Comments on: Villager and Rabbit Peaks – Peak #28 – Steep Desert Ridge with a View

By: tim

tim — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 05:31:27 +0000

This is my goal hike. I hopefully will get it done with year. I figure after I lose a total of 100 pounds, I might be ready.

We’ll see…

By: Mike H

Mike H — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 18:52:11 +0000

Great post Derek! You totally encapsulated the whole trip. As much of a b**** as it was, I’d totally do it again too!

By: derek

derek — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 19:59:58 +0000

Will do, Jeremy.

I took your email out of the comment to avoid people spamming you. I have it on file.

Jeremy also does plenty of his own hiking here in San Diego at his website:

http://www.thehamm.net/

By: Jeremy Hamm

Jeremy Hamm — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 19:50:58 +0000

Email me when you are free in the next month and a half, cant wait tell it gets too hot.

By: derek

derek — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 18:28:52 +0000

Sounds like a plan, Jeremy.

By: Jeremy Hamm

Jeremy Hamm — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 18:25:59 +0000

I would like to both in a long day hike if you are interested Derek

By: derek

derek — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 18:20:42 +0000

Joe, you can go all the way to Rabbit and I will turn around at Villager. That seems fair to me.

By: Joe Decker

Joe Decker — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 18:14:26 +0000

Great write up and a great time Derek! I totally agree and will do it again myself. Absolutely wonderful time. Let me know when you do it again. May have to join ya. Oh, no 100lb pack this time!haha..Still sore!

By: derek

derek — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 17:19:30 +0000

Thanks for the comments.

I’d have to say that this was the most difficult trip that I’ve done so far in the 100 Peaks quest. Other multi-day backpacking trips through the Sierras have been more difficult, but this one is the winner of my modern era of being outdoors.

On the way up, I kept imagining this as a day trip to Villager Peak, as all of the peaks in my book are to be accessible via day hikes, and I know it will be grueling. I am going to go back and do just Villager Peak in a day soon, just to get my trip notes as accurate as they can be for the book.

Reason for difficulty (as noted above):
- Wearing a full backpack (over 40 lbs)
- Nearly 5,000 feet of elevation gain in ~5 miles (not counting soft sandy mile+ near the trail head).
- Harsh, unforgiving landscape of loose rocks, sharp plants and extremely steep portions of the trail
- Psychological letdown of many knobs and “false” summits

My summary: Epic, but totally worth it.

By: Jeremy Hamm

Jeremy Hamm — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 17:08:45 +0000

Great hike, these have been on my list for awhile, how difficult were they compared to other hikes you have done?