Depart for Taipei. Returning on the 3rd of January.
Christmas day city loop taking 44 minutes.
Canyon loop taking 55 minutes.
Hike Middle Lykken taking 1 hour 15 minutes. 5 young bighorn ewes above middle part of trail.
Hike Garsin lollipop taking 1 hour 20 minutes.
Hike North Lykken lollipop taking 1 hour 10 minutes.
Canyon loop taking 56 minutes.
Hike Oswit Canyon taking 48 minutes.
Hike Palm Canyon to Dry Wash and back taking 1 hour 38 minutes. Had planned to continue and hike the Vandeventer loop but got a late start so just did the shorter out and back to DW.
Hike Araby trail taking 1 hour 20 minutes.
City loop taking 53 minutes.
Canyon/city loop taking 1 hour 6 minutes.
Hike Middle Lykken taking 1 hour 15 minutes.
City loop taking 53 minutes.
City/canyon loop taking 1 hour 3 minutes.
Hike Garsin lollipop taking 1 hour 20 minutes.
Hike Descanso trail taking 1 hour 5 minutes.
Hike Shannon to Smoketree Pt taking 1 hour 18 minutes.
Hike South Lykken trail taking 52 minutes.
Canyon loop taking 55 minutes.
City loop taking 55 minutes.
City loop taking 54 minutes.
Thanksgiving Day canyon/city loop taking 1 hour 15 minutes.
Hike Araby trail. Unseasonably warm day.
Hike North Lykken taking 1 hour 10 minutes.
City loop taking 57 minutes.
Canyon/city loop taking 1 hour 16 minutes.
Hike Middle Lykken trail taking 1 hour 20 minutes. Pick up a bag of toilet paper. Yuck.
Hike Shannon to Smoketree Mtn taking 1 hour 35 minutes. Saw a nice bighorn ram east of trail above Smoketree Pt.
Hike Devil's Slide to Tahquitz Peak. Off-duty visit with Jon 11a to 1:30p. Fall colors in Idyllwild are nice.
City loop taking 1 hour 15 minutes.
Canyon/city loop taking 1 hour 19 minutes.
Hike Palm Canyon, Vandeventer, Wentworth loop via Potato Head wash and rock waterfall. 5.3 miles taking 2 hours 6 minutes. Beautiful day. Bit of water seeping from the rock waterfall.
Araby trail checking mustard situation. Looks pretty good.
Hike Garsin trail taking 1 hour 14 minutes.
Hike South Lykken trail taking 55 minutes.
City loop taking 46 minutes.
City/canyon loop taking 1 hour 13 minutes.
Hike North Lykken taking 1 hour 10 minutes.
City loop taking 55 minutes.
First ride on new 6KU bike. Canyon/city loop taking 1 hour 15 minutes.
Hike Middle Lykken trail taking 1 hour 15 minutes.
Hike Palm Canyon, Vandeventer, Dry Wash loop taking 2 hours 48 minutes. A bit warm 96° temps at end of hike.
Spray mustard along middle Araby trail.
Hike Araby trail taking 1 hour 22 minutes. Pick up multiple toilet papers along trail almost filling a trash bag. Come on people. If you can bring toilet paper on a hike you can bring a trash bag and carry out your trash. Disgusting.
Monday: Depart house 10:45a, 35062 odo. Sardines for lunch at Calcite overlook. Drive through Arroyo Salado campground. There is an old classic motorhome. West Truckhaven Trail to a soft sand washout and turn around. Palo Verde wash almost to the Cut Across trail and then back to Ella Wash. Arrive Ella Wash site 1:50p, temp 100°, 83 miles. Nice afternoon. Breezy off and on but comfortable. Sunset 5:51p, 95°. Have good cell phone connection from site. Canned beans for dinner. Doze off while sitting under stars and a 5 day old moon. Could be worse things.
Tuesday: Calm quiet night. Canopus before dawn. Sunrise 7a, 76° overnight low temp. Walk up hill in morning. Depart camp 9:50a, 86°. Cheeseburger at In-N-Out on drive home. Home before noon. 69 miles today, 152 miles trip total. (Thinking back i wish i'd spent a second night as conditions were so nice.)
Hike Garsin trail. 2.8 miles taking 1 hour 18 minutes.
Hike South Lykken trail taking 55 minutes.
Hike Shannon lollipop with Kai. Meet Doug and helper doing trail work along Henderson trail. 4.2 miles taking 1 hour 54 minutes.
Hike Palm Canyon, Wentworth, Vandeventer loop taking 2 hours 24 minutes. Nice to be hiking in the canyons again.
Hike North Lykken. 2.75 miles taking 1 hour 19 minutes.
Hike Middle Lykken trail. 3.4 miles taking 1 hour 27 minutes.
Hike South Ridge trail to Tahquitz Peak. Work tower 8:30a to 4:30p. 48 visitors.
Hike Araby trail. Didn't go all way to top as had an appointment. 3 miles taking 1 hour 17 minutes.
Hike to RASS benchmark near Borrego Springs in the Anza-Borrego desert. Pretty day, nice hike. 3.25 miles taking 1 hour 23 minutes.
Hike Garsin trail. 2.9 miles taking 1 hour 18 minutes.
Hike Oswit Canyon to first stream crossing then South Lykken trail. 2.7 miles taking 1 hour 10 minutes.
Hike North Lykken lollipop. 2.9 miles taking 1 hour 22 minutes.
Hike Shannon trail with Jennifer to identify a plant i saw on Saturday. [The plant is perhaps Coulter's Spiderling. Boerhavia sp.] Only hiked as far as Araby Pt. 2.2 miles taking 1 hour 2 minutes.
Hike Shannon lollipop. Beautiful day. Good to be hiking on the desert in nice temps again. 4.2 miles taking 2 hours.
Museum trail with Jon at 4:30am. Jon continues up Skyline with measuring wheel. 1.85 miles taking 1 hour 15 minutes.
Hike Devil's Slide to Tahquitz Peak. Work tower 9a to 1p with Jon. Fogged in by noon. 2 visitors.
Oswit Canyon to second stream crossing. 2.55 miles taking 1 hour 10 minutes.
Hike Middle Lykken trail. One lone bighorn ewe crossed trail right in front of me on my way down. 3.4 miles taking 1 hour 32 minutes.
Hike Araby trail. Some bad washed out places due to last Saturday's heavy rain. 3.3 miles taking 1 hour 34 minutes.
Hike North Lykken. Still pretty hot. 2.68 miles taking 1 hour 15 minutes.
Hike Shannon trail to Smoketree Pt. Hot and humid. Trail took quite a beating from yesterday's downpour. 3.2 miles taking 1 hour 38 minutes.
Hike South Lykken trail. 2.15 miles taking 58 minutes.
Hike Devil's Slide trail with Jon to Tahquitz Peak. Work tower 8a to 4p. Jon worked the AM shift. 14 visitors.
Hike tramway Round Valley loop. 4.75 miles taking 2 hours. Last tramway hike of the summer.
Hike Middle Lykken trail from Mesquite. Four bighorn below the trail about halfway up. 3.35 miles taking 1 hour 34 minutes.
Hike tramway Round Valley loop. 4.75 miles taking 2 hours 12 minutes. Foot still sore and have a bit of a head cold so not moving very fast today. Overcast with some thunderheads but no rain during hike.
Hike Shannon trail to plaque. Hot and humid.
Hike North Lykken. 2.8 miles taking 1 hour 20 minutes.
Hike South Ridge trail to Tahquitz Peak. Work tower 10a to 5p with Jon. 14 visitors. Seem to have strained/sprained my left foot/heel coming down SR with Jon.
Hike Garsin lollipop. Overcast and very humid after some brief early morning rain. Chat with both Diane and Kathy along the trail. 3.15 miles taking 1 hour 26 minutes.
Hike tramway Round Valley loop. 4.7 miles taking around 1 hour 56 minutes.
Short hike up Shannon trail to Araby Pt. Pretty warm. 2.25 miles taking 54 minutes.
Hike South Lykken trail. 2.15 miles taking 54 minutes.
Hike from tramway to Wellman Divide. 5.85 miles taking 2 hours 36 minutes.
Hike from tramway to Mini Cache One and Mini Cache Two. Seems i haven't visted these old archived caches since 2014. Both are my faves. I'm afraid Mini One's tree will fall over by the time i visit again.
Fourth of July hike up Devil's Slide trail to Tahquitz Peak. Work lookout with Jon.
Early morning Garsin lollipop. 3.2 miles taking 1 hour 18 minutes.
Early morning hike up Shannon trail to Smoketree Pt. 2.85 miles taking 1 hour 15 minutes.
Hike tramway Round Valley loop. 4.5 miles taking around 1 hour 55 minutes.
Hike South Ridge trail to Tahquitz Peak. Worked the lookout 8:30a to 1:30p with Jon. Total of 10 visitors. Hot coming down SR trail in mid-afternoon.
Hike Devil's Slide trail to Tahquitz Peak. Worked the lookout 12p to 5p having no visitors. Called in two smoke checks.
Hike tramway to San Jacinto peak. 2 hour 20 minute hike time to peak via the Boy Scout route. Started out moving quickly but feeling the altitude near the summit slowed me down a lot.
Hike South Ridge trail to Tahquitz Peak. Very warm even for me. Had to take frequent breaks on hike up to cool off. Worked the lookout 12p to 5p with a total of 7 visitors. Called in an un-permitted BBQ in Idyllwild.
Hike Devil's Slide trail to Tahquitz Peak. Started out hiking with Wen but she turned around after about a mile because of heat. Worked the lookout 12p to 5p having only 3 visitors.
Hike tramway Round Valley loop. 5 miles taking around 1 hour 55 minutes.
Hike Araby trail. 3.3 miles taking 1 hour 18 minutes.
Hike North Lykken lollipop. 3 miles taking 1 hour 16 minutes.
Quick walk up Oswit Canyon to first stream crossing. 1.25 miles taking 30 minutes.
Hike Garstin trail to Smoketree mtn. 2.9 miles taking 1 hour 9 minutes.
Hike Middle Lykken trail. 3.35 miles taking 1 hour 20 minutes.
Hike Shannon trail to the plaque. Getting hot. 2.45 miles taking 1 hour 1 minute.
Hike South Lykken trail. 2.25 miles taking 55 minutes.
Hike Garstin trail to Smoketree mtn. 2.9 miles taking 1 hour 11 minutes.
Hike Devil's Slide to Tahquitz Peak to work afternoon shift after Jon’s morning shift. 1 hour 45 minute hike time up, 1 hour 28 minute hike time down. Spend night at Idyllwild Inn afterwards.
Hike South Ridge trail to Tahquitz Peak with Kai and Ricky. Nice hike. Too bad no one was on duty in the tower.
Hike Araby trail. 3.3 miles taking 1 hour 20 minutes.
Hike Shannon trail to Smoketree Pt. 2.95 miles taking 1 hour 16 minutes.
Hike Oswit Canyon to second stream crossing. Still some stagnant water in the rock pools. 2.6 miles taking 1 hour 4 minutes.
Hike Garstin/Thielemann loop. 3.6 miles taking 1 hour 22 minutes.
Hike North Lykken. 2.75 miles taking 1 hour 10 minutes.
Hike Araby trail. 3.45 miles taking 1 hour 20 minutes.
Hike Middle Lykken trail. 3.25 miles taking 1 hour 17 minutes total time.
Hike South Lykken trail. 2.15 miles taking 52 minutes.
Hike Shannon trail to Smoketree mtn. 3.6 miles taking 1 hour 30 minutes.
Hike Garsin lollipop. 3.2 miles taking 1 hour 18 minutes.
Hike Descanso trail. 2.85 miles taking 1 hour 12 minutes.
Hike North Lykken. A bit warm with temp 95° at 9a. 2.75 miles taking 1 hour 15 minutes.
Hike Araby trail. 3.35 miles taking 1 hour 13 minutes.
Hike Shannon trail to Smoketree Pt. 2.9 miles taking 1 hour 14 minutes.
Hike South Lykken trail. 2.15 miles taking 50 minutes.
Hike Garstin trail to Smoketree mtn. 2.85 miles taking 1 hour 12 minutes.
Hike Middle Lykken trail. 3.1 miles taking 1 hour 16 minutes total time.
Hike Rimrocks trails. 4.7 miles taking 1 hour 43 minutes.
Hike North Lykken. 2.75 miles taking 1 hour 14 minutes.
Hike Garsin lollipop. 3.2 miles taking 1 hour 16 minutes.
Late morning hike up Shannon trail to the plaque. 2.5 miles taking 1 hour.
Hike Palm Canyon, Wentworth, Vandeventer loop. 5.4 miles via Mr. Potato Head wash taking 2 hours 6 minutes.
Hike Araby trail. 3.5 miles taking 1 hour 23 minutes.
Canyon/city loop taking 1 hour 12 minutes.
City loop taking 1 hour 10 minutes.
Hike Nouth Lykken and Oswit Canyon to first stream crossing. All the grass in the canyon has gone to seed. Not nice. 2.75 miles taking 1 hour 9 minutes.
Hike North Lykken lollipop. Wildflowers mostly gone and not many people on the trail. 2.95 miles taking 1 hour 20 minutes.
Hike Garstin trail to Smoketree mtn. 3 miles taking 1 hour 12 minutes.
City/canyon loop taking 1 hour 25 minutes.
Hike Shannon trail to Smoketree point. 2.9 miles taking 1 hour 15 minutes.
Hike Middle Lykken trail. Warmish but lots of people hiking. Wildflowers past peak and grass is going to seed. 3.14 miles taking 1 hour 17 minutes total time.
Desert day trip with Wen to Cottonwood Canyon and eastern Joshua Tree. Drive home via Box Canyon. Nice wildflowers but maybe a bit past peak bloom.
Hike Palm Canyon, Vandeventer, Dry Wash loop. Beautiful day. Encelia at peak bloom. Lots of people along the main canyon trail but no one on Vandeventer loop. 7.2 miles taking 2 hours 33 minutes.
Canyon/city loop taking 1 hour 22 minutes.
Hike Araby trail. 3.4 miles taking 1 hour 23 minutes.
Hike Shannon trail to Smoketree point. 3.1 miles taking 1 hour 17 minutes.
Hike Garsin lollipop. So much grass. 3.2 miles taking 1 hour 16 minutes.
Hike Descanso trail. Wildflowers are right at peak. Some nice larkspur.
City loop taking 1 hour 35 minutes.
Hike South Lykken trail with Godwin, Barley, Millie, and Eddie. A bit warm. Eddie was worn out.
Hike North Lykken from Ramon. Lots and lots of grass but at least the mustard isn't bad. 3 miles taking 1 hour 27 minutes.
Monday: Depart house 9a, 31298 odo. Stop at Truckhaven. Lots of brown-eyed primrose and sunflowers. Pulled up a dozen mustards. Only 8 campers at Pegleg but lots of campers in the open area to the east. Nice wildflowers along Henderson Canyon road. I think was better a couple years ago. Seems more green this year but at least not much mustard. Borrego Springs pretty busy. Salad for lunch along S3 before driving to south park. Short break at Carrizo Badlands. Drive through Bow Willow finding only 4 tent campers. Another short break on Egg Mtn listening to Unshackled on radio. (Always entertaining.) Arrive Carrizo Valley site 2p, 92°. 150 miles. Site is clean. Perfect afternoon. A couple vehicles drive by but otherwise quiet and calm. South park is much quieter than in the north. A bit more traffic than usual but not much. Some wildflowers, but just enough. No mustard! Sunset over ridge north of canyon at 5:45p. Macaroni and cheese for dinner. Needs tabasco. Canopus visible after sunset. Full moon next to Jupiter. Very bright night.
Tuesday: Sunrise 6:53a, 67° overnight low temp. Pretty morning. Short walk around camp. Sit in shade a while. Nice morning. Depart camp 10:15a. Looks like possible wildfire smoke Mt. Laguna area. Sardines for lunch at BS airport. A cute little red autogyro landed while i was there. Renew library card and use wifi at library. Drive west Truckhaven Trail to Thimble Trail to Short Wash to Ella Wash. Arrive Truckhaven site 2:30p, 96°, 85 miles. Light breeze. Very comfortable sitting in jeep shade. Last time camping here was March 2014. I wonder when was first time? Certainly over 30 years ago. Very nice afternoon/evening. No one drives by. All the people are at BS looking for wildflowers. Sunset sometime about 6:45p through high clouds.
Wednesday: Sunrise 6:54a, 75° overnight low. Overcast skies but nice and peaceful morning. More vehicles on S22 than usual. Depart camp 9:45a. Gas $2.73 at Red Earth. Home 11:15a, 65 miles. 300 miles trip total.
Canyon/city loop taking 1 hour 18 minutes.
Hike Shannon trail to Smoketree point. 3 miles taking 1 hour 30 minutes.
Hike Middle Lykken trail. 3.3 miles taking 1 hour 33 minutes total time.
Hike Oswit Canyon to second stream crossing. 2.56 miles taking 1 hour 20 minutes. All the grass is ridiculous. It's going to be a huge mess plus a fire hazard after it all goes to seed.
Hike Garstin trail. 2.8 miles taking 1 hour 14 minutes.
City/canyon loop taking 1 hour 40 minutes.
Hike Palm Canyon West Fork trail to stream crossing. Lots of water in the creek this time. Was totally dry in October. 5.25 miles taking 2 hours 11 minutes.
Hike Shannon trail to Smoketree Mtn. 3.8 miles taking 1 hour 54 minutes.
Hike Descanso trail to Oswit overlook. Very pretty day. 2.88 miles taking 1 hour 19 minutes.
Hike North Lykken from Ramon. 2.6 miles taking 1 hour 19 minutes.
City loop taking 1 hour 5 minutes.
Hike Garsin lollipop. 3.25 miles taking 1 hour 27 minutes.
Hike Middle Lykken trail from Mesquite Ave. 3.3 miles taking 1 hour 32 minutes total time.
Hike Shannon to Smoketree point. 2.9 miles taking 1 hour 33 minutes.
Hike Araby, Berns, Shannon loop. 4.8 miles taking 2 hours 18 minutes.
Hike South Lykken and Oswit Canyon to first stream crossing. 3 miles taking 1 hour 26 minutes.
Hike North Lykken from Ramon. 2.6 miles taking 1 hour 28 minutes.
City loop taking 1 hour 9 minutes.
Hike Araby trail. 3.4 miles taking 1 hour 35 minutes.
Hike Garstin trail. 2.9 miles taking 1 hour 14 minutes.
Hike South Lykken trail. 2.18 miles taking 52 minutes.
Hike Murray Hill loop with Jim, Shelly, and Gary from Rimrocks. Up the north side and down via south trail loop. 7.68 miles taking 3 hour 46 minutes hiking time not counting time on peak.
Hike North Lykken lollipop. 2.9 miles taking 1 hour 20 minutes.
Hike Shannon to the Smoketree Pt. 2.9 miles taking 1 hour 25 minutes.
Hike Middle Lykken trail from Mesquite Ave. 3.28 miles taking 1 hour 24 minutes total time.
Hike Garstin trail, across middle plateau, then back via Berns trail over Smoketree mtn. 4.6 miles taking 1 hour 46 minutes total time.
Hike Oswit Canyon to first stream crossing then up and down South Lykken. Lots of water flowing at the crossing from recent rains! Haven't seen water flowing here for many years. 2.75 miles taking 1 hour 10 minutes total time.
City loop taking 1 hour 8 minutes. Tour de Palm Springs is today.
Hike Shannon to the plaque. 2.5 miles taking 1 hour 3 minutes.
Hike Garsin lollipop. Beautiful bright clear day. 3.2 miles taking 1 hour 12 minutes.
Hike Oswit Canyon to second stream crossing. 2.5 miles taking 1 hour.
City/canyon loop taking 1 hour 35 minutes.
Hike Garstin/Thielemann loop. 3.6 miles taking 1 hour 20 minutes.
Hike Araby trail. The "dogs prohibited" sign at the top of the trail has also been painted over. Pisses me off. 3.4 miles taking 1 hour 20 minutes.
Hike Shannon trail to Smoketree mtn. Someone spray painted over the BLM "dogs prohibited" sign at the Shannon/Henderson trail junction. Asshole dog owners that think regulations don't apply to them. 3.6 miles taking 1 hour 24 minutes.
Hike North Lykken trail from Ramon Road. 2.1 miles taking 50 minutes.
Hike South Lykken trail. 2.6 miles taking 1 hour 8 minutes.
Hike Middle Lykken trail from Mesquite Ave to my Tahquitz Overlook geocache (GC2569). I've kept this cache active since 2001. Overcast day but a nice hike as always. 3.5 miles taking 1 hour 26 minutes total time including time checking the cache.
© Florian Boyd