Tag: Easy

Exploring San Pasqual Valley

In April, I hope to hike all 5 sections of this year’s Coast to Crest Challenge in a single day. I have hiked all the sections before, except for a portion in San Pasqual Valley. So, this morning’s goal was to scout this section before that attempt. I drove out to the trailhead under low clouds and parked in the empty lot. I gathered my gear, had one last drink of coffee, and set off along the trail. It passes by a collection of orchards and farmland as it works its way to the west. Quite a few benches dotted the trail, offering places to rest. Some workers were out tending the sod farm as the trail turned southward. Once it reached Bandy Canyon Road, the route again turned west.

Here, I followed the road for some time, with a portion passing the Verger Dairy and some farm workers’ homes before returning to a more protected trail. A lovely bridge crossed over the dry Santa Maria Creek. I continued on until I reached the Ysabel Creek Road Staging Area and turned back. I had hiked that portion of the trail a few years back and did not need to scout it again. I retraced my route, enjoying one of my podcasts, and soon was back at the car. It was a pleasant 5.5-mile jaunt.

Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com

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. 

Across the Main Divide

With the heat wave still blanketing the area, I took a look at some other options during my spring break. I decided, why not make the long off-road drive along Main Divide Road near Santiago Peak, and climb some of the Lower Peak Committee summits that sit nearby? Doing this adventure on a weekday should also reduce the issue of encountering a lot of traffic on the road. I made my way up Silverado Canyon, avoiding some pretty good-sized potholes. Silverado Creek was still flowing nicely, and the hillsides were still lush and green. Soon, the road turned to dirt, and it was time to really break in my new off-road tires. The road really isn’t that bad. There were some rockier sections from time to time, but no major ruts or obstacles to be concerned about.

I reached the junction where Maple Spring Road finally meets Main Divide. Usually, I head south on Main Divide to park and climb Santiago Peak and Modejska Peak, but today my plan was to head north to climb three new peaks. From the junction, I drove about 2.4 miles north to a safe turnout and parked. This was going to be a short but steep climb to the top of Bald Peak. I followed an old firebreak up the peak where a small wooden sign denoted the summit. I enjoyed the views for a bit before carefully making my way back to the car.

I drove about another 3.1 miles to the base of Beauty Peak. Again, finding a safe spot to pull off, I grabbed just my poles and headed up another steep slope. A similar wooden sign greeted me as I reached the summit. A lizard sat on top of it, reminding me of the plastic dinosaurs along the way to San Mateo Peak. I saw that the trail continued north, and after taking a quick look, I decided to make a short loop. This was mostly to avoid descending that steep, loose section. Pleased with my choice, I was soon back at the car and ready to hit the final peak. I could feel the heat of the day rising.

I drove another 5 miles up and down along the ridge. I passed a couple of nice overlanding camp spots before reaching my final peak, Pleasant Peak. A communication relay tower complex sits next to the actual peak. I parked and crossed over the gate, and followed the road up and around toward the towers. There may or may not have been a sign at the second gate indicating No Trespassing. Pleasant Peak lies east of the communication towers, and a use trail led me to the summit. A similar summit sign stood atop this peak as well. To the north, fading snow sat on Mt. Baldy and San Gorgonino. I made my way back down, skipping the road and taking the shorter firebreak option. Once back in the car, I changed out of my sweaty hiking shirt. I am sure the temperatures were in the 90s by this time. I then made the long drive back along Main Divide, then down to the Maple Springs Trailhead. Along the way, I met a few other off-roaders making their way up. I now have 28 peaks climbed on the Lower Peaks Committee list. One of my 2026 goals is to climb 40 peaks on the list. If we can get some normal spring weather, I think I can do it.

Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com

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. 

Strolling up Mount R

Located on the retreat’s property stands Mount R. During a break, I walked up the steep paved road to the small saddle between the south peak and the main peak. I first followed the road to explore the south peak, knowing it would offer the best views. From there, I returned to the saddle and climbed toward the main peak. Thankfully, the discharge pond at the saddle did not smell. I passed a couple of water tanks before reaching the true summit of Mount R. A sign with a tent-like icon, along with a directional arrow on it, was at the saddle and here as well. Once I was done exploring the summit a bit, I followed it up to the north peak, wondering if I might find a small campsite.

At the north peak, more towers stood, but there were no additional signs for a campsite. I wandered north a bit more to see if I could spot something, but nothing looked like a campsite. I pulled up a trip report from Mike Sullivan, who mentioned both a plaque and a reference mark. In reading the report a bit closer, he said they were back at the south peak, so I made my way back over. I did find a cement marker for R. Menachem Hecht Trail, and since I did not see any reference mark on the boulders I scrambled upon earlier, I decided to follow the trail that led southward off the mountain toward some other boulders. Atop one of them was a reference mark pointing off to the southwest. It was marked just as Mount R.M. 2. Might have to dig a bit deeper on this. I returned back down to the lodge, to discover two friends were just about to hike up there themselves, so I happily guided them back up to the peaks, showing the plaque, the various mountains off in the distance, and a little plant knowledge along the way.


Just off to the Slide…

After checking in again upon returning from Keller Peak and being told that the setup was almost done, I set off for my final summit, Slide Mountain. I left the car parked where it was. This mountain is the top of Snow Valley Ski Resort; the chair lifts were silent due to the lack of snow. I followed the firebreak over a small hill, then joined a sandy service road toward the summit. This certainly did not feel like a hike in the mountains at the end of January.

I passed under the chair lifts and onto the actual summit, with some granite boulders just to the south. Since the views were similar to Keller Peak’s, I did not stay long. I didn’t even bother looking for a register. I retraced my route, although I skipped the service road and took another fire break down off the mountain. This jaunt was 1.4 miles, took me 37 minutes, and had 264 feet of gain. It was nice to be able to cross three more peaks off the Hundred Peak Section list. I am now 2/3 of the way there!

Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com

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. 

Atop Keller Peak

Originally, I wanted to hike Keller Peak and Slide Mountain before the retreat started, but according to the Forest Service website, the road was closed for the season. I decided to continue driving up Keller Peak Road after hiking Mill Peak to see what the real status was. It turned out the gate was open, so I drove up the well-paved road toward Keller Peak. Along the way, I passed some Yellow Post sites, and a few were occupied. As I neared the summit, I reached a closed gate and found a place nearby to park off the road. A service truck was actually just exiting as I started my road walk to the summit. I had to be mindful of the time, as I needed to be back at the retreat center by 4 pm.

The road was uneventful; signs of the Line Fire were all around. That fire had overrun the summit, burning the fire lookout tower. Its metal frame still stands, as do the nearby communication towers. The road loops around the summit before actually reaching it. I walked around it, enjoying the view. I could see the retreat center and Mill Peak to the west, and Slide Mountain to my east. There was a posted notice about actually going to the base of the tower, which I respected. I checked my watch and hustled back down to the car. I covered the 2.4 miles in 44 minutes and had 273 feet of gain. I hope the tower is rebuilt, but with current budgets, I find it unlikely. 

Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com

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. 

A visit to Death Valley

With the re-emergence of Lake Manly at Badwater Basin, I decided to drive out to Death Valley National Park to see it. With two campsites in the park still closed due to the severe storms, I opted to stay at Stovepipe Wells. This is a first-come, first-served site, so I made it my first stop to secure a site. With that chore done, I headed down to the heart of the park; Furnace Creek and the Badwater Basin area.

After grabbing my passport stamp, swapping my plastic Junior Ranger badge for a wooden one, and picking up a few souvenirs, I headed directly down to Badwater Basin. The winds were calm, so the shallow lake reflected the surroundings nicely. After enjoying the views for a while, I headed back to the car for lunch. Being mid-week, there were no issues parking, but I had heard the weekend was a different story.

My next stop was to hike the Natural Bridge Trail. This is a short, easy trail up to the bridge, then onto a nice, dry fall.

Next, I opted to take the Artist Palette drive and make the short hike to view the stunning, colorful views. The afternoon light really brought out the colors.

I then made the 30-minute drive back towards Stovepipe Wells, but stopped at the Mesquite Dunes first. I hiked out to the tallest dunes and watched the sun emerge from the clouds. The light and shadows across the dunes were incredible. The recent rains made the sand a bit firmer, so that was nice.

Back at my campsite, I set up my Luno mattress and got a campfire going. I ate my dinner under the glow of the fire, as the stars slowly began to appear in the night sky. After the fire died out, I crawled into the Outback and read a chapter of my book before turning in for the night.

I awoke before sunrise, quickly broke camp, and drove south again to Zabriskie Point to watch the sunrise. It was fairly overcast, so it wouldn’t be as dramatic as it could be. Properly bundled against the cold, I watch the sun’s rays illuminate the mountains to the west, including the snow-covered Telescope Peak.

After some hot oatmeal, OJ, and coffee in the parking lot, it was time to head home. Rain fell intermittently along the drive as I listened to two guest lectures for one of my classes. I stopped at the NASA Goldstone Visitor Center for a quick tour, then grabbed lunch at the Original Del Taco, before the final drive home.

Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com

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. 

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.

Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com

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. 

Exploring Torrey Pines State Park

I felt like having a coastal adventure this afternoon, so I decided to hike through Torrey Pines State Park. I found parking along the coast and headed into the park. It was another perfect fall day in San Diego—the sun was shining, and the temperatures were pleasant. I cruised up the trail next to the road until I reached the Guy Fleming Trail, which I had not done in quite a while. I forgot that some of the best views in the park are actually from this trail. I sent a happy birthday message to my niece in Arkansas from one of the side viewpoints before rejoining the main road.

From there, I headed onto Red Butte to summit one of the “peaks” of the park. I had checked the tides on the way in, and high tide was not for several more hours, so I opted to hike down to the beach and take it back to the car. I actually had never done that before. I took the side trail to Yucca Point, double-checking the beach below before fully committing to the route.

I cruised along the firm sand northward back toward my car. Evidence from some rockfalls still sits next to the bluffs—a reminder not to stray too close to them. The entire hike was 3.8 miles in 1:20 and had 354 feet of gain.

Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com

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. 

Adventures in Mt. Rainer National Park

Our first hike in Mount Rainier National Park was the 0.4-mile Twin Firs Loop Trail. Sadly, the namesake firs are gone, but we had a nice stroll through some old-growth forest.

After a quick stop at the visitor center in Longmire, we took a nice saunter along the Trail of the Shadows. There we saw some mineral springs and an old cabin.

We then made a short stop at Christine Falls to admire both the falls and the bridge that spans the narrow Van Trump Creek canyon. Next on our journey to Paradise was Narada Falls. This required hiking down about 200 feet of elevation to really get a good view of the cascading water.

Once we reached Paradise (aka Henry M. Jackson Visitor Center), we found some parking and set off on another hike, this time along the Nisqually Vista Trail. While the entire trail is paved, the 1.2-mile loop gave us some great views of the mountain. Once done with the loop, we took a connector trail to the visitor center. We both were getting hungry, so we first checked out the offerings at the Tatoosh Cafe in the Paradise Inn, but nothing struck our fancy. The main dining room was not open, so that option was out. So, we strolled back to the grab-and-go place in the visitor center.

After our lunch, I got my Junior Ranger badge. While the air quality wasn’t great, I still wanted to get in a more strenuous hike. I grabbed a KN95 mask and set off up the Skyline Trail while Anita stayed and relaxed at the visitor center. While initially paved, the trail wasted no time in gaining some elevation. Thankfully, the grade eased, and I cruised along. The views of Rainier were stunning, with the various glaciers scattered about its face. At Glacier Vista, I marveled at the waterfall spilling off Wilson Glacier.

Since I had made good time, I continued along the Skyline Trail to Panorama Point. There, my views turned southward. I could see the haze hanging in the air, and was again thankful to have my mask on. I debated doing the whole Skyline Loop, but opted to mostly retrace my ascent but take an alternative route to climb Alta Vista. I continued down to the visitor center and found Anita comfortably sitting inside. I bought a few small souvenirs and we headed out.

Although we had some delays due to road construction, we stopped at Reflection Lake for one last stroll. I knew the air quality would mean that hiking up to Pinnacle Saddle would not afford the views of the mountain that I would want, so with that, we headed out of the park and checked into our hotel.

Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com

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. 

Returning up Van Dam Peak

Continuing to push toward Ted Markus to complete the 100 Peak Challenge, I suggested we hit a couple of local peaks after work. Our first peak was Van Dam Peak, a small peak near the I-15 and CA-56. This peak is very popular with mountain bikers, so climbing this peak during off-hours is a safer call. We parked next to the school and started our ascent. We could see how the trail has been enhanced for mountain bikers; built-up turns and jumps being the most obvious. 

Soon we found ourselves at the summit, took a few quick photos, and hustled back down as we wanted to grab one more peak before meeting our wives for dinner. The hike was 1.37 miles long, which we did in 37 minutes, and had an elevation gain of 350 feet. 

Buy Me a Coffee at ko-fi.com

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.