News / backcountry

I get out on a lot of adventures in some pretty cool places, but I will say it is nice to slow it down and car camp every so often. Last weekend was one of those amazing opportunities with our good friends from the San Diego Hiking Network.

I have done some big hikes in some great places this year and have put down some decent milage, for me when it is time to work with getting new hikers out there it can be a personal struggle to adapt the trip to make sure they have fun. Like taking my mom on a twenty miler through Joshua Tree, ha-ha. But you wouldn’t run a marathon cold, nor would you take someone out for their first run and do a marathon, so it stands to reason that introduction to this past time should be easy and fun.

I woke up early-ish, after a few cold spots during the night I really didn’t want to get out of my bag, I was comfortable. Eventually though the sun crested, and I started to get a little too warm, nature’s way of saying time to get on the trail. I had a power bar and got my gear together and topped off all my water bottles.

Last weekend I completed a hike I have been wanting to do for a while across Anza Borrego Desert State Park in eastern San Diego County. This two-day hike took me across thirty-three miles of diverse desert landscape and was challenging and rewarding with some great solo hiking and amazing views.

Last weekends day trip to Ladder Canyon in the Mecca Hills Wilderness just outside of Mecca California which for us SoCal types is basically between Borrego Springs and Palm Springs depending on if you are coming from LA or San Diego. I had seen some pictures a while back and was intrigued about the 4.9 mile day hike through slot canyons and the local desert, of course this being a desert timing is everything when it comes to exploring so March seemed like an appropriate time to head out on our first adventure here.

The spirit of adventure and exploration doesn’t have to be super dangerous and difficult sometimes it’s just going a different route or somewhere you have not been before. That’s not to say planning and preparation are not important either. One of the great things about San Diego’s backcountry is an area you have been to many times can still have a few surprises up its sleeve.

Waking up was difficult, after a decent night of sleep and temperatures in the forties I was warm in my bag and had only minimal tossing and turning. I had only needed to leave the comfort of my bag once in the night to pee.

Last week was another great adventure, the week prior we were getting our snow camp on In Eager AZ and then in a span of a week we were back in the desert backpacking Joshua Tree