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.

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.

Sitton Peak Overnight

As I finished my water and put on my hiking boots, I looked at the thermometer on the car. It read 84°F. It was going to be a warm one hiking to the campsite this afternoon. Rather than hiking Sitton Peak as a day hike again, I had the idea of doing it as a short backpacking trip. The last time I had hiked the peak, I was specifically keeping an eye out for a possible campsite. Turns out, about 0.9 miles before the summit, there is a clear and wide area to set up camp. I had gotten my Wilderness Permit from the Ranger station a few days before, so I was able to legally spend the night in the San Mateo Wilderness. With 3.5 liters of water in my pack, I carefully and quickly crossed the highway. In some ways, this is the scariest part of the entire hike. I snapped a photo at the trailhead and then signed the trail register. With the warm temperatures, I focused on keeping a reasonable pace. I had a lot more weight on my back than when I usually do this hike.

As I came to the boundary with the San Mateo Wilderness, a small stream was still gently flowing. I was also enjoying all the wildflowers that were still blooming along the trail’s edge. That made the climb a bit more enjoyable. Once I reached the junction with Bear Ridge Trail and the Bear Canyon Trail, I knew I had earned a break. I had covered about 2.1 miles in just about 1:15. I sat under the shade of a nice oak tree and drank some water. I still had another 1.9 miles to cover, so I put my pack back on and set off. The trail was a touch overgrown, so I was glad I was wearing long pants. Once I reached the Four Corners, I looked for another spot for a short break. After a few minutes along the trail toward the summit, I found an acceptable spot for another break. The campsite wasn’t too much further, but I now needed to make a decision about setting up. One option was to simply unload my gear, and set up camp after I returned from the summit, or the other option was to properly set up camp first. I decided to do the latter. As I approached the saddle, I knew the site was just off to my left. I followed the use trail back just a few yards behind some bushes to the location I had scouted before and quickly set up camp. I am currently using the Gossamer Gear The One as my tent. For those who don’t know, this tent uses your trekking poles as part of the support structure. I was certainly going to need those trekking poles for my climb to the summit. I carefully removed them, letting the tent collapse. The test would be reinserting them after I got back. With a much lighter pack, I set off toward the summit.

Water was still seeping out at a few spots, even this late in the season. This was probably part of the reason I was wearing my bug net, and overgrowth at times was pretty significant. Nothing that truly blocked my path, but I certainly needed to take some care with my footing. At the turn-off, I began the steep climb to the top of the peak. The hike had taken a touch more out of me than I had hoped, so I just took my time. Once I reached the top, the soft evening sun lit up one of the summit signs that was perched on the register can. I dropped my pack and soaked in the view. The sun sat over the west, sinking slowly. I snapped a few photos before enjoying a summit beer and some snacks. While I had my headlamp in my pack, I had no desire to descend that steep 0.4 miles back to the main trail in the dark, so I left before the sun dipped beyond the horizon. A quarter moon was up, offering a touch of light, as the sun’s light faded. I reached my campsite just before I needed to switch on my headlamp. I changed out of my very damp hiking shirt and began making dinner. The bugs were still out, so I retreated to my tent to enjoy my dinner. After dinner, I finished getting ready for bed. I settled in, enjoying listening to Sir Patrick Stewart’s autobiography for a bit, before going to sleep.

I woke a bit before dawn when nature began calling. Since the forecast was going to be another warm one, I opted to pack up and hike the 3.9 miles back to the car. I really didn’t feel like making any coffee, so I just nibbled on my Nutri-Grain bar while I packed up. My tent had some condensation, so I was going to need to dry it out before I truly put it away. I caught the sunrise coming over the hills to the east and made sure I snapped a few photos for Ted as I cruised back along the trail. At Four Corners, I debated taking the Bear Ridge Trail back instead of the Bear Canyon Trail, but I left my wallet in the car and was a touch nervous about that. The cooler air that had settled along the Bear Canyon Trail was welcome, as I could feel the day warming up. I finally started to pass folks making an early morning attempt at the summit. Finally, the end of the trail came into view, and after carefully crossing Ortega Highway, I walked to my car, hoping that my wallet was still inside. Thankfully, it was! I changed out of my gear into something a bit drier and cleaner and began the drive home. All in all, this was a great overnight trip, and one I would do again, just when it is a bit cooler. One piece of gear I might bring next time is a chair. My only option at the campsite was my small seating pad, and that was it.

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.

Wave Cave

Since my son would be at work all day Monday, I decided to bring my hiking gear with me to Arizona and try to get in some early morning hiking. I wanted something relatively short, but interesting, so I decided to hike up to the Wave Cave. I drove to the Peralta trailhead parking lot. This was the same road I used when I hiked the Hieroglyphic Trail a couple of years ago. A couple of hikers were starting out when I pulled into the dirt lot. It was a chilly 47°F as I grabbed my gear, but I knew that cold feeling would soon fade into memory. The trail headed across the flat desert floor, but off in the distance I could spot the cave up on the hillside. After about 0.6 miles, the trail reaches the boundary of the Superstition Wilderness. While a trail does run along the fence, I continued north through an opening. In another 0.2 miles, the trail to Carney Springs forked to the right, but I stayed on the more used trail to the left. At this point, I would start climbing toward the cave.

The trail now passed into a ravine and began to climb in earnest. The trail crosses over the ravine and makes the final push up to the cave itself. As I got to the cave, the couple who were ahead of me were just about to leave. I asked if they wouldn’t mind taking a few photos of me on the “wave” before they left. Once they left, I had the cave to myself (since this is a popular hike, it was a rarity, which is one advantage of starting at dawn). After exploring the cave and having some water, I headed back down the trail.

The views out across the desert were lovely, and as I made my way back toward the car, I passed several more hikers heading up. Unfortunately, I made a misstep with about 0.5 miles to go and rolled my ankle. Thankfully, I was able to keep going with just a little discomfort and got back to the car without any further issues. Back at the hotel, I wrapped my ankle and kept it elevated and iced for the rest of the day. This was a fun little hike (despite the rolled ankle).

Clevenger Canyon-San Pasqual South Trail

It was finally time to try hiking with an actual daypack on my shoulders. Since the surgery, I have been using my Osprey waist pack (which I am really liking), but I needed to test out my neck a bit if I hope to go backpacking soon. As I am a sucker for stickers or patches, I decided to do the other trail for the Ramona Hiking Challenge for April– South Clevenger Canyon. Ted and I pulled into the parking lot a bit after 8, with overcast skies and air a bit more humid than usual. We cruised up the trail at a comfortable pace, stopping to photograph some of the remaining wildflowers. A few people passed us as we continued climbing, returning from the chairs. Soon the chairs came into view, and we rounded the backside of the boulder to which they are affixed, with ropes to scale it. I missed the wooden ladder…

We enjoyed the view of the San Pasqual Valley for a bit before scrambling down. We cruised back to the car, passing several folks beginning their journey. All in all the checkout hike went well. Now to keep building up my neck and shoulder muscles for heavier loads.

Ruffin Canyon

We still had some gas in our legs after hiking Rice Canyon, so we opted to explore Ruffin Canyon in Serra Mesa. The trailhead was next to Taft Middle School and began by wandering through a small garden before passing by the school and then dropping into the canyon. Wooden stairs helped guide us down the canyonside. After ducking under some overgrowth, the trail kept working its way south.

Finally, we came to the canyon floor and the trail became very rocky. This was common along canyon floors, but usually, the trail would leave the stream bed. As we kept pushing on, no such luck. Checking the map, we knew we were almost at the trail’s end, so we kept trudging along. Finally, we reached the northern end of Portofino Apts. Neither one of us had any desire to walk back up the canyon through those rocks, so we opted to hail a Lyft to take us back to the car. I know my ankles thanked me.

Otay River Valley Trail

Only a couple of cars were in the parking lot when I pulled in just after 8 am. The forecast was calling for a slightly warmer day, and I knew I was not going to have a lot of shade along the trail, so an earlier start was in order. I grabbed my gear and crossed the road at the light. The wide dirt trail runs along the river valley and it soon passed one of the several ponds that line the valley floor. Along the way, bilingual interpretive signs lined the trailside.

The wildflowers were still blooming as I continued eastward. After passing the second pond, a wooden boardwalk weaved across a small section of marsh. A few others were also out enjoying the trail, but for the most part, I enjoyed the solitude and sounds of the occasional bird. This area is a major locale for bird watching, and I certainly spotted several unique ones during my hike.

At a grove of eucalyptus trees, I reached my turn-around point and had a short break. I crossed over the flowing Otay River to make this route more of a “lollipop” hike rather than a simple out-and-back. I continued west along the north side of the river valley for a bit, passing a very large white church, and my route had me crossing the river once again. Soon I neared the Ranger station. Without stopping at my car, I continued west toward yet another pond. I followed the trail part way around it, enjoying the views. While the trail continued westward, my knee wasn’t up for the additional distance.

Rancho Mission Canyon

After enjoying a nice biscuit I picked up from Rise, I grabbed gear and set off up Middle Rancho Mission Canyon. The trail was nice, with a few wildflowers here and there, and the sound of flowing water from time to time. Soon the trail made its short climb up to Cabaret Street. Two workers were there doing some trail maintenance, and we chatted a bit before I thanked them for their efforts and retraced my route. I wanted to log each route fully so I passed the junction to Lower Rancho Mission Canyon, went back to the trailhead, and reset my tracker.

I again walked for about 1/10 miles until I reached the junction for Lower Rancho Mission Canyon. The trail turned south and quickly encountered the stream that was flowing through the canyon. Thankfully the stream was not flowing too heavily so crossing it was easy, and from there, the trail climbed up a ravine. It was clear that the trail had been “upgraded “ for mountain bikers enjoying their downhill ride. Being mid-week, I doubted I would encounter anyone. The trail eased and passed some nearby houses for a bit before continuing to work its way toward Navajo Road. Some palm trees rose in the distance and from scouting this hike on Google Maps, I knew I was almost at my turn-around point. I tapped the sign at the trail’s end at Navajo Road and returned back down the canyon.

Back at the car, I checked my watch and had a little bit of time before the scheduled lift-off of the last Delta IV Heavy rocket from Florida, but would need to be mindful of the time while I hiked Upper Rancho Mission Canyon. This trailhead was next to the playground, which was just above the other trailheads. After a short climb from the playground, the trail eased up and worked its way along the side of the hills. As the countdown neared zero, I found a shady spot to watch the launch. Once the broadcast was done, I continued cruising along the trail. Soon I was greeted with a sweeping view of the Mission Trails Regional Park, just to my north. Finally, I reached the trailhead at Hemingway Drive, tapped that sign, and retraced my route back to the car.

Del Mar Mesa Preserve

I found parking at the end of the cul-de-sac under the shade of a tree. Since I normally don’t hike in the mid-afternoon, I had to stop and think about wanting the car to stay cool for my return. When hitting the trailheads in the early morning, that isn’t usually the first thing you think about. I wanted to get out on the trails one more time before I headed into the hospital to have surgery to fuse two of the vertebrae in my neck. So, why not take a stroll through Del Mar Mesa Preserve? We have had some rain recently, and the vernal pools might be filled. I passed the gate and headed south toward the signboard. A notice cautioned users of the preserve not to disturb the pools on the mesa. I started down the service road for the power lines. Off to the west, shimmering in the afternoon light, was one of the catch ponds for Deer Canyon Creek. As I neared the bottom of the canyon, the trail split. Straight ahead, the service road continued up the canyon and is affectionately known as “Cardiac Hill”. To the left, a trail would follow the side of the canyon until it reached “Tunnel #4”. Being midday on a Wednesday, I did not expect to encounter many, if any, mountain bikers, as this is a popular place for them to ride. The trail followed the side of the canyon for a bit until it dipped down and crossed the flowing steam. Once safely across, I was about to start hiking through Tunnel #4. A sign cautioned hikers to be aware of bikers coming down the trail. I don’t hike with headphones, but if one does, this would be where you put them away and keep your ears open.

The trees formed a lovely shaded canopy over most of the trail. It doesn’t take long to figure out how this section of trail got its name. The trail works its way up a side canyon toward the mesa at a much gentler grade than Cardiac Hill. Finally, you break from under the cover of the canopy and stand atop Del Mar Mesa. Before me stood a grove of eucalyptus trees. If you have ever driven on Hwy. 56 near Camino Del Sur, and saw some trees clustered together off to the south, these are those trees. I took a quick water break and looked around. Off to the east, the preserve is completely closed to protect the habitat back there. So, I followed the trail to the west, and there I saw my first of several vernal pools. The water was the color of my wife’s coffee after she put her creamer in, but darting around were tadpoles! I watched them for a bit before heading on.

I came to a junction. The trail heading west is probably the entrance route we will recommend in the book, as there is a park nearby for water and restrooms, as opposed to starting from where I did. The other trail leads back across the mesa, then down Cardiac Hill. As I headed northward, I passed several more pools that almost filled the service road, but there was enough room to the side to properly pass them. I worked my way down the hill until I again reached the stream I had to cross. This time the gap was a bit wider. I made it partway across, but the front of my left shoe did get a little soaked. I followed the service road back up to where I started and called it a wonderful day on the trails.

Update: The surgery went great and should be back on the trails in a month or two!

Tecolote Canyon

A bit of a marine layer hung in the air as I pulled into the parking lot. That was fine as I planned to cover over 6 miles on this hike. I was here early in part to finish up with enough time to drive out to Cabrillo National Monument and hopefully be able to go to the actual top of the Old Lighthouse. The trail was a well-maintained service road. The University of San Diego, and its blue-domed church, stood above the canyon to the south. A work crew was out removing weeds. I chatted with them a bit before continuing on my way.

The trail turned northward and followed the Tecolote Golf Course. The flatness from the beginning of the hike was now replaced with some short ascents and descents. Wildflowers dotted the trail from time to time, as did connecting trails to the neighborhoods or power line towers.

The trail once again made an easterly turn, mostly leaving the golf course behind. While there is a way to link up with the northern portion of Tecolote Canyon, I was planning to stay on the southern portion. The trail now was no longer mostly a service road, but a trail that worked its way back and forth over Tecolote Creek. Thankfully, the water was low enough to allow me to cross. Finally, I reached the trail’s end at Genesee Avenue. One does need to be a bit mindful, as this section does have some poison oak.

While working my way back, I ran into a gentleman with a full Osprey Backpack. I asked him, “Training for something?” He replied he was headed to the Grand Canyon for a few nights. I wished him the best of luck and told him how jealous I was. I started to pass a few more folks, some out walking their dogs, some out for a bike ride.

As I got back to the trailhead, the garden next to the visitor center was open, so I took a quick look around, I wanted to get out to the lighthouse, so I did not linger. I logged the hike at 6.4 miles with about 387 feet of gain, and 5 water crossings.

Pt. Loma Lighthouse

I tossed my gear in the car and headed out to the lighthouse. I scored a ticket and soon found myself standing atop this historic building. The lens is incredible to see up close, but oh… the views from the top!