This time last week, I was gearing up for a 60-mile bike ride in the Anza-Borrego Desert with the Triathlon Club of San Diego. Since then, a firestorm has destroyed homes and property and displaced thousands of San Diegans. The blaze, fueled by heavy winds and drought-stricken flora and fauna, continues to burn. Today, one of the multiple fires is 20 percent contained, another only 10 percent. Air-quality experts have deemed the wind-blown ash unhealthy for all individuals.
A week without fresh air has left me in desperate need of an escape. A four-hour drive and raging wild fires separate me from the 800,000-acre Joshua Tree National Park. Tonight after carefully navigating my way out of San Diego, I will sleep outside beneath a clear sky and a blanket of shining stars.
My goal for the weekend: climb hard, ride my bike 50 or more miles and snap plenty of photos and video for another Active Video installation early next week. I hope you all have a great weekend and please be sure to keep the people of San Diego in your thoughts.
My climbing partner, Gil (aka Mountainroad) and I attempted the Palisade Traverse this past weekend which began with a 5.5-mile approach-hike from South Lake trailhead (9,755 feet elevation) on Friday morning. The trail was well-maintained and we acclimated by sleeping in the parking lot the night before, allowing us to hold a quick pace from the start. It began to snow when we reached Long Lake and continued to snow for the remainder of the hike until we reached Bishop Pass (11,960 feet). We knew snow was in the forecast, but didn’t realize it would start so early in the day. The snow let up while establishing base camp (12,200 feet) just below the chute to Thunderbolt Peak, which we planned to ascend at 4:30 a.m. the next morning.
While replenishing our water supply in an alpine lake, the sky became a darker gray and the snow began to fall again, but this time at a heavier rate with steady accumulation. As soon as the sun set, the temperature dropped to the high-20s, giving me the opportunity to fully appreciate the warmth of my brand-new zero-degree down sleeping bag (Thanks, Mom and Dad!).
By morning, a fresh foot of powder blanketed everything in sight, including the chute to Thunderbolt peak, the first on our list of peaks for the Palisade Traverse. It was obvious at this point that we were snowed-out because the route would be too dangerous to negotiate.
Immediately, our focus shifted to staying warm, so we quickly broke-down our camp and packed our bags for the descent. The sun had yet to crest the ridge and it was still frigid. The hike back to the car was gorgeous. We were in a winter wonderland and were motivated by the thoughts of a hearty breakfast at Jack’s Restaurant in Bishop.
After our meal, we headed across the street and rented a bouldering crash pad from Wilson's Eastside Sports for $10 to use at The Buttermilks, a world-class rock climbing area. A crash pad breaks a climber’s fall when climbing without a rope no more than 20-feet in height. It’s the duty of the spotter to redirect the trajectory of a falling climber, so they land on the crash pad and not the ground.
Gil and I climbed in the warmth of the sun at The Buttermilks for the rest of the day. When the sun dropped behind the front range of the Sierra Nevada we set up camp nearby. I’ve crafted an Active Video from my weekend adventure using pictures, video clips and music composed by my manager, Rob Costlow. Enjoy!
Labor Day weekend has arrived and its time to go check out Yosemite National Park. I’ve been intrigued by this park for years so I am excited to finally have this opportunity. It’s a holiday weekend and crowds are to be expected on the main trails out of the valley, but my plan is to stick to the back country and avoid the traffic. I hope there isn’t a line to hike up Half Dome on Saturday. Something tells me its going to be a busy day on the cables.
This trip is a bit different than my recent adventures for it will be at a relaxed pace of roughly 10 miles per day. I hope you all have fantastic, long weekends and bring back stories to share with the community next week. Stay tuned for trip details and plenty of great video footage upon my return. ~Active Toby
Tomorrow, I’m joining up with 4 others to leave San Diego at 4:30 am and drive north along the western side of the Sierras to a place called Mineral King. Our destination lies due-east of Fresno amongst the front range of Sequoia National Park. After obtaining the proper permits, the 5 of us will hit the trail, beginning at roughly 8,000 feet of elevation. Our destination for day 1 is Spring Lake, but plans remain flexible due to the long drive and the unforeseen circumstances that all-too-often plague large groups. So, we plan to enter the park and get as far along as we see fit tomorrow afternoon and set up camp when the time feels right.
On Saturday morning, we'll either finish off the remainder of the hike or wake up next to Spring Lake, below a beautiful amphitheater of high-alpine peaks. Saturday, we’ll have the choice to hang by our camp site and fly fish in the surrounding alpine lakes or choose from a variety of peaks to climb. My friends and I have Sawtooth Peak, a 12,343-foot peak that offers a 360-degree panoramic view of the Great Western Divide, Monarch Lakes the Kaweahs, the Whitney group, Mineral Peak, Tulare Peak, Florence Peak, Olancha Peak, Owens and Siretta.
Its going to be a grand weekend despite the long drive on both Friday morning and Sunday evening. Any opportunity to enter the Sierra is worth the drive. I’m excited to share pictures with you upon our return. Stay tuned for a trip report coming to you early next week. Yours in adventure, Active Toby.
This weekend, I’m heading out to spend a night in the southern-most National Forest in California. The Cleveland National Forest offers 460,000 acres of camping, hiking and recreational opportunities only 40 miles east of San Diego on Interstate 8 and then 10 miles north on Sunrise Highway (S1). I’ll be car camping in the Laguna Mountains at a camp site that is designated for tent camping with parking for two vehicles, picnic table and a fire ring. It costs $14 per night which includes bathroom access too.
From the camp fire, to star gazing, to watching the sunrise over the Anza-Borrego desert to the east, this recreation area offers a wide variety of activities that welcome exploration for a day, a weekend, a week or longer. When parking and leaving your vehicle within the recreation area, it is required that you display an Adventure Pass on your dash board. These can be purchase at local outdoor recreation outfitters as well as the Mt. Laguna store for $5/day or an annual pass for $30.
There are many trailheads throughout the wilderness area that connect to a large network of hiking trails including direct access to the famous Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), a 2,650-mile national scenic trail from Mexico to Canada through California, Oregon and Washington.
I plan to hike the PCT for roughly 20-miles on Saturday morning beginning as early as possible. The forecast says it will be in the mid-80s, which never actually feels hot because the elevation is between 4,000 and 6,000 feet above sea-level. I will be bringing over a gallon of water per day for myself to make sure I stay hydrated in this dry climate.
This area is so close to the city yet feels like a complete escape into your own wilderness sanctuary. Although it is common to share the trail with others, it is still a refreshing dose of nature and beauty in an easily accessible over-night trip. Your questions about mountain biking trails, hiking or backing are more than welcome. Remember to leave no trace and leave the area cleaner than you found it.
A resource for adventure created to inspire. First-hand trip reports, wild stories and ideas for excursions of your own. Questions about gear and trip planning are encouraged. Feel free to offer your stories and suggestions. Active Toby
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