Hiking To Heal In 2021

BorregoWrangler

Adventurist
Founding Member
Well since 2020 was the worst year of my life, here's to a better 2021.

#1 Blue Angels Peak
5.25 Miles | 1400' Gain

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Located close to the border between California and Baja California, just east of the high-desert community of Jacumba Hot Springs, is a prominent crag named Blue Angels Peak. Although sitting just beyond the county line in Imperial County, the trailhead is easily reached from San Diego. Our neighboring county’s highest point here lies within a rugged set of peaks and valleys in the Jacumba Mountains — an area administered by the federal Bureau of Land Management and designated as the Jacumba Mountains Wilderness Area. U.S. Border Patrol agents actively monitor the entire border area, as does the humanitarian organization, Border Angels. South of the border, this range stretches about 100 miles into Mexico, where they are known as the Sierra Juarez. You can expect to travel around 5 miles (1400’ gain) along old rugged mining roads and cross-country through boulder fields, juniper trees, and lots of sharp, stabby plants. As with all hikes, but especially those in more remote regions, it's highly recommend to do proper research beforehand and brush up on your backcountry navigation skills.
 
#2 Villager Peak
14 Miles | 5000' Gain

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My favorite hike in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park and my all time favorite summit!

“Villager Peak remains a difficult and remote hiking destination. The views are pseudoaerial all around the compass. Spotted with weather-beaten piñon pines, Villager Peak in the southern Santa Rosa Mountains rises nearly a mile above the lowlands of Anza-Borrego Desert. Serious “peak baggers” from around the state are drawn to its summit, which due to its high elevation, steadfastly resists any easy approach. A clear, calm, moonless night spent here is an unforgettable experience.” -Jerry Schad
 
#3 Cowles Mountain
3 Miles | 900’ Gain

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A few days after Villager, my legs were feeling good enough for an afternoon trek up Cowles Mountain, the highest point in the city of San Diego.

#4 Cowles Mountain
3 Miles | 900’ Gain

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Sure, let’s hit the trail again the next morning before work at 4:30AM.
 
#5 Goat Canyon via Mortero Palms
5.5 Miles | 2200' Gain

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I’m so proud of my baby girl! She did great on her hardest hike yet and one of my favorites!

"Hikers, history buffs, and desert enthusiasts across San Diego County and SoCal revere a historic engineering curiosity that stands in splendid remoteness in a rugged corner of Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. The crown jewel of the Impossible Railroad, the Goat Canyon Trestle, spans a deep, rugged tributary canyon draining into the Carrizo Gorge north of the town of Jacumba. For many hikers, a pilgrimage to the trestle is both an essential rite of passage and a marvelous sight to behold. " -Scott Turner

GOAT CANYON VIA MORTERO PALMS INFO
 
#6 Cowles Mountain
3 Miles | 900' Gain

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Fun fact: When I posted these pics to a FB hiking group a number of people freaked out saying I was damaging the concrete and rock summit monument. Apparently I'm just an "entitled narcissist just looking for that perfect summit selfie."


#7 Sunset Cliffs Natural Park
4 Miles | 160' Gain

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Exploring my favorite coastal area during a -1.7ft tide. Sunset Cliffs is a wonderland of caves, vistas, rock formations, and of course a perfect place to catch those amazing San Diego sunsets! Whether coming here to seek adventure, or peace and relaxation, you've come to the right place.
 
#6 Cowles Mountain
3 Miles | 900' Gain

View attachment 54539Fun fact: When I posted these pics to a FB hiking group a number of people freaked out saying I was damaging the concrete and rock summit monument. Apparently I'm just an "entitled narcissist just looking for that perfect summit selfie."

One of many reasons why I’ve come to loathe FB (and even IG to some extent) is the droves of self important, know it all’s and fact checkers it attracts in the comments on most any subject. Or the people that post negative hit and run comments from behind a keyboard.

We don’t play that here ;)
 
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