 I
got up Saturday morning, crept around the snoring folks, and was ready
to hit the Jacumba trail by about 7:22AM! I was on top by about
9:21AM, after a big mistake of going directly up a very non-class-1
stretch.
|
 I returned to the campsite Satuday afternoon. |
 On Sunday, I reached the Sombrero TH by 8, and was starting to hike about 8:10AM. |
 Jacumba, starting out. |
 There is a plateau on Jacumba. I crossed to R of this rockpile. |
 S from the rock pile. |
 Ahead. to the S, is the 1st false peak of Jacumba. |
 View N over the false peak; about here, I got some severe cactus spines, and had to stop to pull them out. |
 Top of Jacumba! View quasi-NE. 2 hours to the top, with lots of time-wasting confusion. |
 I recognize some of these folks! |
 View E, |
 Another pano. Time to get outta Dodge. |
 View S, |
 View back N. |
 Lots of oxidized sulfide ore, quite high density. |
 I took the canyon back. |
 Palm trees in the canyon! |
 I got back to the campsite. |
 Tents everwhere! |
 |
 Good relaxed people. |
 |
 Next morn, I decided to go back. This is "False Sombrero" which I inadvertently drove to... before tracking back to... |
 Real Sombero! |
 I start up DPS route B, then quickly decide to go up on the ridge at L. |
 I found lots of discreet cairns -- Mars Bonfire type-- on the S ridge. |
 Finally, the bouldery cone of Sombrero! I was able to follow the footprints of Lenah, Timo, and Sharon, which made the final push much easier. |
 I came through this notch. |
 |
 The top was delightfully bouldery, exceeding my expectations. |
 |
 I guess the register used to be here. We are so proud of your manhood, register thieves! |
 Pan ~NE from summit. |
 View SSE from summit. |
 Self-portait. I enjoyed visiting all the boulders on the summit. |
 |
 |
 |
 This was one of 4 cairns on the DPS route "A." I'm guessing this route isn't used much these days -- few signs of herd paths. |
 I actually passed right through Solstice Cave, but was rushing and didn't even realize what I was missing! | *Ah
yes, the car problem. I got down from Jacumba at 11AM, ready to summit
Sombero. But I kept saying to myself "don't count your chickens
before they hatch." As I was driving out, I noticed the road to the L
looked far more traveled... Why not try it? My GPS showed that it
connected to the main road in 1/2 mile. Alas, it was a motocross
road --the abundant tire tracks were from dirt bikes and quads. All
was well till I suddenly faced some ledges. I tried backing up, turning around very slowly... the high-centered. That section of
desert had very few rocks, but I found some after 30 minutes of search,
jacked up one wheeel at a time, built rock platforms under the wheels,
and eventually drove off the high-center. I knew my shot for
Sombrero that day was done... yet it felt good to problem-solve,and
reach a successful conclusion. When I was almost done with the
last platform. a motorcyclist came by, didn't offer to help, but
notified me that 150 motorcyles would some come by (and I damn well
better move). F*ck you buddy, I moved without your lame-a$$ help. |