Date: 2002-10-22
To: Southern California Training Hikes
Miles today: 0.0

Southern California Training Hikes:Salton SeaVery little elevation gain3 milesAs part of my pre-roadtrip training, I visited the Salton Sea in Southern California. It is a lake in the middle of the desert created back around the turn of the century when an irrigation canal from the Colorado River sprang a leak and water rushed into a desert basin. They finally plugged the leak after a few years, but the water remained and became the Salton Sea. Obviously, it is very salty there. It is also a migratory stop for thousands of kinds of birds and smells a bit like sulfur. I camped overnight and did a three mile hike along the water. I met Sergio and Lydia, a couple from Palm Springs that shared my campsite. They were very charming, if a bit tipsy, and fed me a great tortilla and loaned me a hammer for my tent stakes. I got to keep the hammer. San Jacinto WildernessNo elevation gain3 milesThe next morning, I drove to Palm Springs and took the rotating aerial tramway from Palm Springs at about 1500 feet up to the San Jacinto Wilderness at about 8000 feet. I hiked a couple of miles at the top - it was very crisp and clear and sharp. I wanted to hike to the top of San Gorgino, but the backcountry was closed due to lack of rain. Santiago Peak3500' elevation gain17 milesThis peak has beaten me before. A few weeks ago, I tried to climb this mountain in Orange County with my friend Yoga Maria, but, it was too hot, so we turned around before we reached the summit. We felt that this was justified since a couple that was training to climb Mt. Whitney also did not make it to the top. This time, I started earlier, around 7:00am, and I went faster because I was alone and read the warning sign about how mountain lions in the area have been known to attack without provocation. That will speed you up in the heavily foliaged areas. I was sure that I saw mountain lion tracks on the trail for the first couple of hours. I made it to within 2 miles of the summit before the temperature hit 90 degrees, so I was almost home free. Then I took a wrong turn at a road crossing and added 2 miles to the 15 mile hike. An hour later I was still 2 miles from the top, but I trudged on and made it. Great views up there. You can see the islands off the coast, the San Bernadino mountains, the San Jacinto Mountains, and downtown LA. Rather, it is possible to see these things on a clear day. I just pretended that I could see them and took pictures of fog. Laguna Beach 1000' elevation gain8 milesLaguna Beach, south of Los Angeles, is a nice town nestled along the beach and among the nearby canyons, which rise abruptly from sea level to about 1000' feet. Very rich people own homes here. I rented a studio apartment from one of these people. I hiked along the road from the Pacific Coast Highway (aka Highway 1) up Nyes Place to the top of the canyon, along the ridge to the other side of Laguna Beach and the Top of the World park, then back down the canyon on Park Rd. Great views of the ocean and the city. Spooky fog at the beginning of the hike. Plus, you can't beat a hike that takes you right by a greasy diner. El Moro Canyon1000' elevation gain16 milesI hiked from my house in Laguna Beach 5 miles to El Moro Canyon, did a 6 mile loop of the canyon, then hiked back. My dogs were barking! El Moro is part of Crystal Cove State Park and is located on the other side of Pacific Coast Highway from Crystal Cove Beach, where I did my marathon training runs. It is a pretty steep climb at the beginning, with most of the 1000' elevation gain in the first mile of the El Moro Loop. Great views of Laguna Beach. I also saw two deer within about 20 feet of me. They let me take their picture.Emerald Bay8 milesVery little elevation gainToo lazy to do my planned hike to Crystal Cove Beach and back, I walked through Laguna Beach and went to all the coves and ocean overlooks that weren't in a private community. I took many pictures at a great big rock covered with several sea lions, an elephant seal, and numerous pelicans. I also saw a couple of dolphins and a very strange creature in the water that I watched for 10 minutes before it became identifiable as a scuba diver. San Diego ZooI'm counting this as a hike! I'll say two miles. Great zoo. I was hoping to see a mountain lion but no such luck. The black bear was very large.