Villager Peak

In my push to complete the 100 Peak Challenge, I wanted to attempt summiting Villager. This is a beast of a hike. As Susie Kara puts it, “Think of it like Coyote Mountain times 3!” The approximate round trip distance is 14 miles with an elevation gain of over 4,800 feet. The summit sits at 5,756’, so you are going to feel this hike! Unfortunately, none of my usual hiking partners were free, but my lovely wife said I could attempt this hike solo. Little did she know when I was planning to hit the trailhead… Since the furnace is awakening out in Anza Borrego, I needed to try to get some of the hike done under the cover of darkness. I forgot how beautiful the night sky is in the desert. Borrego Springs is a dark sky city, so the stars and the Milky Way shone brightly. I had to fight the urge to skip the hike and simply enjoy the heavens.

Loading up over 4 liters of fluids and switching on my headlamp, I headed across the desert floor. I tried to follow the trail to the base of the ridge. There was no moon, only my headlamp to guide me. I overshot the ridge and found myself heading up a wash. Quickly backtracking, I soon found the use trail that leads up from the desert floor onto the ridge.

The loose rocks clattered under my feet as I pushed upward over the first steep section of the ascent. The trail would oscillate between flatter sections and steep rocky sections. The use trail weaves past cacti with blooms waiting to open. The sun finally rose over the Santa Rosas, illuminating the desert. I carefully passed the steep drop-offs and continued ever upward. The trail would fade away at times, but it was quickly found again. The sections around miles 4 and 5 took some extra time to ascend. Reviewing my topo map, I knew I had some calmer sections on which to recover from those efforts.

The Salton Sea finally appeared from behind Mile High. I looked across at that peak, knowing it is also on the 100 Peak list, but the thought of dropping 1000’, then climbing that again to the summit seemed well beyond my conditioning. The plants continued to change as I continued to gain elevation. The gentle breeze helped keep the temperature down, plus the elevation helped as well. I knew the descent was going to be toasty, but for now, I would enjoy the wonderful weather. With one final push after a short descent from the pre-summit, I found myself on the summit of Villager! There is no Benchmark, but a full ammo box for the register. I took a short nap under the shade of a Pinyon.

Then back down the ridge. I did not expect anyone else on the mountain, but just as I was surprised on Coyote Mountain, the same occurred on Villager. First was a group of 6 hikers pushing toward the summit. They were followed by two more hikers, however, they were planning to continue on to Rabbit Peak after camping somewhere. About a mile or so later, I met two more hikers who were planning the do the grand loop. I wished them all good luck.

I carefully worked my way down those tricky sections and kept pushing downward. Unfortunately, my foot slid on some loose rock at one spot and angered my knee slightly. This did slow me a bit, but the use trail easily guided me back down the ridge. It was easier to see it on the descent, but isn’t that usually the case? Once back on the desert floor, the temperature was now pushing the mid-80s and I was feeling the past 13+ miles of hiking. I slowly crossed the wash that I had not seen fully in the predawn. I found the trail that escaped me at the start and I was finally back at the car, some 13 hours later.

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 Arizona-Winter). 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.

Indianhead (attempt)

In the pre-dawn, we headed out to Anza-Borrego to attempt to summit Indianhead. This would have been my 94th peak. Along for the summit were Gail Welch, Susie Kara, and Ted Markus.

We hit the trail just as the sun rose. Quickly we found ourselves at the first palm oasis & the easy part of this hard hike was now done. The water was still flowing nicely from the canyon, and flowers still dotted the desert floor. Now we began working our way up the canyon, scrambling over boulders and crisscrossing the stream multiple times.

As we neared the third palm oasis, two hikers were enjoying their breakfast atop one of the very large boulders. Soon we reached our exit point from the canyon onto the push up to the ridgeline. The sun had climbed above the mountain and was certainly warming us up.

The climb up was intense. Insanely steep and loose rocks everywhere. While the hillside was covered in flowers, these served to hide the cactus.

The steepness and the rising temperatures were starting to take a toll on me. We took several breaks as we made our along to the ridge proper. Finally, I reached my limit and made the call to abort the attempt.

Once we reached the canyon floor, we took a much-needed break in the shade. We then began working our way back down the canyon, the heat reinforcing our decision to turn back. We knew the forecast, but we were hoping to make it up and back before it became too hot. Oh well. We reached within .8 miles of the summit but still had some 1,200 feet of elevation to gain. To say this was no easy hike would be an understatement.

The water and flowers continued to amaze us. Although it was a failed summit, the nature show in the canyon made up for it.

We finally reached the first palm oasis. I had actually used up my water, so Ted and Gail gave me some of theirs. Although I grew up in Bakersfield, I no longer have the resistance to heat. I’d bet the four of us were a sight to see as day hikers were headed up.

We reached the cars and shed our gear. Thanks again to Ted, Gail, and Susie for tagging along. So next weekend….??

Granite Mountain

I had hoped to go hiking with Susie Kara again, but two multi-car pileups on the 5 near Gorman, delayed her return, so it was just me and the mountain. My initial plan was to summit the peak via the southern route. I turned off S-2 onto the Mason Valley Truck Trail and began heading toward the trailhead. However, I reached the Vallecito Wash crossing and deemed it too risky to cross. I might have turned north too soon and been on the wrong road. Nevertheless, I was able to turn around and opted for plan B, the east approach.

I had my route stored for my GPS and my topo maps ready to be swapped out. I quickly geared up and headed up the wash, after chatting with a couple that had camped there the night before.

The first part of the route is a lot of fun, with a sandy wash and dry waterfalls to scramble over or around. The desert was fragrant from all the blooming flowers, and I soon found myself ready to leave the warm-up behind and start really climbing.

The actual summit would appear and disappear behind several peaks along the way. The route was mostly straightforward, following the basic ridge line ever upward. Cairns would appear throughout the route, along with a faint trail.

About halfway up, after cresting the first major bump, a serious climb stood before me. It took some digging deep to push through this effort. This is where solo hiking is different. Only you can push yourself past the challenges on the trail.

Once I reached its high point, I took a well-earned break. I knew this was going to be a long one, but I still wanted to make sure I took breaks to regain my energy. I had some trouble weaving my way through one section but eventually found my way past the jumble of rocks.

Soon, the true summit was within reach! I pushed on to the top and was rewarded with some incredible views. I found the three benchmarks and signed the register. I took a nice rest upon the summit block. The blades of a helicopter cut through the air. I finally spotted it cruising below me along Oriflamme Canyon.

The route and cairns were more visible during my descent, but I still needed to make sure I did not drop down the wrong canyon. Along the way, I met another hiker making his way up. We chatted a bit, and I showed him the route I used to navigate the middle section. I hope he was able to summit as well.

The rest of the descent was uneventful, sans a few loose rocks that kept me watchful. I enjoyed the flowers as I worked my way down.

Soon, I found myself back at the car, covering 7 miles of hiking with 3,070 feet of elevation gain. I held about a mile-an-hour pace, which is just fine for an open desert hike. I now have 7 more summits to complete the 100 Peak Challenge!

Footnote: After stopping at the store at the RV park, I saw a PCT hiker looking for a ride. So I decided to be a trail angel and give him a lift to Julian. This was his second attempt at the PCT. I dropped him off and wished him luck.

Pinyon Mountain

In 2019, a fellow 100 Peak Challenger, Gail Welch, needed to summit this peak. So, I decided to trade routes with her. I will take her out and up Pinyon (more of a car need than a trail route issue), and she would guide me up The Thimble. My Subaru Outback had no trouble on the dirt roads to the trailhead, just a touch of care here and there…

Unlike the first time, we stuck to the ridge for the ascent from the base. This was the right choice as Derek and I had suspected. The only challenge was the 20+ mile an hour winds. Thankfully, the wind was not kicking up any dust.

We made the summit without any issues, signed the register, and headed back down. That was Gail’s 95th peak!

San Ysidro Mountain

There are two primary routes to the summit of San Ysidro, the long multi-peak bagging route from Montezuma Valley road or via the route from Landmark Road. Earlier in the week, Susie Kara (the first 100 Peaks finisher!) pinged me and asked if I was hiking this weekend and if I wanted a hiking buddy. To which I quickly said yes to both. My plan was to summit San Ysidro and The Thimble.

Having already summited Bonny and White Benchmarks (along with Clyde and Hut), and given the traverse from White to The Thimble is a slog, Susie Kara and I opted to start from the Landmark Road trailhead.

We headed out from San Diego early, so as not to be caught in the hordes heading out to the desert to view the wildflowers. A storm had passed through the county on Thursday, so we knew it was going to be chilly. As we drove out, we could spot patches of snow on the mountains. However, both San Ysidro and The Thimble looked fairly free of the white stuff.

We parked to the left of the BLM sign, this area has a fair amount of private property, so navigating it can be tricky. That section between White Benchmark and The Thimble is a great example. Our route was not going to have this issue. The Subaru handled the dirt road again with no issues. As we left the car, the thermometer read 37°F, but the sun was shining and we were properly dressed.

The initial portion of the route follows an old jeep trail, so we made good time as we worked our way north, then to the east. The road kept climbing upward. Although one might be tempted to keep driving, a massive oak tree has fallen and blocked the road about 1/4 mile up. Thin patches of snow were scattered about.

At the junction, we made our right-hand turn to continue on toward the gully that we would use to reach San Ysidro. In reviewing other trip reports and routes, we knew the trail leaves the road just past a noticeable rock outcropping. We were also able to spot a few cairns along the hillside to validate our research. So, our cross-country portion began. There was a faint trail that guided us ever upward, but the terrain is fairly straight-forward to follow.

Eventually, we intersected the main gully that would lead us most of the way to San Ysidro. The Thimble stood above us to the East. Our plan was to tackle it on our way back.

The gully began to veer to the left, and the direct route stayed to the right. We opted for the direct route. As we began to gain elevation in earnest, we soon found ourselves surrounded by ice-covered plants and rocks. The ice had actually frozen horizontally! The ground was thankfully free from it. However, as we approached the summit, clouds blew in! What was clear 10 minutes before was now a grey mess. The winds also had picked up. They had been blowing a bit, but at the summit, it was very windy.

Susie was able to scramble the ice-covered summit block and sign the register and photograph the benchmark. The other marks were inaccessible due to the conditions. We quickly left the summit and dropped back below the clouds and discussed the rest of the day.

We could see The Thimble below us. Clouds drifted in and out, hiding its rocky face. We looked at various route options and discussed the conditions and risks. We are both experienced hikers, but we took careful stock of options. What if the conditions turn into a whiteout, can we navigate out? Will we be able to scale the rocks at the base of The Thimble? What about the actual route to the top?

In the end, we decided to work our way toward it, and honestly look at it and decided then if we would actually try to reach the top. We headed back down toward the gully, all the while looking at the conditions in the sky and on the peak. We cut across toward the northwest side. Eventually, our route was blocked by car-plus-size boulders that were too icy to deal with. We looped around to the east side to see what we might find.

I had no problem saying “not today”, as did Susie. We poked around the base of The Thimble, as we did not have the full route information for it (turns out we sort of did). But as we looked at it closer, we both decided that attempting the final push to the top would not be wise. The conditions on the top were going to be dangerous and not worth the risk. So, with that, we dropped back down to the gully. Along the way, a massive fly-by of Painted Ladies passed us. We stopped and just watched them flutter past.

As we worked our way back to the car, we noticed all the trash we had missed when we had started. Next time, I will pack a large trash bag to do some cleanup.

For me, both peaks are now crossed off my list, although I might be able to attempt The Thimble again soon with another 100 Peak Challenger who loves that summit.

Jacumba Mountain

Well with the forecast for the weekend looking rainy and windy, I opted to take a “Me” day and attempt Jacumba Mountain again. Last weekend, I tried summiting it via the Morteros Palm route. Had two companions along for the hike. We got close to the summit, but a few route errors and its difficulty had us reach a predefined turnaround time.

So, this time I decided to see if I could attempt the summit via the southern route. I knew the road would be a challenge, as reports of its condition were not good. I pulled off the 8 at the In-Ko-Pah and headed to TM019. The road was rough in spots, but my Subaru Outback handled it without an issue. I reached the spot where Patrick O’Neil’s track began. Judging by the road ahead, I concur that this was a good spot to park.

As I stepped out of the car, I was reminded why there are windmills all around the area. It was breezy, and the rule of one door open at a time was certainly in effect. I headed down the road for a short while until it was time to head cross-country. This attempt would be completed without any trails to guide me. It would be a combination of topo maps, gpx, and old fashion navigation skills.

The first part of the route weaved through the rocks and cacti. I knew this section would be fairly straightforward. After a bit, the route began to gain some elevation. Unlike the first attempt, this gain was not nearly as painful or difficult. In fact, it was almost stair-like for portions.

The route also had some nice level sections to pause and catch your breath at.

The real challenge of this route is the middle section. The ridge is too jumbled with boulders, so I followed the general route that Patrick used. This portion is a slow scramble over rocks and through the trees. The upside was I was shielded from the wind.

Eventually, I came to the saddle before the final push to the summit. I dropped down and was reminded of the wind as my hat almost blew off.

I looped around to the east and approached from that side. There is a nice flat region, perfect for a quick break before the final push. For much of the hike, the summit is not visible.

As I reached the summit, I could not believe I made it! This was my 90th peak! I found the benchmarks and signed the register. I did not stay too long, as my hat almost went flying away again. The views were fantastic. I could see the spot where we had turned back. Looking at the route we would have taken, it would have been slow going.

I headed back down and began to retrace my route. At times it was easy, as my footprints were visible on the desert floor. As I approached the middle section again, I did find an easier route for about half of it. More luck than skill. I continued to plow along the side of the mountain, looking for any signs from the route gods…

I reached the end of that section and began the final push back to the car. The day had warmed up to the mid-60s and was glad I started early.

I had a few route errors returning, mostly me trying not to lose elevation. Along the way, I collected several bits of trash. I assume they were discarded by migrants. The empty pack of Mexican Marlboros was one clue. Soon, the radio tower was again visible and I knew my car was nearby. I plodded back up the road, again confirming my decision not to take the Subaru down it. The drive back was uneventful, just slow and careful. Now on to the final 10!

Jacumba Mountain (attempt)

I, along with two hiking companions made the long drive out to Mortero Palms in southern Anza-Borrego. One of them was a young fellow I had never hiked with, but since my other companion is in good shape, I was not worried about him. He had just started working on the 100 Peak Challenge. Once we reached the trailhead, we would initially follow the same route you would take if you were going to view the Goat Canyon Trestle legally.

Once past the palms, we continued working our up toward the saddle where we would turn toward the summit instead of the trestle. We did find a nice use trail for some of this portion. I was in the back of the group, as both of them were in better shape than I. Unfortunately, the new guy raced on far ahead and headed up an incorrect route. I had to hustle to catch them and inform them of their navigation error. We got back on track, but we had lost some time and the new guy needed to be back in town by a certain time.

We could now start to see the summit off in the distance and began working our way up to it. I was watching our pace and our planned turnaround time. Unfortunately, we reached that point. We still had another mile to go and about 600 feet of elevation gain. That was going to take probably about 45 minutes to an hour to do. This summit would have to wait for another day

As we descended down the ridge, once again, they raced ahead and out of sight. I had the car keys, so I knew that they weren’t going anywhere without me. We did regroup near the saddle and continued working our way down. But I was not pleased about splitting up during the descent.

We picked up the use trail again until it ends back in the boulder section near the first bit of the hike. Rather than following the track I had been recording, the new guy was off down the wrong canyon. This was the third time he had made a navigational error. I reviewed my topo map, yes a paper one, and saw this canyon would get back to the trailhead. We worked our way down it, we carefully work our way down some steep dry waterfalls. I was not a happy hiker.

We safely made it back to the car and headed home. I have had some time to reflect on this attempt. For me, I need to make sure that everyone understands our route and what to do at certain points along the way. In the past, our groups had always stayed together, but this time this was not the case. But as a hiker on any hike, it is your responsibility of yourself to know the general route and what to expect. You always need to ask yourself, if I was now alone on this hike would I know how to get back?

Ode Benchmark

Since we had President’s Day off, we had planned to hike Granite Mountain, but its snow-capped summit had other ideas.

Opted to bag some peaks on the San Diego 100 list instead. First up was Ode Benchmark. Near the visitor center, this peak was a quick walk across the desert floor then up along the ridgeline.

The mountains all around us were dusted in snow. I pointed out various peaks, some summited, some still to do.

We found the benchmark with no trouble. The register was ruined, and I forgot the spare I usually carry. We had to shed a few layers, as Ted and I had dressed for a much higher summit.

After touring the visitor center, we made the short drive to the Hellhole Canyon trailhead. Our next target was going to be Ted Benchmark.

Ted Benchmark

Since Ted and I had President’s Day off, we had planned to hike Granite Mountain, but its snow-capped summit had other ideas.

After touring the Anza-Borrego Visitor Center and hiking to nearby Ode Benchmark, we made the short drive to the Hellhole Canyon trailhead. Our next peak was going to be Ted Benchmark, and maybe Webo Benchmark which sits further up the ridge.

We followed the shared trail for a while before again cutting across the desert floor to the start of the ridgeline.

Ted Benchmark sits at over 2,300 feet, so the summit was going the take a bit more effort than Ode Benchmark. We picked our way around the rocks and cacti, although Ted got attacked by two different chollas…

We reached the summit but did not stay long, as the wind was picking up. Over Coyote Canyon, we could the showers falling. So down we went. As we descended, we could see rain falling above Indianhead to our north, and the skies to the west did not look friendly. Webo Benchmark sits past Ted, and we did initially consider pushing on to it, but the weather helped change our minds.

Once we reached the desert floor, we were amazed at the number of hikers still heading up to Maidenhair Falls. The skies were darkening and the winds were picking up still. Back in the car, we warmed back up and headed back into town for some burritos. Coming back home, it actually began snowing!! No worries, we were actually behind the snowplow, but nothing sticking to the road.

It was a great day hiking and fun to be back on the trails with Ted again!

Sombrero Peak

I decided to take advantage of a break between the storms and head back out to Anza Borrego to attempt Sombrero Peak. Of my remaining peaks, this was one of the few peaks left that I felt comfortable hiking solo. The drive out was uneventful, sadly no Bighorn sheep this time. I drove past the turnoff to Indian Gorge to the Mountain Palms campground where some pit toilets are. Priorities.

As I began driving down Indian Gorge toward the trailhead, I stopped and chatted with two folks out looking for wildlife. I told them about the herd from my earlier visit. I wished them well and headed down the road. The Outback handled the road without a problem, just a few spots that took a touch of care.

I reached the trailhead a touch before 9. As I geared up, I debated if I should bring my poles. Looking at the first part of the route, there was going to be a fair amount of bouldering, so I opted to leave them behind.

Passing the palm trees at the start of the trail, I headed southwest and began working my way up the gorge. I initially missed the side canyon that I wanted to take, I thought it was a bit further up the main canyon. Checking my map, I realized the canyon to the south I bypassed a couple of hundred yards back was the one I need to take. Doubling back, I worked my way up the first of several steep sections toward the summit.

Along the way, I gave my left knee a nice scrape while navigating a dry waterfall. With some field first aid applied, I continued on toward a gentle plateau. I was able to look out to the east and the green valley that I drove through earlier.

The actual peak was still hidden from view, but the route toward it was fairly straightforward, just go up…

I did not see any use trail or other markers, so I exercised my route-finding skills, avoiding the cacti and around the rocks that litter the slope. Eventually, I did find some footprints along the desert floor, so I let these be my guide when I could find them. This section was hard work. About every five minutes or so I would find a rock and catch my breath.

Cresting over the ridge, Sombrero Peak finally revealed itself to me. One last push to the summit. I scanned the slopes and saw a workable route to the top. Finally, I had reached the summit! This was one hard peak to bag. The descriptions that friends had given me were accurate in the difficulty of summiting this peak. I found the register, and as I took the time to read past entries, I saw many familiar names.

I scrambled around a bit looking for the survey marker, I suspect it was atop one block I did not feel comfortable scaling solo. Looking to the east, the windmills of McCain Valley seemed awfully close. I had read several trip reports about folks hiking over from the west.

I knew I still had a hard descent ahead of me and began heading back down. Initially, I was disappointed I did not find the mystery post and chain, and bam! there it was.

Remember, my decision to leave my hiking poles back in the car? Yeah, big mistake. I felt it some when I was climbing, but now I really could use them. I took a more direct path down (the more northern track on my map) toward the top of that side canyon. I worked my way down the canyon, scrambling down the rocks, and soon the tops of those palm trees came into view. Before I knew it, the glinting sun off my car was visible.

All told the hike was only 3 miles, but it took over 4 hours of hiking time and gained over 1,906 feet of elevation.