Cucamonga Wilderness, Peak Bagging

Icehouse Canyon to Timber Mt

January 31, 2021 Roger Jenkins 4 Comments

SAN GABRIEL MOUNTAINS

SAN BERNADINO MOUNTAINS

ANGELES NATIONAL FOREST

CUCAMONGA WILDERNESS

Activity: Day Hike, Peak Bagging

9.5 miles, elevation change 3336’, 7 hour duration, rated Hard

Date: 11-18-20

This is a special area and a special hike. Things you need to know to start with is that you will need to come early. Although the parking area is a good size it will fill up on the weekends, as the Icehouse Canyon Trail is a starting point for numerous hikes. You will need an Adventure Pass for parking. A Wilderness Permit is required and you can get the permit right at the trailhead.

The adventure begins with a mild walk through a shady canyon, the sound of the babbling brook sets the mind at ease. The area is filled with a mixture of oak, conifer, and deciduous trees. As I ambled along the easy path there were a couple cabins and ruins of others lost to either fire or flood in years gone by. The chilly air was fragrant with the scent of fallen decaying leaves that carpeted the forest floor. The surrounding ridge was alight with a golden glow as the morning sun has just reached it upon rising over the mountain. After a couple miles the trek picks up the pace from mild to difficult through switchback trail the remainder of the hike to Icehouse Saddle.

I have a post on my blog ‘Pursuing Balance Through Adventure’ Hiking and Backpacking 101 regarding Layering Your Clothing. This outing was an excellent example. My early hike began in cold temperatures, but by the time I headed up the steep switchbacks I was stripping off outer layers, but as I got higher I was more exposed to the high winds and I needed to layer up once again.

In late November there were portions of the trail covered in snow and ice. Not quite enough to need micro spikes as trekking poles and a little careful footwork would allow you to traverse these spots. If however you were going on to Ontario Peak or Cucamonga Peak, which would take you to more shaded parts of the mountains, they were still covered with snow from an earlier storm.

I had planned to just hike to the Icehouse Saddle, however once there I decided that there wasn’t much of a view at this wide spot that was heavily forested with fir, and I wasn’t quite ready for my adventure to come to an end. The Saddle is where five trails come together and I decided forge on to Timber Mountain.

As I approached the summit of Timber Mountain I had a wonderful panorama of the mountains to including Mt Baldy. I also enjoyed splendid views of the canyon as the wind whipped up through them chapping my lips. A magnificent area and a great hike to be sure. I will be back for some of the other hikes in this area.

“**When I saw the mountains the weight lifted and my restless spirt calmed… I knew I was where I belong.”**

What a day! It pretty much checked all the boxes as far as ‘Pursing Balance Through Adventure’. The fresh mountain air, stretching the legs, getting the heart pumping, gaining altitude attitude, getting away from it all, natural scenic beauty and panoramic views, the adventure of a hard hike, add a little snow and ice for a little extra something, solo time to reflect, soul soaring to be sure. I certainly feel a little more balance seep into my life after such an outing in nature, but it is not about the destination. It’s not about bagging that Peak and standing atop that summit posing with that sign, but the trek up and down that mountain, and to looking forward to that next adventure. Speaking of next adventure- stick with me there is more to come because it’s what? A journey, a pursuit for additional chances to balance that ledger of the everyday hetic, chaotic, sometimes mundane, work-a-day life with bold experiences in the great outdoors. Stick with me by doing each and everyone of these things: COMMENT, LIKE, FOLLOW and SHARE. You can join the movement, wave the flag, and carry the banner by adorning yourself in ‘Pursuing Balance Through Adventure’ wear. Just go to SHOP APPAREL where you can find the long sleeve high performance shirt and beanie pictured in my summit shot and oh so much more. If you need ideas or inspiration on your own pursuit then go to the menu above where you will find the spots that PBTA travels to seeking that inner peace and to revel in nature. Each location is a separate website and thus needs to be FOLLOWED independently.

Happy Trails-

Roger Jenkins

Pursuing Balance Through Adventure

Peak Bagging

Wright Mountain via Acorn Trail

December 7, 2020 Roger Jenkins Leave a comment

SHEEP MOUNTAIN WILDERNESS

WRIGHTWOOD, CA

Activity: Hiking, Peak Bagging

8.7 miles, altitude 8505′, 2365′ elevation change, 5+ hours duration, rated Hard

Date: 11-06-20

This hike begins at the top of a neighborhood in Wrightwood. There is a small parking area, from there you will walk through a portion of the neighborhood to the trailhead. While hiking on the Acorn Trail you will be trekking along a section of the Pacific Crest Trail.

The hike wanders through a beautiful pine forest decorated with some falls color to complement the evergreens. Wonderful views along the way and near the top. It is a steep trail up to the summit which stands at 8,505 feet above sea level. Near the summit there is no trail either follow your GPS or just head up, up, up through the woods. There is a clearing with an American Flag on a cliff where in the past there was a large landslide. This is not the summit, but has sweet views of nearby mountains and the valley below. The actual summit is the high point of the wooded area. Wright Mountain is a great hike and I highly recommend it.

I met a new Trail Friend and we hiked the mountain together, an Assistant Professor at a nearby Loma Linda University. My understanding of his class is that he teaches Nursing Students compassion, understanding, faith, and caring toward their patients. Very nice guy and an avid hiker and lover of nature. He confided in me while we gazed out over the valley below something very personal to him. He explained that this hike was a celebration, it was exactly 1 year ago on this day that he lost a special person to him, his father-in-law. Here is the crazy part, his father-in-law’s name is the same as mine, Roger, not exactly a common name, now-a-days.

Here is Wright Mt in the distance and the Asst. Professor on the summit of Wright Mt.

We met a couple of old timers, well experienced in the mountains. He spooked me because he is sitting on an old stump that is sticking out over a cliff eating his sandwich, plus it is quite windy- blowing towards the cliff.

A short distance from the summit is a clearing with an American Flag where we met these two old timers, well experience on the mountain. But this guy seated on the old stump spooked me. The stump is sticking out over a cliff with a stiff breeze blowing toward the edge. Some years ago a large expanse of land gave way in a landslide right where he sits.

“I don’t see how a pumpkin patch can be more sincere than this one.” -Linus, it’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown

“Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Natures peace will blow into you as sunshine flows into the trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop away for you like the leaves of Autumn.” – John Muir

Thanks for joining me and my new trail friend the Asst. Prof from Loma Linda Univ. Fantastic day and it was nice to have someone to hike with. It was a windy day that would bring in a storm that night that dumped a several feet of snow where I stand. Please leave a COMMENT, LIKE, SHARE and FOLLOW. I am wearing PBTA wear in the picture, get yours at SHOP APPAREL. The Menu above has inspirational hikes that are categorized by location, each is a separate website and thus needs to be FOLLOWED independently.

Happy Trails-

Roger Jenkins

Pursuing Balance Through Adventure

Uncategorized

PBTA 1000 Followers Contest Winner!!!

November 27, 2020 Roger Jenkins Leave a comment

Angeles National Forest, Peak Bagging

Sunset Peak Trail

November 12, 2020 Roger Jenkins 3 Comments

ANGELES NATIONAL FOREST

Activity: Day Hike, Peak Bagging

Distance: 7.5 miles (Added side excursion for a total of 10 miles), elevation change 1,276’ (Side excursion add 200‘ or so?), duration including side excursion: > 5 hours. Rated Moderate (Side excursion and short cut has some steep sections)

Date: 11-5-20

Hiking in the Angeles National Forest is really great. When you are climbing a peak it is so different than life below, as it should be after all, the whole idea is ‘Pursuing Balance Through Adventure’, a temporary reprieve from stress and/or ho-hum. This hike I throughly enjoyed because it was set back in such a way that you did not see civilization until you were pretty much on top. Also it had extraordinary peak-a-boo views, through the firs, of hills, mountains, and ravines, just about every step of the way.

Much of the trail is double track. The first, a fire road, can no longer be used for anything, but hiking. There are multiple trees down across the trail, a couple of rock slides blocking all but a couple feet or so, and brush has grown into the trail way so no vehicle could use this particular trail. Near the top there is single track. There is also a portion were you can take a short cut. I took it on the way down, but it might have been better to take it up, as it is steep with loose dirt.

Once on top the views are simply exquisite. Laid out in front of you is a magnificent range that includes Mt Baldy and several others peaks, you have views of the Inland Empire and mountain ranges beyond, also a nice view of downtown LA.

After summiting the peak, I decided to add on to my hike, so I went on a trail that moved towards a ridge line, leading to some radio towers in the distance. I turned on a ridge that descended down to the right. This was a single track path that moved through some brush and then down some steep sections with loose dirt. This had some great views of the Sunset Peak just summited. It finally drops down on to a fire road and then later reconnects with the trail that was the planned mapped hike.

This hike has incredible views. As I mentioned, what I appreciated the most is until you get to the top you do not see any suburbia, only mountains and beautiful nature.

Red Line: Sunset Pk Trl. Blue Dot shows my location on the dotted line trail. Grey dotted line: Fire Road

**“He found himself wondering at times, especially in the autumn, about the wild lands, and the strange visions of mountains that he had never seen came into his dreams” – J.R.R. Tolkien**

Thanks for climbing Sunset Peak with me, now go out and find an adventure that can stir your soul, while you stretch your legs, feel the wind on your face, and drink in all that nature has bestowed upon us… or heck you certainly can continue to tag along with me as I am ‘Pursuing Balance Through Adventure’, – I’m good with that, but to do so you will need to FOLLOW, SHARE, COMMENT, and LIKE. If however, you are excited about finding an adventure there are plenty to inspire you just go to the menu above. Each of the locations is a separate website and thus needs to be FOLLOWED Independently. Yes, that is a new PBTA cap atop my noggin. It’s one of the New Arrivals. You can buy one at SHOP APPAREL Where there is currently a SPECIAL DEAL going on.

Happy Trails-

Roger Jenkins

Pursuing Balance Through Adventure

Peak Bagging

Peak Bagging Soda Mountain

September 15, 2020 Roger Jenkins 1 Comment

MOHAVE DESERT

Activity: Peak Bagging, Trail Blazing, Scrambling, Camping

Distance: Approximately 8 miles, altitude 3661’, prominence 1,781’, 2,168’ elevation gain, duration 7 hours, rated Hard

Date: March 4-5, 2020

While not particularly high in elevation at 3,661 feet above sea level it is all about the prominence with Peak Baggers. That is why the few, the adventurous, the Peak Baggers are interested in this location. Otherwise it is a lonely, desolate, rugged place and there is nothing particularly fun about the trek, and there is no reason anyone would climb Soda Mountain other than because it is there, and the ‘Prom Factor’.

Prominence

A position of exalted widely recognized grandeur.
A natural land elevation that stands out above it’s surroundings.
The vertical distance from which the summit rises above the lowest point between two summits.

In many ways prominence, as an alternate measurement of a peak or mountain, is more interesting than it’s elevation.

I joined Hall of Fame Peak Bagger Keith Christensen once again seeking some life balance in this otherwise crazy mixed up world, in other words we found ourselves ‘Pursuing Balance Through Adventure’ in the Mohave Desert. This was day two of our excursion and I invite you to checkout day one: Cave Mountain. After completing our quest to stand atop Cave Mountain we headed toward Soda Mountains. It required some 4 wheeling to get to the wash that would serve as the closest thing to a trailhead. Hint there is no trailhead in the middle of the frick’n desert when you are hiking an area no one would go to, to climb a craggy, jagged, rocky mountain that no one would climb… no one except a Peak Bagger. I will tell you what, on these desolate desert peaks there are only a few peak baggers there a year. So when you stand on top of Soda Mountain, you are one of a small number that has ever set foot there, which of course is part of the allure. Peak Baggers aren’t here to recreate they are here for the hard-core.

After a backpacking dinner, we enjoyed the twilight and the silhouette of the mountains against the ever darkening desert sky, and then called it a night to get an early start in the morning.

Twilight over the Soda Mountains. Tomorrow we summit.

It was a cool morning, but with the rising sun it was quickly warming up. We headed out along about 3 miles of sandy wash and canyon area that had many twists and turns to it such that we really did not get a look at our objective until we were right before it.

Hiking through a wash toward our destination Soda Mt High Point.

Now we would be picking a route, looking for a way up, ascending the steep incline of broken rock. During the climb my foot became trapped between a proverbial, and I assure you quite literal, rock and a hard place. It was only all those workouts I have been doing that kept me from a full face plant as I caught myself in a push up position with my nose to the grind stone.

In a section where we were doing a bit of scrambling Keith surprised a large lizard about the size of a chipmunk, which is exactly what I though it was at first. The fleeing reptile was headed right at my face until he saw me and ducked into the rocks. We think it was a Chuckwalla, but there are Gila Monsters in the Mohave as well.

Hands worked, bloody shin, tired feet and all I arrived at the summit with a smile. While I surveyed the desert scene from aloft Keith checked out the register in an old can to see how many names he might recognize.

The view from the summit was quite amazing with a pretty diverse landscape. On one side was canyon with pale colors, in another direction black mountains rising out of golden sand, and yet another mocha chocolate hills. After a snack, a drink, and a little reflection it was time to head down.

As I carefully picked my way down the rocky slope I became separated from Keith who with a quicker pace had dropped down out of sight, and had taken a right under a large rock outcropping. Not seeing this I continued down the chute. I whistled to find his location, but heard no response. I was thinking he can’t be that far ahead, but he had wrapped around more to the right as I was still going down the chute. After signaling every so often I finally hear a hoot and after awhile we reconnect. He had not heard my previous whistles. There was a point that I thought I would be hiking back to Keith’s Jeep alone.

**Another successful summit by the intrepid explorer Peak Bagger Keith Christensen as he heads down with the desert wash below.**

One side note that I will mention about this outing was that it took place just before that Covid-19 Pandemic Crisis. After 2 or 3 months had gone by I went to Keith Christensen’s Peak Bagger Page to see if he had continued to bag peaks since I had last seen him. While I had continued to go on hikes and even a little peak bagging I saw that Keith had not slowed down one iota. During this time frame he had bagged almost 60 more peaks. That is simply amazing.

**“The road less traveled is the road to adventure!”**

This type of an adventure is pretty amazing and rather unique. Not your everyday trek, which makes it pretty cool, and hiking with my Hobie Cat Champion sailing friend, Keith Christensen, who just happens to take part in this craziness of Peak Bagging, and at a very high level I might add, is always an adventure! Thanks for joining us ‘Pursuing Balance Through Adventure’ while peak bagging hidden away desert mountains. Take a moment and LIKE, COMMENT, FOLLOW, and SHARE. You may or may not be excited about Peak Bagging in the middle of the frick’n desert, but I am positive you can find a hike that will get you off the couch with all of the locales that PBTA ventures to- just review the menu above. Each location is a separate website and thus needs to be FOLLOWED independently. Checkout my cap in the picture. Like it? Want one? Click here: SHOP APPAREL.

Happy Trails, (Well in this case there was no trail, but you catch my drift…)

Roger Jenkins

Pursuing Balance Through Adventure

Peak Bagging

Peak Bagging Cave Mt.

August 14, 2020 Roger Jenkins 4 Comments

MOJAVE DESERT

Activity: Peak Bagging, Trail Blazing, Scrambling

Distance: 3-4 miles, altitude 3,626-3,663’, prominence 1,744’, elevation gain 1,550-2,550’, duration >4 hours, rated Hard

Date: March 4, 2020

Cave Mountain is one of the those prominent peaks that you see not far from the freeway and ponder about on your way to Vegas. It is in the middle of the frick’n desert and there is absolutely no reason anyone would want to climb it unless it is because “It’s There” and you happen to be a Peak Bagger. It’s not one of the those scenic hikes that just happens to have some altitude. Cave Mountain is a stack of rocks on a sand dune close to No-Where. Even though it is not far from the busy I-15 between Barstow and Baker it is not easy to get to and you will need a 4×4 to get the rest of the way. Everything about it is obscure and perhaps that is part of the intrigue. First you have soft sand, then you have hard jagged talus to scramble. I suppose when you are climbing a peak, that not many people ever will, than you can’t be too sure about anything as far as facts and figures go. When you look at the information that I have provided I gave ranges. When I did my research everything is speculative and subjective. Where exactly the hike begins depends on how far you get in your vehicle before you get stuck. Every time I see a post on the altitude it is different. So everything about this adventure is a little… well, out there.

I rejoined my Peak Bagging Buddy, Keith Christensen, whom is on his way to being one of the top Peak Baggers in the country, for a couple days in the Mojave. The next day we would set out to climb the Soda Mountain High Point. This was my second set of Peak Bagging Adventures with Keith. You can checkout last year’s ‘Pursing Balance Through Adventure’ of Arrow Canyon High Point, Griffith Peak, and who can forget Frenchman Mountain? Keith is saddled with coining the phrase, “If it doesn’t hurt it isn’t worth it!”

This profound experience in nature was, like the others, a search for balance and to escape the mundane. It took place shortly before the Corona Virus Pandemic. I continued to adventure after a brief pause of shock I suppose of everything that was happening. I wondered if my friend Keith did the same. The answer is a resounding Hell No! I looked up his Peak Bagger Page while researching this article and was astounded that Keith Christensen, Hobie Cat Sailing Champion, Mountaineer, and self proclaimed Peak Bagger had bagged almost 60 peaks since he last hiked with me. I am feeling a little left out…

Not that Peak Bagging is my main deal, because I mostly like the nature and scenic aspects of the outdoor life, but I will always say that the harder the hike, the taller the mountain, the tougher the experience, the more I respect it and it certainly makes it more interesting, and with this type of adventure you gain a certain feeling of accomplishment.

So Cave Mountain has some 4 wheeling, some sand trekking, come desert hiking, and some rock scrambling to obtain the peak that is crowned with a large cairn marking the spot. Once on top there are beautiful desert views all around.

**I think if Keith had a space suite on you might swear he was on Mars.**

“If adventure has a final and all-embracing motive, it is surely this: we go out because it is our nature to go out, to climb mountains, and to paddle rivers, to fly to the planets and plunge into the depths of the oceans… When man ceases to do these things, he is no longer man.”
— Wilfrid Noyce

Thanks for joining Keith Christensen and myself atop Cave Mountain; Peak Bagging in an ‘Pursuing Balance Through Adventure’ effort in the Mojave Desert. More to come- be sure to LIKE, FOLLOW, SHARE and COMMENT. Get the same hat as mine at SHOP APPAREL which will not only make you look and feel like an adventurer, but will help out the PBTA cause. Go to the Menu and look at all the richness of balance, so many places to get inspired by. Each of these locations that PBTA visits are all separate websites. It is hard to keep up digitally on my escapades and with all my different social media platforms: 13 Blogs, Face Book, Instagram, YouTube, Peak Bagger and Pinterest, but I do my best and I try to spread out the love so they are not necessarily in chronological order, but do they really need to be?

See you at the top!

Roger Jenkins

Pursuing Balance Through Adventure

Peak Bagging

Sitton Peak

July 20, 2020 Roger Jenkins Leave a comment

SAN MATEO CANYON WILDERNESS

Near Lake Elsinore, CA

Activity: Peak Bagging, Hiking

Distance 10 miles, duration 6.5 hours, 2037’ elevation change, rated HARD

Date: 2-18-20

“Light Weight Luggage”

Sitton Peak is the first of the So Cal Six Pack of Peaks Challenge. It is one of the top 12 Peaks, and is at the lowest of the altitudes so it is a good place to begin if you are aspiring to be a Peak Bagger. Besides that it is a great hike. You will need an Adventurers Pass for parking. Much of the way along the Sitton Peak Truck Trail, as the tail is named, is fairly moderate as the trail travels through desert scrub brush know as chaparral. Your journey has plenty of hills and mountains to checkout along the way.

The final push is what gets tough and some scrambling is involved- sturdy trail runners or hiking boots are recommended as it is rocky, slippery, and steep. Also be sure to bring plenty of water as there is very little shade. The views are great from the top, which is to be expected after all it’s a peak. You will enjoy some of the best views in Orange County and the Inland Empire.

I did this hike with my friend Fabian, my workout partner, who hails from Colombia and his family traditions brings us that cup of Joe that we enjoy in the morning. He is no stranger to hiking as the coffee plantation is in a mountainous area.

During the hike we spoke about the idea behind “Pursuing Balance Through Adventure” and Fabian explains during the video, in his thick Columbia’s accent, what he calls “Light Weight Luggage”, you can take a listen to his philosophy for yourself, but I believe that he is basically saying that with our jobs, relationships, responsibilities, and just the trials and tribulations of life, we are weighed down by this luggage, and when you go out into nature, and on adventure then you are able to shed some of that weigh on your shoulders, to let that go for a little while and truly experience hills, mountains, canyons, peaks, wildlife, and so forth. The experience of adventure and that letting go is what helps us regain the balance we all seek. So, I thought that “Light Weight Luggage” was a pretty good take on “Pursuing Balance Through Adventure“.

Official PBTA Sitton Peak Video

**“I think sometimes we just need an unplanned adventure, the open road with no map, and peace and quiet to cleanse the chaos and the bullshit from our soul.” – Brooke Hampton**

Thanks for joining Fabian and I as we found ourselves at the top of Sitton Peak looking out at nature “Pursuing Balance Through Adventure“, and attempting to un-shoulder some of the burden of life. “Light Weight Luggage” was the theme and I think that our quest was successful as we enjoyed the trek, sunshine, views, fresh air and nature. Be sure to FOLLOW, SHARE, COMMENT, and by all means LIKE this post so that you will not miss out on the next adventure. Speaking of that, go to the menu there are plenty of places to be “Pursuing Balance Through Adventure” and lighten that load with the philosophy of “Light Weight Luggage”. Each location is an individual website and thus needs to be followed separately. If you want a Panama hat like Fabians well… I guess go to South America, but if you want a “Pursuing Balance Through Adventure” logo cap like mine all you have to do is go to SHOP APPAREL.

Happy Trails to you and all your friends,

Roger Jenkins

Pursuing Balance Through Adventure

Uncategorized

Lava Tubes

March 23, 2020 Roger Jenkins 1 Comment

Mojave National Preserve, California

“Bathing in His Light”

Activity: Spelunking (sorta)
Date: April 17, 2019
Distance .05 Mile, 62’ elevation change, rated Easy

I had not been to Mojave National Preserve before, but after my trip there I can tell you it will not be my last.

The Lava Tubes are off of paved road, but the final 5 miles is rough washboard dirt road with some volcanic rock thrown in a couple places for good measure. Once you park it is a short distance to the Lava Tubes.

I suggest that you bring a head lamp as you crawl into a hole in the ground, the dark portion isn’t very long, but a little light goes a long ways in making you feel more comfortable. There is a low spot where you need to crawl on your hands and knees. So when you hit your head it won’t be that bad because with the light at least you can say oh yeah I knew that was there.

When you enter the cavern with the light beaming in it is truly a feeling of am I really seeing this? I have never seen light do this except in an art gallery, and I will tell you the pictures I saw on my hiking app were no where as cool as what I saw and the pictures you see here. So I don’t know if I was lucky or just there at the right time. You need to be there around noon for the light to shine through the sky light openings just right.

I can’t say it was a spiritual feeling, because there were other people there probably about 8 of us on a weekday enjoy what was undeniably an amazing sight. But looking at these pictures now it’s definitely lifts the spirit.

**The map shows the Cinder Cone Lava Beds and Lava Tube under the title Mojave.**

This map shows the proximity of the lava tubes, which is the large two tone dot under Mojave Wilderness, and Baker, CA. There is paved road from Baker, but the last 5 miles to the Lava Tube is rough dirt road.

You can drive the 5 miles there in a regular vehicle, but it is a bit of a rough ride.

Are you willing to crawl into this hole?

Ladder going back out from the lava tube.

**“The danger of adventure is worth a thousand days of ease and comfort.” – Paulo Coelho**

The Mojave National Preserve is a fun place to explore, and the light in the lava tube was a Life Experience. Thanks for joining me ‘Pursuing Balance Through Adventure.’ There are sister sites categorized by area in the menu above (each needs to be followed individually). Lots of adventures, lots more to come, so please for the sake of your Balance: LIKE, COMMENT, FOLLOW, and SHARE. If you would like to support PBTA then check out the fine SHOP APPAREL for top quality adventure wear.

Happy Trails,

Roger Jenkins, Pursuing Balance Through Adventure

Uncategorized

Corona Virus – Take a Hike

March 19, 2020 Roger Jenkins Leave a comment

Original quote from Roger Jenkins of Pursuing Balance Through Adventure, and important message regarding the Corona Virus, as part of my regular postings. Please Click Below

Little sycamore canyon/serrano ridge/west Canyon loop

Uncategorized

Pumpkin Rock Trail

October 23, 2019 Roger Jenkins 1 Comment

Norco, California

“I have discovered the Great Pumpkin and it is me.”

Activity: Day Hike

Date: October 16, 2019

2 Miles, elevation change 400’, 45 minutes, rated Moderate

Wow, what a unique hike. My friend Adam, whom I sometimes hike with, surprised me with this hike. All I knew was that we were hiking in the Inland Empire. It turned out to be such a unique and fun hike, and by the way Tis’ the Season as they say. What a spooktaculare adventure this would be to take your kids on especially right before Halloween.

So when I got my first glimpse of the Great Pumpkin, up on the hillside above the George Ingalls Equestrian Event Center in Norco, California, I thought how nice of the city to have a giant inflatable pumpkin for Halloween. I pondered they must have a generator up there or something to keep it inflated. As we got closer I saw that this was a giant painted boulder that was perfectly shaped to play the part of the Great Pumpkin. If only Charlie Brown was here to see this, and then I realized he was. Because all of us have a little Charlie Brown in us hoping that he will finally succeed in his “Pursuing Balance Through Adventure” search for the Great Pumpkin.

This is a short hike and is great for kids. Besides the fun of the Great Pumpkin there are a couple sights along the trail which I have nicknamed Jack Rock, and Scary Pumpkin Rock. You do need to be prepared as temperatures in this area can be hot and there is not any shade. Bring a hat and plenty of water to enjoy this Halloween spectacle. Watch your step as there are places that are steep and the hard pack ground and rock is covered with dusty finely ground pebbles and footing can be slippery.

Now if you are looking for a little more of an adventure then you can do what I did as there are multiple trails running along the ridges. I ended up hiking 5 miles and hitting several of the peaks, more than doubling the mileage and almost doubling the elevation change. It is quite a workout doing it this way as a couple of these peaks go all the way down before going back up to the next one. I would move the hike at that point from moderate to hard. You always know that a hike is hard when your heels don’t touch in back. There was even one section that was a down on all fours scramble. I am not really into urban hikes, but this hike has nice views in every direction from the top of the ridge, and add the Great Pumpkin and you have an unusual yet satisfying hike.

Pumpkin Rock Trail Pursuing Balance Through Adventure — Meditating with Jack

As you can see from the map there are a few places to start this hike to Pumpkin Rock.

These ladies brought their kids to checkout the spooktacular hike. This section was steep and slick with dust and fine pebbles. Note the lady in back hanging on to the arm of her friend who had a baby backpack with a baby in front and in back.

A Scary Pumpkin Rock

Here is something about this adventure that spooked me. I was climbing this hill on the way to the peak where you see the cross and the flag, when suddenly out of no where there was this loud buzzing sound from all around me. A large bee swarm flew right over and to each side of me, followed by a flock of Big Black Ravens. I was thinking is this some sort of sign?

This California Condor buzzed me, darn buzzard lol! I could see his red head up close, but by the time I got my phone out this all I could manage.

Here are a couple of videos from my Pursuing Balance Thru Adventure YouTube site.

Thanks for joining me for this Halloween Trick or Treat to Pumpkin Rock. If you enjoyed this episode of “Pursuing Balance Through Adventure” then please LIKE, COMMENT, FOLLOW, and SHARE.

Happy Halloween!

Roger Jenkins

Pursuing Balance Through Adventure