The race is on now. The race to beat the weather and bag my final peaks for the year’s challenge. We got a good start with our peaks this year bagging Strawberry Peak in February, but then things really came to a screeching halt hiking other stuff all year. I gotta plan my peaks better next year. Weather permitting, I’m planning on repeat up San Jacinto and Baldy before the end of the year.

Last year, I hit up Baden-Powell mid-August. This late in the year, there was definitely a lack of wildflowers that I saw on my first summit. That and all the chipmunks. We saw a few this time around but it was ridiculous how many there were on my Aug 2020 trip. Just handfuls of critters everywhere you turned. Despite the lack of wildflowers and wildlife, the trail was just as beautiful as I remember it. I stopped frequently to marvel at some really beautiful stretches of trail, covered in needles and pinecones with a backdrop of dense pines. The one detail that I didn’t miss from the first go-around was the wind I hit at the saddle before you reach the summit. The saddle is a narrow ridge between a bit of a false peak and the upper most reaches of the summit. It was windy and felt a little sketchy to maneuver across. This time it was entirely calm, and a nice vista point before the last little stretch to the top. Incidentally we ran across patches of snow and ice this time just past the saddle.

We enjoyed an hour or so up on top taking our pics, lunching, and just enjoying the 360º victory view. It was a gorgeous drive in seeing all the fall leaves on the oaks woven into the landscape. From the peak vantage, you can really spot the vibrant golden patches on the adjacent mountains and surrounding terrain.

There wasn’t a registry journal unfortunately, but we DID find the boy scout cache and there WAS a peak sign and the flag still there. Aside from one gentleman on his way back down, we had the peak to ourselves. We only saw a handful of hikers the entire day so that was a bonus to hiking midweek vs on a weekend.

We made fast work heading back since the way down is always faster than the way up. On our descent, we stopped for a quick detour to see Lamel Spring in the middle of the switchbacks. Unfortunately, it looked as if the spring was dried up for the year. The flowering water plants and all the wild rose back there was dried up too.

This is one of the quicker and easier peaks on the Six Pack of Peaks list, so it makes for a doable midweek hike for the both of us. We were home before 5pm. Alright, 2 more to go. Hopefully we can squeeze those in before the snowpack, although we shall see what Monday’s storm brings. — with Rachel Waddy at Mount Baden-Powell.