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Eagle Peak in San Diego County would mark the fifth outing for my 52 Hike Challenge. Perched among the headwaters of the San Diego River, the summit commands a 360-degree view of the surrounding watersheds. This relatively easy peak can usually be enjoyed in solitude since most of the crowds...

Hike four of my 52 Hike Challenge was to the Solstice Cave in Indian Valley and Torote Canyon, located in the vast Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. You can't find any specific directions to the cave online or in any guidebook. The lack of info helps protect this special archaeological site...

This long and tiring out-and-back trek has some fun and twisty trails. But first, I had to climb Cowles Mountain; at 1,591 feet, its the the highest elevation within the city limits of San Diego. (Pyles Peak summit is 212 feet below Cowles Mountain at 1,379 ft.) There must have been hundreds of...

On New Year's day, 2015, I was able to get out of town for hike through Mud Hills Wash, which would be hike #2 of my 52 Hike Challenge. This five-mile route, in the desolate Carrizo Badlands of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park takes you through the magical mud hills on the edge of the badlands...

With four days off work at the end of December, I figured I'd get an early start on my 52 Hike Challenge for 2015 and head off into the wilds of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. It had been about four years since I had last visited the upper reaches of Coyote Canyon, so I decided to hike through...

"On a cool day, this is one of the most delightful downhill hikes in the county. Except for a 2-mile scramble down the eroded and overgrown remnants of the Pepperwood Trail in Pepperwood Canyon, little effort is required to keep moving. Below Pepperwood Canyon, the route traverses the lonely...

Carrizo Mountain to Dos Cabezas Road | OAUSA BorregoFest Run Carrizo Mountain is the highest point of the rocky Coyote Mountains, located in the transition zone between the Salton depression of Imperial County, and the mountains and desert valleys of the Anza-Borrego Desert State Park to the...

Carrizo Mountain is a hidden gem in our local Southern California desert. The narrow shelf roads up the mountain are only open six months out of the year, from July 1st to December 31st. This provides big horn sheep uninterrupted access into this mountainous habitat. Realistically though, there...

ABDSP: Culp Valley, Coyote Canyon, Kane Springs Rd, & Harper Canyon - Oct. 5th, 2013 "The road into Lower Coyote Canyon was badly damaged during summer rainstorms, and will not open until mid-October or later. The road into Upper Coyote Canyon should open as scheduled October 1. Horse...

Camped out atop Santa Rosa Mtn with my wife and daughter and also enjoyed the oasis at the water crossing on San Jacinto Ridge Truck Trail 5S09, just North of the small mountain town of Idyllwild. Santa Rosa Mountain Family Camping Trip Link to report...

Another River Trip May 4th-6th, 2012 It turned out to be another beautiful weekend at the Colorado River and Ferguson Lake. I helped my father get his jet boat hooked up and ready to go early Friday morning. The weather forecast showed for a bit cooler weekend than the last time we were out...

I wasn't planning to do much this past weekend due to a serious lack of funds. I was hoping to get out and fish with a few friends but my plans fell through. My wife and daughter were out of town so I figured I could get some stuff done around the house. Well, that is until I got a last minute...

Anza Borrego - Carrizo Gorge Railroad Camp - Petrified Wood Hunting I decided to take a short notice trip out to the desert to check out an abandoned railroad camp in the southern end of the park. The ruins were built to support the construction of the San Diego & Eastern Arizona Railroad...

SoCal & AZ Overland Adventure Dec. 2011 Highlights: Bradshaw Trail Cibola National Wildlife Refuge Trail Black Mountain Picacho State Recreation Area Ferguson Lake/Lower Colorado River Imperial National Wildlife Refuge: Red Cloud Mine Road (Arizona) Kofa National Wildlife Refuge: Palm & Kofa...

Friday morning I met up with my uncle for some San Diego Bay halibut fishing. They move up into shallower water to spawn in the spring and fall months. November and April are usually my best. We ended up catching a ton of bass and only a few short halibut. They must be at least 22" to keep. I...

These trails cover part of the Juan Bautista de Anza expedition routes of 1774 and 1775. Juan Bautista de Anza was the first European to establish an overland route from Mexico, through the Sonoran Desert, to the Pacific coast of California. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juan_Bautista_de_Anza...

http://poway.patch.com/articles/cedar-creek-falls-closes-indefinitely-following-wednesdays-death-of-a-hiker?ncid=breaking_news http://www.nctimes.com/news/local/ramona/article_31dac8a7-b116-5d3c-875c-237a7834419a.html Major bummer! Sadly I'm too surprised. I always see people heading out to...

A short hike from the hot, dry desert flat into a narrow canyon and to a hidden waterfall, full of mosses, vines, and trees, this tiny oasis felt like a world away. Hellhole Canyon is home to Maidenhair Falls, a seasonal 20-foot waterfall that makes a refreshing hiking destination on a hot day...

Carveacre Road/Pancake Rock & La Posta Truck Trail Sat. Jan. 29th, 2011 This was the day there was to be a bit of estrogen overload at my house from my wife's baby shower. It was with this in mind, my father-in-law, Mike and his uncle, Jerry and I decided to head out to a few trails close to...

Corral Canyon OHV Area & Jacumba Mountains: Jan, 15&16th 2011 Well it turned out to be a great weekend spend with friends as well as a few folks from Arizona who had me show them a few of our local trails. We had beautiful weather and scenery, fun trails and a bit of carnage. YouTube -...