Connecting the dots

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      On Saturday I began connecting the dots of this course. Several times I've climbed Cedar Peak from below in Oak Glen and traversed east to Wilshire Peak, but I'd not tied together Cedar to Birch and since Evan had indicated in his report on his 17 peak challenge that this section had proved troublesome, I knew I wanted to check it out. Especially since this will come late in the course, and I'll be tired and perhaps more easily confused, it was important to "get to know."

      It's a nice trek and includes a short section of the ridge, easily traversed (unlike the knife's edge west of Galena), that allows one to glance down to the Mill Creek valley on one side and Oak Glen on the other. Transverse ranges, like the Yucaipa Ridge, offer some beautiful reliefs as the sun passes east to west, accentuating the deep ravines like the lines etched in an elder's face or hands. They're beautiful in their own way.

      I'd gotten an early start and later on met up with a group of hikers who were guided by the Wildlands rangers, Charlie Marquardt and Doug Chudy. It was clear that the whole group was having a blast up there. Sometimes it's the best to hike with a group; there's no better way to get to know a person than climbing a mountain with them.