u/ntrophimov

While the rest of SoCal baked in a heat wave, this corner of the mountains stayed surprisingly mild: low 70s with gusty winds. It was the perfect escape from the sun and a great excuse to put in some miles.

What I love about Noble Canyon is that it packs nearly every SoCal biome into a single trail. You start in chaparral, wind through riparian and oak woodland, climb into pine forest, and finish with sweeping views of the desert floor below.

I hiked it point-to-point, starting at 6 am with a friend picking me up at the Penny Pines trailhead. I had the trail almost to myself, passing just two groups of mountain bikers and one trail runner. To my surprise, the creek in the riparian stretch still had water. I also spotted a couple of deer and plenty of small critters, including gray squirrels.

Stats: 11 miles, 2,500+ ft of elevation gain.

My wife, our pup, and I spent my birthday weekend exploring new corners of the Eastern Sierra — hiking, camping, off-roading, soaking in hot springs, and taking in the views.

September might be my favorite time up there. The mosquitoes have mostly cleared out, the summer crowds are gone, the first fall colors are starting to show, and the weather is just about perfect.

Here are a handful of favorites from the trip. Hope you enjoy them!

Did Lawson and Gaskill Peaks today with a friend.

Great routes with a decent dose of adventure — rock scrambling, some rope sections, overgrown stretches, and a pre-dawn start in the dark.

Tons of cool rock along the way: small slot-like gullies, weird formations, and even a stone arch.

Wildlife count: one rattlesnake and a very photogenic leopard lizard.

The summit views aren’t just of the surrounding backcountry — you can see downtown San Diego from up there, as you can see in one of the photos.

Got lucky with the weather too, as it saved us from the brutal sun.

Went out this morning to beat the heat and finally cross Monkey Canyon Falls off my list.

There’s no actual trail to the falls. A few different routes drop you into the canyon, then you just follow the creek.

We took one of the more popular ones — it has ropes fixed most of the way down to the creek bed. You can do most of it without touching them in normal conditions, but the last two sections get steep and slick enough that you’ll probably want them.

Surprised to find the creek still flowing this time of year. Canyon walls blocking the sun + cold water on your feet = perfect on a heatwave day.

The final drop to the falls was the sketchiest part, as expected. Two ladders linked together, ending in a rope you have to use for the last bit. PSA: walk a little farther past the ladders and there’s a second rope that’s way easier than those wobbly things. We used it on the way out.

After the falls we kept heading downstream, and I’d really recommend it. Graffiti thins out, foot traffic basically disappears. That stretch is the actual highlight.

If you’re just hitting the falls, ~1 hour is realistic.

Only real complaint is the graffiti. Please don’t tag stuff out here, guys.

TL;DR: Grippy shoes, wet feet guaranteed, take your time on the descents, and go past the falls.

I ran into an interesting interaction last night and I’d like a second opinion.

The question: if I return Fearsome Goblin Pair with Supper for Spiders, does its death trigger (Amass 4) still go off when it dies — say, when I sacrifice it as a Food?

Both judges at my LGS said no. Their reasoning: the ability says “this creature,” and the returned object isn’t a creature, so the condition can never be satisfied. But that templating is fairly recent — these abilities used to be written with the card’s own name instead — and rule 700.7 seems to cut the other way:

> 700.7. If an ability uses a phrase such as "this [something]" to identify an object, where [something] is a characteristic or other quality, it is referring to that particular object, even if it isn't the appropriate quality at the time.
> Example: An ability reads "Target creature gets +2/+2 until end of turn. Destroy that creature at the beginning of the next end step." The ability will destroy the object it gave +2/+2 to even if that object isn't a creature at the beginning of the next end step.

The other argument I’ve heard is that artifacts don’t “die.” But plenty of cards — Susurian Voidborn, for instance — read “whenever this creature or another creature or artifact you control dies,” which suggests artifacts dying is perfectly normal in the rules.

Some judges online have told me yes. So who’s right?

This weekend, my dog and I headed back to the Sierra Nevada for another unforgettable adventure.

We explored some stunning alpine lakes, including North Lake — the very spot featured as the wallpaper in Mac OS High Sierra.

It was also my dog’s first time riding a mountain gondola, and she stayed calm and relaxed the entire ride to the top of Mammoth Mountain.

We finally crossed a long-awaited bucket list destination off our list: Patriarch Grove. We’d visited the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest before, but because of how remote the grove is, we hadn’t made it there until now. While it’s home to the world’s largest bristlecone pine, the journey is just as memorable as the destination. The drive to the grove is absolutely breathtaking — you’ll find yourself stopping over and over to take in the incredible views.

My dog and I spent the weekend exploring the breathtaking Sierra Nevada, and it was incredible.

We ventured through Yosemite National Park, Sierra National Forest, Inyo National Forest, Toiyabe National Forest, and Stanislaus National Forest, taking in everything from crystal-clear alpine lakes to stunning waterfalls.

We rode a historic train through the forest, splashed around in the water, spotted amazing wildlife (including a bear sighting!), and spent hours hiking together.

Another unforgettable memory for the books. If the Sierra Nevada is on your list, this is your sign to go.

This past Sunday, my friend and I decided to explore Stoddard Canyon Falls and the nearby summit, Stoddard Peak.

We arrived at the trailhead around 7:00 a.m. and managed to grab the last parking spot right next to the start of the trail, though there was still additional parking farther down the dirt road.

About 10 minutes into the hike, we left the main trail and descended into the canyon. The descent is steep and rocky, so take your time, wear good shoes, and be careful.

Once we reached the canyon floor, we made our way toward the falls. Be prepared to get your feet wet — there are several water crossings, rope sections, and even a sketchy step section where we held onto a large tree branch left behind by other hikers. It can feel a little intimidating in spots, but moving slowly and carefully makes it manageable.

The water was freezing at first, but we adjusted pretty quickly. Current water levels range from knee- to waist-deep, with the pool beneath the waterfall being even deeper.

Despite the lack of recent rain, the waterfall was absolutely roaring.

It’s a beautiful area, though it’s unfortunate to see so much graffiti and scattered trash — something that often happens on trails close to major metropolitan areas.

The round-trip hike to the falls took us about an hour. Afterward, we continued up toward Stoddard Peak, which was much greener and more forested than we expected. The views definitely did not disappoint.

Highly recommend checking out this area if you haven’t been yet. And if you do go, please remember to practice Leave No Trace.

Enjoy the photos!

Yesterday, my friend and I set out to complete the Mt. Wilson loop via a combination of the Mount Wilson Toll Road, Winter Creek Trail, and Sturtevant Trail, starting from Mt. Wilson and hiking counter-clockwise.

In total, we covered 16.4 miles with 4,446 ft of elevation gain, and it turned into an unforgettable day in the mountains.

We arrived around 7:45 a.m., only to find that the road leading to the parking area near Cosmic Cafe was closed until 10. Because of that, we had to park further down Mt. Wilson-Red Box Road, which added a bit of extra mileage right from the start.

For the first stretch, we barely saw anyone — only about three people before reaching Adams’ Pack Station. As expected, the parking there was completely full, along with most (if not all) roadside spots. We grabbed a quick snack and continued on.

We skipped the hike down to Sturtevant Falls itself, but passed the area and saw just how busy it was — dozens of people, and someone blasting music over a Bluetooth speaker. It was a stark contrast to the quiet we had just experienced.

Once we moved past that section and continued toward Mt. Wilson, the crowds disappeared almost entirely. The forest and creek sections were especially peaceful and calming — easily one of the highlights of the day.

It was also our first time seeing Sturtevant Camp, which felt like a hidden little gem tucked into the canyon. A big thank you to everyone who helps maintain it so well.

From there on, the forest came alive with ladybugs — hundreds, if not thousands, drifting through the air. At times they were everywhere, even occasionally landing in less-than-ideal places like eyes and mouths.

The final miles were definitely the toughest, with the steepness starting to wear on us, but we eventually pushed through and made it to the summit.

Afterward, we rewarded ourselves with some post-hike snacks at the cafe before heading back to the car.

Highly recommend this loop if you haven’t explored the area yet — it’s a challenging but incredibly rewarding hike with a lot of variety and contrast along the way.

Enjoy the photos!

My dog and I spent the morning exploring Cucamonga Wilderness, starting from Icehouse Canyon Trailhead up to Icehouse Saddle, then looping back via Chapman Trail with a quick stop at Cedar Glen Campground.

I knew weekends here get busy, but this was next-level. By 6:30 am, the parking lot was already full, and cars lined both shoulders of Mt. Baldy Road in both directions. I’ve hiked this area a few times before — Cucamonga Peak, Ontario Peak, and the Three T’s — but I’ve never seen it this packed. We drove up from San Diego and left at 3:30 am to beat the crowds… apparently everyone else had the same idea.

Crowds aside, the canyon was as beautiful as ever. The creek is flowing strong, with small streams crossing the trail in several spots. No snow left along the route we took.

It took us about 1.5 hours to reach the Saddle. After a short break, we continued along Chapman Trail. It’s rockier and requires navigating around a couple of fallen trees, but it’s absolutely worth it. Unlike Icehouse Canyon, it sees very little traffic, so it’s a great option if you’re looking for some solitude. I’d also argue the views of the surrounding peaks are even better, though you trade some of the forest scenery.

Cedar Glen Campground was quiet — just one other group there — but the flies were relentless. Definitely bring bug spray and a net. I even picked up a couple of ticks while resting in the tent. On the plus side, the creek just below camp was flowing nicely.

We spent some time testing new gear, then made our way back to the trailhead. My Garmin logged just over 10 miles with around 2,800 feet of elevation gain.

All in all, a great adventure. Highly recommend if you haven’t done this loop yet. Enjoy the photos!