Hike to Volcan Mountain Preserve

July 4th 2012 :- Volcan Mountains range between 5000 to 5709 feet and lie in the mountain range next to Julian, CA. This town in the mountains is about 50 miles from where I stay.  I've wanted to head to the Volcan Mountain Summit in Volcan Mountain preserve for a while now.

Quite a few years ago an attempt was made to head along the trail, but it had to be abandoned since Nihar was not comfortable in the wooded area where the trail begins.

I headed there on Wednesday 4th July, 2012 having started at about 8:15 am. I covered the 40 mile distance to the parking lot on Farmers Road, off Wynola Road in little over an hour by car. The left on Wynola Road is to be taken a few miles prior to the approach road to Julian from the highway leading to Julian from Santa Ysabel. Wynola Road is curvaceous and has to approached with care.

There were only a few cars in the parking lot beside Farmers Road. Equipped with a 2 litre water pack and my hiking sticks I began the 2.8 mile hike to Volcan Summit. The summit is at about 5300 feet and can be directly approached by a fire road towards the top. The hike takes one along Five Oaks trail which is a enjoyable 1.2 mile trail created and maintained by San Diego Parks and Recreation. The Five Oaks trail begins about 0.4 miles from the roadside. The trail takes one along the mountain side along a few switchbacks and is moderately strenous.  It passes through a wooded area with oak, pine, manzanita trees around. In areas devoid of trees one passes through grassy areas which were pretty dry given the time of the year. This area has not burnt completely in the fires of the last decade. Whatever damage was done to the forests was something mother nature quickly recoevered from.

After the 1.2 mile hike is done, one passes along the fire road and within 0.3 miles one comes to the mid-summit gate. The summit is 0.9 miles beyond the mid-summit gate. The final stretch is devoid of tree cover but one gets to see expansive meadows with views of Julian town to the south/south west and the Anza Borrego desert to the east in both the northerly and southerly direction.

The summit has a road around it that allows vehicles of the fire department to make a round trip. This mountain top was being considered for the installation of the telescope that was finally mounted on top of Palomar Mountain in the early part of the 20th century. In the other direction at an elevation of 5500 feet was some kind of tower with a trail to it but was marked out of bounds for hikers.

On the way down I came across a small rattlesnake that refused to take off from the Five Oaks trail. I jumped around it and continued. I passed across two groups of two on the way up, saw a group of 7-8 hikers come down in a different direction when I was heading to the summit. On the way down I crossed one group of three hikers who brought my attention to a lizard looking like a toad. Later at the entrance to the trail I came across another group of two hikers.

By 12 noon I was back to the car having started at about 9:30 am. I decided to have lunch in San Diego and made it a little after 1 pm.

This turned out the be an easy 5.6 mile hike with pretty but not spectacular scenery along a well maintained trail.

https://picasaweb.google.com/106422024187854976837/VolcanMountainSummitHike?authuser=0&authkey=Gv1sRgCPiF8YPN_NWbtQE&feat=directlink

Hike to Garnet Peak in the Laguna Mountains

Sept 6th 2010 :- Garnet Peak is located in the Laguna Mountains and is located at a height of 5900 ft above sea level. Laguna Mountains lie to the South East of San Diego at a short distance of 60-70 miles from even some of the far quarters of the city. Garnet Peak marks the boundary between the alpine mountains and the Anza Borrego desert lying about 3000 feet below. Views include the Monument Peak and the Stephenson Peak to the South, Anza Borego Desert and Salton Sea to the East, San Jacinto and San Gorgonio to the North.

Having departed at 7:15 am from home, I reached the Penny Pines trail head having made a short stop at the Laguna Mountain Lodge to purchase a single day Adventure Pass for $5. I went past the Big Laguna Trail parking lot, where I did glance and notice a person sporting a rifle/gun. I decided against hiking to Monument Peak and instead chose to head to Penny Pines trail head. The parking was completely occupied once I parked. The one-way distance to the peak is 2 miles along the longest of routes. I followed this route which essentially takes one along the edge of the mountains. This is the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) and the peak itself is 0.5 miles away from the trail. The parking lot is located at 5380 feet above sea level making the climb to the peak a short 500 feet ascent.

Along the way, I made it to the top of a small hill along the edge to get a view of the desert below. I did know from the markers that this hill was not the peak especially given the peak right across the valley beside this hill. I did hear a boom and could not help tying that to the rifle wielding person I had noticed at the Big Laguna parking lot. Later on I did notice signs of "No Shooting" in that area.

With the parking lot completely occupied, I had expected fellow hikers along this trail but to my surprise I did not see a single person until I began the actual climb up the hill. Two hikers went past when I had ascended the first 250 feet of the peak. They headed in the direction I had come from but later on the way back I did notice a group of three hikers trudging along to the top.

The peak itself is made up of jarred rocks and there isn't a good spot to sit on the top. The edge dips sharply down towards the valley but the views towards the valley are as splendid as they could be. The peak can get windy even in the summer months and the area does accumulate snow in the winter months.

On the way back I took the shorter route that does have some vegetation, although most of it is dry and whatever big trees existed earlier have been cleared. A short walk of 0.3 miles from Sunrise Highway brought me back to Penny Pines trail head.

I then headed to Big Laguna Trail head and went about 1.5 miles ahead towards Monument Peak. The vegetation here is thick and gives a feeling of being way away from civilization even though Sunrise Highway is just beside PCT in this area. The frequent sound of a passing vehicle does give one a reminder of not being secluded or lost. I could not find the actual way to Monument Peak and hence at the first opportunity I got back to Sunrise Highway. Being a solo hike, I was left with no other choice other than heading back 1.8 miles back to my parked vehicle along Sunrise Highway.

An overall hike of between 6.5 to 7.5 miles did challenge me, especially given my operated right knee. It was a first test in outdoor conditions, although I have been hiking in local areas and exercising like never before in the recent past.

By 2:30 pm I was in the comfort of home and hit the bed by 3pm for a good afternoon nap. It is a good half-day hike and can be combined with another half-day hike to some other peak in the area to make it a worthwhile outdoor day.

http://picasaweb.google.com/ahire.parag/GarnetPeakLagunaMountains?authkey=Gv1sRgCNHo9qvzre3Jcg&feat=directlink

Hike from Blue Sky Reserve to Lake Ramona 08/14/2010

I left for Blue Sky Ecological REserver at about 4:30 pm. The 5 mile round trip from Blue Sky Ecological Reserve parking lot to the top of Lake Ramona Reservoir and back involves an elevation gain/descent of 800 ft. It was my first hike after the ACL/meniscus tear surgery. 8 months post surgery the knee still feels a bit weak in terms of weight bearing. The giving away feeling is less prevalent but it it painful when weight is put on it on the upward climb or on a descent. That is also evident while squatting. The muscles are not building up as is seen in terms of the right thigh being about two inches smaller in circumference compared to the left one.

I made it back in little over and hour but it left me tired overnight as this was my first hike in about a year.

Fellow hiker - Mangesh Deshpande

Earlier this month, I received an e-mail with the sad news of an accident involving Mangesh Deshpande. Mangesh Deshpande on an expedition to Mt Tinchen Khang in Sikkim lost his life in an accident after having successfully scaled the 6010 m high peak.

My mind races to many a enjoyable hike in Maharashtra along with Mangesh Deshpande. Naneghat/Jivdhan, Tikona, Chandan/Vandan, Makarandgad, Raireshwar are hikes we had been together in the mid-to late 90's. My recent interaction with him was in late 2005.

Mangesh was an experienced hiker, mountaineer and rock climber who had a passion for these activities.

Rocky Mountain National Park (Day 3)

Sept 7th , 2009 :- The hike on the previous day was tiring but even then I managed to get started early at about 8:30 am. The plan for the day was to drive the 48 mile distance through the park along CO-34 and exit the park at the Kawuneeche Visitor Center on the Western side.

This time, I entered the park from the Fall Visitor Center on the East. The views of the meadows from Sheep Lakes were pretty enticing. Beyond this point is the Old Fall River Road, a distance of 9 miles that winds its way up to Alpine Visitor Center. It is a dirt road and although I was tempted to drive along, I decided to avoid it since getting into trouble with a problem with one of the wheels could have caused substantial delays.

I then headed along CO-34 without any halts and made it to Medicine Bow Curve, that is just beyond the Alpine Visitor Center. The road from here drops down over the mountains. A short distance away is Milner Pass that goes through the Continental Divide. Poudre Lake on the North feeds a river system that eventually connects to the Mississippi River than drains into the Atlantic Ocean. Beaver Creek, just to the South feeds the Colorado River that empties itself into the Colorado River. A guide sitting there made it a point to draw the attention of children to this interesting fact. With a few halts along the way and enjoying the scenery, I made it across to the Kawuneeche Visitor Center.

I watched a 20 minute movie about Rocky Mountain Park. The movie was good and informative but unlike some of the other movies that try and depict the park as "the place" on earth this one seemed pretty modest about its message. This also seemed like an old production and probably needs to be replaced by a newer version. I munched on a few snack items and spent time around the visitor center in order to catch the movie at 1:15 pm about the Colorado River. This mighty river originates within the park boundary and flows pretty close to CO-34 through this part of the valley. It was a lengthy movie, but I was reluctant to leave until it was over.

I started at 2 pm and decided to hike to a waterfall named Adams Falls that was close by next to Grand Lake. Grand Lake and Lake Grandby are two lakes that the Colorado River flows through and are close to each other and also pretty huge in size, the latter being the larger of the two. Adams Falls was just 0.3 miles from the trailhead. Knowing, I had to get to Denver at about 5 pm I made it to and back from the falls in quick time. I had been forewarned about the traffic slowing one down on the way as one gets close to the city.

On the way back the 46 miles distance along CO-40 prior to Idaho Springs turned out to be the one where progress was the slowest. Traffic down the hill had a single lane and if you have a slow moving truck ahead of you, you are done. Worse was to follow at US-70 where traffic was crawling at speeds of about 15-20 mph. Just South of Idaho Springs is Mount Evans located at a height of 14260 ft above sea level and one can drive all the way to the top. Had I made it quick all along during the day I just might have been able to drive to the top of this mountain.

I did make it close to Denver a little after 5 pm but the airport was ahead and almost 12 miles away from the freeway. By the time I dropped the rental car and made it by a bus to the airport, there were only about 35 minutes left for the flight to depart. Since it was less than 45 minutes for the flight, I was not in a position to check in the luggage. I made it to the gate of departure 5 minutes prior to the flight departure time and was among the last dozen odd individuals to board the plane.

Rocky Mountain National Park is the epitome of a visit to the mountains in North America. It was a wonderful experience and as usual the time available at hand proved to be not so adequate. This visit was certainly one to be cherished, the drive along Trail Ridge Road and the hike to 'Sky Pond' being the highlights of the time spent here.

Rocky Mountain National Park (Day 2)

Sep 6th 2009 :- The plan for the day was to hike in the Bear Lake area. The area around Glacier Gorge near Bear Lake is considered to the prettiest part of this park to head to on foot. As I was to hear from a hiker, later in the day, it is the equivalent to Ansel Adams Wilderness in the Sierra Nevada region.

I had checked out my options for hiking on the previous night itself. The hike from Glacier Gorge to either "The Loch Vale" (3.1 miles, oneway) and/or Mills Lake (2.8 miles, oneway) seemed to be my preference. I first headed towards Long's Peak trailhead along CO-7 but stopped first close to Lily Lake. It was a small lake but the reflection of the mountains in the lake was pretty enough for one to resist capturing it on film. Lily Mountain rises to 9786 feet but I had higher places in mind for the day. On the way along CO-7 the drive through Tahosa Valley brings one to a point where Long's Peak can be seen the best. It appears within ones reach but is an arduous 4000 ft climb from the trailhead.

Although, climbing it was a tempting proposition, I knew that it wasn't my destination for the day. On the way back I stopped for a few minutes at Mary's Lake. Bear Lake area is usually crowded and hence there is bus that takes one close to this area from a parking lot a few miles away. I made sure I was carrying enough food, water and other gear for the day. We had been warned of afternoon showers which are a norm here in the mountains. Hikers are encouraged to complete their hike so that they are done by 3 pm or so.

Glacial Gorge trailhead is located at 9240 ft while Bear Lake is a few hunderd feet higher. The first point to get along the hike is Alberta Falls at a distance of 0.8 miles. It was the beginning of September and the faint traces of fall colors were visible from the trailhead. The trail upto Alberta Falls was pretty wide and was well manicured. Quite a few passengers on our bus joined this first part of the hike making it a crowded trail. Another trail from Bear Lake joins this trail and continues forward. Aspen and Pine trees abound in this initial part of the hike. Quite a few visitors were enjoying the view of Alberta Falls. Beyond the falls, only the serious hikers continue as the trail becomes narrower. One reaches the junction of North Longs Peak trail junction. At this junction one can see the expanse of the meadows and the mountains beyond. Also visible in the trees below is the colored vegetation of early fall.

One has to then continue right i.e south-west where one enters a valley between Thatchtop Mountains (12668 ft) . This point was very spectacular reminding one of the valley in Yosemite. At the 2 mile mark is the junction of the routes to Mills Lake and the Loch Vale. From this point it is a rather steep, 1 mile climb towards Loch Vale. One first approaches a narrow creek where a few switchbacks begin. Upon climbing this part of the mountainside one reaches the flatter top to reach the The Loch Vale. The vegetation here is primarily that of the evergreen forests.

Although, I had decided to get only to Loch Vale the prospect of going higher towards Sky Pond and closer towards Taylor Peak (13153 ft) was too tempting. The trail from Loch Vale passes from the North of the lake towards the east and then through some swampy area. There are a few spots where one needs to pass over wooden logs placed over creeks. The next landmark is Timberline Falls where it gets slightly tricky to pass along. The falls are about 50 feet high and are split into two parts. At the western edge of the falls is a ledge that needs to be traversed to get to the top. After a scramble over the ledge one immediately gets a view of Lake of Glass on reaching the top. The vegetation here quickly changes to that seen in the alpine tundra. The weather here is harsher and not much vegetation survives. The lake is supposed to have some trout. A angler hiked this last stretch with his fishing pole and indicated he had seem bodily remains of a bear on his climb from Loch Vale. He had not taken the trail but I did get stopped in my tracks by a badger or beaver who crossed the trail right in front of me.

A short walk ahead from the Lake of Glass is Sky Pond. The Taylor Glacier can be seen right across the Pond. The Sky Pond is located at 10900 ft above sea level, meaning I had completed an ascent of 1660 feet from the trail head. The hike had been tiring but the ever changing scenery had almost cast a spell. Along the way, I had passed two waterfalls and this was the third alpine lake beyond which views of a glacier were on offer. It was hard to imagine that the Taylor Peak was still 3000 feet higher up. Cathedral spires of the gash could be seen towards the Northern side beyond which was the area near Andrews Glacier. The hike to Andrews Glacier was steeper although it was just half a mile longer and hence I had opted to get to Sky Pond from The Loch Vale.

I spent quite some time absorbing the views down towards the Loch Vale and lower down through the narrow opening in that direction. This was one of those hikes where the scenery over 4.5 miles was spectacular and was one of amazing variety. I did spend some time having snack and then headed down over the tricky part of the route over the ledge next to Timberline Falls. It wasn't as tricky as say Harishchandragad but nevertheless not one of those common trails in a national park.

As I got close to the Loch Vale it got cloudy and soon a drizzle began. Fellow hikers who were prepared got their rain gear out, others were carrying ponchos. The vegetation was thick enough and I found a spot under a tree where the light rain hardly got to me. The drizzle did not last too long and I continued down the switchbacks and to the junction to Mills Lake. My earlier plan was to get to Mills Lake after having come down from the Loch Vale but that was when I had no intention of going up towards Sky Pond. A short halt here and I proceeded down knowing there were 2.2 miles to go.

I headed back to the Glacier Gorge area and intended to get to Bear Lake not knowing that one requires an ascent to get to Bear Lake from Glacier Gorge area. Fortunately, I did notice this just at the right time and hence I headed to the parking lot at Glacier Gorge trailhead. A short bus ride took me to Bear Lake. I intended to go around in the lake area but I had to change plans as a big storm quickly approached and engulfed the area next to the bus stop. The rain started pelting and I started thinking about hikers who were heading to the top of Sky Pond while I was on the way down.

Upon coming to the parking lot, I spent some time inside the car waiting for the rain to slow down while I ate some snacks. After a while, I began driving without the rain having slowed down to a halt. As I got closer to Moraine Park, the rain had almost stopped. There were plenty of elk in the meadows and even more visitors trying to observe their behavior. I spent some time observing the elk, waiting for the sun come out in all glory but with the cloud cover towards the west that did not seem a possibility.

The 9 mile hike had taken its toll and although it was just close to 5:30 pm, I decided to head back to the hotel. The fall foliage, with aspen and pine trees to begin with, followed by evergreen trees and topped by alpine tundra made this hike one to remember for long. The views were further complemented by two waterfalls, three alpine lakes, a glacier and the jagged snow capped peaks of the Rocky Mountains an it was worth the hike to and fro.

Rocky Mountain National Park (Day 1)

Sept 5th, 2009 :- Rocky Mountain National Park is located in the state of Colorado and is truly a land of superlatives. There are at least 60 mountains exceeding 12000 feet in height in its 416 square miles of wilderness. Rocky Mountains extend for 2700 miles from Mexico to Alaska and is the longest mountain barrier in the world. More than one-third of the park is above the treeline, i.e above 11400 feet above sea-level. A road known as the Trail Ridge Road passes through the park and is the highest pass-through road in the world passing at a height of 12183 feet at its highest point. The road provides easy access to the alpine realm within the park boundaries without requiring a hiker to climb thousands of feet.

I started the 80 odd mile drive, from the Denver airport area slightly after 9 am. A halt for breakfast, then another at a grocery store in Boulder Colorado and the ocassional slowness in traffic resulted in me getting to Estes Park close to noon. The drive on the eastern side of the Rocky Mountains gave an idea of the relatively gentle slope on that side leading to the plains. The western edge of the mountains are steep and rise high from the desert below. Lake Estes seemed to be buzzing with leisure activity. Traffic through the hills on the way to Estes Park increased as speeds slowed down due to the mountain drive, and it was also an indicator of this being a long weekend.

I tried checking into the hotel but apparently the rooms were not ready. I did get the room keys but left for the National Park without moving my luggage into the allotted room. The small town seemed crowded for the weekend and traffic had slowed down. A few miles into the park from Beaver Meadows Entrance Station a hold up in traffic suggested some animal sighting. A lone elk was grazing in the meadow by the sides and that was enough to hold traffic in both directions.


It was partly cloudy given it was early in the afternoon, a time that storms usually develop in the high mountains in summer days. At a short distance is Hidden Valley where I spent some time eating the snacks I was carrying.

Just beyond is the "Many Parks Curve" point offering splendid views of Moraine Park in the valley below. Beyond the valley was a chain on mountains, topped by Long's Peak that rises to a height of 14,259 feet above sea-level. This is a challenge to climb requiring a hike of 8 miles from the closest trailhead. The climb to the top is a technical one for most of the year except a brief period in summer when one can get to the top of this mountain without actual climbing gear. the mountain top is as big as a football field and reaching the top is a sense of achievement for many a mountain climber. Quite a few fatalities have occurred in ascents to the top of this mountain over the years.


CO-34 passes through the park and is a stretch of 48 miles requiring 2 hours to go through. The section of the road known as the Trail Ridge Road begins at the next point known as Rainbow Curve. Pretty views of the Horsehoe park are visible from this point, the highlight being the meandering stream or river flowing through the meadow below.


The treeline is just beyond Rainbow Curve and one can see the sudden decrease in vegetation. The first close views of snow on the mountain sides was visible from this spot. The climate being harsh results in only specialized plants and animals thriving at this altitude, in an ecosytem known as the Alpine Tundra.


A short distance away is the point known a Forest Canyon providing views of the Trail Ridge Road that rises further ahead by another 500 to 800 feet on one side and the couple of thousand feet of drop in the canyon below. Glaciers beyond the valley below were clearly visible and these mountains also form what is known as the Continental Divide. The Rockies stretch North-South and hence play a role in the drainage system that directs water on one side to the biggest river on the East, the Mississippi & the biggest river on the West, the Colorado. In fact, the Colorado river originates within the western part of the park. It was extremely windy in this area exposed to the elements of weather on all sides. The wind chill forced many a traveller to bring out their cold-weather attire. Those that were dressed scantily had to bear the brunt of the wind-chill. For a brief period at this point I was wondering how I always manage to leave the necessary gear like leather gloves and monkey cap at home. Not many were ready with this kind of gear and that made me feel better in terms of my ability to be prepared. This seemed to be the perfect spot for photography but the harsh wind dampened ones spirit to an extent.


Just a short drive ahead was the Tundra Communities trailhead at Rock Cut point. Although, it seemed to be the highest point on the road from the previous spot, it was clear that the actual highest point was further ahead. It got really cloudy and within a short time hail/snow started falling that sent all travellers straight into the car. This did last for about 15 minutes and was evidence that the weather in the mountains, at this altitude is very unpredictable.


Closeby is the Lava Cliffs point, from where I witnessed a rainbow in a direction towards the North. Down in the valley in the same direction, I could see some wild animals (mostly elk or mule-deer). Lava cliffs true to their name are volcanic cliffs. A small body of water below had a buildup of winter snow beside it.


The road on either side was lined with slender trunk of tall trees. Apparently, this helps in identifying the road when snow piles about 20-25 feet in the winter months. Before, I could realize it, I had passed the highest point along the road just before the turnout for Gore Range.

Beyond this point the road drops down after the Alpine Visitor Center. It was close to 5 pm and it was getting a bit cloudy on the western side. I grabbed a coffee at the visitor center and then headed on the 0.3 mile Alpine Ridge Trail. A 300 feet ascent takes one to the 12005 feet height mark providing spectacular views in all directions.

On the way back, I did stop by at a few points to observe the mountains, glaciers and valleys lit with the evening sunlight. Long's Peak was glowing in the light even though it was partly cloudy. A brief halt at Forest Canyon resulted in a sighting of a herd of elk that sat lazily after having spent the day out grazing. As I descended down into the meadows area, sightings of deer and elk increased as it was the time that they usually come out for their evening meal.

My plan for the next day was to head out to the Bear Lake area that offers plenty of opportunities for hiking.

http://picasaweb.google.com/ahire.parag/RockyMountainNationalPark?authkey=Gv1sRgCILjtZq-l_eriQE&feat=directlink