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| Hiking | 7.95 Miles |
1,495 AEG |
| | Hiking | 7.95 Miles | 3 Hrs 26 Mns | | 2.32 mph |
| 1,495 ft AEG | | | | |
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| no partners | | Driving up Telegraph Pass Rd., the sun was just above the horizon of the pass. I couldn’t see for the glare. Prayed no one drove over the line towards me. To make matters worse, I got an arch cramp in my right foot. Argh! Agony. 
From Dobbins Lookout -- the pit toilet smelled like it had a dead cholo in it -- I hiked a clockwise loop of Holbert - National - Kiwanis - Los Lomitas - and the remainder of Holbert Trail. (I hiked Holbert … geez … 17 years ago? Wasn’t even hike blogging back then.)
Other than Fat Man’s Pass / Hidden Valley, my favorite part of National is the quarter mile between Holbert and the antennna farm, weaving about those rocky bits. Approaching the pass at 10:30 a.m., traffic was picking up. Some of it speeding over the double yellow line. 
Kiwanis has a unique sign, with cut out & painted letters. Kind of fancy. Wonder who paid extra for that? Relatively lush Kiwanis was my other favorite part of today's loop. There’s a stone check dam, a quarter mile from the bottom.
Los Lomitas is mostly wide & smooth, and oldster friendly. But it's at the bottom of the ridge, so it has some photogenic boulders.
The visitor center parking areas are mostly a big constuction zone, and will remain so through late 2027. I followed the construction fence east.
At the bottom of Holbert a sign said “Area Closed”, but also “Do Not Leave Designated Trails”. I sure as hell wasn’t going to head back the way I came, so I followed the trail. It is closed because of a 10 ft. deep washout -- which is trivial to negotiate. Up by the water tank, I started the main climb, as it got dark across the valley. It seemed steeper than I recalled, but that is probably due to age. Or doing more biking than hiking. I only caught a few sprinkles at the end, so I didn't need that little cave a quarter mile before the Dobbins trail.
Rumble Video: https://rumble.com/v763y3k-hiking-south ... oenix.html
Vimeo Video: https://vimeo.com/1167100369 |
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Wildflowers Observation Light
Brittlebush most common; quality varied. Next most common was Emory's rock daisy, on canyon trails. Lupine below antenna farm. Globemallow here & there. Mexican gold poppy closed up due to chill. Blue richard. Distant phacelia. A single desert marigold. |
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| http://prestonm.com : Everyone's enjoyment of the outdoors is different and should be equally honored. |
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Route Editor
Route Scout
Route 
We headed up a little after 5:30am. 
Like HAZ, she rocks!
- not fun). Ate my lunch at the San Juan lookout, then headed north to Ma Ha Tuak Perimeter trail. There was a nice breeze that kept it cool and comfortable. As the trail got closer to the 202 freeway that breeze turned into a stiff headwind that tried to take my hat. All day there were times with no wind when it was hot, and strong wind when it felt cold. On average it was pretty comfortable. 
