Author Archives: Erika Lawson

About Erika Lawson

Blogging from El Cajon, CA, just east of San Diego. I mostly blog about hiking, but also traveling and family life as a working mom. I also have blogged about my experience dealing with (curable) breast cancer with as much humor and disdain as possible.

Summiting Mount Whitney via the Mountaineer’s Route

Posted on September 29, 2022 by Erika Lawson

Why It Took Me 17 Years and Deirdre’s Other Questions It was well past our turnaround time. Or, it would have been, if we’d had enough sense and experience to HAVE a turnaround time. We were 2500 feet below the … Continue reading →

Posted in Mountains Are Calling | Tagged Mount Whitney | 7 Comments

Grand Canyon Escalante Route

Posted on May 29, 2022 by Erika Lawson

March 28 to 31, 2022 This trip, my third to the bottom of the Grand Canyon (second time this year!), was absolutely epic! In fact I would say it was one of my most favorite backpacking trips ever. Fifteen days … Continue reading →

Posted in Mountains Are Calling | Tagged Backpacking, Escalante Route, Grand Canyon | 1 Comment

The Grand Finale

Posted on March 7, 2022 by Erika Lawson

Whale PeakDecember 11, 2021Miles: 4.4 milesElevation Gain: 1,282 feetGaia Track Pinyon MountainDecember 11, 2021Miles: 1.5 milesElevation Gain: 433 feetGaia Track Ghost MountainDecember 12, 2021Miles: 2.3 milesElevation Gain: 599 feetGaia Track WE DID IT! During 2021, Tara, Kali, Casey, and I … Continue reading →

Posted in Mountains Are Calling | Tagged 100 Peaks Challenge, Ghost Mountain, Pinyon Mountain, Whale Peak | 2 Comments

Hiking Alongside Me

Posted on March 6, 2022 by Erika Lawson

It’s funny that I stopped blogging right before we finished the 100 Peaks Challenge. You’d think I would have powered through to the end. To be clear, I DID power through to the end of doing the challenge – just … Continue reading →

Posted in Mountains Are Calling | Tagged 100 Peaks Challenge, Family | Leave a comment

Filling In the Gaps

Posted on November 26, 2021 by Erika Lawson

Bell BluffNovember 7, 2021Miles: 7.1 milesElevation Gain: 1,637 feetGaia Track Sycuan PeakNovember 7, 2021Miles: 2.1 milesElevation Gain: 710 feetGaia Track Paradise MountainNovember 14, 2021Miles: 7.8 milesElevation Gain: 1,884 feetGaia Track Grapevine MountainNovember 21, 2021Miles: 6 milesElevation Gain: 1,606 feetGaia Track … Continue reading →

Posted in Mountains Are Calling | Tagged 100 Peaks Challenge, Bell Bluff, Grapevine Mountain, North Fortuna, Paradise Mountain, Sentenac Mountain, South Fortuna, Sycuan Peak | Leave a comment

To The Lighthouse

Posted on November 16, 2021 by Erika Lawson

Point LomaNovember 6, 2021100 Peaks Challenge #97 Early in the 100 Peaks Challenge, there were a few peaks that we had decided we’d do on our own. The easiest of them, in every sense of the word, was Point Loma. … Continue reading →

Posted in Mountains Are Calling | Tagged 100 Peaks Challenge, Cabrillo National Monument, Point Loma | Leave a comment

Wrapping it up

Posted on November 5, 2021 by Erika Lawson

Sheephead MountainOctober 30, 2021Miles: 3.3miElevation Gain: 790ftGaia Track100 Peaks Challenge #96 It’s funny that I’m reviving the blog with this hike, since it was so unremarkable. We haven’t been intentionally procrastinating on this hike; we just have not quite gotten … Continue reading →

Posted in Mountains Are Calling | Tagged 100 Peaks Challenge, Sheephead Mountain | Leave a comment

Are you with me so far?

Posted on November 5, 2021 by Erika Lawson

You’re right, I have not blogged in a while! I don’t care, I love it! I blog because I like to write and I like to look back on my blog posts. Work has been super busy the last few … Continue reading →

Posted in Mountains Are Calling | Tagged 100 Peaks Challenge, Airplane Ridge, Cemetery Hill, Combs Peak, Cuyamaca Peak, Eagle Rock, East Mesa, Japacha Peak, Manza Benchmark, Middle Peak, Monument Peak, Oak Benchmark, Peak 1546, Peak 5178, Stonewall Peak, Sugg Peak | Leave a comment

Why walk when you can drive?

Posted on July 5, 2021 by Erika Lawson

Otay Mountain & Tecate PeakJune 20, 2021100 Peaks Challenge #s 79 & 80 When I first decided to attempt this challenge, I knew that there were a few peaks that could be driven. I had decided that I would hike … Continue reading →

Posted in Mountains Are Calling | Tagged 100 Peaks Challenge, Otay Mountain | Leave a comment

Another Six-Peak Weekend

Posted on July 5, 2021 by Erika Lawson

Garnet MountainJune 12, 2021Miles: 0.79Elevation Gain: 223ftGaia Track100 Peaks Challenge #73 Pine MountainJune 12, 2021Miles: 4.1Elevation Gain: 489ftGaia Track100 Peaks Challenge #74 Garnet PeakJune 12, 2021Miles: 2.3Elevation Gain: 450ftGaia Track100 Peaks Challenge #75Afoot & Afield 5th ed. Trip #174 Wooded … Continue reading →

Posted in Mountains Are Calling | Tagged 100 Peaks Challenge, Afoot & Afield, Garnet Mountain, Garnet Peak, Peak 1820, Wooded Hill | Leave a comment