Grass Mountain

After a good night’s sleep in Lompoc, I was ready to climb my final peak of the inaugural Central Coast Six Pack of Peaks challenge—Grass Mountain. It was a bit odd staying in Lompoc and not going to see a rocket launch, but the two models in the lobby helped.

I had planned to have breakfast at my usual cafe, but they didn’t open until 7, so McDonald’s again. It was about a 40-minute drive to the trailhead, so I had time to enjoy my coffee. One car was at the trailhead when I pulled in. It was a bit nippy and I debated if I was going to start out in my light fleece. I filled out my day permit and finished getting ready. There is an old hiking rule—it is better to start off too cold than too warm. I left the fleece behind, in part because I also knew most of the hike was fully exposed. The trail follows Birabent Creek for just under a mile, crossing it three times before leaving it behind.

Now the “fun” would begin, as the trail would range between 20-50% grade! This was going to be a slow and steady type of climb. The mountain, which is accurately named, loomed before me. I focused on the trail ahead of me, looking for good footing, as this trail was steep!

I would take a short break from time to time, have some fluids, then continue on. The views behind me were stunning, so I knew the summit view should be worth it.

I carefully made my way up, trying not to think about descending this later. Soon, I knew the summit was almost there, as the grasses ended and the gravel took over. A large peace symbol, made of rocks served as the summit marker, as I did not locate a summit sign. I enjoyed a snack and soaked in the views. Off in the distance, I could spy the Neverland Ranch. Yesterday’s two summits were visible off in the distance. I still needed to descend and then make the long drive home. I took each step with care, hoping not to slip. Thankfully, I made it down with my pride intact. Once back near the creek, I started to pass other hikers out for probably an easier hike along some of the other trails nearby. Once back at the car, I cleaned up before heading to Los Olivos Grocery to reward my effort with a nice tri-tip sandwich and a large Coke. With that, my challenge was complete! This final hike was a mere 4.6 miles but with a whopping 2,330 feet of gain, and I did manage to do it in 4:06 (with my breaks and time at the summit)! Now to finish up my San Diego Challenge.

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.

Gaviota Peak

I previously had hiked Gaviota Peak after watching a SpaceX launch from nearby Vandenberg SFB. I found a spot in the parking lot, filled out my day pass, dropped my $2 into the slot, and slipped the stub on my dashboard. After gathering my gear, I set off up the trail. Since there were several cars in the lot, I knew I would be seeing other folks on the trail.

I opted to take the same route up as last time, as I was planning on using the Trespass Trail for my return from the summit. Since I was not racing to meet some friends for dinner, I also had time to take a short detour to see the hot springs. The spur trail was well marked, so off I went. The trail was a bit muddy, so a little care needed to be taken. A smell of sulfur hung slightly in the air from the creek as it flowed past. I came to the hot springs. The couple that had headed out as I pulled in were enjoying the waters. We chatted a bit before I let them enjoy their soak. The spur trail connected back to the road and I continued making my way up towards the summit.

A few runners passed me returning back from their summit, while I continued my journey upward. The ocean came into view and I knew the summit was just a short push more. As I reached it, another hiker was just about to head back down. She had come up the Trespass Trail, and I mentioned that I planned to use it for my route down. She asked about the other route as she always uses the Trespass Trail. I gave her the basic info about the route, and she headed down.

I snapped a few photos, had a snack, mixed up my electrolytes, and set off. Unlike the wide road that I took up, I was now on a traditional trail. While I did have some nice views of the ocean and the Channel Islands, the poor condition of the trail had me paying attention to my footing.

After a bit, the hiker from the summit decided to stick to her tried and true route and caught up with me. Oh, to have young knees…

As I reached the junction with the Tunnel View Trail, I opted to take it. I figured it would provide a nice view of the Gaviota Tunnel. Turns out I was right. I was starting to get hungry, so I did not linger. I soon rejoined the Trespass Trail, then shortly thereafter the main trail. I tossed my gear into the car, changed shirts, and headed to Figueroa Mountain Brewery for lunch and my free beer, courtesy of taking the Six Pack of Peaks Challenge. The stats for the hike were 6.4 miles, with a moving time of 3:12 and 2,138 feet of gain. Just one more peak to summit and this challenge will be complete!

Broadcast Peak

As the end of the year was drawing near, I knew I needed to focus on finishing my various Six Pack of Peaks challenges. I wrapped up the SoCal challenge a few weeks ago and was down to one more peak to complete the San Diego challenge (I am looking at you Hot Springs Mountain…). I still had three left for the inaugural Central Coast challenge. So I hatched up a plan to knock them out in one trip. I drove up and stayed in Carpinteria to help reduce the impact of the driving on my back. I would have camped somewhere, but could not locate an available campsite. I stayed at the same hotel I had back when I recorded courses for LinkedIn Learning (née Lynda.com). Woke up before sunrise and headed to grab my traditional pre-hike breakfast at McDonald’s. This McD’s no longer has a drive-thru, so it was either go inside and order or use their mobile app. With my biscuit, hash browns, and coffee, I set off to Broadcast Peak.

I exited the 101 at Refugio and headed up the canyon, passing a few farms before the road began climbing. Thanks to discovering the YouTube channel “Subietrails”, I knew that I would have a paved road almost all the way. As I wound my way up, a few quail would scamper across the road. Then I spotted a bobcat darting along the road before diving into the brush. That was a first for me! Once I reached the crest, I turned onto West Camino Cielo and worked my way eastward. Due to some poor planning on my part, I found myself staring straight into the sun at times. I would have to stop and put my head out the window to creep along until I could see properly again. You’d think after attending UCSB I’d remember those mountains run east-west!

Finally, the paved road ended not too far from Santa Ynez Peak. Broadcast Peak was about a mile away, so if I did encounter an issue, it was now easily hikeable. Thankfully, the road was in fine shape. Once at the turnoff to the summit of Broadcast, I debated whether should I park here and hike the last bit, or just use my nifty new tires and drive up. The latter option won. I navigated the first real rut of the trip, then parked at the summit.

The views were incredible. To the south, I could see 4 of the Channel Islands. Off to the north was Lake Cachuma and the rest of the Santa Ynez valley. I was fairly certain I could spot Gaviota Peak off to the west. I tried to see if there was a summit sign tucked away somewhere but did not discover one. I snapped my photos and headed back down. Along the way, I spotted 3 mule deer off to the side of the road. Once back at the 101, it was a short 15-minute drive to the Gaviota Peak trailhead.

Corte Madera

When I set out to do another round of the Six Pack of Peaks Challenge, I wanted to try to do some of the peaks in different ways, whether it was a new route or an overnight trip. I had initially planned to do Corte Madera as an overnight trip. I knew a few camping options along the route that would be perfect. In fact, one of Derek Loranger’s friends had done just that. With my back issue, however, I was not allowed to carry any weight on my back. I had been doing all my hiking with my Osprey Talon 6, and it was working out pretty well. So, if overnighting on Corte Madera was not an option, maybe there was something else. I had seen vehicles on Los Pinos Road near the Corte Madera trail, so maybe I could drive up Los Pinos, then down to the spot and start from there? I set out solo to give this a try. I was a bit apprehensive, as I was unable to get any details on the road after Tropical Storm Hillary hit San Diego. The road to the top of Los Pinos was in fair shape, but the road up Palomar was certainly worse. At the junction, I switched the car into X-mode and began the descent. The road was rockier, but seemed to be ok. Then I heard a very loud bang! I stopped, got out, and saw that my right front tire’s sidewall had completely blown out. Well, that really sucked. I nursed the car to the side so as to possibly leave some room for a car to pass (honestly, I doubted it was big enough for a car, but was enough room for a motorcycle). I then set about swapping out the tire. Unfortunately, the Outback does not have a full-size spare, so I was left using my ‘donut’. Once the tire was swapped, it was on to the next problem–there was no way for me to turn around. So, do I continue down to find a place to turn around and climb back up, or carefully back out? I had not gone more than 1/10th of a mile, so I thought that backing out was a better option. So, I worked my way back to the junction and headed down. I had a cell signal, so I called my wife to inform her of the issue and to have AAA meet me at the Buckman Springs Rest Area, as the donut needed some air to make it back into town. I made it down with no issue, and Bruce from Campo Towing arrived soon after I did and aired up the tire. Once back home, we upgraded the tires to a more off-road capable style, so as to lessen the chance of this occurring again…

Fast forward two weeks. I finally had a chance to return to Corte Madera and decided to try the road again. I did bring my compressor this time, just in case. A bit of rain had come through the day before, so I wondered what the road would be like. As I drove up toward the lookout tower, a few puddles remained, but overall, the road seemed okay. The new tires felt great. Once at the summit, I stopped and got out. I started down the road, focusing on the challenge ahead. I decided to walk it for a bit just to get a feel. That is when I got a good sense of how muddy it was and that a nice layer of pine needles also covered the road. The road up is almost completely exposed so that part had dried out more, while the west side of the mountain was fairly well covered in trees. I did not want to risk getting stuck in the mud or worse, end up sliding into something. So, with that, I retreated to the standard starting point for Corte Madera. I made a quick pit stop at the vault toilet at the Corral Canyon Staging Area. When I drove past it on the way up, it was empty. Now a minivan was there. Hum, I wonder if I would catch them. They had at best a 20-minute head-start. I grabbed my gear and opted not to put on my light fleece. While it was chilly, I knew I would warm up soon.

I slipped past the gate to the road that the few homes back here use and cruised up the road to the Espinoza Trail. A neat mushroom caught my eye along the way and I snapped a picture. A large white sign pointed at the trail junction and I began the climb to the Espinoza Saddle. Sections of the trail were pretty muddy and I could see foot slips outlined in the mud. This reinforced my decision that not driving down was the right one. I reached the saddle and got even more evidence about the condition of some of the roads. I then turned right to continue on Los Pinos Road for a short bit. Except for one large puddle, this section seemed drivable, but it was also exposed to the warmth of the sun. There were no ruts or washouts, so maybe next year?

I began the steeper section of the hike up and around Coulter Peak. It was there I caught the two hikers from the minivan. We chatted while they were catching their breath. I let them be and continued on. The chute was in pretty good shape, although you could see that one rock had moved and was stopped by another. From there, just a few minor ups and downs to the summit. Along the way, I stopped at one of the possible campsites to examine more closely possible places to pitch a tent. There were about 2-3 that looked pretty good.

I got to the summit, my pants and shirt a little damp from brushing against the vegetation. I snapped a few photos and had a snack and some well-earned water. About 15 minutes later, the two hikers joined me. We chatted a bit, and I helped orient them to the surrounding peaks. I bid them farewell, as I went to try to find one more possible campsite. Just off the main trail, I spied the clearing and went over to survey it. It also had about two possible spots to pitch a tent. It was very close to the summit, so it might be the one I opt for when I do this hike as an overnight.

On the way back down, I passed several more hikers making their way to the summit. Once back on the Espinoza trail, my main goal was not to slip on the mud and have to deal with that. Thankfully, my footing was solid the whole way. As I cruised down the road, I could hear the occasional jet flying high overhead en route to San Diego. Then I thought I heard a small engine overhead. Nope, it was a Nissan Maxima behind me. One of the residents was driving out. I stepped aside and he drove slowly past. I caught up to him just as he was closing the gate behind him. I asked about the sign onto the Espinoza trail–did that many hikers miss the turn? He replied, “more than you think”. We chatted a bit more and he headed into town for groceries and a stop at the library. I tossed my gear in the car and headed home. One more summit to go and I will finish the San Diego Six Pack of Peaks! I clocked 6.7 miles with a moving time of 3:11.

Lusardi Creek Loop

I decided to hike the Lusardi Creek Loop after work. The Black Mountain Sports Complex was quiet since it was the day before Thanksgiving and found a parking spot in the shade by the trailhead.

I made my way down the utility road until I reached the turn-off to the Lusardi Loop Trail. I passed a nice bench, perfect to take a nice breather, and just admire the views. The trail reconnected with the utility road, which I took as far as under the bridge. The creek was flowing, mostly from urban run-off.

I retraced my route, this time taking the other branch of the loop upon my return. Soon the sports complex came back into view. This was a great little hike with just enough to get your heart pumping.

Black Mountain (via Nighthawk Trail)

Decided to get a few miles in and hike Black Mountain, again. I decided to take the Nighthawk trail up from Hilltop Park this time, as I had not done this route in a while.

A mild Santa Ana was blowing, so I was mindful of my hat not blowing away as I worked my way up the trail.

I snapped a few photos at the summit, then headed back down. A few folks were making their way up, some on foot others on their mountain bikes. Soon the parking lot came back into view and back at my car. A nice start to Thanksgiving week.

Sitton Peak

The morning was a tad chilly when we pulled into the parking lot across from the trailhead for Sitton Peak. This was to be my 6th peak for my 2023 SoCal Six Pack of Peak Challenge. Ted had never hiked this peak with me, so he was up for a new adventure. I also invited one of my co-workers along for the almost 10-mile round-trip journey through the San Mateo Wilderness. Once Maegan arrived, I introduced her to Ted, and we quickly gathered our gear. Ted and Maegan opted for an extra layer, while I stuck with just my base layer. The forecast was for a high of about 77°F, so I knew it would soon be warming up as the sun rose. Plus, I am using a waist pack until my back is up to having the weight of a pack on it. We scurried across the newly paved highway and began our adventure. I explained the hike could be broken into sections, one for each trail junction, and the final climb. This was my fourth time up the summit, so I felt very comfortable leading them. Near the trailhead, I signed us in and we set off.

After a bit, both Ted and Maegan shed their initial layers as the day indeed was starting to warm up. We also stopped from time to time as a plant would catch Maegan’s attention. She had taken a course on the local plants and was trying to put those skills to use.

The miles passed, and we paused at each junction for a short break. We chatted about various things as we drew nearer to the summit. After we passed Four Corners, I was keeping an eye out for a possible campsite. I originally had planned to do this peak as an overnight, but I certainly wasn’t going to attempt any backpacking anytime soon. We spied the use trail to the campsite and it looked to be a good one (ignoring the illegal fire ring). We were getting a bit hungry, so once we reached the old crash site, we took our snack break. With a bit of food in our stomachs, we began the steep, but thankfully relatively short, climb to the summit. Ted and I crested the climb and kept an eye down the trail for Maegan to make her way up. Once we had regrouped and had a moment to recover, we hiked the last bit to the summit.

Two sets of hikers were there enjoying some really clear views. We took a few photos and then found a spot to enjoy some well-earned snacks and a rest. Since we knew that we had 5 miles back to the car and the day was warming, we began our descent. We carefully picked our way down the steep section, hoping not to slip (narrator: someone did slip). Back on the more gentle portion of the trail, we began working our way back to the car. Ted and I discussed our lunch options. Maegan had to get back home so she let us hash out our post-hike plan. I tossed out the question, “What is an urban hike in San Diego?” This provided a good debate on the topic. Feel free to offer your opinion in the comments. Unfortunately, I made a couple of missteps and rolled my right foot. Enough to feel it, but nothing to create an issue. I figured it would be tender later (narrator: he was right).

Soon the din of traffic from the highway started to fill our ears, signaling that we were almost done. My back had done pretty well, so that in itself was a victory for me. Ted and Meagan got to cross off a new peak and I finished my 2023 Six Pack of Peaks Challenge. After tossing our gear in our cars and putting on a clean shirt and comfy shoes, we drove over to the Candy Store to pick up a few treats and a cold drink. Maegan said her goodbyes and headed back to San Diego. We followed soon after. I convinced Ted we should stop in Pala Mesa, and we both got lunch from the Rib Shack. There was a mix-up with my order, and I accidentally got someone else’s (right sides, they got tri-tip and brisket). I didn’t notice that until I dug in. Oops! But damn, both of the meats were outstanding! Still, this was a slightly later-than-planned lunch. It actually worked in my favor as I was attending an event in the evening and that dinner was not scheduled until 8 pm. My tracker did not restart once we left the summit, so Ted’s tracker logged us in at 9.8 at the car. Being so close to 10, we did a few laps in the parking lot. Our moving time was 4:49 with 2,150 feet of gain. I am hoping the next time I climb this peak it will be an overnight.

Strawberry Peak

With my lingering back issue, Ted graciously offered to take over the driving duties. We pulled in the Red Box parking area just a touch before 8 a.m. I put my America the Beautiful pass on the dashboard and we set about getting ready. The reason a pass is needed is this area does have bathrooms available. Another group of hikers was getting ready to hit the trail as well. I then realized I had forgotten the strawberries I brought to eat at the summit, so we headed back to the car. We crossed the highway and stopped for photos in front of the trail marker. We caught up with the group from the parking lot and they let us pass. The first couple of miles or so were pretty gentle, so we cruised along nicely, stopping to snap a photo or two along the way.

Once we reached Lawlor Saddle, the real effort would begin. So far my back was causing no issues. I was also using my Osprey waist pack instead of my usual daypack to keep any weight off my upper back. We started the climb up toward one of several false summits.

At the top of one of those false summits, we took a short break. One big change for me in using a waist pack is I have to either stop for some hydration or have a manageable section of trail to grab a drink from my bottle. With my day pack I use a water bladder and a hose, so it is easy to grab a quick sip of water. Soon the true summit came into view and we found ourselves amongst several others enjoying their achievements. We learned that the group we had been leapfrogging was a group of Russian Jews. If we had found three more Jews, we could have had a minyan on the summit! I broke out the strawberries and they were really flavorful! After our snacks and soaking in the views, we said goodbye to the group and began our descent.

I was starting to feel a little discomfort in my back, but nothing to raise any concerns. We took it carefully, but I still wound up slipping once. The worst part was I mentally told myself to be careful just before I slipped. I brushed off the dirt and continued on. We encountered quite a few folks (some with their furry hiking partners) making their way up. As we neared the end of the hike, volunteers were doing some trail maintenance. We stopped and thanked them for their efforts. The parking lot came into view. Ted’s tracker had us at over 7 miles, while mine logged us at 6.8 miles. I clocked our moving time at 3:48, so we made decent time on the hike.

Now onto the next part of the adventure, exploring Mt. Wilson. We headed up to the Cosmic Café and grabbed some lunch. Other hikers milled about the various tables. After enjoying our well-earned sandwiches, we set off to explore the various telescopes and exhibits. My back was hurting a bit more, and I was hoping the pain relievers would kick in soon.

We took our time, as we had to pick up Ted’s youngest from an event at Tustin at 8 p.m. So after viewing the 100” inch telescope, we made the short walk down the trail to Echo Rock. The views were sweeping and as a bonus, some summit signs! We sat and relaxed on the chairs watching small clouds form, drift upward, and then evaporate. We returned to the main parking lot and headed over to see if we could find one of the markers. Off in the southeast corner, we finally located it. We grabbed a few more photos and then headed down the mountain. After exploring some offerings at Divine Science Brewery and dinner at Lucille’s BBQ, we picked up Ted’s son and headed home. My back had stopped aching, so that was a good sign for me.

Monument Hill

Today’s adventure was a hike to summit Monument Hill, which is a peak listed on the Sierra Club Lower Peaks Committee list. The peak is located in the Santa Rosa Plateau Ecological Reserve, which for a time was closed due to the Tenaja fire back in 2017. The Reserve is now open again, so I thought this was a perfect opportunity to go explore it. After a one hour drive, I found myself pulling into the gravel parking lot next to the Visitor Center. I knew there was a use fee for the Reserve, but did not see anywhere to deposit the $4. The Visitor Center was closed, so I figured I would try to figure this out when I returned from the hike. I headed south along Waterline Road until I reached the Tenaja Truck Trail. I followed it for a short time until I reached the Vista Grande Trail. Now I switched from the wide trails I had been on to a more traditional single track. This trail climbed up at an easy grade, offering some nice vistas of the plateau. It was here that I spied my first tarantula along the trail.

When I reached Monument Hill Road, I could finally see the summit about ½ mile away. I was back cruising on a wide road again toward it. I came to the cut-off that would take me up the small hill to the top. Once there, and after another tarantula sighting, two benches greeted me. I poked around the area and found the benchmark and two reference marks. It offered more great views of the area. I’m going to have to return some time during the spring, as I can only imagine how lovely it must be.

Once I descended, I opted to continue along Monument Hill Road until it reached the Lomas Trail. If I had more time I might have continued on to the historic Adobes, but I decided to save that for another time. The Lomas Trail was a little steeper than the Vista Trail, so I was glad to have done the loop in the direction I did. The trail ends back at the Tenaja Truck Trail, so I followed it back toward Waterline Road. It was here that I passed some of the first other people out enjoying the Reserve. Once back at the trailhead, the Visitor Center was still closed, so I began walking around the parking lot looking for a place to pay my use fee. I found it in the center of the parking lot, partly behind some shrubbery. I slipped my $4 into the metal box, and headed back to the car. The day had warmed up a bit, so I was glad to be done. The entire hike was 4.9 miles, with a gain of 287 feet and four tarantula sightings!

Palomar High Point

I wanted to get a bit east to escape any marine layer to see the annular eclipse. So I opted to make the long drive up to Palomar High Point. I wasn’t interested in making the long hike up from Oak Grove (been there, done that), so instead I opted to drive part way up, park and hike from there. I stopped off at Farmhouse 78 in Santa Ysabel for some biscuits and gravy. As I passed through Warner Springs, quite a few cars were parked near the trailhead for Eagle Rock. Soon I reached the turn off to Palomar Divide Truck Trail and began the long drive up. I kept an eye on the time so I could stop and observe the eclipse. I found a nice spot to pull off to enjoy both my breakfast and the eclipse. I tried taking a few photos, but nothing turned out. One of the things I was curious about was the condition of the road after Hillary came through. I knew there was some road damage on Hot Springs Mountain’s road. For the most part the road seemed to be about in the same condition as the last time I drove it.

I parked at my usual spot, grabbed my gear, and set off. After about a minute, I had to reach into my pack to find my bug net. I had about 1.5 miles to the summit and made good time up the road. Soon the fire lookout tower came into view. Apart from whoever was staffing the tower, I was the only one there. I snapped a few photos. Looking to the west at the Observatory, I wondered how packed it was?

Gaia shows a trail leading down from the summit to the east, but I scanned the slope and failed to spot anything. Since I was alone, I didn’t feel comfortable going off trail, so I headed back down the same way. Once back at the car, I removed my bug net, stowed my gear and began the long drive back down. As I passed the Barker Valley Trailhead, three cars were parked there. One day I will have to explore that trail. A bit later a lone motorcyclist was making their way up, and a bit later a fellow Outback owner as well. Thankfully we were at a spot where we could easily pass. There are a few sections that would be a bit tricky for two cars to get by each other. A couple miles later, a lone mountain biker was making her way up! Finally I reached the 79 and began the drive home. My shortened hike was 2.84 miles with 540 feet of gain.