Butler Peak

Hiked: 3/13/2026
Distance: 10.1 miles round trip on dirt road
Summit Elevation: 8531'
Elevation Gain: 1570'
Elevation Gain (in Empire State Buildings): 1.2
Round trip time: 4 hours 30 minutes
Recommended water: 64 oz.
Parking/Fees: Free at Forest Road 2N13 gate
Difficulty: Moderate

I drove up to Big Bear for Butler Peak (HPS #46). March had been warm so I expected only lingering snow. Since Butler was a dirt road hike, I didn't even bring microspikes as a precaution. It was a cool 36F when I started at the gate to Forest Road 2N13, which is closed in the winter. The gain was minimal as I walked past Gray's Peak. Sheets of snow still coated the northern facing slopes and started to spill into the road. Sections of the road were completely covered. The snow was hard packed, but careful steps and low angles made it easy. I crossed a couple of streams that would be dry in the summer. I saw footprints in the snow, but didn't know if they were fresh or days old. The turn for Butler Peak Road was just below Hanna Rocks, a boulder playground I had climbed in 2022. The Butler lookout tower sat on top of an impressive rock spire. When I got the base, I met two women who had been in front of me leaving the footprints. The short trail for the final 100' to the tower was completely covered in snow. The entire north face was covered in 3-4' of hard packed snow that had been through several freeze-thaw cycles. After taking a few steps, both women turned back, not wanting to chance a fall. I was determined to make a go of it, heading toward the far end of short ridge. I clung to boulders and whatever vegetation poked through the drifts. Without traction, it got more dangerous the higher I went. A slip would have led to a long slide into the rocks below. I worked myself back to the spine of boulders below the tower. I spotted a metal pole that marked the trail and the base of the tower, but the 50' between me and the tower was steep packed snow. I squeezed myself into the randkluft, a 2' gap between the snow field and the rock and moved slowly toward the tower. I had to stretch to get over the last drift. The tower was officialy closed, but the steps were open. I climbed up to take in expansive views of San Gorgonio, the San Gabriels, and Arrowhead Lake. It was an exciting finish to an otherwise unremarkable road hike. It was spicy getting down, but I was able to backtrack without incident. It was the sketchiest thing I'd done in a while. Butler marked the completion of the fifty highest peaks on the HPS list.

Perfect cat print

Snow covered slope below the tower

Looking back at the dangerous part

San Gorgonio

Keller Peak

Hanna Rocks

El Cajon Mountain

Hiked: 3/5/2026 (x5)
Distance: 11.2 miles round trip on trail
Summit Elevation: 3679'
Elevation Gain: 3722'
Elevation Gain (in Empire State Buildings): 3.0
Round trip time: 5 hours 20 minutes
Recommended water: 64 oz.
Parking/Fees: Free at parking lot on Wildcat Canyon Road
Difficulty: Strenuous

El Cajon has become my standard winter endurance trainer. It's rare that I repeat routes on the same mountain, but this was my fifth visit to El Cajon and second summit without adding any side peaks (Silverdome, Silverdome II, El Capitan). It was an ideal trainer, getting my legs and feet adjusted to longer routes for spring and summer. The day started on the cool side with low clouds and high humidity. Within a couple of miles, I was a pool of dripping sweat. There were few parties on the trail. I passed two women with a dog wearing goggles. They told me the goggles were to protect his eyes from the branches of the low brush. I eyed Silverdome as a possible bonus on the way back, but decided to skip it for a jump on traffic. About half way, I passed a young lady who had turned around at the stop sign. I pointed her in the right direction. The park set up the sign to warn hikers to turn around if it was noon or later. Multiple signs actively discourage people from going to the top since a lot of rescues happen in the summer months.

Silverdome on the way out

Stop sign at the half way mark

Steep trail in the distance

Final 0.3 miles to the summit
I maintained a steady but unhurried pace. The burned out Jeep was still there and the trail had not changed much. I stopped at the final turn toward the summit for water and a Pro Bar when the lady I met at the half way sign passed me. I suspected she might have turned back. She told me her name was Giovanna and that she paid $50 to Uber to the trailhead and would not be denied. She reached the summit before me, leaving a small bruise on my ego. By late morning, the clouds had burned away, so the views were excellent. I was on the summit for less than 10 minutes, time enough for photos and a waypoint. The loose wooden sign was missing from last year, but the benchmark was still intact. The crowded register box was also missing. I had a brief chat with Giovanna, who was quite taken with the bouldery views. She said her plan was to move to San Diego from Philadelphia next year. I told her Leisa and I had moved to SoCal 20 years ago from Michigan and never regretted it. I wished her luck and started my descent. I met two other parties on their way up, but overall, there were few hikers on the mountain. My knees welcomed a break from the rough desert scrambling of late. I suspect I'll be back next year for round 6.

High point

South arete

Silverdome, Silverdome II, and El Cajon

See also:
El Cajon South Arete
El Cajon, El Capitan, Silverdome II

Kingdom of Zion Peak

Hiked: 2/24/2026
Distance: 5.5 miles round trip on trail and cross country
Summit Elevation: 2547'
Elevation Gain: 1749'
Elevation Gain (in Empire State Buildings): 1.4
Round trip time: 5 hours
Recommended water: 64 oz.
Parking/Fees: Free at turnaround on Road CM495
Difficulty: Moderate

The goal was Kingdom of Zion Peak, continuing my exploration of the Chuckwalla Mountains. The name seems to be tied to an abandoned youth camp nearby dating back to the 1970s. Internet searches suggest it was shut down in 2013. I exited I-10 on the south side at Rice Road (Desert Center), made a quick left on Aztec Ave (paved) running parallel with I-10. In a mile, Aztec ends and a dirt road begins. A quick jog put me on Gas Line Road, running along the pipeline. After another mile and a half, I turned right on the signed CM380, then turned left on signed CM495. The road winds around some rocks to a turnaround that could accommodate 4-5 vehicles. High clearance suggested for the dirt roads.

Messages and signs were painted on the rocks at the turnaround, and along a trail that started there. One sign said "THE WAY TO ZION" with an arrow. The trail went about 0.4 miles across Mustard Seed Dam to where the camp used to be. There was nothing left of the camp but the building slabs. A use trail continued 0.3 miles beyond the camp, following the deep gully on the left. It ended after dropping into the gully.

I continued up the gully past some dry falls. There was some gray and white granite in the gully and some conglomerates. After a mile or so, I exited by climbing up some rocks. I had a clear view of Kingdom of Zion Peak with several approaches possible. Since there as no beta on Peakbagger, I plotted a route using CalTopo. For the first time, I used a map layer showing steepness by color. I planned to take a gully on the far left that connected with one of the ridges higher up. The more direct gully also looked like it would go, but with less certainty. My indirect approach was steep class 1 and worked well. From the top of the far left gully, I went over the highest point on the ridge, dropped about 50' to a small saddle, then continued directly up the ridge. This section was class 2/3 with solid rock and minimal exposure. I had a final walk up to the high point.

I found a fallen wooden post among the rocks, but no marks and no register. I planted a small eispiraten.com flag on the summit for posterity. Views were nice in all directions. After a break, I started down. My left knee started bothering me about half way down. I've had some discomfort with it off and on for a few months, and my home rehab efforts have been only partially successful. I might have to seek professional PT help if it persists. With a sore knee, my descent was slow until I was back in the main gully. Kingdom of Zion was an interesting area and a good work out.