Since we had camped at Cottonwood Campground in Joshua Tree National Park, it was a relatively short drive down to the trailhead to Ladder Canyon. I have wanted to do this trail for some time, but it is an almost three-hour drive from San Diego. We pulled into the parking lot for the hike and gathered our gear. It was warm, but not hot, as we set off up the canyon.
After about 0.4 miles the trail splits, and we decided to follow the standard route of doing the “lollipop” in a clockwise fashion. Ben squirmed through the small cave and up a small ladder, while I took the bypass. From there we ascend, and in one spot descend, a variety of metal ladders that have been placed. Our route took us through the canyon which at times was just a narrow slot.
After about 0.6 miles in this canyon, we climbed out of it and onto a ridge. Taking in the views of the Mecca Hills, we followed the ridge northward for a mile. We took a short break at the top of the hill before dropping down to the canyon we would follow to return to the trailhead.
This canyon was nice and wide with walls that were ever-changing in their geology. Some looked like a scene from Indiana Jones…
As we neared the junction, we had two more ladders to descend. These took a little care, as there was some downclimbing before you reached the ladders. In fact, one had a rope to assist (although it was actually placed there to help those hiking the loop in a clockwise direction). I simply slid down the smooth rock, while Ben opted to use the rope.
Soon we were back at the junction. While the day was warm, which we felt up on the exposed ridge, usually the high canyon walls gave us some nice shade. Both of our stomachs were starting to growl, so once back at the car we headed into Mecca for a well-earned lunch. A fun adventure that I was glad to have shared with my son.
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.
After packing up our campsite, we headed out for a short hike to Mastodon Peak. I had done this loop hike before, but this time I opted to hike it in the opposite direction. So, once we reached the junction, we turned left toward the peak. Informational signs dotted the trail from time to time, highlighting plants and animals that might be spotted.
We cruised along some washes, making our way up toward the peak and the abandoned mine that sits just below the summit. As we gained some elevation, the views became expansive. Off to the southwest, the northern end of the Salton Sea became visible. After inspecting the mine, we looped around the peak and followed the use trail to the summit. We soaked in views for bit before scrambling back down to rejoin the main trail.
We spied a couple of hikers heading out to the Lost Palms Oasis, a trail I haven’t explored yet. Our loop took us down to the Cottonwood Spring, before turning northward and back toward the campground.
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.
Rather than attempt to find parking at the trailhead in the White Tank campground, my son and I parked at the Twin Tanks parking lot and started our hike from there. The trail headed briefly south before crossing Pinto Basin Road. The California Riding and Hiking Trail also crosses at this junction (with luck I will be on it this February).
The flat and wide trail heads off to the east for about 0.4 miles to the junction to the spur trail to Heart Rock. After another 0.2 miles, we waited in a brief queue before snapping our photos in front of the clearly heart-shaped stone. Returning to the junction, we then made our way over to Arch Rock. Ben scrambled up, while I made my way to the other side to snap the photo. After we were done, we retraced our route back to the car and then headed down to set camp at Cottonwood Campground for the night.
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.
With Ted watching the Army-Navy game, I decided to join Rick & Andrea on their hike out to Gasp Benchmark. I offered to drive again, and we met in the pre-dawn at the park-and-ride near my house. I drove us out to McCain Valley and then made the turn onto the rough dirt road toward Sacotone Overlook. This is the same road that will take you to the trailhead for Mt. Tule. It has always been a bit rough, but it has deteriorated quite a bit. It was almost as adventurous as the drive to the trailhead to Groan Benchmark (just without the rocks).
I parked in my usual spot, and we gathered our gear and set off down the road. It was crisp, but we knew it would warm up quickly. We cruised down toward Redondo Springs, chatting about recent hikes. This hike is inverted, so we mostly go down to the peak, and then get to climb back up to the car.
The miles passed quickly, and soon we were on the rocky ridge working our way carefully toward the benchmark. Unlike last time, the winds were calm. We weaved our way across the steep and rocky terrain toward the summit.
Once at the summit, we hung out a bit, had a snack, and snapped some photos. We did not locate the register. We did find a Six Moon design sun umbrella sitting on a rock. I packed it out, so if you recently climbed Gasp Benchmark and left one behind, let me know.
We began our return to the car, climbing back up the rocky ridge, onto the dirt road, and finally back to the car. We enjoyed a nice lunch at Mike Hess Brewery in Alpine before returning to San Diego.
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.
Today’s adventure was to summit Sombrero Peak. I had climbed this peak twice before—The first time I went solo and started from the Indian Canyon trailhead and went up and back. The second time, I was with a group, and while we started at the same trailhead, we descended the west face of Sombrero Peak, then went cross-country to climb False Sombrero. This time I opted to try climbing the peak from McCain Valley. Ted needed to be back in town for an early evening engagement, so that meant a very early start to the day.
Turning off the 8, we then turned onto McCain Valley Road. We passed the turn-off to Mt. Tule, and then the turn off at the trailhead to Gasp Benchmark. Finally, we reached Cottonwood Campground and turned in. There is a $6 day-use fee, which thankfully I knew about and had cash to slip into the envelope. After making use of some extremely clean pit toilets, we gathered our gear and set off down the Pepperwood Trail. Our route would zig-zag north and east toward the peak. We had caught a glimpse of its unique shape on the drive to the trailhead.
We cruised along, with the trail being a mix of motorcycle tracks and roads, allowing us to make good time. Along the way, we passed an old barn and corral. The trail would rise and fall as we drew nearer to the peak. Finally, we reached the point where we would begin the cross-country portion of the hike. Weaving past the cat-claw bushes and the cacti, we reached the base of the peak, near a very faded sign indicating it was Sombrero Peak. We took a break before beginning our ascent. I reviewed Greg Gerlach’s track that I had loaded into OnX and tried to plot our way up the boulders. We followed a faint use-trail for a bit until it faded away. I remembered following cairns before, so I began scanning the boulders for tell-tale signs of the route. I spotted some and we continued upward. As we drew closer, our route drifted from Greg’s, so we worked our way back toward the southern side of the peak. I made one slightly exposed move to get us back on track, while Ted was able to scramble around it, as that is not his thing. The route now seemed a tad more familiar, and a string of cairns quickly led us to the summit.
A register can and summit sign were tucked in the rocks, and I signed us in and snapped a photo with the sign. I showed Ted the east face of the peak and what the route from that side looked like. He thought this was a better choice, even with the 4.75 miles to the base of the peak. I mixed up some electrolytes and enjoyed a Kind bar and oranges before beginning our descent.
Our route down was much easier, but that typically seems to be the case. Back on the trail/road, we cruised toward the car. The day had warmed slightly, and I started to feel the effort a bit. With about a mile to go, I realized I missed a turn, but with the myriad of motorcycle trails and having downloaded the satellite imagery, I spotted another connecting trail that would lead us to the campground. As we approached the campground, four motorcycles rode past us. These were the first ones we had seen all day and I had honestly expected to see more. Back at the car, we tossed in our gear, changed, and then headed toward Mike Hess Brewery in Alpine for some well-earned pizza and beverages. My tracker clocked us at 10.0 miles (Ted had 10.25 on his Garmin) in 5:15 (including time on the summit). All in all, a great day out peakbagging. Plus, Ted is one peak closer to finishing the San Diego Sierra Club 100 Peak list…
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.
I stood in predawn in the park-and-ride, clutching my warm cup of coffee while waiting for Rick and Andrea to pull up. Today’s adventure was hopefully to be climbing to the top of Groan Benchmark out in the southern portion of Anza-Borrego. This was going to be the first peak of this year’s desert season and we were looking forward to it. We made our way out past Ocotillo and to the turn-off to Carrizo Gorge. We stopped for Rick to set up the camera for some footage for their YouTube channel.
I debated about airing down my tires but opted not to. Rick got his footage and off we went. This was the biggest uncertainty of this hike—could I drive my Outback to the actual trailhead, or would we have to stop early and begin from that point? The first time I hiked Groan, Matt Hanan took us in his Jeep, so there were no issues with the 6.7 miles of off-road adventures. The other time I had been back down this road was also in another 4×4. The road started off pretty sandy, but we got through that without incident. As the canyon narrowed, the road became rockier. With some care and my upgraded tires, we got through it all and arrived at the trailhead. On the flip side, the check engine light came on, and both the Eyesight and X-mode were not working. Great….. At this point, though, we opted to do our hike and see what happened with the car on our return.
With our packs on us, we set off. I opted to use my Daylight Plus instead of my Stratus, as I wanted to go a little lighter this time. After filming our walk-away shot and then getting the camera, we set off down the gorge. Our plan was to follow the same route we used during our descent from Groan back in 2020, and Greg Gerlach and Susie Kara used it when they did the peak in 2022.
The wash was a solid bed of smooth rocks, so we had to be mindful of our steps. After a bit, we made the short scramble up to see the pictographs adorning a small cave on the east side of the canyon. Once we were done marveling at them and wondering what various symbols truly meant, we turned back to the wash and trekked on. The weather was pleasant, albeit a touch warm. Originally, we had discussed car camping, as there was another peak I wanted to climb from the same trailhead, but a forecast for possible rain made that unwise.
We could see some trestles for the railroad along the east side of the gorge, but not the famous wooden trestle. That would not be visible until we reached the summit. We spotted the wash that would begin to take us westward. Cruising along, we came to the first of two dry falls we would need to climb over. Thankfully, both were passable without too much difficulty.
Our real issues were around the vegetation that grew along the canyon floor. We had to push through several sections of brush to continue. One section was pretty nasty, as it was choked with thorny plants. We were not looking forward to fighting our way back through that section. At the small palm grove, we stopped for a snack and some hydration, as we were getting closer to exiting the canyon floor and starting toward the summit. It was about 72°F or so in the shade, and I wished I had more fluids with me.
With our break over, we continued on for about .1 miles, and then up we went. Groan Benchmark was finally in view. Between avoiding the cacti and the steepness of the slope, we tended to follow a switchback-like pattern. Once atop the small bump, we had some side-hilling to reach the saddle next to the peak. I am not a fan of side-hilling (but who really is?) but we traversed that section without incident. As I reached the saddle, I could feel myself starting to bonk. I had been conserving my water and probably could have had another snack as well. The summit wasn’t that far away, so I pushed on. From the saddle, we would go up three fairly steep bits before finally reaching the summit proper. Once there, I plopped down, enjoyed my Gatorade, ate my lunch, and relaxed.
The view was stunning. Across the gorge is the Goat Canyon Trestle, and I wondered how many hikers made their way along the abandoned railroad tracks to walk across it. Next to it stood Puff Benchmark, which I have twice stood atop. Feeling better, I snapped a few photos and hunted for the register, which we could not locate. I tested out the satellite communications options on my new iPhone and let my wife know my status and that of the car. I am not ditching my Garmin InReach, but having a secondary communications device is useful, especially since I am already carrying it.
The descent went fine, and we discussed our favorite shows on Apple+ while watching our footing. The shadows were starting to get longer, and I realized I forgot to pack my regular glasses. We worked our way down those dry falls without any issues and scrambled up the south side of the canyon to avoid most of that thorny section. I motored ahead of Rick and Andrea to race against the fading light. Along the way, I found some cairns, which did allow for some slightly faster traveling. Soon, it was too dim, so I took my glasses off. Thankfully I could see well enough without them to hike at a decent pace. Once back at the car, I put on my regular glasses and enjoyed some cool water, and about 15 minutes later, Rick and Andrea arrived. We did not linger too long, as we still had to drive back out and the owner’s manual did not provide any real insight on the warning lights.
Once past the rocky sections, I felt relief. Even if we had a real issue, we were now in someplace more accessible to be recovered. As we cruised along the sandy portion, we spotted a young man walking along the road. We stopped and he asked if this was the road to Bow Willow campground. We informed him it was just a bit to the north of this road. It turned out he and his companion had gotten their Hyundai stuck in the soft sand, and he had been walking for a bit trying to find the campground with their buddies to help with a recovery.
He hopped in and we continued our drive out. After about a mile, there was the yellow Hyundai with its front wheel partially buried in the sand. Rick, myself, and our guest tried to see if we could give it a push to free the car, but it did not move. Since they had help back at the campground, and where they were stuck was actually not too far from the main road, we left the car as-is. We drove him to his buddies while his partner stayed at the car. As we neared the campground, the sun had set, so it took a bit to locate his friends’ site. As we drove away, we commented how lucky he was that we came along. He had no water on him and probably would have kept walking down the road for at least another mile before making the call to turn back. By that time, he would have been hiking in the dark, with the flashlight on his phone as the only source of light.
Back on the S2, we continued the long drive home. I took it a bit slower up from the desert, but knew we would now be back in “civilization” and my car anxiety lessened. All in all, quite a day. A good solid desert hike, got to cross off a peak from the San Diego Sierra Club list, helped some stranded people, and enjoyed some quality hiking time with some friends.
Update: I disconnected and then reconnected the car battery and the warning lights cleared. This issue has occurred before to other Outback owners, but I will be mindful of it over the coming days.
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.
I needed one more peak to complete the SoCal Six-Pack of Peaks Challenge for the year. With Mt. Baldy and Santiago closed until 2025 and Mt. Baden-Powell restricted, that left me only 4 options; San Gorgonio, San Bernardino, Cucamonga, or Ontario. I choose the latter as it is the easiest. I knew I needed to arrive at the trailhead parking lot just after 6 am if I hoped to find parking, so it was going to be an early morning. As expected, the freeways were fairly empty as I made my way, but as I pulled in, the lot was almost completely full. It was chilly but not too cold. I donned my fleece, pulled up my sun hoodie for warmth for my ears, and set off up Ice House Canyon. The stream was flowing nicely and trees in this part of the canyon had begun to show their fall colors.
Unlike the last time I tried to hike this trail and turned back due to some knee pain, I was feeling good as I made my way up toward Ice House Saddle. After about 3.6 miles of climbing, I could hear the voices of other hikers milling about. I found a log and took a well-earned break. Nearby, a sizable group from hikingforall.com was getting ready to continue onto Ontario Peak as well. I cut my break short to start my ascent ahead of them, so I would not be in a conga line of hikers.
A few from their group did catch and pass me, but I mostly stayed ahead of them, giving me the solitude I sought. As I passed through Kelly Camp, a couple of tents were set up off to the west. I continued on, wondering from time to time if I should have taken a longer break back at Ice House Saddle. When the view to the west opened up, I could see Mt. Baldy and the fire damage to the surrounding area. When the trail crested at the ridgeline, it was finally warm enough to stash my fleece before the final push to the top. Soon, the actual peak came into view and the last few switchbacks to the summit. I was paying for the short break as I slogged up the last 1/4 mile to the top.
Once there, I found a spot to drop my pack and snapped a few photos before the others arrived. There were a few folks hanging out, so thankfully not all my photos were selfies. I enjoyed my PB&J, orange slices and some Gatorade. The weather was perfect, with just a light breeze, and barely a cloud in the sky. I chatted with George Rojas, the founder of hikingforall.com, for a bit before I headed down.
I debated hiking over and summiting Bighorn Peak, but opted to skip it. The quickest way down from it is cross-country trek and I would feel better doing it with a companion. As I made my way down, more hikers were working their way up. They could not have picked a better fall day to be on trail.
Once back at Ice House Saddle, I was feeling pretty good, so I just continued my descent. I passed Columbine Spring, which I missed seeing on the way up, where someone was refilling their water bottles. I could tell I was getting closer to the trailhead, as the types of hikers transitioned from more serious hikers to those out for a stroll. The lower part of Ice House Canyon is certainly a lovely spot to enjoy. When I stopped my tracker, it informed me this was my second fastest hike between 11-13 miles. I knew I felt good, but dang! It clocked the 12.01 miles in 5:58. I paused at the saddle and at the summit. I doubt I will be able to get another Six Pack peak this year given my calendar, shorter days, and the uncertainty of weather, but who knows…
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.
I was in need of some time on the trails and wanted something with a bit of solitude. Looking over my options, I settled on a hike to the top of Rattlesnake Benchmark. I pulled into the parking lot for the Sunrise Trailhead and gathered my gear. It was cool and a tad windy, so I donned my light fleece before heading out, although my belly was full from some biscuits and gravy from Janet’s Montana Café. A couple of cars were parked there, probably supporting someone who was section hiking the PCT, as it runs just on the other side of the road. I passed by several horse corrals before reaching a water cistern. Turning south, I passed through a golden meadow dotted with buckwheat. My route would mostly follow a very old jeep trail before heading briefly cross-country to the summit.
The trail would vary from an old road to snaking through some manzanita. I had a recent track loaded as reference and from time to time I would double check that I was still on the route. Off to my right, Cuyamaca and Cush-Pi stood proudly, and Rattlesnake Valley was to my left. I could see Sunrise Highway across the small valley as well. The trail worked its way up and down the ridgeline, and I fixed a few cairns along the way at a couple of junctions.
After passing a dry pond, which if you look at the satellite view on your favorite mapping app, shows water, I knew I was nearing my cross-country portion. The brush was low and I cruised through it toward the benchmark. A metal pole stood near the mark and the register can was tucked safely nearby. I soaked in the views for a bit and explored some of the nearby rock formations before heading back. I made good time to the summit, but I did need to get back into town to address some work items.
The return was even quicker than my ascent. The route seemed even easier to follow, and before I knew it, the solar-powered water pump tower was coming into view. Cross another peak off the Borrego Benchmark Club list for me!
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.
Time for what is now turning out to be an annual trip, backpacking San Jacinto. After checking in at the Ranger Station, I made the short hike up to Round Valley. I had hoped to camp at Upper Chinaquin, but someone beat me to it, so Buckthorn it was.
I was doing this trip a bit late in the season. I had hoped to do it a couple of weeks earlier, but the tram maintenance was extended, so I had to push back my date. Thankfully, the weather hadn’t turned, but I would be dealing with the sun setting around 6. After setting up camp, I made my dinner and opted to turn in early. This time I hoped to make the summit for sunrise, so that meant waking up around 4 am. I listened to a podcast for a bit, then fell asleep. When the moon rose around 2 am, I pulled my wool cap down over my eyes and drifted back to sleep until my alarm went off.
I made some coffee and ate some oatmeal. I debated bringing a slack pack or using my backpack instead. I opted to use my new Osprey Exos for my summit.
With my headlamp illuminating the trail, I began hiking the mile up to Wellman Divide at 5 am. I had hoped to start a bit earlier but got behind schedule. The climb went smoothly, during which I stopped briefly to gaze at the city lights to the southwest. I did not linger as I was racing the rising sun. I made decent time as I headed to the Miller Peak hairpin, but as I made my way, I could see the coming dawn off to the east, along with the lights of Palm Springs and the rest of the valley. It was simply stunning to watch, but I also knew that I was not going to make the summit before the sun rose. After the hairpin, I found a nice spot with a clear view of the east, took a break, and watched the sunrise.
The upside was the final boulder scramble to the summit wouldn’t be in the dark. As I was about halfway up, a young lady was making her way down. We chatted a bit before heading our different directions. Once at the summit, which had a sign this time, I snapped a few photos. One cool photo I took was the actual mountain shadow spread out to the west. I found a nice spot for a well-earned rest and unpacked my cool kit to brew up a cup of coffee. After my snack and warm beverage, I headed back down. Now it was my turn to meet someone at the base of boulders. Turns out she is a SOBO PCTer, who decided to add this summit. Most NOBOs skip it, as they are dealing with snow and ice when they are passing by. We parted company and I began wondering when I might encounter my first day hikers. I guessed it probably to happen just after the Wellman Divide, but a group of 5 young and strong hikers passed me about 1/4 mile before I got to Wellman.
As I made my way down from Wellman, I would encounter a steady stream of day hikers. Some asked about conditions at the summit, while others focused on the climb ahead of them.
Once back at Round Valley, I returned to my campsite to pack up my gear. As I cruised back to toward the tram station, the stream of day hikers continued. Soon, the Ranger Station came into view and I stopped to check out. After chatting with the Ranger a bit, I made the hard slog up the concrete switchbacks that lead to the tram station. With it being the weekend, trams were running every 15 minutes. I soon found myself tossing my gear into the Subaru and slipping on a clean shirt and some tennis shoes for the drive home.
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.
The original plan was to take advantage of the cooler temperatures in Anza-Borrego and summit Kay Benchmark. Unfortunately, Ted injured his foot and could not join me, so I opted to finish the San Diego Six Pack of Peaks Challenge by climbing El Cajon Mountain. I parked along the shoulder of Wildcat Canyon, as the parking lot was not yet open. A bright moon hung in the sky to the west, I gathered my gear and set off under its light.
As I made my way along the familiar trail, the pre-dawn light began to increase until my moon shadow faded away. The sun was poking out from behind the mountain as I made my first small descent. This hike is “famous” for the fact you get to climb up and down several bumps along the way to the summit, and of course, do them again upon your return.
Portions of the trail certainly suffered some damage from Tropical Storm Hillary, as there were some good-sized ruts along the way. As I continued cruising along toward the summit, a few folks passed me, but I was in no hurry. I stopped at the rusting jeep and had a snack before the final push to the top.
Once at the summit, I enjoyed my PB&J and some orange slices. As a few other climbers mingled about, I snapped a few photos and began my descent. That is when my knees began to hurt. Back at the jeep, I applied some Voltaren, hoping it might provide some pain relief. I reduced my pace and stride length to see if that helped. I pushed on back to the car, fighting through the discomfort. Once back at the car, I headed home, looking forward to putting some ice packs on my aching knees.
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.
