Oakzanita Loop

My good friend Becca is going to be hiking the Trans-Catalina Trail in May and wanted to start upping her hiking miles. I offered some options for her and she decided that doing the Oakzanita Loop sounded just right. Ted Markus joined us as well for this adventure. It was a brisk 44 degrees when we arrived at the parking area. Once geared up, and a group selfie taken in front of the trailhead sign, we set off along the Lower Descanso Creek Trail. The trail was still a little damp from the showers we received on Friday, but thankfully not muddy. The creek was still dry, making the stream crossings trivial.

Once we reached the East Mesa Fire Road, we took it around the bend to then join the Upper Descanso Creek Trail. Now the trail would begin to noticeably gain elevation. Partway up, we stopped to shed our respective layers. We had yet to see or hear another soul, despite there being a few cars at the trailhead. I wondered if they were backpacking out at Granite Springs? The trail reached the Oakzanita Peak Trail which would take us up to the summit.

Soon, I passed the two hitching rails and then found myself on the summit. As I waited for Becca and Ted to arrive, I got my camera ready to capture their arrival. We had a quick snack and soaked in the views. As I pointed out various peaks in the distance, another hiker briefly joined us but hustled off to make it to the all-you-can-eat pancake fundraiser at the Descanso town hall.

We finished our snacks and cruised back to the junction with the Upper Descanso Creek Trail and the Oakzanita Peak Trail. Everyone was feeling good, so we opted to continue along the Oakzanita Peak Trail until it connected with East Mesa Fire Road. This portion of the trail is pretty mellow, and we all chatted away, sharing updates about our various children.

Back on the fire road, we motored back until the junction with the Lower Descanso Creek trail. We kept a good pace and soon we began to see evidence that the trailhead was close. Back at the car, we stopped our various tracking devices and noted the slight difference in recorded mileage (I logged 7.5 miles, while Becca logged 7.6 miles and Ted logged 7.7 miles). It was a good training hike for Becca, her longest to date. We opted to skip the traditional post-hike food and drink, as we would probably be overeating while watching the “big game”.

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.

A windy hike to Cuyamaca Peak

Having knocked out two peaks on the San Diego Six Pack of Peaks challenge on New Year’s Day, I decided to cross another off the list — Cuyamaca Peak. While the forecast did call for some windy conditions, that did not deter me. I arrived at the trailhead just before 8. Unlike last time when I was racing against the heat of the day, this time I wanted some of the sun’s warmth to offset the winter chill. I cruised along Milk Ranch Road, falling into a nice groove. I wondered if I might see any wild turkeys, and a few minutes later, almost 20 stood in a field next to the road.

The day felt more like a fall day rather than a day in January. I turned on to the Conejos Trail and began the climb in earnest. The legs still felt good, even after the adventure in the desert the day before. I passed two hikers making their way back from the summit. They said it was quite breezy up there. I thanked for the information and continued on. Once at the service road I slipped rubber tips onto my trekking poles as there was no need to wear down the metal tips on the asphalt. As I approached the summit, I could hear the wind at times whistling through the communications tower. The summit itself was actually fairly well sheltered, so I snapped my photos and enjoyed my PB&J. I didn’t linger past that, set off back down the road, and passed a few other hikers making their way to the summit.

The legs continued to feel good as I turned on to the Azalea Glen Fire Road. Just after the spring, I saw the SD Sloth group. Some of them had been on yesterday’s hike, so I knew they had this on their calendar. I said a quick hello before continuing on. Before too long the end of the trail came into view. I had resisted really looking at my time/pace, but was very curious what my final time would be. I did the 8.6 miles in 3:17! That was a great pace for me on this climb. Since I was solo, I decided to grab some tri-tip from Grand Ole BBQ in Flinn Springs, which hit the spot.

Hiking Volcan Mountain

After hiking up Woodson Mountain earlier in the day, I drove out to Volcan Mountain to cross my second peak off the 2025 Six Pack of Peaks Challenge. As I turned on the Farmers Road, I could see this trail was going to be busy. However, just as I neared the actual trailhead, a car left, and I was able to grab a parking spot right at the start. The day had warmed some, but there was a slight breeze. I decided to leave the fleece behind, as I wasn’t planning on hanging out at the summit for any real length of time.

The legs still felt good after my 5 miles up Woodson, and I motored along the trail. I decided to skip taking the 5 Oaks Trail, just save a little distance this time. New Year’s greetings were exchanged as returning hikers passed me. Soon, the summit and its navigation tower came into view. Some hikers were enjoying their well-earned snack at the picnic bench, while I snapped another summit badge photo. I stopped by the benchmark and chatted with two other hikers before heading back down from the summit.

More and more folks, many with their dogs (did I miss the “bring your dog to Volcan Mountain” memo?) were working their way toward the top. I kept cruising down the trail, and as Farmers Road came back into view, there were a lot more cars parked along it. Back at the car, I changed into a dry shirt and headed home. I made a quick stop at Don’s Market for a cold soda before making the rest of the drive. As I passed the trailhead for Woodson Mountain, the side of the highway was now completely jam packed with cars. I could only imagine the line to climb onto the ‘Chip’. It was a great way to kick off 2025, with hopefully a lot more adventures to come.

Exploring Rattlesnake Benchmark

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!

Hiking around Big Laguna Meadow

I pulled off Sunrise Highway and parked under the shade of a pine tree. About 8 or so cars lined the road, as this is a popular trailhead for mountain bikers and hikers. The forecast was predicted to be in the upper 80s in the mountains, so I wanted something that was a bit more mellow and had a bit more shade along the trail. After grabbing my gear, I crossed the highway to the trailhead. I chatted with 3 mountain bikers who were also just setting off on their ride. I set off following the Water of the Woods trail to the north. I cruised along, letting myself reflect on a variety of things. Soon, I found myself at the small pond near the Los Rasalies Ravine. I then hopped onto the Sunset Trail and began a short climb along the hills to the west of the Big Laguna Meadow. Along the way, I got a great view looking across a canyon to Manza Benchmark. After a while, I spied a nice viewpoint that afforded me a good view of the meadow.

I descended to the meadow floor, then crossed over the northern end of, until I joined with Big Laguna Trail. The trail turned south and hugged the eastern side of the meadow. As I hoped, it had a modest amount of shade to ward off the heat. A light breeze also helped as I passed by cows resting in the shade.

Earlier this year, I hiked a portion of this trail with my wife, daughter, and our dog, and knew a lovely spot to take a break and enjoy the views of the meadow. But as I drew near I could see a young family had beaten me to it. So, I went a little further south and found a place to enjoy a small snack before continuing on.

I crossed over the small dam that created Big Laguna Lake and headed back the way I came. For the most part, I had the trail to myself, which was what I wanted. I soon found myself back at the car, and after tossing in my gear, looked at the temperature and it was now a toasty 89°F. The shade and breeze certainly helped. I stopped off at Mike Hess Brewery for their Margarita Pizza and a cold beer before heading home.

Palomar High Point (via Oak Grove)

Normally at this time of year, I would be hiking some of the peaks on the SoCal Six-Pack of Peaks challenge. Sadly, the recent fires have closed many of the peaks I need to summit. I instead opted to knock out one of the peaks I needed to climb for the San Diego Six-Pack of Peaks challenge, Palomar High Point. I pulled into the parking area a touch before dawn. After lacing up my hiking shoes and putting my America the Beautiful pass on my dashboard, I set off.

It was brisk, but I knew the day would be warm later, so I followed the standard mantra “Be bold, start cold!” Some nice trail signage guided me through the network of options that exist at the start of this hike. The sun had not yet crested over Hot Springs Mountain as I began working my way up the trail. Soon, I saw the orange glow on the slopes above me and began keeping an eye out for that first bit of the sun rising.

The trail was as I remembered, and I made good time up to where it connects with the Oak Grove Truck Trail. I had nice views of San Gorgonio and San Jacinto to my north, and Santiago Peak to the northwest. Off to the west, I could pick out Agua Tibia and Eagle Crag.

I reached the junction with High Point Truck Trail and took a short break. I remembered the next stretch of road was a bit steeper and unlike the Oak Grove Truck Trail, open to vehicles. After about 1.2 miles, I reached the junction with the Palomar Divide Truck Trail. There was a nice downed oak tree for me to take another break and mix up some electrolytes before the final push to the summit. I took a well-earned break, enjoying my snack and the views of the observatory domes to the west. A pair of motorcycle riders pulled up and stopped for a quick break. After they left, I chatted with the gentleman staffing the tower for a bit and he awarded me the Order of the Squirrel card! Been wanting to get one of those for some time…

As much as I wanted to linger, I had 6.5 miles to hike down to the car. My left hip started to give me some pain as I hiked along the road. At each break, I would try to stretch it out to see if that might help. For a while, it did ease and I could hold a better pace. Near the summit, I met another challenger. We chatted briefly, and he mentioned he might have lost his Garmin InReach near the start of the hike. I offered to keep an eye out for it.

The day was getting warmer and I needed to be a bit mindful of my water. I had bought two 1.5 liter bottles the day before, but they were too wide to fit into my waist pack, so I only had a total of 2.5 liters on me. That other half liter sure would have been welcomed. I worked my way down the trail, leaving the road walking behind. I kept an eye out for the possible missing Garmin but never spotted it. As I neared my car, a group of wild turkeys walked past. The entire hike took me 7:05, including that nice break at the summit. Not bad, especially with my hip bugging me. I grabbed some cold drinks and snacks from Don’s in Santa Ysabel and cruised home. One more peak to wrap up this year’s San Diego Six-Pack of Peaks Challenge.

Cuyamaca Peak (via Conejos Trail)

With the region under a heat advisory, I knew that any serious hiking would require a very early start. I arrived at the Los Vaqueros Trailhead just after 5:15 am, and the parking area was already quite full. It appears that I would once again be hiking Cuyamaca Peak during a trail run. After gathering my gear, I crossed the road. Off near the horse staging area, several large white tents were set up, and quite a few cars were parked along that road as well. This might have been more than just a training run. (Narrator: He was right, it was an actual race). I cruised along Milk Ranch Road, and orange flags denoted the route the runners would be taking. Their route had them using the Middle Peak Fire Road, so it seemed I would have this first mile or so to myself. I stopped a few times to photograph the sunrise.

I hopped on to Azalea Springs Fire Road to connect with the Conejos Trail. The runners would be following the same route to the summit as I was taking, but so far I hadn’t encountered a single one. There were some bugs so I slipped on my bug net. I figured it would be good practice to get comfortable wearing it before some of my upcoming backpacking trips. The miles slipped by, and as I neared the junction with the service road, a pair of race photographers were camped out, ready to capture the runners as they came past. At the junction, I chatted briefly with a race volunteer, who gave me the 411 on the race. There were three races; a 50K, a marathon, and a 1/2 marathon. As I plodded up the service road, runners finally started to appear. Some racers lightly jogged up the 15-20% grade toward the summit, while others fast-walked it. As I neared the summit, I could hear the sounds of cowbells clanging and music thumping. The end of the service road was set up as a check-in point, complete with an aid station for the runners. I gave the volunteers a wave and followed the use trail to the summit proper.

I sat at the summit enjoying my snacks and the view for a bit, but the constant noise from the race did not lend itself to allowing a restful time on the peak. I headed back down along the fire road. Once past the junction with Conejos Trail and the Burnt Pine Connector Trail, I left the race behind for a while. Along the way, I did meet two hikers working their way up the road. We chatted a bit before heading our separate ways. I hopped back on the Azalea Springs Fire Road, glad to be off the warm asphalt of the service road. Once back on Milk Ranch Road, I strolled along, feeling the warmth of the day increase. A runner raced past, which was odd, as the route had them taking the side trail up to Middle Peak, then down its service road. She was too far gone before I had a chance to tell her she missed a turn. I guess when her tracker is short by 2 miles, she might figure out her mistake. Back at the car, I changed and enjoyed some well-earned cold water. As I drove away, I checked the temperature and it was already 84°F! As much as waking up at 4 AM, sucked, beating the heat and knocking out another peak was worth it. Did the 8.6 miles in 3:45, so I was pretty happy with the day’s hike. This is probably my last peak on the San Diego Six Pack of Peaks list until the weather cools in the fall.

Volcan Mountain (via 5 Oaks Trail)

Since I needed to hike Volcan Mountain for this year’s Six Pack of Peaks Challenge, I invited Becca Barr and her son, Daniel along for the hike. Both are fairly new to hiking, so this was a perfect hike to test their hiking legs out. They needed to be back in town around noon-ish, so we had an early start to the day. I drove out to the trailhead, and there were just a couple of cars parked along Farmers Road. We gathered our gear and set off. After a quick pit-stop at the port-a-potty, we began our hike in earnest. I spied a new sign that had been posted about the Coast to Crest trail, which was very welcomed. I followed my standard route of taking the 5 Oaks trail up, and service road back. We took a few short breaks along the way, just to make sure everyone was feeling good. We stop at the ruins of the cabin, and the nearby overlooks, before reaching the summit.

After a quick snack, we took our photos at the benchmark. Gazing out across Anza-Borrego, I pointed out the various peaks and other sights. But since we had to be mindful of the time, we began our descent. We passed quite a few folks working their way up to the summit. Once back in the car, we motored home so they could clean up and make the show. It was nice to serve as a hiking guide for some new hikers. Hopefully, I can show them some more great trails around San Diego soon.

Corte Madera Overnight

Six weeks ago I had two vertebrae in my neck fused, and now I was about to set off for my first backpacking trip. In addition to the new hardware I was internally sporting, I was also testing out several new pieces of gear. I decided to switch to a Gossamer Gear The One tent, a NEMO Tensor sleeping pad, and replace my JetBoil with an MSR Pocket Rocket 2. All told I shaved about 2 pounds off my base weight. In addition, since this trip was so short, I opted to use my Osprey Stratos 34 pack instead of my bigger Osprey Atmos 65. That pack change took almost another 1.5 pounds off my base weight.

I pulled into the small pullout for Corte Madera in the mid-afternoon. One other car sat there under the warm sun. As I finished getting ready to set off, I drank the last of my pre-hike water. There are no water sources on this hike, so I was being mindful of my hydration needs. I closed the hatch of the Subaru and set off! The first part of the hike is along the road that leads off to several properties to the north. The shade from the oaks was certainly welcomed, as well as a light breeze. Once I reached the turn-off to the Espinoza Trail, I knew I was about to start gaining some elevation. Wildflowers would occasionally dot the side of the trail, making for a pleasant trek up toward the saddle. Once I at the saddle, I turned toward the hard part of the trail—the steep climb up and around Coulter Peak. Having done this peak before, I knew what lay ahead. At the split rock, I took a well-earned rest under the shade of some Coulter pines.

Soon, I found myself nearing my planned campsite. Unlike my REI QuarterDome SL1, which uses a traditional frame for the tent, The One is supported by using your trekking poles and tie-downs. What I was fearful of was that the dirt at the campsite would not allow me to properly stake down the tent. Well, it turns out I was right. The dirt was not deep enough. So I instead had to use heavy rocks to keep the anchor lines in place. With the tent, and the rest of my camp set up, I hiked the 1/3 mile over to the summit to take my summit photo. It felt so odd not to be using my trekking poles even for such a short distance. I did not hang out long on the summit, as I wanted to be back at camp well before sunset.

Once back at camp, I relaxed a bit before making dinner. I did bring a can of “Nature Calls” from Burgeon Brewery to enjoy along with my Mountain House Beef Stroganoff. As the sun sank below the marine layer, I put on my new puffy jacket I plan to use on my Alaskan cruise. Since there was a quarter moon, I knew I wasn’t going to have any great star gazing until the very early morning. So, I turned in for the evening, wondering how my new sleeping pad was going to do. At around 2 in the morning, I awoke wondering why my hip was against the hard ground. It turns out my brand-new sleeping pad had a slow leak. I fumbled around for the sack used to inflate it and got it back to an acceptable level. I was not pleased.

Around 5 am, I awoke again, as the pad had deflated enough again to cause me some discomfort. I knew the sun would be up soon, so I decided to get moving. I brewed a cup of coffee as the sun slowly rose. One of the ways I opted to keep my water load a bit lighter was not to have breakfast at camp, but instead just some coffee and a breakfast bar. I would enjoy a proper meal at Janet’s Montana Cafe in Alpine. One of the camp treats I like to enjoy is a small apple pie for dessert. I was too full yesterday evening to eat it, so I still had it in my food bag. I figured it now counted as a pastry instead of a dessert, so I had it with my coffee instead of the Nutri-Grain bar. I broke camp, but before I headed back to the car, I grabbed just my trekking poles and returned to the summit. I watched the morning light spread out across the landscape.

Once back at my campsite, I put on my pack and set off. Just past Coulter Peak, I heard voices from some early morning hikers. I stepped aside as they continued their climb toward the summit. They mentioned they wondered who was already parked at the trailhead this early. I told them I had camped near the summit. Internally, I knew my car was still there. The rest of the return was uneventful and I had about 1/4 liter of water left when I reached the car. In retrospect, I could have taken a bit more to reduce my water anxiety, but I never felt thirsty. I do need to figure out my electrolyte system if I am going to continue to use bottles and not a reservoir, but that is a problem for another day. With a clean shirt and some of the dirt and sweat wiped off, I drove on down to Alpine and enjoyed some delicious biscuits and gravy and a couple of eggs. Except for the sleeping pad issue, the trip went really well. My legs are a little sore, and in looking over my moving time, I think I actually was hiking too fast with my gear. In the end, it was great to be backpacking again. Now to swap out that pesky sleeping pad…

Update

I tested my sleeping pad again to verify the leak. I inflated it at 8am, and at 4pm the pad was still fully inflated. So, what happened while I was out camping? What I think happened is when I was inflating the pad, I overfilled it, so the valve on the pad popped off. Maybe I did not put the value back one correctly. When I testing, I made sure that value was properly seated, and I did not over-inflate, so maybe that was the source of the slow leak.

Kitchen Creek Falls

Since we just had some rain recently, I figured why not go see one of our few waterfalls? The hike to Kitchen Creek Falls seemed mild enough for my neck, so Ted and I headed out for the trailhead. We pulled into the parking area just before the Boulder Oaks campground, grabbed our gear, and darted across Old Highway 80. It was still a bit nippy as we cruised along the PCT. The trail took us under the 8 and then began the steady climb toward the falls. Soon we spotted our first NOBO hiker. PCT season had just started, so I fully expected to encounter a few while we were along the trail. We chatted with the gentleman from Florida for a bit. He was planning to hike as far as Kennedy Meadows. We bid him a good journey and continued on ours.

A PCT marker denoted the turn-off down to the falls. We spotted a few empty campsites near the junction. The trail descended steeply toward the falls, which came into view fairly quickly. They certainly were flowing nicely.

We poked around the area, enjoying the sounds of the flowing water. There was a nice campsite on the other bank that would be lovely to pitch a tent on. But soon it was time to climb back up to the PCT and down to the car. Along the way, we passed quite a few folks headed to the falls. We also stopped and chatted with several more PCTers making their way northward. Finally, back at the car, we tossed in our gear, changed, and set off to Hess Brewery in Alpine for some well-earned pizza and a flight of their beers.