PCT Section B Weekender

Another Scoutmaster and I took off for the weekend to finish the San Diego part of the PCT.  This would cover section B miles 109 (Warner Springs) through 152 (Hwy 74). 
We met up in Temecula to setup our car shuttle.  We drove to the Hwy 74 trailhead and left my car in the lot with an Adventure Pass.  We then drove the other car to the Warner Springs Community Resource Center parking lot.  The folks there were very nice and didn't have any problem with us leaving a car there.  We hit the trail around 11:00a.  The first part of the trail meandered through the meadows and the flowers of the "super-bloom."  Then the trail started winding its way up the canyon of Agua Caliente creek.  We met a few sections hikers heading south along this part.  Upon leaving the canyon, we hit some heat and sun.  We were grateful to take a rest at Lost Valley Spring.  The last 4 miles to our camp (CS0124) where uphill and hot.  The site only had 2 or 3 spots among some large boulders.  A thru-hiker named Mellow walked by while we were getting dinner ready and decided to hike on for more space.  Rich brought chili dogs and they were great after the 14 mile hike.  I was using Bengt's Shangri-La 2 tarp for the first time and had a interesting pitch with some uneven corners but it worked fine for the night even with the wind.
The next morning, we got some hot water going and packed up.  We were hiking around 7:30 and it was still pretty chilly since the trail was on the west side of the ridge until we got to Lost Valley Road.  We walked the road a bit to get to Mike's water tanks and filled up.  While there, we met thru-hikers Daddy Gizmo and Lacy (blog).  After getting water, we started the slog up to Combs Peak.  We considered bagging the peak but could not find a way up due to all the chaparral.  I will have to come back to day hike it. Once at the peak, we started a long downhill.  Along the way we met some scouts heading up; we didn't have the heart to tell them about the trail ahead.  We stopped for lunch and water at Tule Creek which had enough water on the surface to filter.  The next few miles were nice, undulating desert terrain.  We then hit Nance Canyon and another 4 mile slog to our camp at CS0146.  There was already one tent there and 5 more people showed up by nightfall.  It was a bit windy but a great site overall.  Dinner consisted of some of my home brew dehydrated chicken verde and borracho beans.  It tasted fine but a bit crunchy.
Sunday morning was a bit warmer that the previous one.  We made a brief stop at Welden to chat with Bill and the cache owner.  We didn't need water since we hauled 4 liters from Tule Creek.  The next few miles went fast.  The last couple were a bit uphill but we made great time and got to the car around 10:15.  From there we drove to Paradise Valley Cafe and joined other hikers on the patio for large breakfast.  We fulfilled our trail angel duties by giving Rob and Lacy a ride into Idylwild.  It seems that all hikers and skipping the section from the 74 to Idylwild even though some of it is open.
It was a great trip and can't wait for the next trip!

Start of section B

Along the trail looking south

Between a rock and hard place

Cozy tarp

Mike's water tanks

Large horned lizard

Camp at mile 144

Walden cache

Hwy 74 junction

Weekend Activities

• Hike from Cardiff to Del Mar Dog Beach
• Relaxing at home

Around the point from Dog Beach

Ocean reclaiming the land, and someone's backyard

Cuyamaca Camp

We had our first campout with the latest batch of new scouts at Paso Picacho Campground in Cuyamaca Rancho State Park.  We hadn't been to Cuyamaca in a while and it was nice to be back. Here are the highlights:

• Hike to Stonewall Peak (one of the best in San Diego County)
• Cooking
• Knots
• Navigation
• Campfire!

Atop Stonewall Peak

Tree Trunk

Winter Reading List

Books

• Boar Island by Nevada Barr - Barr's best in a while
• Yellowstone: A Journey Through America's Heart by David Quammen - a different look on Yellowstone
• Spaceships: An Illustrated History of the Real and Imagined by Ron Miller - a trip to KSC piqued my interest in space travel
• EveryDayCook by Alton Brown - I love Alton Brown but unfortunately he is not very paleo
• Listening for Coyote: A Walk Across Oregon's Wilderness by William Sullivan - great hiking log
• Countdown to Pearl Harbor: The Twelve Days to the Attack by Steve Twomey - interesting narrative and analysis of the days leading to Dec. 7
• Great Maps by Jerry Brotton - Fabulous books on historical maps

Desert Wildflowers

With Jaya back home for spring break, we took a road trip out to the desert to see the wildflowers.  We started out on the 78 to Ramona and out to Santa Ysabel.  We stopped at Trumper's for some awesome local honey. We then headed north on the 79 to the S2.  The westbound traffic was backed up for miles; must have been some sort of off-road event due to all the RV's and trailers.  We took S22 down into Borrego Springs and parked near Christmas Circle.  We got lunch and Jilberto's and checked out the Anza-Borrego Desert Natural History Association.  Based on their advice, we headed north on Borrego Springs Road, making several stops for the Galleta Meadows sculptures and the flowers.  Then we went east on Henderson Canyon Rd for more flowers and a stop at the Peg Leg Smith Monument.  From there, we headed south on S3 to hook with the 78 and into Julian.  We stopped at Grandma's Kitchen for awesome deep-dish pie and coffee.  It was amazing how much colder and wetter Julian and the foothills were than the desert.  It was perfect day especially with the entire family together.

Grape harvest

Lone saguaro

San Felipe Valley

Pinto Canyon Hike

I joined the hiking group for another desert trek into the far southeast corner of San Diego County (and into Imperial County as well).  We started at Mountain Springs right off the 8 just east of the Desert View Tower.  The storm was being stopped by the mountains but the high winds were pushing a lot of moisture east so we started hiking with our backs getting wet.  This hike almost all cross-country as we winded our way to a large wash that was our first landmark.  We hit the wash and started upstream.  There was plenty of water to soak all the palms in the canyon.  After a bit we entered a flatter area that lead into Myer's Valley.  We spotted a nice peak and decided to bag it.  As we climbed the ridge up, the winds were brutal.  It was a bit better staying below the ridgeline and we made the peak without too much effort.  After a quick lunch on top, we headed down Pinto Canyon.  Pinto Canyon had great rock formations reminiscent of Joshua Tree NP.  The goal was to find some pictographs but it was decided they would be too far so we turned around.  We followed a different wash to start the return leg but then merged with our inbound route back to car.  It was pretty cold and wet as we got near the car and the storm still looming in the mountains overhead.  Overall a great hike in a very unused area of the country.

Rainbow over Mountain Springs

Clouds in the desert

Goodie bag

Pinto Canyon

Blue sky

Rock meets palm tree

Dos Cabezas and Trifecta Challenge

We took our first trip out to Dos Cabezas after hearing about it from the HALT folks.  We drove out on Saturday morning and met up in Ocotillo.  Then we headed on the dirt road through the wind farm, then following the tracks northward.  We hit a couple dicey spots but made it to a nice camping spot.  After lunch, we hiked out the find the elusive Cave of the Blue Sun.  It was a good cross country experience except for all the cholla.  The scouts built a nice fire and we had some skits before go to be early (winter does that too you).
On the drive back home, the scouts agreed to do the A16 Trifecta Challenge.  So we took pictures in Ocotillo for the desert portion.  We then drove up to Mt. Laguna and thankfully found enough patches of snow for a snowball fight.  Lastly, we stopped at Moonlight Beach for the last leg.  Southern California is one of the few places in the world you can do this!  I was finisher #29.

Camping near the tracks

Waiting for a train!

Boulder cave

Cave of the Blue Sun

Sunrise in the Desert

Gumshoe Krebs

Brian Krebs does some great detective work trying to find who DDOS'ed his site.  A must read.

Battle of Hiking Guidebooks

The Reader has a good article on the "battle" between local hiking guidebooks.  Schad has been go-to book for over 15 years now.  I was super elated to hear that Scott Turner will writing a new edition (whose release will be like Christmas in February)!  Due to that, I didn't consider buying "Coast to Cactus" but I think I will now.  By the way, that hike picture from Florida Canyon is not my idea of good hiking.

2016 Family Reunion Cruise

We had our somewhat regular family reunion event the week between Christmas and New Year.  This was another Carnival cruise but leaving from Port Canaveral.  Also, my side of the family crashed it so had lots of people on the boat!
After leaving port, we had a day as sea.  It was quite rough going but I didn't get sick like some.  The first port was Grand Turk.  Grand Turk is a tiny island that is basically a big beach.  We didn't do an excursion but hiked around.  We found some cool shells but the boat didn't let us bring them on board.
The second port was in the Dominican Republic.  We had an excursion planning at the waterfalls of Damajagua with Iguana Mama.  It was awesome.  We hiked a few miles into the jungle and then followed the river jumping down cliffs and sliding down waterfalls.  Highly recommended.
The next day we spent getting back to port.  Overall, it was fun but the amenities like food and the entertainment seemed a notch below previous cruises.
After departing, we hit Kennedy Space Center which was great.  I am not a big space fanatic but loved the older rockets like the Saturn V.
Lastly, we drove up to Blue Springs State Park to see manatees.  They spend the winter there due to the warmer waters.  It was pretty interesting and well worth the drive.

Blue Springs State Park

Business End of a Saturn V at Kennedy Space Center

Kennedy Space Center

Grand Turk and John Glenn

No Loafing!

Hiking on Grand Turk

Columbus Was Here

Dominican Republic

End of the Line at Grand Turk

Docked at Grand Turk

The Docks

Clan Takes Over Deck 5

Books

• I Wanna Go Back: Stories of the Philmont Rangers by Warren Smith
• The Family Romanov by Candace Fleming
• Syria: A History of the Last Hundred Years by John McHugo
• A Kingdom Strange: The Brief and Tragic History of the Lost Colony of Roanoke by James Horn
• The Last Stand: Custer, Sitting Bull and the Battle of Little Bighorn by Nathanial Philbrick
• Shattered Air: A True Account of Catastrophe and Courage on Yosemite's Half Dome by Bob Madgic
• The Romanovs: 1613 - 1918 by Simon Sebag Montefiore
• Empires of the Sea: The Siege of Malta, the Battle of Lepanto, and the Contest for the Center of the World by Roger Crowley

Laguna Snow Hike

Due to a busy month, we day hike planned rather than an overnight.  So we headed up to Mt. Laguna.  We got lucky and it happened to be the day after they got some snow.  Not much, only 1-3 inches, but it was enough to brake our long troop snow-less streak.  The hike started at Burnt Rancheria, headed north on th PCT then back down along Los Huecos road.  When we arrived, the air temp was 25 and we finished, it was 38 but everyone was well dressed and did great.  We also stopped in at the legendary Laguna Mountain Sports and Supply.

Colorado River Trek

We had our bi-annual Colorado River canoe trek this past weekend.  We did the Reverse Needles Topok Gorge itinerary in order to make the return drive a little earlier in the day.  I got to Park Moabi before everyone else and grabbed a spot.  The campground was much more crowded than last time, maybe work is getting out about Veterans Day canoeing.  The float through the gorge was awesome.  We made a stop this time at the sand dunes which was very cool.  We also found some caves near Castle Rock that we could canoe into.  After the drive back to camp, we had a great burger and corncob dinner.
The Sunday float out of Needles was fun but a bit tedious.  It was nice to finish early and get back home in time for dinner though.

Birthday Weekend

• Great dinner at Tripel in Playa Del Rey with parents and the family (including Jaya).
• Mark's group went on the Agua Tibia loop.  It was a brutal 24 mile, 4500 foot gain slog.  Great views were had from the top ridge but the price was high.  A couple of us tried to get to Eagle Crag but could not the way up from the trail as it was super steep.