My First Peak 🍒 Popper!

This brought a sting of tears to my eyes. The feeling was bigger than that of Radio Towers in Stough Canyon. Not because it was harder to get here, but because it was my first official Peak!
When I started hiking, I needed steps. I needed to get my legs going, then the itch started and my life changed forever. It starts from steps to uphill, to climbing, to more curiosity, discovering gems, and now peaks! It feels like a trophy, hitting the finish line and taking a photo of the trophy that waited patiently for you. Seeing the date on it and knowing other legends also embarked on this journey just feels elevating. It gives a new sense of accomplishment, adrenaline, and peace. It’s a great pat on the back that you feel and give to yourself, one to be felt in a lifetime.
Wow, that was a lot. Okay, let’s talk about the hike itself.
I missed the path on my first attempt. Back when I hiked to Cathedral Rock, I had seen this on my trail map but couldn’t find the path to it. I walked around endlessly, saw the ocean from afar, and then gave up and went home troubled. I needed to find the road to the peak. I looked on hikespeak again and decided to give it another try. I am going to find it and take a picture of the summit marker.
And I did.
I once again found myself at Marvin Braude’s entrance, trekked past Cathedral Rocks, and back at the same attempted spot. I followed the map meticulously, and noticed I was standing opposite the peak, I still couldn’t find the roadmap to it. I took a few steps backward and sideways, looking thoroughly, through branches and flowers, and there it was! There was a path, semi-hidden but it was there, on my left. It was time!

🔊Wanna jump right to the video? ➡️ here
I dug right in and hiked my way up. It actually wasn’t a battle to get up there. It was a mellow uphill, not much of a distance, considering you are already high up at this point in your hike. I reached the peak faster than planned and it took my breath away. It was beautiful, airy, breathtaking, I felt on top of the world!

Talk about the perfect 360 view of the valley!

I did the best I could with my Akaso V50X to capture this beautiful view, I couldn’t let it go to waste!

I wish I could stay there all day but the flies started showing up for their meeting, I knew it was time to go. I did ask for a few more minutes to play around, capture the survey marker thoroughly, do my 360 spin, have a standstill moment, and enough time to promise myself to bag in another marker.

Heading back out was an adventure, I decided to take backbone trail back to the hub junction, it was ROUGH! very rough, and by the time I made it out to the hub, I discovered why it was so rough, It was a closed trail. Apparently, the closed sign didn’t make it to the other side, so I had no idea it was a closed trail. It explained a lot.
As I walked back to my car, feeling completely drained and fulfilled, I decided on my next adventure. I was going to the tallest point in the Santa Monica Mountains, I was going to Sandstone Peak!
Join me POV style, as I hike my way to Temescal Peak here
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