I started off my journey on my final 6th peak of my first year of the challenge with the beast of all hikes, the hardest in San Diego – El Cajon Mt. I heard this hike was hard and I’ve been very afraid to do it, but wanted to finish before the heat this spring.

We started the trail off around 5am before sunrise. Two loud guard birds greeted us as we entered the mountain in the barely lit sky before sunrise. The trail was beautiful and the views amazing. The best I’ve ever seen. There were pretty flowers and wildlife. We hiked above the clouds in the morning- best time to go to avoid the heat and the views are the best with sunrise and clouds. The fresh flowing water sound was pleasant and the trail markers at each mile were motivating.

There were a lot of ups and downs along the way with the elevation. It was challenging but nothing we couldn’t handle. The toughest part was on the way back, coping with heat and bugs on Mile 8.

The view from the top and along the way were unbelievable. We ate some snacks and fueled much along the way. The prep for this hike was like that of a marathon.

I really enjoyed the sense of accomplishment I got after and the disbelief we did it. My knees were sore but it was worth it. Perfect final hike.