Nine weeks post-ACL Reconstruction surgery, this was my first “real” hike and my 7th trip to Volcan Benchmark.

Key takeaways: I packed both braces but never put them on; uphill was easy on the legs, but my cardio endurance is zilch-nil-zero 😬; downhill was slow and focused, and my lower chain muscles are horribly weak.

I started at 0540 and was on the trail for two hours 46 minutes, including 20 minutes of stopped time (pictures and snacks 😋). Starting temperature 67; ending temp 80 degrees.

The hike went well, and I was the only person on the trail. This was also peak #1 on my San Diego Six Pack of Peaks Challenge; given my recent surgery, I thought this year’s challenge would be a push, but I think I may be able to pull it off after all. 😉

Check out my website for more of my adventures and trip reports.