Get Outside and Explore
It was early June 2025. I was glad to be back here again at the trail to Mount Baldy, after what had been at least a year. My last summit was May 2024, on Mother's Day weekend. There was still snow covering much of the mountain then. But now, Baldy was in the clear, and snow-free. Today would be a solo summit of Mount Baldy heading up the Ski Hut Trail and down the Devil's Backbone Trail. The hike would be 12 miles with 3400 feet of gain.
Today I would be hiking another short section of the PCT, bound for Pacifico Mountain, elevation 7104 ft. It was my first time hiking from the trailhead at Mill Creek Summit, to the peak. I knew there were several other peaks, a short distance from Pacifico, such as Granite Mountain, and Roundtop. Hiking to Pacifico Mountain is no easy feat, since it has over 2300 feet of gain. There is a PCT hiker friendly campground right at the peak.
I hiked 12.5 miles up Skyline Drive to Beek's Place, from Corona, CA for the first time. It's an iconic homestead, centrally located amidst the Saddleback Mountains. It was the home of Joe Beek, a member of the California Senate. His homestead and property are several hundred acres. The remains of the homestead was recently renovated, and the property sold, with the name changed to Beacon's Pines.
I drove up to Crystal Lake Recreation Area from Hwy-39, parking at the Islip Ridge trailhead. After climbing up to four peaks a year ago, to “The Four Hawkins,” I was back again in a beautiful alpine wilderness, standing deep within a giant granite bowl. But there was one more adjoining peak I had not climbed, Mount Islip, which is included in the Sierra Club’s Hundred Peaks section.
I paid a visit to Cuyamaca Rancho State Park, located in eastern San Diego County, on the fringe of the Laguna Mountain Wilderness. If you're looking to get away from it all in the wilderness, the trails along Hwy 79 here are some of the least trafficked in the county. My goal was to climb to Cuyamaca Peak (Elev 6512 ft), one of the highest peaks in San Diego County. This peak is listed on the Sierra Club’s Hundred Peaks List, in the San Diego Section.
Serafina Hikes 