American West, California, Hiking, Outdoors, Safety, Style, Travel, Uncategorized, Writing

Pacific Crest Trails: Winston Peak

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.

California, Hiking, Outdoors, Safety, Travel, Uncategorized, Writing

Potato Mountain

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.

American West, California, Deserts, Dessert, Food, Hiking, Outdoors, Safety, Travel, Uncategorized, Vacation, Writing

East Indio Hills Badlands

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.

American West, Breakfast, Brunch, California, Deserts, Family, Hiking, Historic Sites, History, Outdoors, Safety, Style, Travel, Uncategorized, Vacation, Writing

LA Weekends: Hey Hollywood!

The Cranky Campers celebrate the start of the summer solstice in true LA style. We attended the second night of Noah Kahan's "We'll All Be Here Forever" set at the Hollywood Bowl, then returned to Griffith Park to hike up to the famed Hollywood sign and visit the Batcave.

American West, California, Camping, Hiking, Outdoors, Travel, Uncategorized, Vacation, Writing

Yosemite Adventures: Wapama Falls

With photos and story-telling, the Cranky Camper describes the hike from O'Shaughnessy Dam to the famed Wapama Falls in Yosemite's Hetch Hetchy Valley.