Strenuous Hikes

Our favorite hikes of 2011

January 4, 2012
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On December 30th, Jeff and I met (slightly surpassing) our goal to hike 200 miles in 2011. We have trekked through some pretty spectacular scenery this past year, all of varying difficulty, topography, climates and ecosystems. These stand out as our absolute favorites of 2011.

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Hiking Mt. San Jacinto: From the Palm Springs Tram to the Summit

August 4, 2011
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A great 10 mile hike to Mount San Jacinto, the second highest peak in Southern California. It’s not easy, but achievable for anyone in decent condition.

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Hiking Ice House Canyon to Timber Mountain via Ice House Canyon Trail – Chapman Trail

July 21, 2011
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Ice House Canyon is a beautiful hike, and if you do the full loop we did, has a tremendous variety of terrain and scenery. If you’re in halfway decent shape, it’s a great trail!

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Hiking Mount Baldy via the Devil’s Backbone

July 15, 2011
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A great hike to a great Southern California peak. This strenuous (6.3 mile, 2,300 ft elevation gain) hike to the the top of Mt Baldy it totally worth it.

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West Horsethief Canyon to Trabuco Peak: Third highest peak in the Santa Ana Mountains

June 30, 2011
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The hike to Trabuco Peak via Horsethief Canyon Trail has something for everyone. Shaded and cool at the bottom, but a serious climb at the top! Not the most scenic peak we’ve climbed, but the trail along the creek is beautiful, and standing on top of a new peak always gives you a sense of accomplishment.

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Late Spring Snow Prevents Summiting Mount Baden Powell!

May 26, 2011
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A classic hike to the top of Mount Baden Powell in the San Gabriel Mountains avoids closures on Angeles Crest Hwy before snow on the trail forces us to turn around.

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Hiking to Wilson Peak via Pinyon Ridge in Anza Borrego

May 22, 2011
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A scenic 9 mile hike through great wildflowers (in season) to a ridge that overlooks the Anza Borrego Desert State Park valley floor below.

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Palm Canyon Trail in Anza Borrego — So Good We’ve Done it Twice!

May 2, 2011
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The lower part of Palm Canyon Trail is the most popular hike in Anza Borrego State Park, and features a path that goes from dry desert terrain to a lush, palm and fern oasis, with waterfalls and pools running right past it. Beyond the “tourist turnaround” at the 1.5 mile point, is a much more strenuous, but much more scenic and less crowded hike up the creek to more palms and falls.

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The Bridge to Nowhere Hike–Awesomeness Abounds!

February 18, 2011
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A great 10 mile hike to the historic, abandoned “Bridge to Nowhere” along the East Fork of the San Gabriel River in the Angeles National Forest.

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Canadian Rockies: Hiking to the remote alpine Plain of Six Glaciers for afternoon tea

January 18, 2011
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One of the coolest, most unique, hikes in the Canadian Rockies is the 8-mile roundtrip trek in Banff National Park from majestic Lake Louise up to the Plain of Six Glaciers. Jeff and did this hike on the sixth day of our honeymoon — August 14, 2009.

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Canadian Rockies: Trekking & bear sighting in the Columbia Icefields

November 16, 2009
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Our Canadian honeymoon adventure trekking up the Athabasca glacier, and a grizzly encounter.

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