I’ll admit it, I don’t get down to San Diego County to hike as often as I’d like to – it’s tough for me to get enough time off for backpacking trips, and those are long drives for day-hikes – but luckily, we’ve got some great web resources like San Diego Hiking Trails and Outside San Diego to fill in the more southern SoCal Hiking info. Recently, I stumbled across a new site that looks like it’s going to be a tremendous resource for San Diego hikers – 100 Peaks.
The author is an experienced lifetime hiker who’s on a twofold quest – to hike 100 class 1 & 2 peaks near San Diego, and to write a book about it. So far, he’s on #14, but he also peppers his blog with great quotes, questions, and stories about his experiences. The hike write-ups are a bit sparse (he’s probably saving the good stuff for the book), but are chock full of great photos and video that really give you a sense of what it’s like to hike on these trails.
100 Peaks is definitely one to add to your blogroll, and – like Kolby at 100 Hikes – he’s got a great built-in dramatic curve to follow! When the snowpack settles in on the high San Gabriels and you’re up for some good desert hiking, be sure to check 100 Peaks for info.
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Thanks for the post! I truly appreciate the kind words.
You are correct in that the write-ups are intentionally sparse, since I need to be able to sell something when I am done! I am hoping to evolve my videos as I go and am hoping to get some input from people like you as far as what to expect from the videos, the blog posts, and ultimately from the book. I have been considering some non-traditional formats for the book, such as a box of a small intro “book” with 100 weather-resistant trail cards, so that you can take the trail map and route description with you. I know it’s seldom feasible to carry a whole guide book with you on a hike, so I am trying to determine the best way to publish this, since it will be likely self-published.
Any thoughts are appreciated.
Thanks again for the gracious mention,
Derek
100Peaks.com
I hike tons around San Diego. Haven’t checked out 100 peaks yet, though!
I love hiking around Julian, and on Palomar Mountain.
I stronlgy recommend Angelenos head south for some amazing parks!
If you like hiking near Julian, I recommend Volcan Mountain. The summit is open April through November, 9 a.m. – 5 p.m., weekends only, but the very scenic preserve is open year round, 8 a.m. – sunset.
http://www.sdcounty.ca.gov/parks/openspace/Volcan_Mountain_Wilderness.html
Another great one is Eagle Peak. The views are spectacular and the 1,800′ foot drop-off is scary-cool. There is a trip report at 100peaks.com. (Peak #10)
I think it’s 100% fine that you don’t give away all the info on your site. You make it pretty clear from the get-go that you’re also writing a book, too, so it’s totally understandable.
However, if you were going to give up a little bit of info — maybe directions to the trailhead would be nice. Maybe one or two basic facts, like distance and difficulty, too – but directions would definitely be helpful – even if it’s just a link to a Google Maps pushpin.
Just my two cents, though!
Great ideas. I will be implementing them soon.
Thanks!
Hello from Russia!
Can I quote a post in your blog with the link to you?
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