Final Hike To Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park before Santiago Peak Hike

As promised in my last week blog, we did hike last Sunday 03/08/20, almost whole day for 16.5 miles (Strava Link). It was personal records for both myself and Krishan. More than ever, we are ready for a big hike to Santiago Peak on 03/15/2015.

On my fund-raising target of reaching $1000.00 for Santiago Peak Summit itself, To all who had pledged and to many of Friends Of Irvine supporters for Global IT Village project, keep your wallet ready to contribute, but hold off your contribution till 03/15 when we summit at Santiago Peak. This is a great project to help village kids and people at the lowest level of food-chain. I need your help to make this pilot project a grand success. I will summit Santiago Peak on 3/15, and I hope you can keep your promise as well.

Now coming back to all details of yesterday hike.

Overlooking Irvine from Whiting Ranch Mountain 

Myself and Krishan had set the target of crossing our previous records of 14.5 miles long hike and wanted to be ready to summit before rain God started pouring-in in SoCal, but absolutely no complain; as we need lot more rain here in CA than ever.

We reached at trail head near Ralph for the Whiting Ranch Wilderness Park at around 10.30 am and had planned to hike all day so that we condition our self to a daylong hike to summit. This time, we were bit prepared in terms or carry weight and supplies we want to carry, so we each grabbed Subway sandwich and loaded back-pack with 3 litters of water, trail-mixes, sun-screen, glasses, hat, hiking stick and all of items that we will be carrying to summit. Started hiking at around 11.00 am knowing temperature was to reach mid 80s during the day.

Krishan Sami (One of my best friend) 

We hiked 3 miles to reach water tank and then, for many of you who know Whiting Ranch, there are three forks loop from Water tank, we took the difficult one and hiked for about 3 miles before we settled and had lunch and then sagged sandwich didn't test as good as ever. We came back to Water tank for a 10 minutes break and started on the second loop, which gave us good but tiring 4 miles.
Came back to water tank again and had few snacks and water, stretched and got ready for the third and final loop. But, wait a minute, even if we complete final loop and head back to trail head we will be only 12 miles or so, which will be 4 miles short of our target of 16 miles

That is me

So, with this target in our mind, we reached to the farthest point on third loop and took few of additional loops of smaller trails so that when we start head back, it would give us a 16 miles of total. This last loop was toughest one with direct sun and body already reached to the capacity but mind still not ready to let go. We reached to water tank again for third time with 13.5 miles already completed.

Now from water tank to hiking trail head is 2 miles hike. After 1 miles on the way, we were not sure if we will still cross 15 miles, so we took another diversion to hike on a small trail for a mile uphill and rejoined the main trail to take us to the trail head and parking. And believe me that last diversion with up-hill, every step was harder and harder than ever and body was giving up, but mind cool and calm knowing that end of the hike is very near. We hiked back to the parking completing 15.5 mile of hike and breaking personal records for both myself and Krishan, tired but so much happier and confident than ever for the final summit hike to Santiago Peak.

It will be fun and exciting to reach Santiago Peak, the highest peak in Orange County. And with your support and encouragement, we will reach summit on 03/15/2015.

Thank you,

Rajiv Singh

Link for Donation