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, available now!

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.

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, available now!

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, available now!

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

Atop Little Cahullia Mountain

Little Cahuilla Mountain’s trailhead sits at a junction for several roads, so I made sure to park carefully. As I set off, I quickly discovered that this trail was quite different from the one I was just on. It was clearly less traveled, and I would have to take care with my navigation. The trail was a bit overgrown, but not to the point of true bushwhacking. Cairns dotted the trail from time to time, and I repaired a few along the way. My route would take me up and down several minor bumps, which gave me some lovely views as I scanned the brush for the trail to continue.

Soon, the steep final push to the summit started. I made it through the manzanita and red shanks and popped out to see the rocky summit before me. I scrambled over the rocks and sat under the shade of a lone tree. A register sat tucked in the rocks. I enjoyed a snack and the vistas. After the break, I began the slog back to the car. Once back at the car, I returned to the trail to collect a pair of jeans and an abandoned backpack. The hike up Little Cahuilla Mountain was 2.47 miles and took 2:01.

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, available now!

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

Exploring Cahuilla Mountain

Today’s adventure was to summit a pair of peaks near Anza, Cahuilla Mountain, and Little Cahuilla Mountain. As I drove Forest Road 6S22 to the first trailhead, I was glad to be in my Outback; while not technical, the road was rougher than the one up to nearby Thomas Mountain a few days ago. I found the wide turnout and gathered my gear. These two hikes would be a perfect way to burn off some of the excellent Thanksgiving meal I had the day before. The trail was in great shape, and I found myself cruising along. As it wound its way up the mountain, I would have views of Thomas Mountain to my east and both San Gorgonio and San Jacinto to my north. After a while, the chaparral faded, and oaks and pines began to appear. The oaks had started to change color, so the contrast between their leaves and the pines made for a fantastic fall hike.

Before too long, I was at the summit. A wooden sign is affixed to two metal poles, and an ammo box serves as the register. I took a short phone break to help my wife find an old photo of my son sitting on my father’s lap aboard the train in Old Poway Park. With that task done, it was time to head back down. Views off to the west now appeared from time to time, as the crunch of leaves sounded under my boots.

The trail is in excellent condition, so I flew back down to the car. I tossed my gear in and set off to make the short drive to the trailhead for Little Cahuilla Mountain. The entire hike was 6.0 miles and took me 2:36.

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, available now!

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

Thomas Mountain Loop

The drive up to Tool Box Springs Campground was uneventful, but I would not recommend opening a carbonated beverage for a bit upon arrival. There was one other camper here, and I found a relatively level spot to call camp for the night. There were still fire restrictions in place, so no campfire to pass the time. I brought up some BBQ from The Rib Shack in Fallbrook for dinner, which I ate under the fading light. I crawled into the car and watched one of my lectures for my Business of ORE course. Once it was truly dark, I spent some time photographing the night sky.

The night was not terribly cold; the low was just about 44°F. I awoke to the sun shining into my back window and then quickly made a cup of coffee and ate some oatmeal. The goal today was to climb Thomas Mountain and then on over to Little Thomas Mountain. The trailhead was directly next to the campground, so once I had broken down my sleeping kit, I set off. The trail used to be an old road that had long since been closed. I cruised along, rewarded with some great views from time to time. I would periodically check my progress, and before long, the summit came into view. A lone communications tower stands there, as well as the remains of a fire lookout tower.

This is also one of the yellow post campsites on Thomas Mountain, and I could have spent the night here instead. After a few photos, I headed north to another yellow post site, then down a use trail that followed the ridgeline. That trail connected with the main road, which I continued to follow northward toward Little Thomas Mountain. While this summit is not an official yellow post site, one certainly could also camp here. The day had warmed, so I shed my fleece and began my return.

Instead of completely retracing my route, I opted to take the road back to the campground. That would give me a chance to see some of the other yellow post sites. Snow-capped San Jacinto loomed to the north, and San Gorgonio would appear behind it from time to time. Sites 6-8 were empty, but each looked great for an overnight. The only advantage of staying at Tool Box Springs Campground is that there is a pit toilet. At site 8, a rope swing hung from a limb, and I had to stop and enjoy some time on it.

Before too long, the campground came back into view. A faint smell of a campfire filled the air. That other camper had a prohibited fire the night before and another in the morning as I left, and they had since departed the site. After stowing my pack, I walked over to the site to find a still glowing log in the fire ring. I returned with 2 gallons of water and drenched the embers out properly. The drive down the mountain and eventually home went quickly, even on the day before Thanksgiving. The loop covered 5.99 miles in 2:21 with 1,108 feet of gain. This also crossed another peak of the Hundred Peak Section list for me, with just 49 to go.

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, available now!

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

Atop Mount Russell

Since I owed Leslie Adams a scone from The Crafted Scone, we decided to meet up near Mount Russell in Riverside. This peak is on the Lower Peak Committee list, and it was the perfect opportunity to do a nice hike and catch up. We parked at a small turnout before the main entrance to the Lake Perris State Recreation Area. Leslie brought her dogs, Navi and Raven, along to enjoy the trail as well. Our route would have us work our way east to the base of the mountain, slightly gaining some elevation along the way. Navi and Raven would stop and enjoy the smells as we drew nearer. After a brief wrong turn, which I have edited out of the track below, the climb began.

The ascent was steep, and once it reached the ridgeline, Leslie opted to turn back. While it would ease up for a bit, there were still some steep sections ahead. She carefully headed back down the trail, and I hustled onward. The trail did ease somewhat, but now I had vistas to enjoy as I pushed on. The trail was easy to follow, and at two junctions, signs for a recent or upcoming trail race pointed the way. After dropping down from the false summit, I turned onto the trail to the true summit. Once at the top, I was rewarded with some clear views of the Inland Empire. The snow-capped mountains to the north and east were stunning.

After snapping a few photos, I started my descent, knowing Leslie would want the promised scone. I caught up with her about ½ mile from the trailhead. She had been collecting some trash along the trail, and the dogs were enjoying their time on the trail as well. Back at the car, I broke out some chairs, and under the shade of a willow, we enjoyed our well-earned scones and caught up even more. I logged the hike at 4.87 miles in 2:22 with 1,290 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, available now!

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

Out to Hans Benchmark

While Rick and Ted continued their ascent toward Kay Benchmark, Andrea and I opted to make the short hike over to Hans Benchmark. This minor peak is on the Borrego Benchmark Club list and had been on my radar for some time, but I had never found the time to hike it. This was the perfect opportunity to cross it off my list. We parked at a small turnout and headed east. I had a few saved tracks to this summit, so I used them as a guide. We worked our way eastward until the summit came into view. We found a register and the benchmark without issue.

Retracing our route, we soon found ourselves back at the car. We picked up some trash along the way and disposed of it properly. We then headed back to the Borrego Visitor Center to continue waiting for Rick and Ted to return. The jaunt out to Hans was 1.23 miles, and took 59:13, and had 143 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, available now!

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

A visit up Ode Benchmark

Aiming to arrive at the gate opening for the parking lot at the Anza-Borrego Visitor Center meant an early start from San Diego. As a reward, Ted caught some fantastic shots of the sunrise as we made our way down toward the desert floor. Although the ranger was 15 minutes late opening the gate, Rick and Andrea had been delayed by an accident on the 76, so it did not matter.

We paid our day-use fees and used the facilities before heading across the desert floor to ascend the ridge that would take us over Ode Benchmark and then onto Kay Benchmark. I had done this climb back in April, so I led the way.

We worked our way up the ridge to Ode Benchmark, our first milestone. There we signed the register, snapped some photos, and had a quick snack. Andrea was feeling the effects of poor sleep and was struggling a bit, but we decided to keep pushing on up the ridge.

We descended a bit from Ode Benchmark, then climbed over a minor bump. I commented that instead of climbing back over these on our return, we should hop off the ridge and follow the wash back to the start. It was there we encountered a trail runner out getting a few miles in before returning to the nearby campground to make breakfast for his family. We parted ways and kept slogging up the steep slope. After ascending a steeper section, I waited for the three of them to join me. It was clear that Andrea wasn’t going to have the energy to continue this climb. Rick and Ted pushed on, and I headed to Andrea to escort her safely back down. While she was disappointed, she agreed that this was the smartest choice. When we reached the spot where I had left the ridge the last time, we opted to stay on the ridge and make the two small climbs. Before too long, we were off the ridge and back at our cars. Since everyone had cell service, we texted our status to Rick and Ted. While the climb up Kay Benchmark might have been too much, Andrea was up for an alternative hike while we waited. So, we made the short drive to hike out to Hans Benchmark.

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, available now!

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

Hiker Trash Radio Podcast

Recently, I had a chance to chat with Doc from Hiker Trash Radio. We talked about my peak bagging adventures, the new book, and even my former passion for sea kayaking. You can listen to the two-part episode wherever you get your podcasts from!