Saturday was the 50th Anniversary of the Apollo 11 lunar landing, so it was a great day for a long hike! Now, I know what you are probably asking, “Isn't Santiago Peak closed?” Due to last year's Holy Fire, most routes to Santiago Peak are closed, including the popular Holy Jim Trail. You can look up the Cleveland National Forest's Order No. 02-18-15 to confirm what areas are subject to the closure. Hikers can get to Santiago Peak from the northern approach using the Main Divide Truck Trail. The Maple Springs Trailhead at the end of Santiago Canyon is closest way to lawfully access the route to Santiago Peak. I didn't say it was easy! The route is over 20 miles round trip. The first couple of miles are a narrow, paved road. After the final crossing of Silverado Creek, it becomes a dirt road. I was the only hiker the entire Saturday. However, the road was no lonely; there were plenty of motorcycles, trucks and SUVs trekking up to the Main Divide Truck Trail. Most of the road is exposed and the sun was unrelenting on a summer day. Unfortunately, the few places with shade were not a refuge; bugs were an annoyance in almost every shady area. At the intersection of the Maple Springs Truck Trail and the Main Divide Truck Trail is a fun 4×4 area where you can watch the vehicles. The Main Divide Truck Trail is gated beyond this point, closed to vehicle traffic, but open for hikers. The views from this point were amazing. The clouds had burned off throughout most of Orange County and you could see Catalina Island and the Pacific Ocean. Looking in every other direction, you could see all the main peaks; Wilson, Cucamonga, San Antonio, San Bernardino, San Jacinto and San Gorgonio. Don't try to hike Modjeska Peak; it's in the closure area. Once you see the eastern slope of Modjeska Peak, it's clear that is it within the Holy Fire burn area. Stay on the trail. Once you get to the Santiago Peak area, you will see that going any further on the Main Divide Truck Trail would be within the closure area. There is a prominently displayed “Road Closed” sign beyond this intersection. The Santiago Peak area is covered in communications towers and it can be difficult to identify where the peak is. There is an intersection between the communications towers and you should head to the left; after that head to the peak on the left and you will see the sign and marker on the top! In a couple months, other routes may be open, but I wanted to complete all 12 on the Southern California list. If you are seeking to summit Santiago Peak, I recommend going straight to the official information from the Cleveland National Forest on closures. Be safe and respect the after-fire restoration of the forest.