On a mild, early summer day, we explored a section of the Pacific Crest Trail and a new peak. Starting from 6000' Day Use Area along Angeles Crest Highway, we hiked PCT to Cloudburst Summit, then headed up the trail to Winston Peak. At 7502 feet, this peak offers a nice workout hike in pretty pine and cedar forest.
Claremont Hills Wilderness Park has many opportunities for adventure. On a cool Saturday, we headed up to explore a different part of the park: Potato Mountain. Situated at the front of the San Gabriel Mountains, Potato Mountain offers nice views of the Pomona Valley below. Why it's called Potato Mountain is a mystery, but this hike offers up a good workout and a low-key adventure.
On a sunny Southern California winter's Saturday, we hiked the Flint Canyon Trail, a Los Angeles County-maintained trail, to the famed, possibly haunted Devils Gate Dam. This post contains hiking safety and a nice brunch suggestion in neighboring Montrose.
On a winter visit to Indio, we explored the East Indio Hills Badlands. The rocky formations were created by millennia of deposition, geologic uplift, and erosion. Today, these formations make for a fun low-key adventure not far from desert resorts. In this post, I share our morning adventure, along with some safety considerations for desert hikes.
After re-opening following the Bridge Fire in 2024, we return to Shoemaker Canyon in the San Gabriel Mountains to explore the spooky Cold War-era escape tunnels. The project was abandoned, but the tunnels remain a testament to a time gone by marked by fear and hysteria. In this post, we also cover trail conditions at time of writing along with some safety considerations.
The Cranky Camper 