lot or the helicopter landing area. I tossed my gear into the car and changed into a dry shirt before heading home. I recorded the hike as 3.8 miles long with a healthy 934 feet of gain (all on the way back).

Reflecting along South Clevenger Canyon

I pulled into the empty parking lot for South Clevenger Canyon under cloudy skies. This hike was to be my last to complete this year’s San Dieguito River Valley Conservancy’s Coast to Crest Challenge. I had been saving it in hopes of enjoying some wildflowers along the trail, but the lack of rain at the right time nixed that. I grabbed my gear, including a rain jacket, just in case, and started up the trail. Having hiked this trail numerous times, I cruised along, reflecting on the previous year and the year to come, as this was my birthday hike.

The past year has been one of some great joys: my cervical fusion fixing my neck issues, losing over 50 lbs, and co-writing a hiking book with a good friend. There has also been some sadness: getting laid off after 9 years and losing my sister to COPD. As I reflected on all that, soon the metal chairs atop that boulder came into view. I pulled myself up the rock face using the ropes (I miss the stairs) and sat, soaking in the views off to the west. Today was not really a day to sit and relax, so I carefully scrambled back down and retraced my route. My thoughts turned to the year ahead. There is a lot of uncertainty in the world, and I can control only so much. For me, spending time outside will provide the grounding I will need to navigate the road ahead. Before too long, I neared the trailhead. A couple of hikers passed me, just starting their journey up the trailhead. As I reached the car, I needed 0.01 more miles to log a perfect 4.0 track, so I took a few extra steps in the parking lot to solve that “problem”. With that, my hike was done, 4.0 miles in 1:39 and a healthy 1135 feet of gain. Now, if it weren’t Passover, I would have had some well-earned Mexican food and a beer….

Backpacking at Granite Springs

As I am working on completing the 100 Peak Challenge for a second time, I needed to climb East Mesa – Peak 5178. When I did the challenge in 2019, I climbed East Mesa High Point, as Derek did not define which East Mesa to summit. He later clarified that the correct peak is East Mesa – Peak 5178. Rather than simply hiking out and bagging the peak, I opted to camp at Granite Springs Primitive Campground, which is just a short distance from the peak. I bought my overnight permit from the kiosk at the Green Valley Campground (Friday through Sunday, the kiosk is staffed), then drove the short distance to the Sweetwater parking area. I grabbed my pack and headed up the Harvey Moore Trail. The trail starts climbing right from the trailhead, so the light breeze that was blowing was welcomed. After about 0.7 miles, the grade lessened, and I kept cruising along. Oakzanita stood off to my right, and Cuyamaca and Cush-Pi (Stonewall) stood far off to my left.

As I passed through East Mesa, I spied East Mesa – Peak 5178, and considered climbing immediately after I set up camp, but I wanted to secure my camping spot first. Soon, the water pump came into view, and I had arrived at the campground. There were three sites here, so I went down the trail past the pit toilets to view my options for the evening. I settled on site #1, under the shade of some large oaks. The other two sites looked fine, but this one also had some nice logs to sit upon and relax. I set up my tent without issue. I had wanted to try a new pillow on this trip, and accidentally brought my old one instead (I actually brought both, but did not see the one I wanted to try until the next morning!). Since it was still Passover, I could not eat a dehydrated meal, so I had packed other food for my time out there. I also decided to bring my own water and not treat the water from the pump. The sun soon dipped behind Peak 5178, and it began to cool down. I slipped into my tent and relaxed, listening to an audiobook until I drifted off to sleep. I got up once during the evening and grabbed a few night shots before huddling back under my quilt.

Around 6, I woke and had my breakfast. That hot coffee sure hit the spot. My thermometer said it dropped to 38°F overnight. I went back down the East Mesa Fire Road for a short distance before heading cross-country toward the southern slope of Peak 5178.

Initially, the slope was covered in simple grasses and ankle-high brush, but as I worked my way up, the vegetation began to change. With about 40 feet of elevation to go to the summit, I now had to bushwhack my way through the last 100 yards or so. The brush was thick, and more than once, I would try one path, only to reach a thick wall. With a little luck (and a few drops of blood), I reached the summit. A small rock cairn denoted the peak. I could see the fog below me, which made for a unique view. Once I had taken in the view, I whacked my way through the brush and back onto the southern slope. As I cruised along the Harvey Moore Trail once again, I began descending into the fog. I stopped and slipped on my jacket before continuing. Soon, I was back in my car and ready to head home after a great overnight trip. The hike out was 3.9 miles with 979 feet of gain. The side trip up to Peak 5178 was about 300 feet of gain and took about 35 minutes. I think I will find the time to explore the other primitive campground, Arroyo Seco, before too long.

Shaking on the Desert View Loop

I decided to return to William Heise County Park and hike up to Glen’s View. I had hiked up to this replacement peak a couple of years back on one of Larry Edmond’s Hike of the Month trips. That hike explored more of the surrounding trails. This time, I was interested in just the Desert View Trail, as my foot was not quite 100%. I drove out and used the QR code to pay my $5 day use fee, then drove over to the trailhead parking that was further in the park and not the one next to the entry kiosk.

Starting on the Nature Trail, I began working my way up toward the summit. Various markers helped identify the plants and trees that line the trail. After about 0.3 miles, the Nature Trail meets up with the Desert View Trail. I turned right to enter that trail and really started my climb. With my foot being a bit off, I took my time climbing the over 400 feet of elevation to the viewpoint. The viewpoint sits off a small marked spur. There is a beautifully built monument that stands with a viewfinder mounted atop it. I took a moment to peer through it, aiming at the marked locations on its base. After enjoying the view and a refreshing drink, I began my return. This trail is a loop, so when the viewpoint spur rejoined the Desert View Trail, I continued my counter-clockwise route. This section was not quite as steep as the route up, and offered some nice views to the west. My son, who was visiting his girlfriend in Chicago, called, so I chatted with him while I continued my descent. While still on the phone with him, I heard a very loud rumble and almost immediately, the ground shook violently. I hung up with Ben and took stock of the earthquake that had just happened. I had never experienced one outside, and it was different, seeing everything moving around me. I continued back down to the car, staying aware of things around and above me, not knowing if a larger quake might be still to come. Back at the car, I discovered that the calculated epicenter was very, very close to me! I pulled up the USGS website and submitted my observations for their citizen data collection effort. A ranger drove by, and we chatted a bit before he went to inspect the restrooms for any damage. On the drive home, I did see rocks that had fallen onto the roadway at a couple of spots.