Like so many other trails in the county, Sycuan Peak had been on our “to-hike” list for some time. But every week it got shunted to the bottom of the list because it always seemed like such a long drive for so short a hike. But after countless sweltering hot days, we finally had a day where temperatures were forecast to be reasonable. We decided if we kept the hike short and went early enough, we could bring one of our monsters along, so the ever amazing Apollo joined us. Continue reading Sycuan Peak→
Originally planned to be part of the Torrey Pines Preserve, Crest Canyon is a small open space park nestled among the residential developments of Del Mar. The canyon is now part of the San Dieguito River Park, and offers a beautiful showcase of coastal sage scrub, chaparral, and some magnificent and rare Torrey Pine trees. Continue reading Crest Canyon→
This year, the August full moon had the courtesy to not only occur on a Saturday, but at a very convenient time of approximately 7:20 in the evening. Not to be outdone, the sun was scheduled to set just a few minutes earlier. We knew we had to take advantage of this celestial concurrence and settled upon Garnet Peak as our vantage point. Garnet Peak offers beautiful panoramic views under even the most ordinary of circumstances, so we were confident the evening would not disappoint. Continue reading Garnet Peak→
Originating from a spring on Volcan Mountain in Julian, the waters of Santa Ysabel Creek combine with other streams and creeks to form the San Dieguito River. This watershed traverses a 55 mile corridor across the county, eventually flowing into the Pacific Ocean at the San Dieguito Lagoon in Del Mar. Eventually, the Coast to Crest Trail will span that full distance, but as of now it exists as a series of non-contiguous (but ever-growing) series of trail segments. Continue reading San Dieguito Lagoon→
Ever since we had hiked the Kanaka Flat Loop at Santa Ysabel East earlier this year, we’d had it on our list to explore the rest of the Santa Ysabel Preserve. Normally this area wouldn’t be my first choice for an August hike due to the heat, but one weekend the forecast was calling for particularly mild temperatures, so we grabbed the cameras and headed out. Continue reading Santa Ysabel West Preserve→
Cowles Mountain is the tallest point within the City of San Diego, and one of the most popular hikes in the county. There are several different routes up the mountain, the most popular being the southern route starting at Golfcrest and Navajo. Previously, we’d written up the route from Big Rock Park in Santee, and decided today we’d check out the eastern route from Barker Way. Continue reading Cowles Mountain via Barker Way (Mission Trails Regional Park)→
The City of San Marcos has an extensive network of hiking, walking, and biking trails. One of the most popular routes in the area is this hike up to Double Peak, a small, local park with an impressive panoramic view. Continue reading Double Peak→
Southeast San Diego isn’t exactly renowned for its outdoor recreational opportunities. But like so many other areas in the county, one can find small islands of natural areas tucked away amid the urban sprawl. One such example is Chollas Lake Park, located about a quarter mile up the road from a large shopping center in Oak Park, just off Highway 94. Continue reading Chollas Lake→
Back when they were naming mountains in San Diego, apparently no one bothered with a deconfliction log, because we somehow ended up with two Black Mountains. We’d hiked the smaller Black Mountain near Rancho Penasquitos earlier in the year, and this day I set out with one of my Facebook friends to tackle the more imposing Black Mountain of Ramona.Continue reading Black Mountain (Ramona)→
Although South Fortuna is the smallest of Mission Trails’ five peaks, topping out at “only” 1094 feet in elevation, it is still a very popular choice for hikers seeking a workout. The main attraction of South Fortuna is the impressive set of wooden steps that leads up the peak’s western flank. Known by some as the “Stairway to Heaven,” this route travels unapologetically up the steep mountainside and is great for working those leg muscles. Continue reading South Fortuna Mountain (Mission Trails Regional Park)→
