Hike Descanso trail to Oswit overlook. Cool and overcast with low clouds. 2.8 miles taking 1 hour 3 minutes.
Hike South Lykken trail through from Oswit Canyon to Mesquite Ave. 4.3 miles trailhead to trailhead taking 1 hour 39 minutes.
Hike Garstin lollipop. Beautiful bright clear day. 3.1 miles taking 1 hour 14 minutes.
Hike Shannon to Smoketree Pt. Flood control is dumping boulders along the dike. 2.9 miles taking 1 hour 10 minutes.
Hike north Lykken lollipop. No trash but one new graffiti. 2.9 miles taking 1 hour 14 minutes.
Hike the south Lykken trail and Oswit Canyon to first crossing. 2.7 miles taking 1 hour 4 minutes.
Hike Garstin lollipop. Overcast. 3.1 miles taking 1 hour 15 minutes.
Hike middle Lykken with Wen. Cool and windy. 3.4 miles taking 1 hour 35 minutes.
Hike Araby to Wildhorse junction then back on Garstin and Berns. 5.2 miles taking 1 hour 51 minutes.
Hike Shannon to Smoketree Mtn. More people on the trail than usual as it's the day before Thanksgiving.
Hike Oswit Canyon to second stream crossing. Very pretty day after early morning rain. Someone placed about 100 trail ducks along the route. They're all gone now.
Hike to Rosa Pt and Pyramid Peak with Steve, Fredrik, and Jan. Hard hike for me. I had difficulty on the uphill and opted to not do Mile High Peak with the others. Hiked out well after dark after watching sunset from Pyramid Peak. I think i'm too old for these all day cross-country desert hikes but glad i finally made it to Rosa Pt. 13.2 miles.
Hike Palm Canyon, Vandeventer, Wentworth Canyon loop. 5.8 miles taking taking 2 hours 5 minutes. Nice cool clear day.
Hike middle Lykken trail from Mesquite.
City loop taking 46 minutes.
Hike Palm Canyon, Dry Wash, Vandeventer loop. 7.1 miles taking taking 2 hours 38 minutes.
Hike Shannon to Smoketree Mtn.
Hike Garstin lollipop. Five horses on the trail.
City loop taking 1 hour 5 minutes.
Hike north Lykken trail.
Hike Shannon to Smoketree Mtn.
Hike the south Lykken trail.
Hike Murray Hill going up via Thielemann trail and out via Rimrocks. Only saw a few people on trail and had the peak to myself. 1 hour 20 minutes hike time up and 1 hour 10 minutes hike time down. 2 hours 38 minutes total overall time. A bit warm by end of hike with temp almost 90°.
Hike middle Lykken trail from Mesquite. (Note the track only maps the hike up but stats updated to show total round-trip distance and time.)
Hike West Fork Palm Canyon to the Pelton trail stream crossing. Surprised to find the creek completely dry. (Note the track only maps the hike down but stats updated to show total round-trip distance and time.)
Hike Araby trail. Overcast after a bit of light early morning rain.
Hike Garstin lollipop.
Hike Shannon to Smoketree Mtn.
Hike Devil's Slide trail to Tahquitz Peak with Eddie. I wasn't officially on-duty but nice to visit with Jon and Anabel. And Eddie had a good time too.
Hike north Lykken trail.
Canyon loop taking 1 hour.
Hike South Ridge to Tahquitz Peak. Nice fall day. 8 visitors.
Hike Shannon lollipop. Nice day.
Hike the south Lykken trail plus Oswit Canyon to first stream crossing.
City loop taking 1 hour 5 minutes.
Hike Garstin lollipop. Another pretty day.
Hike middle Lykken from Mesquite. Temp about 75°. Just about perfect for a short desert hike.
Hike Shannon trail to Smoketree point.
Canyon/city loop taking 1 hour 13 minutes.
Wednesday: Depart house 8:30a, 29050 odo. Stop at Truckhaven and Ella Wash sites. No campers at Pegleg monument. Sardines for lunch at Christmas Circle. Park has free wifi. Can see Tahquitz Peak from S3 (Yaqui Well road) from south of Borrego Springs! San Felipe canyon road being repaved. Turn around at Cañon Sin Nombre overlook. Can not see Tahquitz nor San Jacinto but confirmed can see Toro Peak. Take a break on Egg Mtn. Bow Willow appears to be vacant looking over from Egg. Arrive Carrizo Valley site, 2pm, 95°, 150 miles. Nice quiet afternoon. Very light intermittent breeze. No traffic on road by camp. No border patrol activity. Sunset behind ridge north of gorge at 5:25p. Beanee Weenees for dinner. Calm evening.
Thursday: Quiet night, sleep well. Canopus visible before sunrise. 72° overnight low. A park ranger stops by to say hello in the morning. Depart camp 10:20a. Drive back to north park. Lunch at Los Jilbertos. Drive up to visitor center to see if i could refill my water jug but it’s closed. Use wifi at library. Beer, ice, and a gallon of water at Center Market. Arrive Coyote Canyon site 2:15p, 98°, 63 miles. Clouds build up over the mtns in afternoon. Looks like might be raining to the south. Sunset 5:56p, 92°. Canned corn and crackers for dinner. Tecate isn’t very good beer. Floodlights at BS park go off at 8:30p. Much darker now.
Friday: Some light wind during the night. 80° overnight low. A coyote walks by camp just before sunrise. Depart camp at 8a. Gas $2.39 at Red Earth. Arrive home 10:20a. 87 miles today, 300 miles trip total.
Hike Shannon trail to Smoketree mtn. Place reflector on Smoketree pt.
City/canyon loop taking 1 hour 32 minutes.
Hike Shannon trail to Smoketree point.
Hike Oswit Canyon to the second stream crossing. A bit of very light rain falling for a short time.
City/canyon loop taking 1 hour 26 minutes.
Hike Palm Canyon Victor trail loop. Only 2.76 miles but nice to be hiking in the canyons again after the summer.
Hike Garstin/Thielemann loop with Tom and Denise Blotter.
Hike middle Lykken from Mesquite.
Hike Araby trail.
Canyon/city loop taking 1 hour 33 minutes.
Hike the south Lykken trail. Warm and a bit humid.
Worked morning shift at tower with Jon.
Hike the Black Mtn trail from hwy 243 to Black Mtn tower. Steep trail but interesting area. The hike back down in early afternoon was warm with an overabundance of gnats. Quiet morning in tower with only 2 visitors right as i was going out of service. 1 hour 50 minutes hike time up, 1 hour 30 minutes hike time down.
City loop taking 1 hour 9 minutes.
Hike north Lykken from Ramon. Carried out a full bag of trash plus an old t-shirt. Ugh.
Hike Garstin lollipop. Pretty warm. Temp almost 100° at end of hike.
Hike the south Lykken trail.
Hike Shannon lollipop. Pretty warm.
City loop taking 1 hour 10 minutes. Only one ride for August.
Hike South Ridge to Tahquitz Peak.
Warm early morning hike up middle Lykken from Mesquite.
Hike Marion Mtn trail to Bed Spring crossing and back. I forgot how steep this trail is. Damn. Nice water at the spring.
Hike South Ridge to Tahquitz Peak.
Hike Garstin lollipop.
Early morning hike up the south Lykken.
Hike Devil's Slide to Tahquitz Peak. 70 visitors.
Hike South Ridge to Tahquitz Peak. 10 visitors.
Early morning hike up Shannon trail to Smoketree Mtn.
Hike Devil's Slide to Tahquitz Peak for lumber haul. Meet up with Joe at Saddle Junction and carry 5 2x6 boards up to the tower. Patti and Patty on-duty.
Canyon loop taking 56 minutes. Haboob weather.
Early morning hike up the south Lykken.
Hike to Suicide Rock with Wen via Deer Springs trail. Very warm with lots of gnats. But otherwise a good hike.
Canyon loop taking 1 hour. Another muggy day.
City loop taking 56 minutes. Muggy day.
Hike South Ridge to Tahquitz Peak so Gene and Greta could depart early. 31 visitors.
Early morning hike up Araby trail. Pretty warm.
Warm early morning hike up middle Lykken from Mesquite.
Hike Fuller Ridge to Castle Rocks. Haven't hiked this trail in a few years.
Hike early morning Garstin lollipop.
Hike Devil's Slide to Tahquitz Peak with Wen. Just up for a visit and not on duty. Wen's first time at the tower.
City/canyon loop taking 1 hour 28 minutes.
Hike Shannon trail to Smoketree Point. A bit warm.
Hike south Lykken.
Fourth of July hike up South Ridge to Tahquitz Peak fire lookout. Morning with Jon and afternoon with Gene and Greta. Fairly quiet in tower for a holiday.
City loop taking 1 hour 8 minutes.
Hike tramway High Trail (CW) loop taking 1 hour 12 minutes.
Hike Devil's Slide to Tahquitz Peak fire lookout. Work half day with Jon.
Hike South Ridge to Tahquitz Peak fire lookout. 19 visitors. 1009 total visitors so far this season.
Hike south Lykken.
Hike Devil's Slide trail to Tahquitz Peak fire lookout. Up via the regular PCT route and down via Tahquitz Valley loop.
Hike tramway to San Jacinto. 2 hours 4 minutes to summit hut.
City/canyon loop taking 1 hour 12 minutes.
Hike Garstin lollipop.
Hike South Ridge to Tahquitz Peak fire lookout. Busy day with 101 visitors.
Hike tramway High Trail (CCW) loop.
Hike tramway to Round Valley. Buy new summer pass.
City loop taking 55 minutes.
Trail work on Long Valley loop trail with Park Champions group.
Hike Devil's Slide to Tahquitz Peak fire lookout. Quiet day with only 3 visitors.
Canyon/city loop taking 1 hour 26 minutes.
Hike South Ridge to Tahquitz Peak fire lookout. First time in tower for the season. Moderately busy day with 92 visitors.
Canyon loop taking 1 hour 4 minutes.
Hike north Lykken from Ramon.
Hike Palm Canyon, Vandeventer, Drywash loop taking 2 hours 40 minutes. Saw no one out of the main canyon.
Hike Oswit Canyon.
Canyon loop taking 1 hour 10 minutes.
San Gabriel/Alhambra loop (Las Tunas, Garfield, Fair Oaks, California Blvd) taking 54 minutes.
San Gabriel/Arcadia loop (San Gabriel Blvd, Sierra Madre, Santa Anita, Huntington, Rosemead Blvd) taking 58 minutes.
Hike Araby trail. No other cars at trailhead and no other hikers on trail.
Hike Garstin/Thielemann loop.
City/canyon loop taking 1 hour 28 minutes.
Hike south Lykken. Take photos for Oswit.
Hike south Lykken. Warm.
Hike Shannon trail.
Canyon loop taking 1 hour 11 minutes.
City loop taking 1 hour 18 minutes.
Hike middle Lykken.
Hike Hellhole Canyon in Anza-Borrego.
Borrego Valley loop taking 1 hour 28 minutes.
City/canyon loop taking 1 hour 34 minutes.
Hike Oswit Canyon with Save Oswit Canyon group.
Hike Palm Canyon, Dry Wash, Vandeventer loop taking 2 hours 40 minutes.
Hike Oswit Canyon to survey markers.
Hike south Lykken. Very windy, cool, with a bit of light rain sprinkles.
Hike Garstin lollipop. Wildflowers all gone except for some poppies.
Hike Oswit Canyon to the boulder. Breaks my heart to think this canyon may be developed someday.
Hike Shannon trail.
Air show at March Field in Moreno Valley.
Breezy city/canyon loop taking 1 hour 30 minutes.
Hike middle Lykken.
Hike south Lykken. Only about 5 cars at trailhead instead of the 20+ that have been there recently.
Hike Garstin lollipop. Still a few wildflowers.
Hike Araby trail my Araby Hope geocache (GC9FD). Moved the old cache container back to original location and removed the new container. Cool and breezy with trace of rain. Quite a change from yesterday.
Hike north Lykken from Ramon. Cleaned up some chalk markings and carried out a bag of trash including someone's poopy underwear. Warm 92°.
Sunday: Depart house 9:15a. Gas $2.49 at Red Earth. Lots of off-roaders getting gas for drive home. Drive Ella Wash, Palo Verde Wash, Cut Across Trail, San Felipe Wash to Texas Dip. Visit Kevin Key at his campsite just north of the dip. Nice spot. Might use myself someday. Drive to south park and have sardines for lunch on Egg Mtn. Four sites occupied at Bow Willow. Arrive Carrizo Valley site 2:10p, 90°, light breeze. Last time camping here was just under one year ago. Two Border Patrol agents ride up road on quads in late afternoon. No military aircraft nor helicopter activity. Very nice afternoon at my favorite place. Sunset 6:06p, 85°. Canned chicken chili for dinner. Surprised to see a gecko after dark. How do geckos survive here all summer? Calm quiet evening. In bed around 9p.
Monday: Up at 3a to find comet 252P/LINEAR in Ophiuchus. Easy to find in 10x32 binoculars and even visible naked eye! Sunrise 6:26a, 64° overnight low. Depart camp 8:20a and drive up north fork. Take a little break at Canyon Sin Nombre overlook. VW bug stuck in sand off of Carrizo Canyon road. Drive over to see if i could help but no one was around. Back to north park and have canned fish steaks for lunch at Christmas Circle. Coyote Canyon to my site arriving 1p. Warm at 94° and campsite has had recent use. Not in the mood to stay. Call Borrego Springs Motel and book a room instead. Drive Henderson Canyon road (wildflowers all gone) to S22 loop. One camper at Pegleg. Afternoon sitting outside room on porch. Motel has no TV, no phone, no wifi, no problem. High temp around 98°. Sunset 6:21p. Tethering laptop to phone for internet working well. Vegetarian chili for dinner.
Tuesday: Skies a bit overcast today. Breakfast at Los Jilbertos. Stop at Ella Wash overlook before driving home.
Canyon/city loop taking 1 hour 22 minutes.
Hike Palm Canyon to stone pools. Creek crossing dry. Some stagnant water in one large pool north of crossing and a mossy trickle up canyon south of crossing.
Hike middle Lykken from Mesquite. Wildflowers are on their way out.
City loop taking 54 minutes.
City/canyon loop taking 1 hour 30 minutes.
Hike Palm Canyon, Vandeventer, East Fork loop. Remove some "rock art" along the Vandeventer. A bit warmish but wildflowers are still looking good.
Hike south Lykken.
Morning trip to Cottonwood Canyon to check the wildflowers. They're looking good. Drove home via Box Canyon with lunch at Garibaldi's in Mecca.
Hike Garstin/Thielemann loop. The encelia are going full throttle.
City/canyon loop taking 1 hour 28 minutes.
Hike middle Lykken from Mesquite Ave. The encelia are pretty.
Depart house 9:45a. Gas $2.19 at Red Earth. Some little stuff blooming at Truckhaven. Drive Truckhaven trail to Arroyo Salado. Sandwich for lunch along Fonts Wash. Only 2 campers at Pegleg monument. Some sunflowers past their prime and a few dune primrose along Henderson Canyon road. Not much else. Drive Palo Verde wash to Ella Wash. Arrive Ella Wash site about 2p, temp 85°. Drive 106 miles today. A bit hazy (Signal mtn just barely visible) but otherwise a nice quiet calm afternoon. Quite a few sphinx moth caterpillar wandering around. Sunset at 6:40p, temp 79°. Chicken salad for dinner. Sunrise Wednesday at 6:58a, overnight low temp 64°. Relax in camp and depart 9:50a. Lunch at San Miguel (TP) on way home. Drive 70 miles today, 176 miles trip total.
City/canyon loop taking 1 hour 27 minutes.
Hike Palm Canyon, Victor, Vandeventer, Wentworth trail loop. A bit overcast and a little breezy but nice. Just took my time and enjoyed the wildflowers. 2 hours 38 minutes total time.
Hike Shannon trail. Not much mustard this year. Seems my eradication efforts the past few years is paying off.
Rainy canyon loop taking 1 hour 2 minutes.
Hike Garstin lollipop. Lots of wildflowers.
Hike Oswit Canyon to the boulder. Pulled up some mustard around first stream crossing area.
Easy city loop taking 42 minutes. Not recovered from chest cold.
Canyon loop taking 57 minutes.
City loop taking 54 minutes.
Hike museum trail. I still hate this trail.
Hike the Palm Canyon West Fork trail to the stream crossing then up and down via the Pelton trail to Andreas Canyon. Hiking with Jim Stephens, Jim Rothblatt and Gary Watson. Really pretty day for a hike. Took 4 hours 10 minutes total time which is quite a bit longer than if i'd just hiked alone but was still a nice day with friendly people.
Hike north Lykken from Ramon. Almost 90°. Getting warmish.
Canyon/city loop taking 1 hour 18 minutes.
City loops and Air Force One visit taking 1 hour 12 minutes.
Explored around the south side of Oswit Canyon.
S22 in Anza-Borrego taking 57 minutes.
Depart house 9:15a, 24430 odo. There is a Nissan Sentra at the Villager Peak trailhead missing all 4 wheels. (Find out later the car belongs to a hiker doing an overnight packpack to Rattlesnake Spring. What a shitty thing to return to after a wilderness trip.) Canned oysters for lunch at my Coyote Canyon site. Temp 80° at noon. Drive through Borrego Springs and west Truckhaven trail. Arrive Ella Wash site 1:30p, 88°. Absolutely perfect afternoon drinking chavelas in shade next to jeep. Some bats flying around before sunset. Sunset 5:12p, temp 78°. Canned soup and veg-all for dinner. Evening under stars warmed by propane heater. Canopus. Slept well and had a kit fox visitor during the night. Sunrise 6:35a, 60° overnight low temp. Ride 15.2 miles along S22. (See above.) Take break at Truckhaven site before driving home. There is a guy camping just east with a nice little trailer. Looks perfect. I want a trailer. Home 1:15p.
City/canyon loop taking 1 hour 26 minutes.
Hike Palm Canyon, Dry Wash, Vandeventer loop taking 2 hours 40 minutes. Another beautiful day.
Hike Garstin lollipop. Lots of people on the trail today.
Hike south Lykken with Eddie.
City loop with Wen taking 1 hour 20 minutes.
Hike middle Lykken from Mesquite Ave.
Hike Shannon trail.
City/canyon loop taking 1 hour 37 minutes.
Hike Garstin lollipop.
Hike Palm Canyon, Vandeventer, Dry Wash loop taking 2 hours 35 minutes. Beautiful day to be hiking on the desert.
Hike south Lykken. Was planning to hike Garstin but too many cars at trailhead. Forgot today is MLK holiday.
City loop taking 1 hour 12 minutes.
Hike north Lykken from Ramon. Happy to see most of the graffiti has been cleaned up.
Hike south Lykken.
Hike middle Lykken from Mesquite Ave.
Hike Garstin lollipop. Desert Divide pretty with fresh snow.
New Year's Day hike up Shannon trail.
© Florian Boyd