 Last fall, I was contacted by a company called App Outdoors, an outdoor apparel store in Pennsylvania. They said they would give me credit to their store if I would buy something and blog about the experience. No problem!
The credit went smoothly and I was tasked to find something that I wanted to buy. Their selection is pretty good and their prices fairly comparable to other places, with the occasional incredible deal. Since my Keens were finally starting to show some wear, (I have had them for 8 years or so), I thought I would aim to replace those, even though I eyed some pretty expensive Arc’teryx and Patagona jackets. They didn’t have the same type of sandal that I was replacing, but that’s OK since I was curious about trying another style, in this case, the Keen Kanyon Sandals. The leather on my older pair sometimes dried out my feet.
The order went through OK and I received and email confirmation. All was quiet until, about two weeks later, I received a  phone call that they were out of stock on my item and would I like to select something else? I was pretty busy at the time, interviewing for a new job and getting ready for my big move. I didn’t respond for a while and then I get an email that my sandals were getting shipped.
I looked to see what it was and it was my original order. Evidently, they had gotten them in and figured I still wanted them. I did and was happy to receive them. They are now my favorite sandals and I wear them all the time outside of work. The different fabric doesn’t dry my feet out and they appear to be bulletproof.
I am pretty happy with ordering from App Outdoors and would definitely try them again.
 On Top of La Cumbre Peak Cathedral Peak
Elevation: 3,333′
Miles: ~4.5 Miles
Trail head (34.4956, -119.7142)
Agency: Los Padres National Forest
Since I got so close last time, I decided to give this peak another try. Once again, the sun rose as I ascended Camino Cielo and drove to the La Cumbre Lookout Tower. I decided to give the tower a quick visit.
Since I had started running again in the mornings, I felt good as I scampered over the summit block. I tried recording a video, but had some audio issues.
 Cathedral and Arlington Peaks from Camino Cielo La Cumbre Peak
Elevation: 3,995′
Miles: ??
Trail head (34.4956, -119.7142)
Agency: Los Padres National Forest
Well, it’s only been a few times since I started this blog where I turned around before attaining the summit(s) I was seeking. This was one of those times. I had intended on bagging three peaks in the Mission Crags area above Santa Barbara. I am getting to the point where, while I am driving around, I can look up and identify the peaks and features of the front range here.
I got a fairly early start and drove up Camino Cielo (one of my favorite roads) and easily found the gate to La Cumbre Peak. My goal this morning was to summit La Cumbre, Cathedral, and Arlington Peaks. The linear distance was relatively low, but the terrain wasn’t going to be including a maintained trail for most of the way.
Posted by: admin on: November 27 2011 • Categorized in: Peaks
 Monetico Peak from Cold Springs Trail Montecito Peak
Elevation: 3,214′
Miles: 2.4
Trail head (34.48418, -119.63895)
Agency: Los Padres National Forest
While planning for this peak, I had the option of hiking this from the south, or accessing it from the north, on Camino Cielo. Since I am just getting back into hiking shape, I decided on the shorter route.
I was pumped to get going in this hike, it being my first hike since my last San Diego to Mount Tule, about 2 months ago. It was still dark when I pulled my covers back and entered the cool air of the morning.
I drove the winding road leading up to the high ridge. There were other people, parked here and there, standing outside their cars to capture the full beauty of the orange and purple sky and the sun rising over the ocean.
 Hot Springs Canyon Area I am just settling into Santa Barbara and am already feeling the urge to stand up and fight for the open spaces here. I’ve had a few minutes here and there to pore over some maps and scan the area and start to build a long-term plan on exploring the mountains just to the north of me. I am so excited.
However, it turns out that the peak I decided was going to be my first is being threatened by development. Even in Santa Barbara, where I’ve heard the zoning is pretty strict when it comes to new development and urban sprawl, there is the potential of losing open spaces.
One of the challenges I’ve been having here is determining where the trail heads are and whether a peak is on public lands or accessible without crossing private property. My first peak is likely going to be Montecito Peak. It looms above where I live and it is a fairly close drive. I had planned on driving to Camino Cielo and approaching the peak from the north until I read an article in the local newspaper, detailing the fight to save Hot Springs Canyon from development.
Evidently, Montecito Peak is currently on private property and can be accessed via Hot Springs Canyon, which is currently zoned for 6 houses and a day spa and is privately owned. The 462 acres was being offered to the public for $11 million, but now there has been an agreement with the Land Trust for Santa Barbara County for $8.5 million. The good news is that local benefactors have stepped up to the plate and donated over $6 million so far towards the preservation of Hot Springs Canyon. The bad news is that time is running out. The sale needs to be completed by December 15th, 2011.
For more information on how you can help visit the Land Trust for Santa Barbara County web page for Hot Springs Canyon.
 The Mountains from Stearns Wharf Like I said in an earlier post. It’s been quiet here. ‘Here’ as in this blog, but not ‘here’ as in my life. 100 Peaks is once again evolving. I am writing from a hotel room.
I accepted a position with an incredible company in Santa Barbara. Today was my second day at work and I can already tell that I am going to be enjoying this group of people immensely.
I find myself looking south towards all the peaks I haven’t climbed yet in San Diego County. And then I look north and see all the peaks nearby, none of which I have climbed yet.
I made a promise to hike 100 peaks in San Diego and I will complete them. Likely slightly over 100, since I want to make sure I complete the Sierra Club’s San Diego Peaks list. It will definitely take me longer than anticipated, but I still have family in the area and I plan on scheduling some weekend trips to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park for overnight peakbagging excursions.
I also see incredible opportunities to explore the Santa Barbara area, namely the Los Padres National Forest, which is pretty vast and guidebooks seem to be scarce. I don’t even know yet how many peaks there are out there.
I intend to find out.
Like I’ve said in earlier posts, researching maps, trails, trailheads, and topography are all part of the fun. Exploring new territory is the other part of the fun. For most of the forest, it doesn’t appear I need to drive very far to get there. But for some peaks, such as those on the Channel Islands, a boat is needed.
I am sad to leave San Diego, and perhaps I will return to live there some day. But, hey, I am living with my family in Santa Barbara, working at a great company, and a stone’s throw away from some amazing mountains.
It doesn’t get much better than this.
Thank you all for reading and hanging in there while I go through this transition. Feel free to reach out to me about all things San Diego, but expect some Santa Barbara hiking information to start coming through, as well. I will also continue to update the completed San Diego Peaks trip reports with trailhead and map information, for those that lack it.
San Diego will always be in my heart. I’ve spent more time outside in San Diego than anywhere else. I feel I know almost every nook and cranny, but I know that I don’t. Maybe after about 40 more San Diego peaks.
I have a feeling this new area will grow on me, though.
I invite you to come along.
 The view from the trailhead Mount Tule
Elevation: 4,649′
Miles: 2.25
Trail head (32.71269, -116.23672)
Agency: McCain Valley National Co-op Land and Wildlife Management Area
It’s always nice to be able to get away. Even if sometimes the hike is the same duration as the drive to and from the trailhead. Sometimes it’s the anticipation of the hike, of the view, of the experience.
After dropping my daughter off at preschool, I drove out to Anza-Borrego Desert State Park. It’s a long drive and I had planned on bagging as many peaks as I could before I had to head back and pick up my daughter. I started to get a little worried when I drove through a lot of precipitation on the way to the trailhead.
Most of the time, as you drive east from San Diego proper, the weather tends to ease up and the clouds give way to sunny skies. This time, it didn’t happen that way. And I learned when checking the weather that one adjacent zip code could vary widely from another.
 The Coast to Crest Trail goes through the Santa Ysabel Open Space Preserve As you likely know, legendary hiker and professor Jerry Schad passed away recently. Many people have expressed how he had touched their lives.
Once I was an adult, I started my hiking history in Orange County, using his book as my sole reference to the surrounding trails. My girlfriend at the time, (she’s my wife, now), spent many of our first dates with Afoot and Afield in Orange County as our guide. When we moved to San Diego we bought the current edition of Afoot and Afield in San Diego. I bought a new version when that came out and then gave away my older version to a hiker new to the area.
Jerry Schad spent tireless hours exploring the area and took the time to share his knowledge with us. It’s hard to calculate the inspiration he’s given us to get outside. I feel he needs to be honored.
It’s been pretty quiet here of late, at least on the blog. That’s because a lot of non-hiking activities have been going on. Luckily, these things also coincided with the hottest days of this summer, so perhaps I saved myself from scaling mountains in 100F weather.
I’ve been flying a lot lately, which is one of the reasons I haven’t been hiking. On one of the night approaches into San Diego, I was looking down into the sea of lights that make up our urban sprawl. My eyes kept straying to the darker areas, knowing that was where I wanted to be. I craved the wilderness, the spaces where there were no lights and fewer people.
There are so many places I’d like to explore, so many dark spaces on the map. Everywhere I travel, I look for those areas and dream about experiencing them on foot: Rae Lakes in the Sierras, the Central Plateau in Yellowstone, Longs Peak in Rocky Mountain National Park. Maybe I’ll find time to tread them all, but maybe not.
Either way, I’ll never stop dreaming about it.
Posted by: admin on: September 10 2011 • Categorized in: Peaks
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Email only used for blog post updates Statistics – San Diego
66/100 Peaks
275.5 Hiking Miles
252,356' Total Peak Elevation
Santa Barbara
3/100 Peaks
7 Hiking Miles
10,542' Total Peak Elevation
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Last fall, I was contacted by a company called App Outdoors, an outdoor apparel store in Pennsylvania. They said they would give me credit to their store if I would buy something and blog about the experience. No problem!
phone call that they were out of stock on my item and would I like to select something else? I was pretty busy at the time, interviewing for a new job and getting ready for my big move. I didn’t respond for a while and then I get an email that my sandals were getting shipped.
