Misc

Misc
-2011 Highlights and Photos-
01.05.12 | Permalink | Comment?

I did not get outside in 2011 as many times as 2010 but I still had quite a few great hikes. I was able to visit Death Valley for the first time as well as the Sierra twice. I visited the San Gorgonio area twice during Calendar winter with one summit. I took quite a few trips to Anza Borrego and visited Canyon Sin Nombre for the first time.

Unfortunately I did not summit a 14er this year, this will be a goal for next year. The highest elevation reached in 2011 was Trail Peak 11,605 ft.

Mt. San Jacinto
Anza Borrego, Misc, Trip Reports
-Valley of the Moon-
11.21.11 | Permalink | Comment?

Date Hiked: 11-5-2011

Trip Report:
Valley of the Moon is one of the premier rock climbing destinations in southern California. There are plenty of established routes and it is never crowded, it is also a great place to hike and explore. This area contains the point at which San Diego county, Imperial county and Mexico meet.

Valley of the Moon

Photo by Bruce
Misc, Weather
-Momyer Fire-
05.10.11 | Permalink | 1 Comment

5/17 Update: Vivian Creek Trailhead is now open, Momyer is still closed

This fire started on May 8th around 10:30AM and has burned over 150 acres. There are currently over 300 fire personal assigned to this fire. This fire has prompted the closure of both the Momyer and the Vivian Creek Trails. I had planned on hiking Dobbs and Jepson peaks from Vivian this weekend but I guess I will have to make other plans.

Momyer Fire Map

Image Courtesy of https://inciweb.nwcg.gov/ftp/InciWeb/CABDF/2011-05-09-13:31-momyer/picts/pict-20110511-195033-0.jpeg
Misc, Weather
-Mt. Laguna Snow-
01.08.11 | Permalink | 2 Comments

This past weekend the San Diego mountains finally got snow. I took a drive over Sunrise highway to see the snow. It only took 45 min to get to Sunrise highway from San Diego. The snow started around 5,000 ft and got heavier the higher I drove. The roads were not too bad and were mostly clear all the way to Julian. The snow stopped about 5 miles north of the Mt. Laguna store. I could see Anza Borrego through the clouds the few places along I road where I stopped. Here are a few of the photos from the drive.

Consistent Snow Along The Highway
Misc
-2010 Hiking Highlights and Photos-
12.28.10 | Permalink | Comment?

It has been a busy year filled with new and old peaks and places. I was fortunate to visit the Sierra 3 times (although the first time was at the expense of a transmission). I climbed the Baldy bowl for the first time. I also visited many new places throughout southern California. The focus for 2011 will be the Desert Divide and San Jacinto mountains area. I also hope to hike the remainder of the San Diego county HPS peaks I have not yet hiked.

White Benchmark
Misc, Weather
-Weather Update, Lunar Eclipse, Etc.-
12.19.10 | Permalink | Comment?

The NWS is forecasting a series of storms moving through California over the next week. In the Sierra they have posted a winter storm warning for areas above 7000 feet. They are forecasting between 5 and 10 feet of snow could fall over the next week. In southern California the snow level is expected to remain above 9000 feet. This means only a few areas will see any snow fall and any snow which remains below this level will likely melt.

San Gorgonio and San Jacinto December
Misc, Trip Reports
-Blue Angels Peak, Valley of the Moon-
11.26.10 | Permalink | Comment?

Imperial County HP

Elevation: 4,548 ft.

Date Hiked: 11-26-2010

Trip Report:
Blue Angels Peak is the Imperial County High Point, located just north of the Mexican border and just east of the San Diego county border. This peak is also located next to one of the best bouldering areas near San Diego, Valley of the Moon. We decided to park in the Valley of the Moon and Hike to the peak. This way we could also explore the valley when we got back.

Blue Angels Peak
Misc
-Aerial Photos-
08.20.10 | Permalink | Comment?

On the flight from San Diego to Denver I had a window seat and was able to take some photos of the mountains around southern California. I could recognize most of the prominent peaks and some of the less prominent ones. It was amazing to see the mountains I have hiked from this vantage point.

San Diego Bay to Cuyamaca Peak
Misc, Sierra Nevada
-Sierra Photo Drive-
05.02.10 | Permalink | Comment?

I made a drive to the southern Sierra for the second time in a week. I had to pick up my car which was in the shop getting a new transmission. Last Friday on my way to Onion Valley campground I hit/was hit by a rock and terminated my transmission. A week later I had a new one and needed to make the 300 mile drive to pick up the car. I though this would be a good opportunity to take some photos of the southern Sierra and post them.

Most of the couloirs I saw had lots of snow. The east side of the range had snow above about 8-9,000 ft. The snow in the Inyo Mountains had mostly melted.

The Beginning of the Owens Valley
Misc, Sierra Nevada, Trip Reports
-Sierra Trip-
05.26.09 | Permalink | Comment?

Although there was no peakbagging (except all 3 Inyo Crators which are not exactly peaks) this was a great trip for photography. We left on the 19th and got back to San Diego on the 25th. During this time we were able to hike all over Yosemite, Mono Lake, Convict Lake and June Lake. Below are some photos from the trip:

Laurel Mountain