Trip Report - Sunset Cliffs, San Diego, California

Looking north along Sunset Cliffs

Call me a glutton for punishment or what have you, but I decided today to do a second hike. After bagging the peak at Iron Mountain, I wanted to spend a bit more time on the ocean, so, with a hotel near the San Diego International Airport, Sunset Cliffs made sense.

To be honest, this wasn't a hike. It felt very different than Mission Beach. There were tons of people in both locations, but here, in this setting, their presence was more disruptive and oppressive. I walked about a mile and a half total, and ultimately gave up on hiking and focused on photography instead. 

The waves breaking create amazing
sprays against the setting sun

There are neat coves that, if I was in better shape, I would have tried to get down into - but I didn't want to be the guy that got caught up in them at high tide, overnight, whose body was never seen again.

I managed to get splashed several times (on purpose!) by the roaring surf as I inched close to the edge of the cliffs. I did take along trekking poles in order to provide stability... well, and because I was under the impression that this was going to be a hike.

Beautiful scenery, oppressive crowds, but I don't regret the trip. That said, I wouldn't go out of my way to go back, unless I was feeling in-shape enough to tackle one of the coves.

Trip Report - Iron Mountain; Poway, California

After a week at a very fruitful conference for health care chaplains, I was able to manage a day to myself in California before flying back to the Hoosier State. After much debating, I selected Iron Mountain, just east of Poway, California as my choice for a day hike. Because it was a nearly 1000 foot elevation gain over a 3 mile ascent, I figured it would serve as good training for my upcoming Tecumseh Trail hike.

After renting my car at San Diego International, I drove to Poway, where I enjoyed breakfast at a local joint, the Kountry Kafe. I hit up the local WalMart to pick up a daypack, which I snagged for $11.97 (Ozark Trail brand), which I felt was a good deal. I packed six bottles of water and two bottles of Powerade, as well as several Clif bars.

Iron Mountain, as viewed from the trailhead.
I used the trailhead located at State Road 67 and Poway Road.

I arrived at the trailhead around 9:30 AM and proceeded to load up and head out - not without distinctly wondering what I had managed to get myself into. The first quarter mile or so was very gentle, but things began to get more difficult gradually up to the trail junction where the Ramona Overlook route split from the Iron Mountain ascent. Turning uphill quickly revealed the most challenging physical experience of my life. Along the way, a former Hoosier stopped to chat with me briefly while I was at a rest break in the shadow of a boulder. She wound up heading on up the trail. 

The switchbacks kept revealing glorious sights... and, as I was getting ready for the final assault on the summit, that Hoosier showed up again, and offered to walk with me to the summit. I think she got the sense that I might quit and go back, but nothing was going to keep me from that summit. NOTHING.

The Hiking Padre at the summit

It took about 3 hours, but I made the Iron Mountain summit with nothing but joy. After spending about 40-50 minutes at the peak (calling wife and kids, having a snack, and in prayer and meditation) I began my descent alone. The descent was only about 2 hours, and I did turn my ankle once - though not severely. Thank goodness I brought my trekking poles.

My takeaways from this trip, besides enough photographs to fill two walls... 

1) My determination is there, waiting to be discovered. And, when I feel particularly uninspired in other aspects of life, I feel that I can use the Iron Mountain experience to remind me of just how much, and how little, it takes to recover and channel my drive and energy.

2) From a logistical perspective, I took waaaaay to much water for the conditions. It was a fine April day, with temperatures in the upper 60's to low 70's. It felt much warmer as I climbed (I would have told you it was 80-85 on the upper parts of the trail), though I think that is probably my own biology. Yet, I drank only two bottles of water and a bottle of Powerade, and didn't feel dehydrated in the slightest. I would probably cut out that weight if I was to head for Iron Mountain again.

3) From a dingbat perspective, in my Walmart stop, I didn't pick up sunscreen. Fortunately, I took a long-sleeve technical shirt with me. I actually started wearing that, switched to a short sleeve shirt, and then - when I realized I was going to get burned, switched back. Saved me from a whole-body burn, but my face, neck, ears, etc. got it good - in spite of my hat.

Hope this trip report is helpful to you, either as a preparation for your own Iron Mountain hike, or as inspiration for your own hiking goals. Let me know via comments if you have any questions about the hike.

A panorama from the summit of Iron Mountain, Poway, California

Trip Report - Mission Beach, San Diego, CA

Mission Bay, Mission Beach, and the Pacific,
viewed from my room in the Hyatt Regency

My first visit to the west coast since I was six months old brings me to San Diego, California, where I am attending the Caring for the Human Spirit conference, a gathering of health care chaplains from around the world. While in town, I wanted to get some miles under my feet as further training for my upcoming hikes back home. 

During this trip, I am staying at the Hyatt Regency Mission Bay, which puts me across a bridge from Mission Beach. Each evening, thus far, I have spent time out at the beach, but my plan today is more ambitious - I intend to walk from the hotel to the jetty at the south end of Mission Beach. All told, this will be about a 3 mile walk each way. One could say it is not a true hike, but I am counting it, because the miles are going to be helpful in building endurance.

The bridge over Mission Bay,
as seen from the south.

Fortunately, being the final day of the conference, things came to a close a bit earlier than usual, and so I had changed into swim trunks (crashing waves and all!) for the walk. Leaving the hotel at 3:45 PM, I began walking westbound over the bridge and out to the beach proper. There, I ditched my shoes and made the decision to do the beach walk barefoot and out on the (cold) water-line where the Pacific would occasionally inspire me to move a touch faster.

This wasn't an exceptionally long walk, but I am not used to walking significant distances without a break. At work, I walk from patient room to patient room, meeting to meeting... it's not really difficult. This required a bit more stamina, and, given that I was going barefoot, I figured it might present more pacing challenges.

All in all, it was a beautiful walk... I made it to the jetty in just over an hour, and started trying to walk the jagged rocks, but realized that the shoes I had on hand were not up to such a task - at least, not for me. I did not feel that my trail runners had adequate ankle support for the frequent high stepping that walking the jetty would require. A lack of trekking poles also led me to feel unstable on the rocky jetty, so I elected to stop quickly. 

The sun sets beneath the Pacific
at the end of a spiritually uplifting hike.

I have to say, this was also one of the most spiritual hikes I have had in quite some time. I spent a lot of time as I walked pondering and praying, inspired by the rolling waves and the sands on the beach. A deep realization overcame me that this moment had been prepared for me... where I was, as I was standing there, nobody else saw the exact sight I was seeing. Nobody ever had, and nobody ever would. I truly felt the presence of God as I walked, and pondered. I also lamented our lack of care and concern for our creation as I walked, and asked for guidance on how I can alter my relationship to the earth to be a faithful steward of creation.

I returned to my beach walk starting point around 6:30 and had a seat on the seawall to watch the sunset. I then caught dinner by the beach before walking back to the hotel after dusk.

Me at Mission Beach

Things I learned:

1) When I get lost in prayer and reflection, the distance melts by. Time becomes less of an issue in those moments.

2) From Monday through Wednesday, I probably walked about 10 miles total... after a full day of conferencing. The setting was inspiring enough that I could have walked more if time had not been a factor.

Questions about the trip? Feel free to ask in the comments section.