SoCal Six-Pack of Peaks Challenge: Rebirth After Sitton Peak

on July 16, 2022

July 16, 2022

Everything felt like it was going smoothly. I completed my first SoCal Six-Pack of Peaks hike, Sitton Peak Hike. I drove down SR-74 to the nearest Rite Aid to hydrate with something with a little more taste than the rubber flavored water coming from my hydration pack. After I arrive, I take one step out my Camry with my left foot, then I place my right foot on the ground and immediately an excruciating pain shot up my right hamstring like as if the muscle was gonna to protrude out of my skin. I immediately fall back into my drivers seat and writhed in pain. In addition to the hamstring pain, my lower abdominal region began to tighten as if my insides were eating themselves. Luckily the abdominal pain lasted only about 30 seconds, but the hamstring pain continued for at least ten minutes. At this moment I was also too drained and the pain would also kick back up when I moved so to grab my hydration pack in the backseat of my car was out of the question. About a minute into the initial pain my vision became spotty with black spots. The only times I lost vision in a similar manner is when I had inhaled a cigar or took a really large hit of weed back in my younger years. My eyes began hurt as they did at the peak when salt was dripping in my eyes from my sweat. My eyes were wide shut and the pain feel like my corneas were going to burn I was prepared to be blind at this point. With all the strength I could muster I put my keys in the ignition blasted the a/c and kept my door wide open while body was swaying back and forth, I dropped my body towards the front passenger seat and slowly regain my strength. Parked next to me was an AT&T worker who was on the phone and I could think was “Fuck this guy” in that moment, as it looked like I needed medical attention. After the pain subsided I went inside and chugged two Body Armor drinks. On my drive back I called my Kaiser for medical advice and was recommended to go to Urgent Care and the affirmed it was a case of heat exhaustion. Nothing too severe, but enough for me to be more cautious about my future hikes.

3,273 (998m) elevation on this 9.8 mi hike with a 2,130 ft (649m) elevation gain sounded like a pretty moderate hike, and a good hike to start for the So-Cal Six Peak Challenge. Honestly it a was moderate hike outside of the last .5 mi to the peak which has you gain about half the elevation gain in that short distance. Not to mention the blaring summer heat on the trek didn’t didn’t help. I would not recommend doing this hike mid-summer and wished I followed the reviews that seen out the summer as a season to to hike this one.

Most of the trail was on a groomed dirt path wide enough for two/three people to stand side by side, though there area few narrow patches on the trail that the brush and tall grass can graze you if you are stepping awkwardly. The first half of the trail is partially covered especially as you approach the three-way junction that splits into Verdugo Truck Trail, and Bear Ridge Trail. Both paths run parallel to each other and intersect again at a larger clearing before the remainder of the hike to the top of Sitton. The Verdugo Truck Trail that I took is shaded by the a bunch of dying oaks and brush and I definitely enjoy the shade before getting to the next open area. Both trails mentioned will bring you to a multi-way junction known as the Four Corners, with one of the paths leading to Sitton. From the Four Corners to the summit the trail is basically uncovered, so enjoy the landscape views for the rest of the hike.

Wildlife wise there were a lot of bees and flying insects throughout the majority of the hike that would follow me and as soon as one insect would stop following another one would start to buzz around my face immediately after. I was spooking myself out the entirety of the hike thinking I might run into/step on a rattlesnake, but the only fauna I experienced outside of the bugs were some noisy birds, and a ton of lizards. It was hard to stop anywhere and not see any small lizards crawling around, though there were few larger ones towards the beginning of the hike that were perched on a rock. One in particular at about 2 ft long and I’ll admit I was initially hesitant to past by it and didn’t scurry away from any human presence like the smaller ones.

I decided to do this hike solo and during the trek up I didn’t run into virtually anyone going in my direction. I did see a group of a two guys who carpooled together start the trail while I was getting my gear set up in my car. I did see a few people on the way back down from the summit and the group of three hikers I met on Verdugo Truck Trail who reassured when I was doubting if I was going in the right direction. At the summit I ran into and chatted with group of four hikers, who took turns taking photos and took in the landscape before my trek down. From the look of the photo of me the heat exhaustion wasn’t too surprising with my upper lift all white from sweating so hard. From the Summit of Sitton, all of Orange County and past Long Beach would be visible, the opposite direction the Santa Ana mountains and Santiago Peak — another alterative hike of the Six -Pack challenge was visible — and looking directly below the SR-74 and cars traveling on it were faintly visible.