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tekewin Posts: 368
1/7/2018
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I had a great day in the desert bagging a couple more peaks from Indian Valley. The first was Sombrero and there are already several reports on this route so I'll keep it brief. At the top, I found two boulders that were candidates for the high point. The first one (and probably highest by inches) was a class 1 walk up. The other was somewhat difficult. The easiest way I found to get up was to climb a 12' crack using hand jams. Other routes were class 5. On top of the second boulder, I found a benchmark from the Division of Beaches and Parks. I don't think many people find it and it isn't mentioned in most trip reports. 3.5 miles round trip, 2000' gain, 3 hours.
Sombrero and False Sombrero from the road fork
Easiest way up (I think this boulder is probably second highest)
Sombrero benchmark on the second summit block
Found this weird pole and chain on the way down, a few hundred feet below the summit
Next, I drove to the end of the North Indian Canyon Road to tackle False Sombrero. The hike had two parts. The first part was climbing up a rough gully and the second part was a steep sandy slope. The sand was 3" deep and it was like walking on the beach at a 35 degree angle. It was only a mile to the summit, but the route gained 1359' in that one mile. Stiff. The summit block was easy and the register there went back to 1989 and was only a little over half full. I recognized almost half the names. The views were even better than from Sombrero, especially of the Sawtooth Mountains and the Inner Pasture. I hung around the summit for 20-30 minutes, an eternity for me, resting and enjoying the sights and perfect weather. I couldn't help but think of the poor souls in most of the country dealing with sub-freezing and sub-zero temps.
North gully and False Sombrero
Looking down the sandy slope, Sombrero in the background
Indian Valley from False Sombrero
Laguna Mountains, Inner Pasture, Sawtooth and Red Top
Some day!
Hey, I know that name. Via Canebrake!? How does that work? Oh, cliff bar is long gone.
I looked at the topo and could not figure out how to get there from Canebrake without a long approach. Returning was much easier as I casually plunge stepped the sandy slope and scrambled back down the gully. I know I'll be heading back to Indian Valley, but maybe not until next year. 2 miles round trip, 1359' gain, 2.5 hours.
edited by tekewin on 1/7/2018
edited by tekewin on 1/7/2018
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RobMay Posts: 18
1/9/2018
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Thank you for posting. I've still got to bag both of these peaks. I hit Red Top and Sawtooth Mountains HP this past weekend. I didn't realize the steepness or the amount of boulder scrambling that was involved. I got my butt kicked and hiked out in the dark. I've been following your blog online and your gps tracks on Peakbagger for some time now. Thank you for all of your hard work! I still haven't figured out how to make the time to blog about hikes I've been on. I feel accomplished if I get photos posted to Facebook for the week. Anyway, I just wanted you to know that you rock!
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tekewin Posts: 368
1/9/2018
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RobMay wrote:
Thank you for posting. I've still got to bag both of these peaks. I hit Red Top and Sawtooth Mountains HP this past weekend. I didn't realize the steepness or the amount of boulder scrambling that was involved. I got my butt kicked and hiked out in the dark. I've been following your blog online and your gps tracks on Peakbagger for some time now. Thank you for all of your hard work! I still haven't figured out how to make the time to blog about hikes I've been on. I feel accomplished if I get photos posted to Facebook for the week. Anyway, I just wanted you to know that you rock!
Hey Rob,
Thanks for the kind words. I've gotten so much from other people reports, the least I can do is share what I find. I enjoy writing reports as soon as I can so I don't forget details.
So, how did you approach Red Top? I was planning to start from North Indian Canyon Road (as Daren's suggested) and go over the lowest pass in the Terra Blanca, then up the gully between Red Top and the Sawtooth high point. I think it will be the toughest hike on the San Diego Peaks list and I want to save it for last.
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ziphius Posts: 911
1/9/2018
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Nice trip report. Crack climbing without a crash mat? 😊 I did Red Top a few years ago (2012), starting at Agua Caliente, through Moonlight Canyon, camped in Inner Pasture, then ascended Red Top early via the WNW slope in the shade. My mistake was spending too much time bushwhacking in the drainage that approaches Red Top from the south end of Inner Pasture. Next time, I’d take a more severe and direct route over the boulder and agave spine fields, it would probably require less effort. Lovely summit and views at Red Top. 14.6 miles round-trip. I think any approach that avoids drainages would be fun.
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http://www.coyotelearning.org
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dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2622
1/10/2018
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We did a loop hike once from Indian Valley up and over False, down into Canebrake and then circled back out via the low saddle just east of False.
I lost my GPS going down into Canebrake so on a different trip I did the reverse of that loop looking for it. We have done many variations of that coming in from McCain.
I have seen that chain at Sombrero before, no idea what it is for. Is the register still missing? It used to be an ammo box chained to the top boulders but went missing several years ago.
Great trip report, thanks for sharing
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http://www.sefcik.com
http://www.darensefcik.com
http://www.carrizogorge.com
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tekewin Posts: 368
1/10/2018
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ziphius wrote:
Crack climbing without a crash mat? 😊 I did Red Top a few years ago (2012), starting at Agua Caliente, through Moonlight Canyon, camped in Inner Pasture, then ascended Red Top early via the WNW slope in the shade. My mistake was spending too much time bushwhacking in the drainage that approaches Red Top from the south end of Inner Pasture.
The crack was only 12-13' with no exposure below, but I did have an adrenaline buzz for a while after. Thanks for the tips on Red Top. Maybe I'll stick to ridge lines.
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tekewin Posts: 368
1/10/2018
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dsefcik wrote:
We did a loop hike once from Indian Valley up and over False, down into Canebrake and then circled back out via the low saddle just east of False.
I lost my GPS going down into Canebrake so on a different trip I did the reverse of that loop looking for it. We have done many variations of that coming in from McCain.
Thanks for links to your trips. I did a forum search for "false sombrero" and didn't find them before. Now I see the loop you did from the first trip. Tough way to get into the Inner Pasture. Amazing photos. The combs were long gone, too.
dsefcik wrote:
I have seen that chain at Sombrero before, no idea what it is for. Is the register still missing? It used to be an ammo box chained to the top boulders but went missing several years ago.
Great trip report, thanks for sharing
I could not find a register on Sombrero. I climbed the second boulder partly to see if the register was up there. No register, but the benchmark was a bonus. I look forward to finding your name in more SD registers 
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RobMay Posts: 18
1/10/2018
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Hey Rob,
Thanks for the kind words. I've gotten so much from other people reports, the least I can do is share what I find. I enjoy writing reports as soon as I can so I don't forget details.
So, how did you approach Red Top? I was planning to start from North Indian Canyon Road (as Daren's suggested) and go over the lowest pass in the Terra Blanca, then up the gully between Red Top and the Sawtooth high point. I think it will be the toughest hike on the San Diego Peaks list and I want to save it for last.
I used Greg Gerlach and Patrick ONeill's gps tracks. I like to load multiple tracks so I have options. It's the same route you describe. I camped on the small ridgeline due North of the lowest pass you cross over. The plan was to hike Stage BM the next morning but that didn't happen. I hiked Villager/Rabbit/Mile High four days prior and I wasn't fully recovered from that hike. I found a lot of pottery shards so I spent way too much time exploring, and I deviated from the gps tracks going up Sawtooth and summited from the South-West side of the peak. Huge mistake. I was thinking about leaving Groan as my last just because I feel like the name is an apt one to finish on!
edited by RobMay on 1/10/2018
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tekewin Posts: 368
1/10/2018
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RobMay wrote:
I used Greg Gerlach and Patrick ONeill's gps tracks. I like to load multiple tracks so I have options. It's the same route you describe. I camped on the small ridgeline due North of the lowest pass you cross over. The plan was to hike Stage BM the next morning but that didn't happen. I hiked Villager/Rabbit/Mile High four days prior and I wasn't fully recovered from that hike. I found a lot of pottery shards so I spent way too much time exploring, and I deviated from the gps tracks going up Sawtooth and summited from the South-West side of the peak. Huge mistake. I was thinking about leaving Groan as my last just because I feel like the name is an apt one to finish on!
OK, cool. Names like Groan are great! The pain benchmarks, ha. Groan, Gasp, Moan, Puff, Grunt.
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Buford Posts: 456
1/11/2018
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I too thought the view from the “other” Sombrero was much better.
There was a register on the real Sombrero in February 2017. We had a hard time finding it. It was near the slightly lower summit block, not the one with the crack climb.
edited by Buford on 1/11/2018
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Links to my photos: ABDSP photos, Bighorn sheep photos, ABDSP time lapse video, Wildlife photos (mainly birds)
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tekewin Posts: 368
1/12/2018
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Buford wrote:
I too thought the view from the “other” Sombrero was much better.
There was a register on the real Sombrero in February 2017. We had a hard time finding it. It was near the slightly lower summit block, not the one with the crack climb.
edited by Buford on 1/11/2018
Yeah, love the views from False.
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