Hiking/backpacking trip to Palomar Mountain

[Risen]

Yesturday through today i was tackling my biggest hiking venture yet: a climb up the 5,400 foot peak of Palomar mountain, total elevation gain of around 4,600. I've done 2,000 before, but this was waaaaaay harder than even doing two 2000 ft peaks in the same day. Mostly because I've never tried hiking with a tank on my back/ a full backpacker's backpack. The plan was to stay on top of the mountain for a good 3~4 days, including the days used to get up and down. Thus, I packed enough food and gear for that length of a trip, which unfortunately came to around 40 pounds for me.

So the trip started bright and early at 5:30a.m. I threw on my gear and my pack, and walked a mile to the bus station to be taken to the trail. Once i arrived, i had to walk another mile to find the actual location of the road/trail. Not that the surrounding peaks weren't foreboding enough, but looking up at the climb that laid before me, I had to ask "WTH did I get myself into this time!?"

The furthest peak is Palomar. Pictures do absolutely no justice to how tall and far it was from that point, lol. Also notice the orange trees at the bottom. The whole area is nothing but orange groves, and I had an ungodly fill of them > : ). Plump, juicy, sweet, oranges.

TBC

 

[Oom]

Sweet! Where is that place? It looks like a hell of a lot of fun!

 

[Risen]

Alright, story time:

So after walking about 2 miles with my pack, I was on the trail. A few miles up and the mountain was still forever and a half away-

Further up the road I was able to get a good view of the neighboring mountain-

By that point I'd been on the trail for about 5 hours in the burning sun of the south side of the mountain, with no shade and only dirt and thick brush. About an hour later I got up to around 4000 feet in elevation. That was when I ran out of water and had to make a decision to abandon my 40 pound pack so that I could up my pace to reach a source of water and lose less through sweating. About a mile further up I finally approached the trees, and I stopped for a rest outside some private property. Soon I was approached by the woman who lives there, and I promptly asked for where the next source of water was. Unfortunately the camp at the end of the path was the only one, and as i found out, a long way up still. Thankfully i was able to get a ride to the top where i hiked another 2 miles to get to the camp.

I had my fill of water, then hastily set up my hammock so that i could pass out before the last bit of light left. Unfortunately, it would not be a very comfortable night, due to the cold (60's) temps and noisy night critters roaming around my humble hammock. It was one hell of a night.

So at the first sign of daybreak, I was up and ready to go back down and pick up my pack so that i could finish the hike properly. It took me 3 to get down, another 4~5 to get back up. By that time I was exhausted like never before, but invigorated at the same time. Id been hiking almost the entire time I was on the mountain, nearly 14 hours on the trail, but i made it to the top. I really didn't think I'd make it at times, but I did. I can't wait to try climbing the mountain again, better, stronger, and faster.

There's nothing more awesome than standing above the clouds .

Where i set up camp-

Deer-

 

[Risen]

Sweet! Where is that place? It looks like a hell of a lot of fun!

It's in San Diego, one of the best areas to go camping at.

 

[FDG]

Nice pics!

Although, I may have to be a little bit of an ass: did you really need two days to hike up 4600 feet? I did it in 2h30m last time I tried perhaps you needed more aerobic training?

 

[Risen]

Nice pics!

Although, I may have to be a little bit of an ass: did you really need two days to hike up 4600 feet? I did it in 2h30m last time I tried perhaps you needed more aerobic training?

I'd like to see you cover 11 miles in 2.6 hours, with or without 40 pounds of gear, on a CONSTANT uphill gradient, in 90 degree weather... no.

Albeit it was quite a bit slower than I had anticipated, and will probably go faster next time, as I get stronger. But the higher you go in elevation the slower your pace becomes, inevitably.

 

[FDG]

Ah okay it was quite a long road, I see. When I did it, the gradient was much higher but the distance lower, generally it's much easier that way.

btw: Stazione Dal Piaz - Google Maps

admittedly, I did use a bike for the first (and last) 2 km-s, to reach the start of the climb

 

[JAVO]

This sounds like a great trip overall. It's always tough adapting to night noises when we're used to being locked up inside solid walls without any sounds of nature. I always struggle with it the first night, especially if I haven't slept outside in a long time.

 

[Risen]

This sounds like a great trip overall. It's always tough adapting to night noises when we're used to being locked up inside solid walls without any sounds of nature. I always struggle with it the first night, especially if I haven't slept outside in a long time.

Yea, it was an awesome adventure! The noise out there was... crazy, like being in a rainforest or something. I'd been out there before and don't remember it being nearly so noisy. Just every unnerving sound you can think of around, above, and under me. I eventually got used to it, though I was still left wondering just wth was making footsteps near my camp in the pitch black :/. The rest of the sounds I kinda made conclusions on after a while like "oh that's a rodent running through the leaves, that's a woodpecker hitting the trees above me, birds and squirrels knocking shit out of the trees and onto the ground around me," etc. Then at one point i was awakened by some wild and strange howling that either came from coyotes, the dogs belonging to the forest service workers nearby, or some stupid campers being stupid around... 2 a.m. Don't know, lol.

 

[angell_m]

Yesturday through today i was tackling my biggest hiking venture yet: a climb up the 5,400 foot peak of Palomar mountain, total elevation gain of around 4,600. I've done 2,000 before, but this was waaaaaay harder than even doing two 2000 ft peaks in the same day. Mostly because I've never tried hiking with a tank on my back/ a full backpacker's backpack. The plan was to stay on top of the mountain for a good 3~4 days, including the days used to get up and down. Thus, I packed enough food and gear for that length of a trip, which unfortunately came to around 40 pounds for me.

So the trip started bright and early at 5:30a.m. I threw on my gear and my pack, and walked a mile to the bus station to be taken to the trail. Once i arrived, i had to walk another mile to find the actual location of the road/trail. Not that the surrounding peaks weren't foreboding enough, but looking up at the climb that laid before me, I had to ask "WTH did I get myself into this time!?"

The furthest peak is Palomar. Pictures do absolutely no justice to how tall and far it was from that point, lol. Also notice the orange trees at the bottom. The whole area is nothing but orange groves, and I had an ungodly fill of them > : ). Plump, juicy, sweet, oranges.

TBC

Oohh, that looks sweet. How long does it take to get up there? In the military all I can remember is walking for days fully equipped which is like +150 lbs. Not much fun for us though because it was about getting to the extraction point ASAP, like 62 miles in 7 hours, so we didn't exactly get stop and look at the nature.

This is like how far our mountains goes up here in Norway, they are not very impressive though compared to where you went. Jiehkkevárri (pronounced yeah-que-v-arry, or yeah-que-v-arr-eh), Store Lenangstind, Hamperokken, Njunis, are some of the tallest ones in my county.

I took these pictures a couple of weeks ago. The mountains are.. I don't know.. 1200 meters high? Or something like that.

High:

Low:

 

[Ivy]

I'd like to see you cover 11 miles in 2.6 hours, with or without 40 pounds of gear, on a CONSTANT uphill gradient, in 90 degree weather... no.

Albeit it was quite a bit slower than I had anticipated, and will probably go faster next time, as I get stronger. But the higher you go in elevation the slower your pace becomes, inevitably.

Not to mention- why rush? The point of hiking/backpacking (to me anyway) is not to break records or beat my best pace. It's to enjoy the outdoors and get away from normal everyday life. In fact, slowing down is part of the point.

 

[Risen]

It was like 62 miles in 7 hours, and we didn't exactly stop to get a good look at the nature.

In... how many hours? 72?

High:

Low:

Lovin the scenery out there!

 

[Ivy]

PS Risen- I don't know if I've told you about steepandcheap.com yet but it is glorious. I check it constantly. You can get super deals on outdoorsy supplies there.

edit: right this very minute there is a godawful pink jacket up on there but don't let that turn you away! it's one deal at a time, until it sells out or the timer runs out (usually between 20 and 30 minutes).

 

[Risen]

Not to mention- why rush? The point of hiking/backpacking (to me anyway) is not to break records or beat my best pace. It's to enjoy the outdoors and get away from normal everyday life. In fact, slowing down is part of the point.

Lol, I fully agree. I'd rather go slower and enjoy it more, but then again, it's also about the challenge for me. Also, getting to the top in a timely manner is rather imperative, as there are no places to get water on the way up, and (on that side of the mountain) no areas to set up camp til you get near the top anyway.

 

[angell_m]

In... how many hours? 72?




Lovin the scenery out there!

Oh, we walked 50 kilometers in 7 hours, which means, err, 31 miles, half of what I originally said. Sorry.

I'm pretty used to our nature over here so I have a thing for the southern states in the u.s., south america, africa and southern asia-- desert and tropics I suppose. I'd rather live like a lizard than an eskimo so to speak..

 

[FDG]

Not to mention- why rush? The point of hiking/backpacking (to me anyway) is not to break records or beat my best pace. It's to enjoy the outdoors and get away from normal everyday life. In fact, slowing down is part of the point.

Well, I usually descend very slowly to taste the scenery, after a quick ascent. Sometimes, it's better to ascend quickly when you're in the Alps (for example), because during the summer, early afternoon means rainy on mountain-tops. Also if you're alone you might end up having to sleep outside etc. etc.

 

[Ivy]

Well, I usually descend very slowly to taste the scenery, after a quick ascent. Sometimes, it's better to ascend quickly when you're in the Alps (for example), because during the summer, early afternoon means rainy on mountain-tops. Also if you're alone you might end up having to sleep outside etc. etc.

I'll try to remember that if I'm ever fortunate enough to hike in the Alps!