I decided to see what it would be like hiking a firebreak at around 80 degrees and see if I would like to do this next week. This ridge is one of the most iconic climb in the San Gabes. Everyone that does it says it is memorable and usually not in a good way which means it is awesome. It is famous for its steepness and all the yuccas that dotted the slope. If you slipped a little bit you would have a nice memento after the hike to remember it by.
The good news is that they have cleared the firebreak so all the yucca are gone. The bad news is due to the lack of vegetation it has an eroded gully down the middle. The worse news is that the gully and some parts of the break have now become covered with loose rocks. This makes the clamber harder then ever before. Before you had the vegetation to give you some purchase when going up, now it is all rocks and dirt. It is quite difficult in spots to get purchase for your feet but it is manageable. The metal cables are still in spots towards the top but aren't really helpful. This will only get worse after another rainy season with more erosion and rocks and make it all the more lovable.
