This blog will detail 1,000 video hikes in Southern California. By Southern California, I am drawing a line from Pismo Beach to the Nevada Border. Anything south of that line will be declared "Southern California". In a way, it is a personal challenge to do so many hikes. Mainly, however, it is my way of showcasing how many hiking opportunities there really are right in our own geographic back yard. As a blog, it serves as a companion piece to my Youtube channel "Mike On The Trail". It is also a work in progress, as I don't actually have 1,000 edited videos completed. This will take effort for quite some time before it is declared done. Even then, there will still be more out there. Here's to hiking and all the positive effects it has had on my life...and possibly yours!
Sunday, March 7, 2021
#17 Copper Mountain
Copper Mountain.
Southern California Map
Driving Map Google Map *Parking for Copper Mountain is 1.2 miles north of Highway 62, about 5 miles west of the city of Twentynine Palms via Mantonya Rd. Trailhead coordinates: 34.15329°N, -116.17102°W
Hiking Map
Heading up the road.
Summary
While I was fired up to finally hit two LPC summits in Joshua Tree National Park, my plans changed rather quickly. The plan was to hike Mt Mel and Keys Peak on a single hike. I drove to the end of the road in the Indian Cove section of Joshua Tree National Park. I followed a boulder filled gully for almost a mile before the boulders became unpassable (without exposed climbing). Once faced with an impassible wall of boulders, I returned to Indian Cove and simply left the park. I realized that I needed to do better research instead of trying to wing it out in the desert. My attention then shifted to nearby Copper Mountain.
I had researched Copper Mountain the night before as a backup plan, so I knew where to go. I headed down the highway and along two dirt roads before reaching my parking area. From there, I continued on foot toward Copper Mountain. The 4WD road goes through a canyon before elevating to the towers on the high point. The hike is rather straightforward, but I really wasn't sure if I was going the right way until I turned a corner and saw the towers straight ahead.
Summit benchmark.
There is a twin summit with a benchmark and building on one and a similar type of structure on the other. I really enjoyed knocking this one down and really considered starting up a YouTube channel while doing this one. I had shot 16 other hiking video sets on previous weekends, but this hike inspired me to actually edit my collection of videos and to begin posting them on YouTube. I had too much fun on this hike to keep the experience all to myself. In a way, this was where it all began! I started editing videos and then started posting videos nearly every weekend. A channel was born!
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