New Detours

Hiking

In this section of the blog, I will review different hikes I have gone on. I will include rates (easy, moderate, and hard), features unique to that particular hike, challenges encountered and suggestions on how to increase the likelihood of a smoother experience, weather, and even review some equipment when relevant. If you would like a more in depth analysis of equipment used during hikes or camping trips, please visit the Equipment Review section of this blog. When hiking, detours lead to great adventures and sometimes even moments that help us make sense of nonsensical events. Join me and let's take a detour!

Hiking
Pirate Tower: 8.7.16
Pirate Tower: 8.7.16
11/30/2020

This Pirate Tower is located in Laguna, CA. The single tower is built into the side of the cliff facing the ocean. You can park anywhere and walk the coast to get to the tower. Should you want some hi...

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Chocolate Falls (Grand Falls): 12.27.19
Chocolate Falls (Grand Falls): 12.27.19
11/30/2020

This is definitely worth going off the beaten path for. To get to this waterfall, you must drive through one of the Native American reservations. Finding the main trail was hard, but then finding the ...

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Ortega Lookout: 7.4.18
Ortega Lookout: 7.4.18
11/30/2020

As much as I would love to go into great detail about a hike, this journal, was preset. We drove to the Ortega Lookout and waited. That's it. Just. Waited. The beauty unfolded before us. The clou...

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Ortega Falls: 1.19.18
Ortega Falls: 1.19.18
11/30/2020

Ortega Falls is but one of many hikes in speckled throughout this area. This hike got interrupted the day we went. As we were crawling between some rocks where some falls may have once been (of which ...

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Norco Power House: 6.3.17
Norco Power House: 6.3.17
11/30/2020

Norco Power House is yet another one of those hiking/days of exploration adventures where I never took notes on length or precise location. So, like the Nazi Ruins in Murphy's Ranch, this will al...

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Nazi Ruins at Murphy's Ranch: 12.3.16
Nazi Ruins at Murphy's Ranch: 12.3.16
11/30/2020

I will need to revisit this location to get specifics in terms of distance and how to find it. Really, that latter is most crucial because it was not easy to find. Firstly, just to get to the trail he...

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Cathedral Rock & Sedona Cave: 6.1.19
Cathedral Rock & Sedona Cave: 6.1.19
11/30/2020

Sedona Cave and Cathedral Rock are pretty close to one another in Sedona, Arizona so it is easy to complete both in a day. Sedona Cave is about a 1.5 mile round trip hike. The mini cave is neat. You c...

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Montezuma's Castle & Montezuma's Well: 6.1.19
Montezuma's Castle & Montezuma's Well: 6.1.19
11/30/2020

First and foremost, Montezuma's Castle is a tourist trap that is certainly not worth it. Secondly, Montezuma's well is way more interesting and dynamic than Montezuma's Castle. To be fa...

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Keller Trail: 1.5.20
Keller Trail: 1.5.20
11/30/2020

There are so many different directions you can go when exploring this area. The trail we took was 5.4 miles round trip. The focal point of this hike comes early. The focal point is graffiti on some ru...

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Painted Canyon & Ladder Canyon: 11.15.20
Painted Canyon & Ladder Canyon: 11.15.20
11/30/2020

What a truly epic hike! Painted Canyon & Ladder Canyon is located in Mecca, CA. It is adjacent to the Salton Sea (I will also cover this in a future blog). This 7.35 mile hike (partially due becau...

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