During my adolescence, Sunday hikes were an institution. We trekked this whole county over. Hiking wasn’t just a weekend affair, though. My mom once woke my sister and I up early enough to climb a mountain and watch the sunrise, scuttle back down it, and make it to class on time. (If you taught my first period that day, I probably slept. Sorry!) Even with all of that hiking under our belts, Jen and I don’t think we have hiked in this area. The novelty of finding a new hike lent some excitement to this expedition. Unfortunately, the excitement didn’t last long.
Dear Mr. Schad, You are Starting to Irritate me…
Schad describes the hike as difficult for four-wheel drive vehicles but relatively easy for hikers. By which, he must mean that your 4x4 might flip over, or, like the guys we encountered, you might break an axle. If, however, you are on foot, you probably won’t break anything. If what Schad meant was you have a better chance of surviving the walk than the drive, then yes, I agree. That, however, does not classify this as a “relatively easy” endeavor to me.
The Short of It…
· The hike is less that 5 miles, but took us just over 5 hours to complete (with Logan in tow).
· After class on Monday, more than twenty-four hours after finishing the hike, I spent twelve hours sleeping off my hiking hangover. Carrying a toddler up this path meant compressed shoulders, aching muscles, and a killer headache.
· This hike is not at all appropriate for toddlers but older kids should enjoy the final ascent. If bribing your kid with the promise of bouldering and a cave will prompt them to climb, non-stop, for over two miles, bring them along. If not, leave them at home!
The Long of It…
Lawson Peak is 4.5 roundtrip miles of an uphill battle. Yes, uphill both ways, in the snow, even if you are in Jamul. In 2.25 miles you gain 1600 feet in elevation. To put this in perspective:
Cowles Mountain: 1.5 miles to top, 950 foot elevation gain
Iron Mountain: 3.1 or 4.7 miles to the top, 1050 foot elevation gain
El Cap (San Diego): Roughly 5.5 miles in (depending on route) with an elevation gain of 2000 feet. However, this one is actually uphill both ways, so across 11 miles you gain 4000 feet!
Grand Canyon: Rim-to-rim total of nearly 21 miles, elevation gain of up to 5850 feet depending on which rim you start with.
Apparently we were not prepared for this particular battle because four of us climbed up (including Logan), but only three came down (including Logan). Scott, for his own reasons, decided to turn back around ½ mile in. The poor guy sat in the car for the next four hours. His descent left Jen and I to carry Logan (not something my shoulders recommend) up what was remaining of the 1600 feet elevation gain. In the end, we made it to within ¼ mile of the summit and turned back. The final ascent is through brush and over some awesome looking boulders. Though it looked invigorating, lugging the forty-pound bag of flour my reticent toddler had become up this last ¼ mile seemed ill advised. Supposedly, a boulder cave requiring some strength and a flashlight to make it through crowns Lawson Peak. Jen and I look forward to bagging this peak, boulder cave and all, on our next attempt.
Stay tuned for Lawson Peak: Hiking Win #1, to follow ASAP
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