The Vagabond Hiker

Hiking, trekking, and climbing the world

Day Hiking San Diego County: West to East

Although San Diego County in southern California is no longer as extensive as it once was, having ceded territory to the surrounding counties, at some 4500 square miles in area it offers an amazing diversity of day hikes in an area larger than the states of Rhode Island and Delaware combined. For four weeks I rented an Airbnb, a former ranch hand’s cabin, in Dehesa Canyon just below the town of Alpine and about 30-40 minutes’ drive east of the city of San Diego. It proved a great location to experience some of the diversity the county offered, as I hope I captured in this “West to East” blog post. A map of the ecological regions of San Diego County may be found here.

Coastal Hikes and Walks

Pacific Ocean Trail vista at Torrey Pines State Reserve. A few minutes north of San Diego, the reserve is wildly popular with urbanites, and for good reason.
A Beach Suncup at Torrey Pines
Torrey Pine Grove. The rarest pine in the US, Torrey Pines are confined to the reserve, the coastal town of Del Mar to the North, and a couple of the Channel Islands off of Santa Barbara.
An impressive Dragon Tree at San Diego Botanic Garden. While the botanic garden was hardly a hike, virtually all the exhibits were outdoors among meandering paths, making for a very pleasant walk.
Turtles sunning at the botanic garden
My brother Clifford swallowed by a Yucca at an the botanic garden
View along the La Jolla promenade. My brother and I enjoyed a tasty vegan lunch on a roof-top deck in La Jolla, just to the north of San Diego.

Valley Hikes

A view of Mission Dam at Mission Trails Regional Park. About 15 minutes East of the city, it features miles of trails for all ability levels. Even mid-week it is a popular destination for the urban masses.
Trailhead view of El Cajon Mountain. This was the hardest hike I did in San Diego County.
The South Slope ascent route on El Cajon Mountain is from the lower left here
Ceanothus in bloom on El Cajon
Clifftop lunch view to the Southwest on El Cajon with the Pacific Ocean in the distant haze. After a 1900 ft vertical scramble in 1 mile, I didn’t feel like the easy (though overgrown) 2 mile walk to the actual summit.

Foothills Hikes

My front garden at the Dehesa Canyon Airbnb. This serene environment was a former cattle ranch, centrally located for all the County had to offer.
View during my ascent of Viejas Mountain in Alpine California. The swish town of Alpine was about 15 minutes from my cabin.
Summit 360 degree panorama on Viejas Mountain
Descanso Cliffs, a fun scramble nearby
Lawson Peak summit block. Most of the hike was a boring one on a disused fire road, but the summit block scramble definitely added some spice!
A view down Hollenbeck Canyon at the eponymous Hollenbeck State Reserve, a popular spot for weekend mountain bikers, dog walkers, and hikers
Pine Creek Wilderness water hole. This small wilderness area is close to the Mexican border, and there were signs of migrants along one of the trails.

Mountain Hikes

A mountain meadow along the Sweetwater Loop trail I hiked at Cuyamaca Rancho State Park. I did three different hikes at this State Park, about 30 minutes from my Airbnb.
Evidence of Acorn Woodpeckers at Cuyamaca Rancho SP
Clifford reaching the summit of Stonewall Peak, Cuyamaca Rancho SP
Stonewall Peak summit vista to the North
Laguna Meadows Loop vista, Laguna Mountain

Desert Hikes

Anza Borrego Desert State Park (ABDSP). View towards the isolated community of Borrego Springs from Hellhole Canyon. Returning to this state park after 15 years was the main reason I stayed in the San Diego area.
Clifford under California Fan Palms in Hellhole Canyon. Longtime followers will know that the California Fan Palm, the only palm native to California, is one of my favorites.
Maidenhair ferns in Hellhole Canyon. Ferns in the desert do seem oxymoronic to me.
Borrego Springs view from the California Riding and Hiking Trail on the loop return from Hellhole Canyon
Whiteflower Currant bush from the CRH Trail, ABDSP. Not much was in bloom this early in the year.
The North Grove on the Mountain Palm Springs Loop hike, ABDSP
Filtered sunlight in the North Grove, ABDSP
An Ocotillo in bloom, ABDSP
An Elephant tree (Bursera microphylla) at Torote Bowl, ABDSP. Torote is the Spanish name for the tree. There were about a dozen specimens of this signature plant of the Sonoran Desert scattered around this bowl. A good article on this amazing tree can be found here.
Elephant tree leaf detail. The tiny leaves give rise to its species name, microphylla.
The Vagabond Hiker under an Elephant Tree at Torote Bowl
A Smoke Tree in the Coyote Mountains Wilderness. Clifford and I hiked the “Domelands Loop” in this arid landscape administered by the Bureau of Land Management.
Clifford climbing out of a canyon in the Coyote Mountains
Coyote Mountains Wilderness view of the Carrizo Badlands. An Ocotillo is on the right.
A Ghost Plant (Graptopetalum paraguayense), Coyote Mountains Wilderness
Slots with wind caves, Coyote Mountains Wilderness. Hiking through some of the slot canyons in this maze was a highlight of the day.

I have relocated a few hours northeast to the town of Twenty-nine Palms California for the next 6 weeks. Just to the East of the tourist mecca of Joshua Tree, 29 Palms is an ideal base for hiking in Joshua Tree National Park and the southern portion of the Mojave Reserve, the theme of my next blog post.

Until then, enjoy the great outdoors wherever you are,

The Vagabond Hiker

Chiricahua Mountains and beyond: Southern Arizona and New Mexico

My chosen home from mid December to mid January was an AirBnb guest house on a working ranch in Southwest New Mexico. The remote ranch was about three hours’ drive from Tucson, the nearest city. The most remote AirBnb I’ve stayed at yet, the ranch was more than an hour from any supermarket. However, it was conveniently located for hiking the Chiricahua Mountains of Southeast Arizona, only a half hour from the Cave Creek entrance in Portal Arizona.

Apart from trails emanating from Cave Creek (a popular birder’s destination), many other great hikes abounded, though most were 80 or so miles distant (considered a short drive in these remote areas). I hiked quite a few and collected some of my photos of this disparate landscape for this blog. Enjoy!

Tonto National Monument, Arizona. Salado Cliff Dwellings (ca. 1300-1450 CE) are on the left in this photo. I stopped here on the morning of the second day driving from St George Utah.
View of Saguaro cacti and Roosevelt Lake from the Tonto National Monument trail to the Cliff Dwellings
The Cienega Ranch Guest House where I stayed for a month (AirBnb photo)
Morning alpenglow on the Chiricahuas from my veranda at Cienega Ranch
A rock face along Cave Creek in the Chiricahua Mountains. Cave Creek, on the east side, was the most convenient access point for me and boasted a wide variety of hikes from easy half day hikes to strenuous backpacks.
A Cholla cactus in bloom on the Silver Peak trail. While not the highest, Silver Peak was the nearest Chiricahua Mountains peak from my AirBnb and had a well-maintained trail.
Rock formations on the Silver Peak trail
Summit vista Northwest from Silver Peak. The twin peaks in the center distance are the Dos Cabezas, spearated from the Chiricahuas by the Apache Pass.
Rock formation on the Silver Peak trail
Morning sunlight on the South Forks to Burro Trail loop hike (this portion was an off trail exploratory I added) above Cave Creek
A waterfall on a side canyon feeding into Cave Creek, Chiricahua Mountains
Chiricahua Mountain view from the Herb Martyr-Snowshed loop hike I did in January above Cave Creek.
Snow on Finnicum and Sentinel Peaks of the Chiricahua Mountains on the January loop hike. Snow finally arrived at elevations of 6000 to 7000 ft around the New Year.
Hoodoos on the Big Loop Trail, Chiricahua National Monument. While the Monument, located in the Northwest portion of the Chiricahuas, encompasses only a fraction of the mountains, the rock formations are arguably the most dramatic.
Big Balancing Rock, Chiricahua National Monument: 22 feet in diameter and weighing about 1000 tons
Pinnacle Balancing Rock, Chiricahua National Monument. Not quite as large, but every bit as impressive as Big Balancing Rock.
The approach to Granite Peak, Peloncillo Mountains. Although not particularly high, it was the nearest mountain to my AirBnb, only a few miles north. This is the approach view from near the road head.
Granite Peak south slopes. This photo was taken from my earlier recon hike when I circumambulated the Peak, and highlights class 3 scrambling of the summit block
A gnarled old juniper on the summit block of Granite Peak
View Northeast from the summit of Granite Peak
Fort Bowie Arizona National Historic Site. The fort protected the wagon route between El Paso and Tucson before the railroad was built. View of some building ruins and Helen’s Dome, which I never did get a chance to climb.
Jacks Peak home site, high in the southern portion of the Gila Mountains, New Mexico. This hike was about an hour Northeast of my AirBnb.
Blackwater Hole, Bunk Robinson Wilderness, New Mexico. Deep in the ‘heel’ of New Mexico, this canyon was the definition of remote.
The only other people I say in Blackwater Hole were two mounted border patrol agents that had apprehended several migrants. Mexico was a long day’s walk to the South from here.
To end this blog on a more positive note, I saw this rainbow above the Chiricahua mountains from my veranda one morning before a storm arrived.

I am currently spending a month in Alpine California, a community in the foothills east of San Diego, with my brother Clifford visiting me and joining me on a wide variety of hikes which I will share with you in my next blog. Until then, enjoy the outdoors wherever you happen to be.

The Vagabond Hiker

Culture, caminatas, and climbs in Ecuador

Nearly six years ago I returned from Ecuador with some unfinished business high in the Andes. Recently I attempted to address this situation by climbing two of Ecuador’s three highest peaks: Volcáns Cayambe and Cotopaxi. Read on to see how I did as well as some of the other highlights from this amazing country. This blog is arranged thematically rather than chronologically.

Culture

Our group of 5 Mountain Madness clients began the acclimatization process with a tour of the historic center of Quito and up to the Mirador del Panecillo. Certainly, staying the first three nights at the Hacienda Rumilomo above Quito assisted us as well.

The Mirador del Panecillo Virgin overlooking northern Quito. Panecillo means roll or muffin, and describes the shape of the hill on which the monument stands.
Vista of Quito, the capital and 2nd largest city in Ecuador from the Mirador del Panecillo. At about 2850m (9350 ft), Quito is the 2nd highest capital in the world.
Hacienda Rumilomo (stock photo). We were here a total of five nights over three separate stays at this fantastic hacienda, beyond the hustle and bustle of Quito. (Though, to be honest, a rooster crowing at all hours of the night made sleep a challenge at times). Importantly for acclimatization, it also stands 400m (1300 ft) higher than the city.
My bedroom in the Montana suite at Hacienda Rumilomo
Relaxing in my sitting room at the Hacienda Rumilomo

I returned to Quito for three days at the conclusion of the climbing for some more culture. . .

View west from my balcony at the Ikala Quito Hotel. A stylish in-town option in La Mariscal at a fraction of the cost of Rumilomo, the Ikala was my home for three nights last week after the climbing.
Pre-Colombian ceramics at the Museo Nacional del Ecuador. I used a stock photo here as flash photography was not permitted and the lighting made it impossible to photograph otherwise. With the lack of background information on the cultures and no placards in English, the visit was a bit frustrating. But free entry and the amazing sculptures from La Tolita – Tumaco cultures (600 – 300 BCE in coastal Ecuador and Colombia) made the visit a worthwhile way to spend a couple of hours.
The historic Hacienda Pinsaqui. Simón Bolívar planned the battle of Ibarra from here in July 1823, the only military action directed personally by Bolívar in Ecuadorian territory. We spent a night here after visiting the famous market in Otavalo, north of Quito and near Volcán Cayambe.
Traditional Andean music at the bar in Hacienda Pensaqui

Caminatas

While sightseeing and sleeping in Quito helped, caminatas (“hikes” in Spanish) were the best way to acclimatize for our subsequent climbs in the Andes. Because of poor weather and our time constraints, we completed only two of three planned acclimatization hikes, one to the summit of Rucu Pichincha high above Quito, and the second a short hike up towards a glacier on Volcán Cayambe.

Ossy explaining the Rucu Pichincha hike. We took the teleferico (cable car) to 3945m (12,940 ft) to start the climb to 4700m (about 15,400 ft). Oswaldo, a very experienced high altitude mountaineering guide, is the director of mountaineering in Ecuador for Mountain Madness.
Chuquiraga (Chuquiraga jussieui), the flower of the Andes, on Rucu Pichincha
A traverse on the hike to the summit of Rucu Pichincha. The weather became increasingly overcast and rainy as the day progressed.
The misty scramble up the Rucu Pichincha summit block. I’m in the orange helmet at the back here. (Helmets were worn to protect against rock fall). Our guides took scads of photos which they shared with the clients. I have borrowed liberally from them for this blog post.
A Caracara on the summit of Rucu Pichincha. According to the Cornell Lab of Ornithology: “the Crested Caracara looks like a hawk with its sharp beak and talons, behaves like a vulture, and is technically a large tropical black-and-white falcon.”
A feral canid surveys its surroundings near the Refugio San Gabriel. Brand new and at a far lower elevation than the trailhead, this refuge was an ideal place to stay before our final acclimatization hike on the lower slopes of Cayambe the following day.
The road between Refugio San Gabriel and the Cayambe trailhead at upper refuge (4600m, 15100 ft.) was a challenge after all the rain.
Our group descending during the Cayambe acclimatization hike. I’m in the orange hard shell on the left. Poor weather and the late hour kept us from reaching our objective of the glacier at 5100m.

My final caminata was after climbing Cayambe and Cotopaxi, but for want of a better place, I insert it here.

Bamboo loggers, Mindo Cloud Forest. Bamboo (an exotic invasive) was planted a few decades previously for use in construction. I had never visited a cloud forest before, and hired a private guide for what turned out to be a 13 hour day trip from Quito.
Río Pachijal, seen here on our hike
At Cascada Tatala, the objective of the hike. Apart from the bamboo harvesters, we saw no one else the whole time.
Plate-billed mountain toucan (Tucan Andino). My guide and I spent an hour bird watching at a finca (farm) before the cloud forest hike. At dawn with a 1″ sensor, this photo was as good as I could get. We then spent an hour at another finca enjoying a tour and tasting from the fruit trees. A variety of jack fruit was my favorite, but the flesh of a cacao was tasty too and a mandarin orange sublime.

Climbs

Of course the main reason I traveled to Ecuador was to climb, the focus of the rest of this blog.

Volcán Cayambe from the Refugio San Gabriel two days prior to the climb. At 4790m (19,000 ft), Cayambe is the 3rd highest peak in Ecuador. Its South slope (4690m) is the highest point in the world crossed by the Equator.
My rope mate, Todd, and I resting before final Cayambe summit push. We started at 12:30 AM for what turned out to be a nearly 6.5 hour climb.
Some of the rest of our group arriving on the summit at sunrise. Each rope consisted of 1-2 clients plus a guide.
Our leader and my rope guide, Pablo, brought his drone to the summit to capture some video. After processing, this was the result. I’m seated here, hydrating and fueling up after the challenging (for me) ascent.
Summit vista with Antisana, Cotopaxi and Chimborazo far in the distance. Together with Cayambe, they comprise the four highest mountains in Ecuador.
Me leading the Cayambe descent with Todd following, over some easy terrain. For safety, the guide anchors rather that leads the descent.
Another photo with Todd descending Cayambe
Glacier near the upper Cayambe refuge. It has retreated hundreds of meters over the past couple of decades and its broken nature make it no longer suitable for climbing school.
With other clients at Chilcabamba lodge, following the successful ascent of Cayambe. The lodge was quite comfortable and in an ideal location for many hikes and climbs around both Cotopaxi and Pasaohoa Parks. Highly recommended and less than a 2 hour drive from Quito.
Nele drying her mountaineering boots. She was a definite positive addition to our otherwise all male group of clients.
Volcán Cotopaxi (at 5897m (19,347 ft) the 2nd highest mountain in Ecuador) from Chilcabamba lodge prior to our summit attempt. A very aesthetic peak, here it looks somewhat benign. . .
Cotopaxi’s Jose Ribas Hut. Despite its spectacular location and ideal starting point for the climb, not a very pleasant experience.
Seracs on Volcán Cotopaxi, an additional hazard on summit day. The main issue, though, was the 30-60 cm (1-2 ft) of new snow at higher elevations, creating hazardous avalanche conditions.
Cotopaxi climbers near dawn. I’m at the far right. Todd and I, with Pancho guiding, started at around 12:30 AM. These alpine starts got tiring!
I turned around at 5600m (18,370 ft), and the rest of the group after another hundred meters due to the extreme avalanche hazard.
The Vagabond Hiker taking a photo from below Jose Ribas Hut on Volcán Cotopaxi after the failed summit attempt
Volcán Chimborazo. Chimbo was our group’s ultimate objective, but we did not attempt it due to snowfall creating unacceptable avalanche hazards during our trip. Apart from yours truly, who returned to Quito and the Mindo Cloud Forest, the remainder of the group split, two climbing Cotopaxi successfully three days later and the others summitting the more technical (i.e. steep) but far lower, Illiniza Sur. (I wish this were my photo, but in fact one of the guides took this great shot).

Writing this blog from my base in St. George Utah, I’m preparing for my winter road trip through the desert Southwest. First stop for four weeks will be southern New Mexico, near the Arizona border and the Chiricahua Mountains. Stay tuned. . .

The Vagabond Hiker

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