Little Cahuilla

Hiked: 1/31/2020
Distance: 2.4 miles round trip on trail
Summit Elevation: 5042'
Prominence: 482'
Elevation Gain: 1038'
Elevation Gain (in Empire State Buildings): 0.8
Round trip time: 1 hours 30 minutes
Recommended water: 32 oz.
Parking/Fees: Free on Forest Road 6S22
Difficulty: Easy

Little Cahuilla is a few miles north of Cahuilla Mountain and also on the HPS list (#277). Because it is short, it is usually combined with Cahuilla, but I didn't have time to pick it up when I did Cahuilla. The starting point is on Forest Road 6S22 where it intersects with 6S89. A trail starts across from a turnout area. There were signs of some trail maintenance on the first part of the trail, cut limbs and broken branches. Some useful cairns were also arranged to guide the way. While the trail was mostly easy to follow, the brush grew into the path, so light contact was unavoidable. I went up and down several intermediate bumps, crossing peak 4930, before working my up the eastern slope of Little Cahuilla. Two sets of register cans were on the summit, but no benchmark. The best view was north to San Jacinto and the desert divide. It was a much better view than from Cahuilla. It wasn't thrilling, but Little Cahuilla was my 500th Peakbagger summit. I only stayed long enough for a few photos, then headed back with bigger plans for the day. I wanted to climb a couple of other mountains in the vicinity, but a Google Maps fail sent me down private dirt roads that ended at a locked gate and a wasted half day.

Start of the use trail

Little Cahuilla, long and flat

Following the use trail through brush

Summit

Back to the start

Ted BM, Webo BM, Lookout Knob attempt

Hiked: 1/17/2020
Distance: 10.2 miles round trip cross country
Summit Elevation: 2371' (Ted), 4173' (Webo), 4120' (Lookout)
Elevation Gain: 4592'
Elevation Gain (in Empire State Buildings): 3.6
Round trip time: 8 hours 15 minutes
Recommended water: 148 oz.
Parking/Fees: Free at Maindenhair Falls trailhead
Difficulty: Strenuous

The plan was to hit Lookout Knob in Anza-Borrego and loop back through Hellhole Flat. A storm started overnight and it rained on me nearly the entire 2.5 hour drive to the starting point at Maindenhair Falls trailhead. The storm seemed to stall in the San Ysidro Mountains so the ground was damp but it wasn't raining when I started. The weather created a crimson glow on Webo and Indianhead just after sunrise. I took the Maindenhair Falls trail until it was close to one of two fingers of the ridge to Webo. About 1000' up I reached Ted Benchmark. I quickly signed in, ate a Gu gel, and continued up the steep section toward Webo. It was another 2200' up to Webo. I stayed close to the top of the ridge, with cactus and class 2 increasing. I took multiple 30 second breaks along the way, especially near the top. The Webo summit block is not the highest point, but it houses the benchmark and register. The register was placed in 1982 and has a fair number of signatures. This was my second summit of both Ted and Webo, the first time as part of a seven peak loop back in 2015. After a longer break on Webo to get some fuel and recover a little, I dropped down the northwest slope toward Lookout Knob. I couldn't identify Lookout Knob from the other rock piles at the time, but I can now. After descending from Webo, the going got easier as I walked around the intervening rock piles.

It doesn't look like it, but Webo is 3200' above the TH

State Park dark humor

Webo summit block

View back down the ridge

Lookout Knob appeared to rise about 100', smaller than The Thimble a few miles away. Approaching from the south, I couldn't see any clear path that didn't involve significant vertical rock climbing. I wound my way around to the north side where I found the standard route up. It was a chute that looked all class 3. I completed the first 30' or so with good holds on poor rock. This left me on a 4' wide ledge with a bush. The chute continued up but I felt the crux move to go on was more difficult than class 3. Several reports rated it 3+, but I would rate it a solid class 4. There were no good footholds, but a friction placement on the right was possible. The one good handhold was a hand jam in a 5" horizontal crack on the left. I couldn't find any decent hand holds on the right. The move wasn't super exposed, a slip would likely dump you into the bush, but there was maybe a 25% chance you could slide right into a 40' fall. I made a couple of careful pushes off the poor rock with my foot but could not find a handhold for my right hand and slid back into the bush. Then I backed off. I'd rather do that move with some protection in the crack and a harness. The way looked clear above, but I didn't get up there to see. I made another attempt from the east, reaching a notch between a large outcrop and the knob. The next step from there was a friction slab, but I couldn't tell if there was a route to the top so I tapped. (update: I learned later that I tried the wrong gully, was successful on 9/25/2020) Once I climbed down, I wandered north through Hellhole Flat, which is a surprisingly nice area. I was looking for a bone pile I found in 2015, but could not locate it. I'd like to spend more time in Hellhole Flat if I could find an easier way to get there. I came back at Webo from the north and began the long descent. I tried to find easier ground below the ridge, but it ended up being worse, infested with innumerable cholla. I took solid hits in the left thigh and foot passing too close to one. I pulled the last couple of needles out of my leg on the drive home.

Lookout Knob from the south, best way up is on the other side

Looking down after the first class 3 pitch

Looking up from the ledge, crux move not visible below the frame

Kitty footprint

Webo from the north

Ouch

See also:
Lookout Knob Redux

Split Mountain West via Oyster Shell Wash

Hiked: 1/5/2020
Distance: 5.3 miles round trip cross country
Summit Elevation: 1680' (Split West), 1672' (Split West Southeast)
Prominence: 420' (Split West)
Elevation Gain: 1783'
Elevation Gain (in Empire State Buildings): 1.4
Round trip time: 3 hours 30 minutes
Recommended water: 48 oz.
Parking/Fees: Free on Fish Creek North Jeep Trail
Difficulty: Easy

The area around Fish Creek and Split Mountain in the Anza-Borrego desert is a geological wonder. I had climbed Split Mountain West at the end of 2017, but I missed the lower summit called "Split Mountain West - Southeast Peak". At the time, there was a bit of confusion over which one was higher and/or official. I wanted to get that peak mostly for the sake of completion, but it was an easy sell since the area is so interesting. I parked on the Fish Creek North Fork Jeep trail, high clearance recommended. There were many 4x4 vehicles driving around or at camp sites, but none were on the north fork.

I took a different route this time, aiming to stay mostly in Oyster Shell Wash. I followed the eastern lip of the wash (left side) until I found an easy place to drop in. The coolest part of the wash is the first mile and change, with mud and cobblestone formations, small pools, and short falls with bypasses. Oyster Shell Wash leads almost directly to the true summit.

Above Oyster Shell Wash

Drop in

Small pools of water remain in the lower wash

Before I reached the top, though, I made a hard right turn toward Split Southeast. I went directly up a steep, loose class 1 slope. Shortly after, I was standing on the Southeast summit, reading through the register. The register noted on the first page that the true summit was another 0.4 miles to the north. I signed in and took a few photos before moving on. When I got over to the true summit, I took the easy way up by circling around the short cliff. I rested a while on Split West enjoying the scenery, then returned down Oyster Shell Wash. I continued down to my entry point, then went up and down into Fish Creek North Fork and followed that back to the truck. It was a perfect day in the desert.

Up slope toward Split Southeast

True summit from Split Southeast

Split Southeast from the true summit

One mylar balloon recovered

See also:
Split Mountain West