Depart house 7:40a, 7673 odo. Red Earth for beer, ice, and a Boyd's coffee. Truckhaven 9:20a. Start down Ella Wash but soft sand so turn around. Watch a plane do a couple touch-and-goes at BS airport. Borrego Springs road east to hwy 76 then back west. New water tower in Shelter Valley wasn't here last time. Agua Caliente store doesn't look like it's been open for a while. Carrizo overlook 11:30a. Pretty clouds over mtns to west. Salad for lunch at Bow Willow 11:50a. 94°. Campground vacant. Picked up some trash. Egg Mtn 12:30p. Still no cell reception. Carrizo Valley site, 1p, 97°, 151 miles today. Sitting in shade with fan plugged into Jackery. Bit humid but not too bad. Will see how it goes. All ocotillos are very green and healthy but none blooming. No cellphone reception at all. Fun listening to traffic reports on KPBS. No cars have been by my site all afternoon. Small sidewinder track on road thought might be near my camp but was UTL. Sunset north of canyon 5:20p, 92°. Looking at my tent. I love it. Have had for 20+ years. Many nights on desert. Should do a time-lapse video of tent setup next time. Mac and cheese dinner. In bed early as 1st quarter moon is too bright for stargazing. Calm night. Sleep pretty well even on a flat air mattress. Up at 5a with Canopus in south. Sunrise 6:40a, 74°. Depart camp 7:10a. Home at 10:20a. 132 miles today, 283 trip total.
Downtown loop taking 45 minutes.
Tollgate out-and-back taking 40 minutes.
Canyon Corridor loop taking 46 minutes.
Hike Middle Lykken to cache. Remove dozens of little rock piles all along trail.
City loop taking 39 minutes.
Tollgate out-and-back taking 37 minutes.
Hike Shannon to Smoketree Pt.
Hike South Lykken.
Tollgate out-and-back taking 52 minutes.
City loop taking 43 minutes.
Hike Garstin to Smoketree Mtn.
City loop taking 45 minutes.
Hike Araby trail. Not as hot but still humid.
Airport/downtown loop taking 44 minutes.
Andreas Hills loop taking 48 minutes.
Hike Oswit Canyon to second stream crossing. Some freshly painted yellow dots. They are a totally unnecessary distraction and an ugly intrusion into canyon. Whomever is doing this please stop.
Hike North Lykken.
Las Palmas loop taking 48 minutes.
City loop taking 40 minutes.
Hike South Lykken. Clean up yet another trash mess across from trailhead. Some people stopped to help which was nice.
Tollgate out-and-back taking 40 minutes.
Hike Shannon to Araby Pt.
Playa del Rey loop taking 52 minutes.
Playa to Manhattan Pier taking 1 hour 12 minutes.
Playa del Rey short loop taking 23 minutes.
City loop taking 49 minutes.
Hike Garstin to west peak.
Hike Middle Lykken to cache. Nice band of 12 sheep about a mile up trail.
Tollgate out-and-back taking 38 minutes. Clean up another trash mess at Oswit Canyon.
Downtown loop taking 34 minutes. Muggy.
Hike South Lykken. Muggy yet again.
Tollgate loop taking 47 minutes.
Hike Shannon to Smoketree Mtn with Christi. Still muggy.
Downtown loop taking 40 minutes.
Tollgate out-and-back taking 40 minutes.
Tollgate loop taking 42 minutes.
Hike Shannon to Araby Pt. Muggy again.
Downtown loop taking 40 minutes. Yucky haboob weather.
Tollgate out-and-back taking 44 minutes.
Hike Garstin lollipop.
Andreas Hills loop taking 46 minutes.
Hike South Lykken. Family of bighorn near start of trail.
Airport/downtown loop taking 55 minutes.
Tollgate out-and-back taking 41 minutes.
Hike Middle Lykken to cache.
Tollgate out-and-back taking 44 minutes.
Hike Shannon to Araby Pt with Kai. Muggy morning.
Tollgate out-and-back taking 40 minutes.
Downtown/airport loop taking 40 minutes.
Hike Garstin to west peak. Chat with Cathy.
Canyon Corridor loops (3) taking 61 minutes.
Hike South Lykken.
Abbreviated Araby trail hike. Muggy.
City loop taking 40 minutes.
Las Palmas loop taking 40 minutes.
Tollgate out-and-back taking 44 minutes.
Walk roads up to Humber Park then back via Maxwell trail taking 2 hours 20 minutes.
Hike Devil's Slide trail to Tahquitz Peak. Colin Smith in-service. 2 hours up time, 1 hour 50 minutes down, 3 hours 50 minutes total hiking time.
Airport/downtown loop taking 48 minutes.
Tollgate out-and-back taking 37 minutes.
Hike Shannon to Araby Pt.
Las Palmas loop taking 45 minutes.
Brief hike in Oswit Canyon.
City loop taking 49 minutes.
Tollgate out-and-back taking 38 minutes. Nice morning.
Hike South Lykken.
Hike Middle Lykken.
Canyon Corridor loop taking 44 minutes.
Monrovia to Sierra Madre and back taking 1 hour 2 minutes.
Andreas Hills loop taking 45 minutes.
Hike Garstin to Smoketree Mtn.
Hike South Lykken.
Downtown loop taking 47 minutes.
Tollgate out-and-back taking 43 minutes.
Hike Shannon to plaque. Someone shit right in middle of trail about halfway up near Araby Pt and left their turd and two soiled paper napkins. Fucking animals.
Hike Ernie Maxwell trail from Idyllwild Inn to Humber Park with Wen taking 1 hour 35 minutes.
Hike North Lykken.
Tollgate out-and-back taking 43 minutes.
City loop taking 49 minutes.
Hike Middle Lykken.
Hike South Lykken.
Tollgate out-and-back taking 42 minutes.
Hike Fuller Ridge trail to Castle Rocks and back. I think is my favorite trail in the San Jacintos. Worked afternoon shift at Black Mtn lookout after.
Downtown loop taking 36 minutes.
Hike Araby trail.
Tollgate out-and-back taking 40 minutes.
Hike South Ridge to Tahquitz Peak. Visit with Jon at tower. 1 hour 55 minutes up, 1 hour 28 minutes down, 3 hours 23 minutes total hiking time.
Tollgate out-and-back taking 45 minutes.
City loop taking 40 minutes.
Tollgate out-and-back taking 48 minutes.
Hike Garstin lollipop with Kai. Getting warm.
Hike Shannon to plaque.
Airport/downtown loop taking 54 minutes.
Open Black Mountain fire tower for season.
City loop taking 53 minutes.
Hike Middle Lykken to cache.
Tollgate out-and-back taking 41 minutes.
Hike South Lykken.
City loop taking 1 hour.
Tollgate out-and-back taking 41 minutes.
Hike Araby trail.
Hike Shannon trail to Smoketree Pt.
Abbreviated Middle Lykken hike.
City loop taking 50 minutes.
Tollgate out-and-back taking 42 minutes.
Hike Garstin trail to Smoketree Mtn.
Andreas Hills loop taking 53 minutes.
Hike South Lykken.
Tollgate out-and-back taking 40 minutes.
Downtown loop taking 44 minutes.
Hike North Lykken.
Depart house 11:45a, 5311 odo. Stop at Truckhaven, 1:05p, 91°. Fonts Wash lunch break, 1:30p. Vietnames spring rolls. Drive out to Fonts Point. Haven't been to the Fonts in a long time. Road in good shape and the Crosstrek had no problem. Two Pegleg campers. Ella Wash too windy so drive back over to Truckhaven arriving at 3:25p, 96°. Hazy, Signal Mtn not visible, and it's windy. Go back to Fonts Wash hoping for less wind. 108 miles today. Sunset 7:09p, 79°. Korean noodles for dinner. Windy all evening but at least the willow and smoke trees offer a little protection. No stargazing. In bed 8:30p. Windy all night but slept pretty well. Sunrise 6:24a, 68°. Depart camp 7a. Home about 8:30a. 72 miles today, 180 trip total.
Hike Middle Lykken to cache. Only a few people on trail.
Hike Garstin trail to Smoketree Mtn. Chat with Cathy.
Tollgate out-and-back taking 48 minutes.
City loop taking 47 minutes.
Hike Shannon trail. Clean up some toilet paper mess right at Shannon's plaque. Disgraceful.
Hike Araby trail.
Hike South Lykken. Chat with Andy and Scott.
City loop taking 52 minutes.
Tollgate out-and-back taking 38 minutes. Went back after to clean up a trash mess near South Lykken trailhead.
Hike Middle Lykken. Mutilated (dead) red racer half way up trail. I assume human caused. What the hell is wrong with people? I moved it from the trail and placed under a creosote bush.
Little Tuscany loop taking 55 minutes.
Hike South Lykken.
Tollgate out-and-back taking 42 minutes.
Downtown loop taking 38 minutes.
Andreas Hills loop taking 55 minutes.
Hike North Lykken. New signage at Lykken/Museum/Skyline junction. Starting to get warm.
Hike Shannon to plaque. Rosy boa crossing trail near plaque. Second rosy in a week.
Tollgate out-and-back taking 41 minutes.
City loop taking 39 minutes.
Hike South Lykken.
Little Tuscany loop taking 52 minutes.
Hike Garstin to Smoketree Mtn with Wen. Saw a nice rosy boa along trail near Shannon junction.
Downtown loop taking 34 minutes.
Tollgate out-and-back taking 42 minutes.
Hike Middle Lykken. Short hike. Getting warm.
Depart house 7:45a, 4786 odo. AM/PM in Mecca for coffee. $1.99. Drive to AB via south entrance. Westmoreland at 9:30a. The town hasn't changed much. Nice driving through farmlands. Sign near Plaster City says road closed ahead so detour to I8. Ocotillo at 10:15a. Nice polite agent at Border Patrol checkpoint waved me through, didn't ask any questions, and just told me to have a nice day. So much better than the last time in 2013. Carrizo overlook 10:30a, breezy, 75°. Looks like a group camping on Egg Mtn so don't drive up. 10 sites occupied at Bow Willow. $20/night for camping, $10 day use. Mtn Palm Springs also $20 for camping but there are only people parked for $10 hiking. Arrive my Carrizo Valley site 11:10a. I think about the earliest i've ever arrived. Wasn't originally planning to stay but campsite in pretty good shape so will camp for night. Last time camping at Carrizo site was March 2017. 144 miles today. Pasta salad for lunch was good. No wildflowers. Some of the ocotillos are blooming. My ocotillo is still healthy. The desert looks good with no invasive grasses nor Sahara mustard. Listening to Ketanji Brown Jackson judicial interviews on radio. Was listening to Barret interviews Oct 2020. Weird coincidence. No cellphone signal at all at campsite. Light breeze off and on in afternoon. High temp around 80°. Nice afternoon with only a couple vehicles driving by. S2 very calm not much traffic. Sunset over ridge 5:46p. 76°. Canned spaghetti for dinner. Stars are nice but i'm seeing double. Time to sleep. Calm night. Slept well. Sunrise 6:40a, 58°. Coyotes calling after sunrise. Depart camp 8:10a. Drive up June Wash. I don't think i've ever gone up June Wash before. Nice area. Stop south of Borrego Springs for a little break. Eat can of chicken. 4 campers at Pegleg. Subaru turns 5000 miles while passing Arroyo Salado on drive home. Home 11:40a. 135 miles today, 279 miles trip total.
Hike South Lykken.
Downtown/airport loop taking 42 minutes.
Tollgate out-and-back taking 42 minutes.
Hike Henderson loop.
Hike Oswit Canyon. Lots of wildflowers.
Las Palmas loop taking 40 minutes.
Tollgate out-and-back taking 42 minutes.
Hike Middle Lykken to cache. Talk with Scott re people with dogs on trail.
Little Tuscany loop taking 54 minutes.
Tollgate out-and-back taking 40 minutes. Windy.
Hike Shannon to Smoketree Pt taking 1 hour 15 minutes. Cool at the shady start but warm and sunny at top. Lots of wildflowers.
Hike South Lykken. Warm with lots of blooming encelia and creosote.
Downtown loop taking 36 minutes.
Tollgate out-and-back taking 41 minutes.
Hike Garstin lollipop taking 1 hour 20 minutes. Nice bright clear cool day. Small band of sheep at top of trail.
Hike Middle Lykken and place new Tahquitz Overlook (GC2569) geocache.
City loop taking 35 minutes.
Tollgate out-and-back taking 42 minutes.
Downtown loop taking 34 minutes.
Hike Middle Lykken to remove cache. Breezy.
Hike South Lykken.
Tollgate out-and-back taking 40 minutes.
City loop taking 45 minutes. Tour de Palm Springs in progress.
Hike Araby loop coming down old trail through the trailer park.
Depart home 7:20a. Truckhaven at 8:40a, 76°, windy but bright clear day. Drive through Arroyo Salado, Ella Wash, and a bit up Rockhouse Canyon Road. 10 campers at Pegleg. Library at 10:30a and use wifi a bit. Not windy in BS. Kippers for lunch at Christmas Circle. Sit in shade of smoketree along Fonts wash before driving home. Moonrise over Pyramid (?) Pk at 12:48p. Home 2:40p, 174 miles for trip. Good to visit the AB.
Hike North Lykken lollipop.
Hike Shannon to plaque.
City loop taking 42 minutes.
Tollgate out-and-back taking 40 minutes.
Downtown loop taking 38 minutes.
Hike South Lykken.
Canyon Corridor loop taking 31 minutes.
Downtown loop taking 38 minutes.
Hike Middle Lykken to Meditation Pt taking 1 hour 10 minutes.
Hike Garstin lollipop taking 1 hour 20 minutes.
Tollgate out-and-back taking 39 minutes.
Downtown loop taking 42 minutes.
Hike South Lykken. Beautiful morning and only a couple people on trail.
Tollgate out-and-back taking 39 minutes.
Downtown/city loop taking 52 minutes.
Tollgate out-and-back taking 39 minutes.
Hike Shannon to plaque. Chat with Andy and Jen.
Las Palmas loop taking 41 minutes.
Hike South Lykken.
Airport/city loop taking 46 minutes.
Canyon corridor loop taking 32 minutes.
Hike Garstin to Smoketree Mtn taking 1 hour 15 minutes. Beautiful morning.
Hike Middle Lykken taking 1 hour 20 minutes. Lots of people on trail.
Tollgate out-and-back taking 39 minutes.
New Year's Day downtown loop taking 36 minutes.
© Florian Boyd