[Jeff]

Hi Jennifer! Thanks for reaching out (again). I'm sending you an email to confirm your mailing address and will get this take care of. 🙂

See you outside!

[Jeff]

Jason — and everyone else,

I'm back! My apologies for my apparent absence. I got sucked in to a full-time job that was consuming all my available time and energy. I know that's no excuse, but there's good news. Tomorrow is my last day, and I'm officially retiring! That means I'm back, and will be spending time going through the tickets, addressing the concerns, posting and replying regularly, and active once again on social media.

If you've opened a ticket, I'll be working my way through them in the coming week, and will do my best to get everything back on track.

I'm good, and so stoked that I'll have time to reconnect with all of you again!

[Jeff]

Technically the peak is the peak (except when it's not… more on that later). I see you're signed up for the Bay Area challenge. One thing to keep in mind is that while we do have recommendations on the route to the summit, those are suggestions. You can take whatever route you want to the summit, including a shorter route. We rely on the honor system, and ask that the hike be a challenge to you. For some people, a 20 mile hike falls into the too hard category. Take a look at some of the other peaks and consider selecting alternatives from the list.

Some of the peaks in the Bay Area challenge, like Mount Diablo and Mount Tam, have many routes to the summit. Consider taking a route that starts five miles from the summit if 10 miles is your limit. Over time, you might find you can stretch that limit to 12 miles or even more.

You are fortunate in the Bay Area, in that you can hike right up through December 31st without worrying about snow. If you'd like help coming up with a game plan, let me know and I'll give you more specific suggestions.

As for the question of when a peak is not a peak. Some of the other challenges (not the Bay Area) include mountains where the “peak” isn't actually the top of the mountain. For example, in the Arizona Winter challenge, Flatiron is an iconic geographic feature, but not a true “peak” but that is the destination for one of the hikes. There are a few other similar examples out there in some of the challenges. 😉

[Jeff]

Hi Naga! Your welcome packet was shipped, and you should’ve received an email with the tracking link.

It looks like you accidentally “left” the San Diego challenge group. I’ll add you back in when I’m at my computer tonight.

[Jeff]

Thanks for the thorough analysis, Ryan.

I'd add a couple of points.

First, before you tackle any of the peaks, whether it be Sitton or Strawberry first, do hikes of similar distance and total vertical locally. When I was developing the SoCal Six-Pack, I was living in south Orange County, so I hiked in San Clemente, Laguna Beach, Crystal Cove State Park and other close-to-home trails. It is possible to get the mileage and net vertical gain (though not the elevation) with local, roller-coaster style trails (up, down, up, down).

Second, everyone handles elevation differently, and that was one of the reasons we started with a “harder” hike on Mount Wilson. Personally, I start to feel the effects of elevation when I get above 10,000 feet, but some people actually find they have to turn around because of how it affects them.

Finally, how difficult a trail is will also be affected by other factors, including weather (i.e. hiking in heat) and your own body (how you slept, what you ate, etc.).

All things being equal, you've created a great list!

[Jeff]

Hi Armand, I responded to your support ticket and believe this is fixed. Let me know if otherwise.

[Jeff]

Hi Julie! You found a bug! 🐛

The hike logs for New England were showing the correct year on the website, but stuck in the past year in the app. It's fixed now, though you may need to tap-hold-drag down the dashboard to refresh it.

If you've already logged a hike with the wrong date, I'll track it down and fix it.

[Jeff]

Hi Sara!

Points are something we're not really using at the moment. My thought was that you would earn points for actions on the website like logging a hike, or even liking and commenting on other people's hikes.

But it's like a cake that's been mixed, but not baked yet. The ingredients are all there, but the cake doesn't shine until it's finished.

Each peak should award 10 points for logging. Sutton didn't, but not because of anything you did wrong. I simply didn't set it up correctly. The “season” badges could award points, but they don't currently.

Ultimately, points could be an indication of experience and participation on Social Hikers — the more points, the more experience and activity. What you can DO with those points is TBD.

• This reply was modified 4 months, 2 weeks ago by  Jeff.

[Jeff]

Hi Alden!

Normally we keep the hike logs open for a full week into the next year, so for your 2023 challenge, we would've shut those down by mid-January. But send me an email Jeff.hester@socialadventures.net with a link to your AllTrails or Strava and if I can confirm the hikes, I'll see if we can get you added.

[Jeff]

Hi Erika! Welcome to Social Hikers! 👋

Yes, the peaks you’ve completed before you register can count, as long as they were hiked in the current challenge year.

[Jeff]

Susan, I've got your 2024 Central Coast badges added, including Hazard. There was an issue with the app that has been fixed for anyone else logging hikes for Central Coast via the app. I still need to correct the dates on the awards, but that will have to wait until tomorrow. And then I have to review other Central Coast challengers who logged hikes via the app.

Congratulations on completing the challenge!

[Jeff]

Eric nailed it.

The “original” six peaks were used to help me train for the John Muir Trail, and went in order of maximum elevation:

1. Mount Wilson
2. Cucamonga Peak
3. Mount San Antonio (aka Mount Baldy)
4. San Bernardino Peak
5. San Jacinto Peak
6. San Gorgonio

Some years, one or more peaks have been inaccessible due to wildfires. Plus, we have people who have completed the challenge multiple times (including some that are completing the challenge for their 10th consecutive year!). To keep it fresh, we added six alternative peaks. The rules are simple; you can pick any six of the 12 peaks in the SoCal Challenge, and hike them in any sequence, from any trailhead. The goal is to do something that would be challenging for YOU. Everyone's challenge will be different in that sense.

There's a few variations that people use to keep it interesting, including trying to finish within a certain period (six weeks or even six days), or completing them all as overnight backpacking trips. We have some who have trained to gain winter mountaineering skills and climbed them in winter conditions. Lots of options.

Have fun and grow through the experience!

[Jeff]

I just checked, and your 2023 finisher pin and certificate were delivered on February 22. But the address was in Las Vegas. Did you move?

https://tools.usps.com/go/TrackConfirmAction.action?tLabels=9400136105536394883770

[Jeff]

This should be fixed now. 😉

[Jeff]

Not really. Obviously for some there are not many options, but most will use the fastest/shortest route.

Mount Wilson – Currently the Mt Wilson Trail

Cucamonga Peak – via Icehouse Canyon

Mt Baldy – via Manker Flats > Ski Hut

San Bernardino – San Bernardino Trail

San Jacinto – Via Tram > Wellman’s Divide

San Gorgonio – Vivian Creek