Last year at the SoCal Six-Pack of Peaks Challenge Finishers Party, we wrote down our adventure goals for 2018. One of my big goals for 2018? Climbing 14,179' Mount Shasta for the first time. There are many routes to the top of Mt Shasta, but by far the most popular and one of the least technical is via Avalanche Gulch. Make no mistake. This is not a hike. Climbing Mount … [Read More]
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The Muir Taco Adventure – 2015 Edition
We peered up at the ridge above the cirque, straining to find Lamarck Col. Checking our maps and double-checking the GPS, we found what looked like a playground of … [Read More]
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Unboxing the Summer 2018 Cairn Obsidian Collection
The first day of summer is just a week away, and the good folks over at Cairn are on top of it. The summer Obsidian Collection arrived this week, with … [Read More]
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Hike to Stanley Peak in Daley Ranch
Everyone needs a peak in their backyard, and 1,975' Stanley Peak in Escondido's Daley Ranch makes a great go-to hike that you can finish before lunch. This loop route gives you a fine overview of historic Daley Ranch, with sweeping views over much of north San … [Read More]
Hiking the Dipsea – Steep Ravine Loop in Mt Tamalpais State Park
The Dipsea-Steep Ravine Loop is a moderately easy 4.6-mile hike that makes a perfect introduction to Mount Tamalpais State Park, especially when water is flowing in Webb Creek. It offers shady forest, historical points of interest, an actual water fountain on … [Read More]
Hiking Mount Bachelor
Mount Bachelor is best known as the sixth largest ski resort in the United States. When the snow melts, the lower half is turned into a mountain biking park. Less well known is the Mt Bachelor Trail, which let's you hike from the Cascade Lakes National Scenic … [Read More]
Hiking to Baring Falls in Glacier National Park
This is a short little hike along Saint Mary Lake on the east side of Glacier National Park. The out-and-back route begins and ends at Going To The Sun Point. The distance makes it a very family-friendly hike, with big views of Saint Mary Lake, the mountains … [Read More]
Join Team SoCalHiker for Climb for Heroes
On Sunday, June 3, 2018, a group of dedicated SoCal hikers will lace up their hiking shoes to climb 10,064' Mount San Antonio – better known as Mount Baldy. On any given Sunday, hundreds of people do the same, but this day will be different. We will join … [Read More]
Hiking Mt San Jacinto via Humber Park in Idyllwild
If you've hiked up a peak many times before, taking a new route to the top keeps the adventure fresh. That was my goal as I hiked Mount San Jacinto via the Devil's Slide Trail from Humber Park in Idyllwild. I've been up Mount San Jacinto more times than I … [Read More]
Hiking to Rose Peak from Del Valle Regional Park
Rose Peak. The name evokes thoughts of gentle beauty. But this Rose is guarded not by thorns, but by a relentless series of climbs and descents. In total, nearly 20 miles for the round trip, and 5,000 vertical feet. This is one tough hike. This out-and-back … [Read More]
Hiking to Alamere Falls in Point Reyes National Seashore
Alamere Falls is one of those rare and special places where a beautiful waterfall cascades directly onto the beach. This 14 mile hike is the easiest route to the falls, and makes a perfect long day hike. The Coast Trail from the Palomarin Trailhead near … [Read More]
Cairn Obsidian Spring Collection Unboxing
We first looked at Cairn three years ago when they launched their monthly subscription box. Last year, they created the Obsidian Premium Collection – a quarterly subscription box with over $300 worth of gear. One of the unique features of the premium … [Read More]
Hiking Mount Sizer Loop in Henry Coe State Park
Mount Sizer is one of the highest points in Henry State Coe State Park. While the peak is really just the high point along Blue Ridge, getting there and back via this loop requires four climbs totaling well over 3,500 vertical feet, including one of the … [Read More]
Backpacking San Bernardino and San Gorgonio Peaks
One of the best way to enjoy the mountains of Southern California is on an overnight backpacking trip. I have hiked both San Bernardino Peak and San Gorgonio Peak both as day hikes and as overnight trips, but since many of the trailheads closed by the Lake … [Read More]
Hiking Mitchell Canyon to Mount Diablo
Mount Diablo stands tall over the San Francisco Bay Area. At 3,849' it is not the tallest peak in the area, but it is one of the most prominent. Surrounded by low-lying hills, Diablo looks even more impressive. In fact, in 1851 it was established as the … [Read More]
Mark Your Calendar for the Switchback Showcase
Mark your calendar and join me at the Starbright Theater in Campbell, CA for the first-ever Switchback Showcase 2018 – Sights and Sounds of the Outdoors. There will be several short films, including the premier of Chris Smead's The High Sierra Trail and … [Read More]
Hiking Stinson Beach to Mount Tamalpais
Mount Tamalpais stands guard over the bay, with views stretching from the Farallon Islands to the snow-capped peaks of the Sierra Nevada mountains. And while you can drive almost to the top, it's nothing to brag about. Hiking to the top is better. Better … [Read More]
Hiking Mount Umunhum
Mount Umunhum is one of the tallest peaks in the Santa Cruz Mountains, and has a rich history, first as a sacred site for Native Americans ("umunhum" means "resting place of the humming bird"), and more recently as a Cold War-era Air Force radar station. The … [Read More]
Celebrating 8 Years of SoCalHiker
My wife Joan remembers exactly when I first shared the idea for SoCalHiker with her. I was living in San Clemente and preparing for my second thru-hike of the 211-mile John Muir Trail. We were hiking the Salt Creek Trail in Laguna Niguel after work (we were … [Read More]
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