Category: Seasonal Hikes

Exploring Sturtevant Falls and Spruce Grove

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The hike began downhill from the newly opened Chantry Flats parking area. It has been closed since last year, when the devastating fires wiped out the area. The parking area sits around 2150 feet, and the falls sit around 1700 feet in elevation so I would be hiking deep into a canyon along a sun exposed path. There are a series of flood control dams and spillways throughout Big Santa Anita Canyon, along this hike. A man named Wilbur Sturtevant established a trail camp here in 1893. The cabins such as Robert’s Camp and Hogees Camp were built in the early 1900’s here.

Getting Lost in Mount Gower Preserve – 10.5 miles in the San Diego Backcountry

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The hike to Mount Gower sit's deep within in the backcountry of San Diego, in rural Ramona, CA. This area is the site of many popular hikes such as Cedar Creek Falls. It also is prone to becoming notoriously hot, especially in the canyons. Aside from the potential for suffering heat exaustion, having a run-in with rattlesnakes, and the other wildlife which frequent the area. To minimize my chances of encountering snakes, I had chosen to hike here during a cooler month of the year, early in the morning. This does decrease, though not eliminate the chances for snake encounters.

Chino Hills in Spring

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It was a beautiful spring morning in early March. I headed to Chino Hills State Park to enjoy an early spring hike amongst the freshly greening hills.

Timber Mountain via Chapman Trail

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Today my plan was to take Icehouse Canyon to Chapman Trail, before hiking on to Icehouse Saddle. I had been planning to hike to Timber Mountain, one of the Three’s T’s, the last of the three I had not summited after Thunder Mountain and Telegraph Peak.

Mount Islip Elevation 8250

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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.