A quick Saturday hike

After the rains from the last couple of days, we didn't know if we'd pull off a hike today or not. But man, did I need one. It has been a long week of mainly being tied down to a chair and I was feeling sluggish by Friday.

Even last night, we weren't sure what conditions would be like when we all awoke.

Truth be told, I fully expected to head out on my own this morning.

As it turned out, I joined companions Bill and Linda in San Diego's east county, just east of Poway, for a rugged little hike near Iron Mountain known as the Ellie Lane Loop. The trail head is about a mile north of the main (and crowded) Iron Mountain trail head.

The loop consists of some big ascents (for urban hiking) up to two different saddles, then a descent over to Iron Mountain. An optional loop can take you up to the top of IM, and then you can return back the same way or loop back out to the parking lot and starting point.

Our first ascent confirmed that I can never take a week off from walking again. It's steep. And we started in the fog.

The storm front is moving away so we had clearing skies and decent trail conditions. In fact, below is probably the worst puddle we ran into.

So much for those horrible conditions!

Once up to the final saddle, we had a wonderful view to the valleys east of us and down into the village of Ramona.

I'm still not sure why these granite slopes aren't more frequented by rock climbers. If you look hard enough you can almost see the pie shops in Julian - far off in the distance. But I digress.

From this final saddle, we had a pretty steep descent in order to drop and loop over to the Iron Mountain trail.

So, by this point we had come 3.3 miles, plus a bit to get to the top of the Ramona Outlook. Today, we decided to skip the peak of IM, mainly because of the crowds already on the main trail. And hamburgers. We had planned on hitting the Hamburger Factory in Poway for our after hike meal and the place was calling us.

We hiked on towards the main trail head, knowing it would be another mile and a half past that to our cars. It was on this leg that we ran across Mr. Rattler, angrily letting us know we had disturbed his nap as he slid off into the bushes. See my earlier post about that encounter.

It was a great walk, nice weather, and really - pretty good trail conditions. If you are out this way, give the Ellie Lane trail a try and miss the usual Iron Mountain crowds.

Oh, and I'm getting the hang of my GPS, so here's a quick glance at our walk.

And the Hamburger Factory? Highly recommended!

http://www.hamburgerfactory.signonsandiego.com/

First Rattler Encounter

OK, that headline may not sound like much. After all, I live in Southern California and rattlers are everywhere and anywhere trails seem to be.

So running into one on the side of the trail isn't a big deal, right? Well, probably not until you realize that besides being old, I also have a real (I mean REAL) phobia of snakes.

So, seeing one is a big deal for me. And the good news is I didn't freak out today.

Some day I'll write down what I've discovered about phobias and dealing with them. But suffice it to say, not freaking out today was a milestone for this old hiker.

Baby, it's cold outside...

That old song resurfaces every holiday season, just like eggnog. So my thoughts turn to hiking when it is cold outside, even if it is only Southern California cold.

It was pretty cold going up to the summit of Baldy in October, in the 40's for much of the morning. And it is bound to get colder at the higher altitudes.

Admittedly, down here closer to sea level, we'll deal with much milder temps.

Still, the answer to both situations, for me at least, is layers. Rocket science, right?

But ask a few of my hiking companions and you'd think we were going to tackle Everest in down suits. Hourly charts are consulted, wind chill levels determined, and forecasts that include comfort are studied.

Last winter, I hiked alone to our local peak, Iron Mountain (yes, THAT Iron Mountain) in the rain and cold. Alone, because no one else wanted to head out in the fog and drizzle. I wore about four layers that day and had a blast. The summit (can you call the top of a hill a summit? Yes you can, it is my blog after all.) was was cold, foggy, and deserted. Perfect for that day.

Alone at the top of Iron Mountain in the fog and drizzle

Later in the spring we hit Mt. Laguna, outside of Julian, a couple of days after a late season storm dropped about four inches of snow on the area. We had a blast! Again, layers and gaiters made it all the more comfortable.

Big Laguna Lake along Big Laguna Trail, San Diego County

You don't often get to hike in scenery like this in San Diego.

So, where was I? Oh yeah...the cold. Layers are the answer and something else. I learned this from a great kayaking instructor. "Cotton kills." It gets wet, stays wet, gets heavy and cools you down faster than just about anything. Get modern "tech" fabrics, you'll appreciate the difference.

So, if an old man like me, spoiled by years in the southern California sun, can get out into the cold, so can you. Let me know how you like it.

Cross training

Today was a cross training day. For me that usually means getting out in a kayak.

I started kayaking a few years ago with my son when we took a tour of Big Bear Lake and its many nooks and crannies. We've been hooked ever since.

Today was a windy day out on Mission Bay in San Diego, with my grandson along as well as some friends fairly new to the sport.

The legs appreciated the break after three different walks yesterday, and the core and arms wondered what was happening!

Cross training is always mentioned as an important aspect for any sport. It prevents burn out and widens your own perspective. For me, the water will always be a place to relax, get some exercise, and burn off the stress. Yes, hiking does the same, but differently.

Our shop of choice (full disclosure, my son has worked there for the past four summers) is Aqua Adventures on Mission Bay. They have a great selection of boats - sit on tops and sit ins, as well as stand up paddleboards. And it is a great location for launching and getting out onto the water.

http://www.aqua-adventures.com

Hike Local

Today was Small Business Saturday, an attempt by a large multinational corporation to get more money into their coffers by promoting small local businesses. But I digress.

Have you tried walking or hiking locally? Even in your own neighborhood? Not every hike need involve topo maps, planning, and driving several hours to the trail head.

A 4 or 5 mile walk around your town or neighborhood can be good exercise and an eye opening experience. Sure, you'll learn how bad drivers really are, but you'll also hear and see things that you may usually miss when you drive by.

For an old man like me, a neighborhood walk is a nice alternative to the treadmill.

Try it.

“Life is a journey, not a destination.” 

 Ralph was right everyone. (Ralph Waldo Emerson that is, not sure about Ralph Kramden!) Have a great Thanksgiving holiday. Stay safe and get some miles in.

Solo Hike, Tahquitz Mountain, Idyllwild California

One of the joys of hiking is the solitude it can bring. People who know me, know I'm not the most outgoing person in the world. If you are familiar with Gallup's Strength Finder book and program, I don't have a lot of what they call WOO (winning others over). So solo hikes can really be a chance to get in touch with everything around us.

Tahquitz is a soaring granite peak jutting up out of the San Jacinto wilderness over the mountain village of Idyllwild. It is named after a Native American tribal chief who cursed the area in old "urban legend."

That curse struck twice this year. The first time we tried to get up Tahquitz, snow and ice on the slope made us decide to stop about a half mile short of the 8850 foot summit. Then my son and I decided to try it with a co worker and his wife. My son had back spasms on that trip and couldn't make it up, so strike two.

For my third attempt, I decided to try it solo. At least that way I could deny even attempting the hike if I failed a third time.

My wife decided to come along, drop me off, and go enjoy morning coffee. The drop off was in Humber Park, base of the famous Devil's Slide trail. This trail heads up what used to be a near vertical path that was used by cattlemen to get their herds up to the meadows. Now it is often referred to as Angel's Shuffle due to its switchbacks and easier going. It leads to a junction where several trails then branch off.

At the start of the hike I stepped off with a man who was training for a Rim To Rim hike in the Grand Canyon. He wanted to do that hike in 10 hours. Needless to say in about 50 yards, he was gone, leaving the trail to me.

Now, I should tell you that my hiking style, especially at altitude, is to take little breaks to catch my breath, but not long enough to let muscles tighten up. So please don't expect a trail running report from this old hiker!

This trail also features a section of the Pacific Crest Trail, the famous PCT - a 2600 mile trail from the Mexican border to the Canadian border. I figure at this rate, I'll complete the PCT in about 1000 years!

The trail remained clear and open and I soon came up on the spot where snow and ice had blocked us in May.

The shot above doesn't really give the true perspective of the drop off and angle of the slope.

Many hikers get "summit fever" and decide to bag a summit, no matter what. But this kind of trail, covered in packed snow and ice would be no fun unless you had micro spikes or crampons. I was glad we stopped.

At the top, there is a fire lookout tower

A quick scramble up and then...success! The tower is staffed only during the fire season, and the weekend crew hadn't yet arrived the morning I was there.

I reversed my route and headed down after a quick break. Once off the mountain trail, I ran into way more people. Devil's Slide is a permit only trail and they regulate the number of weekend permits, so I had started early. You'll notice that hikers are a very friendly group. Almost all of us pause just long enough to offer a greeting.

So, an 8 mile hike with about 2500 feet of elevation gain. It took me just over 4 hours. But remember, I'm an old hiker who takes a lot of short breaks. It can easily be done more quickly, but not by me!

The peak is a great walk, as is Devil's Slide. I highly recommend this trail for just about any skill level. Heck, I made it!

Welcome to the Old Man Hiking blog

Pick up any outdoor or backpacking magazine and you've seen them. Thighs like old growth tree trunks, sculpted calves, and only the best gear.

That's not me.

Last year at about this time, I was fat, had uncontrolled blood pressure, and my big sport was weekly bowling in a local beer league. Not exactly hiking material.

But a couple of the bowlers I knew hiked occasionally and had completed the Mt San Jacinto hike earlier that year. They - somewhat cautiously - agreed to let me tag along on a local hike.

That hike was Iron Mountain, here in San Diego's east county. That morning the wife of one of the hikers was going to come along, to keep me company when I stopped. Yes, I was in such bad shape, no one thought I could make it up a 2.5 mile ascent to a "summit" well under 3,000 feet high.

I made it up Iron Mountain that day and was hooked.

Now, a year later, I've lost 30 pounds, my blood pressure is fine, and I've bagged two of the highest peaks in Southern California.

This is me on the infamous Devil's Backbone in October. I still have a long way to go, but I decided to start this blog for everyone who thinks they can't do it and to highlight some of the amazing trails and back country spaces right here in Southern California.

I hope you enjoy!