Category Archives: Peaks

North Fortuna via Oak Canyon (Mission Trails Regional Park)

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We love Mission Trails Regional Park for a variety of reasons. First of all, it’s close by and easy to get to. Second, it has a huge variety of interconnecting trails so you can make as long or as short of a hike as you have time for, and as easy or challenging of a hike as you can handle. The numerous trails also makes it hard to get bored – you can take different routes and constantly mix up your routine. Although we’d hiked North Fortuna Mountain before, we’d never gone up the backside near Highway 52. With recent rains filling up the San Diego River and adjacent creeks, we decided we’d head up Oak Canyon which has an idyllic creek flowing through it wet seasons, then follow the North Perimeter Trail adjacent to Highway 52 up to the summit of North Fortuna. Since it was a nice cool day, perfect for hiking with a dog, we were joined by the ever courageous Khan. Continue reading North Fortuna via Oak Canyon (Mission Trails Regional Park)

Iron Mountain/Ellie Lane Loop

View of Iron Mountain from the Ellie Lane Trail

While I really enjoy the main trail leading up Iron Mountain, I have to admit it gets pretty crowded at times. If you’ve ever attempted to start this trail mid-morning on a weekend, you’ve probably experienced the challenge of the very full parking lot. Fortunately, there is an alternate trailhead and route just up the street that connects with the Iron Mountain trail. The Ellie Lane staging area is usually much less crowded and offers a great alternative to the more popular main route. Continue reading Iron Mountain/Ellie Lane Loop

Morena Butte

Morena Butte
Lake Morena is the highest and most remote of the County’s reservoirs. High above the lake looms Morena Butte, a three-peaked mountain topped with huge expanses of gorgeous granite slabs. The route up to the mountain begins at Lake Morena County Park, and travels 3 miles south along the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) before turning off to climb to the summit. Continue reading Morena Butte

Pyles Peak (Mission Trails Regional Park)

Pyles Peak

While just about everyone has hiked Cowles Mountain, surprisingly few bother to continue on to Pyles Peak, the second highest peak in Mission Trails. Pyles Peak can only be accessed by first summiting Cowles then traveling another another 1.5 miles northwest. You’ll quickly leave the constant stream of hikers and trail runners behind on this trek and likely have the beautiful views all to yourself. Continue reading Pyles Peak (Mission Trails Regional Park)

Cowles Mountain (Mission Trails Regional Park)

Cowles Mountain

Cowles Mountain is probably the most popular hiking destination in San Diego, and of the several possible routes to the peak, the trail starting at Golfcrest and Navajo is by far the most heavily used (check out our write-ups of alternate starting points Big Rock Park and Barker Way). This is not the hike to do if you are looking for some quiet solitude to commune with nature, as you will be sharing the trail with dozens of other hikers and runners (many of whom choose to disregard the “no amplified music” rule and broadcast their tunes for everyone to hear). Parking here can also be a significant challenge – at peak times its so busy that cars line the street as far as the eye can see. In fact, this trail is so popular that Mission Trails Regional Park has created the 5-Peak Challenge to encourage hikers to explore other areas of the park in the hopes of alleviating some of the parking issues. But despite the crowds, this is still a really beautiful hike with some of the best views within the city limits. It provides a great workout and is a choice spot for watching sunrise, sunset, or enjoying a full moon. Continue reading Cowles Mountain (Mission Trails Regional Park)

Louis Stelzer County Park

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Louis Stelzer County Park was originally a weekend retreat known as “Shadow Mountain Ranch,” owned by Louis A. Stelzer. He deeded the property to the County upon his death in the early 1970’s under the condition that it be turned into a park so that children would have a place for outdoor education and recreation. Thus these 310 acres of oak woodland and coastal sage scrub became Louis Stelzer County Park. Today the park has picnic tables, a small garden, a playground, and most importantly, several interconnected hiking trails.

We pulled into the parking lot and set about trying to figure out the parking fee system. A metal post at the driveway entrance informed us of the $3 Day Use fee, but the little basket that held the envelopes for enclosing your payment was empty. We went over to the other end of the parking lot where there was a similar post, and found a few faded envelopes there. It occurred to me, based on the apparent age of the envelope I was stuffing my money into, that the fee collection might not be all that strictly enforced, but considering how much use I get out of the County Park system I didn’t have any problems giving them a few bucks. So I dutifully filled out the envelope, crammed in my money, inserted the envelope into the slot, and placed the receipt portion in my windshield.20151108DSC_4159StelzerPark

With the administrative tasks completed, we were free to begin the adventure portion of our day. We found a kiosk with a trail map at the park entrance and took a moment to plan our route. There are several different interconnecting trails that wind through the park, so we planned on combining them to hopefully cover the most ground without too much backtracking (check out the trail map here).

We stepped inside the fence beyond the kiosk, and found the trailhead just to the right. The first section of our hike was along the Riparian Hiking Trail, a lovely oak-shaded path that runs along Stelzer Creek.20151108DSC_4168-EditStelzerPark

We set off along the wide, dirt trail overhung by large oak trees.20151108DSC_4173-EditStelzerPark

As we continued, we had views down into the densely overgrown creekbed, where thickets of poison oak covered the ground and tangles of wild grape vine covered the trees.20151108DSC_4174-EditStelzerPark

The lush vegetation along the creek and granite boulders strewn along the hillside made for an idyllic setting. The only drawback was the traffic noise from nearby Wildcat Canyon Road.20151108DSC_4180-EditStelzerPark

We crossed a couple of small wooden footbridges as the oak trees thinned out somewhat, giving way to Sycamores and Arroyo Willow.20151108DSC_4190-EditStelzerPark

At .45 mile the Riparian Trail ended at a beautiful little clearing with a picnic table and numerous granite boulders. This would make an excellent spot for a picnic if you were looking for just a short stroll, especially with young children. 20151108DSC_4206StelzerPark

We, however, were just getting warmed up. So we followed the sign pointing left for the next stretch of trail named the Wooten Loop.20151108DSC_4205StelzerPark

The shady coolness of the creekside oak trees disappeared, and we found ourselves climbing a dry and exposed stretch of trail through dried grass, Laurel Sumac, and the occasional clump of sage.20151108DSC_4210-EditStelzerPark

It was about .1 miles of uphill climbing to reach the Observation Deck, where we had views of the creek we had just been hiking along as well as the fabulous Wildcat Canyon Road.20151108DSC_4214-EditStelzerPark

We continued ascending the rocky slope.20151108DSC_4216-EditStelzerPark

At .72 mile we came to a “T” junction with the Stelzer Trail. The left fork led back down to the park. We turned right to continue up to the ridgeline.20151108DSC_4219StelzerPark

We made our way up a series of long, gentle switchbacks through more sage and Laurel Sumac.20151108DSC_4222-EditStelzerPark

Just shy of the 1 mile point we came to another “T” junction marked by a kiosk and sign pointing to Kumeyaay Promontory and Stelzer Summit.20151108DSC_4228StelzerPark

We turned right to head to Kumeyaay Promontory first, figuring we’d want to take a break and lounge around for a bit at the top of Stelzer Peak. The path here was a wide dirt fire road running along the ridgeline.20151108DSC_4231-EditStelzerPark

It was a quick climb to the top, where unfortunately we found a couple of large transmission towers mucking up most of the views. On the southern edge, however, was a nice bench with some relatively unadulterated views of El Monte Valley below.20151108DSC_4240-EditStelzerPark

And walking out to the western edge we had some clear shots of Mission Trails as well.20151108DSC_4242-EditStelzerPark

After enjoying the views for a few minutes, we retraced our route back to the last junction with the kiosk, and continued along the fire road towards Stelzer Peak.20151108DSC_4247-EditStelzerPark

The rocky peak loomed tantalizingly close above us.20151108DSC_4249-EditStelzerPark

So far the various trail sections had been pretty easy, with only a couple of inclines of note. This section fire road, however, was really steep and covered in fun, slippery gravel. I had stupidly neglected to bring my trekking poles on this excursion, figuring that a few miles around a park wouldn’t require them. Almost every time I do this, I regret it, and today was no exception.20151108DSC_4255-EditStelzerPark

Luckily, while the ascent was steep and the footing somewhat treacherous, it wasn’t all that long. I managed to make it up without slipping and falling on my face. Here’s a shot from near the top lest you think I’m being overly dramatic.20151108DSC_4256-EditStelzerPark

At 1.75 miles we came to another “T” junction, and turned right to reach the summit.20151108DSC_4259-EditStelzerPark

We picked our way through the brush along the rocky use trail to the top.20151108DSC_4263-EditStelzerPark

The summit had a bunch of alluring boulders to lounge upon while admiring the views.20151108DSC_4264-EditStelzerPark

To the east we could see the always-impressive form of El Cajon Mountain.20151108DSC_4267-EditStelzerPark

And to the west was Kumeyaay Promonotory, where we’d just been, with Lakeside and Mission Trails in the distance.20151108DSC_4270-EditStelzerPark

There was even a cool little crevice for people more daring than I to explore.20151108DSC_4268-EditStelzerPark

After exploring the peak and having a quick snack, we headed back down. I managed not to fall going back down the slippery gravel-covered hill, which was way more difficult than coming up had been. We retraced our route back to where we had first joined the Stelzer trail, and continued east back towards the park.20151108DSC_4276-EditStelzerPark

From here the trail descended gently through the chaparral covered hillside.20151108DSC_4280StelzerPark

We knew we were getting close when we began to see oak trees along the trail again, and at 2.9 miles we came to the paved walkway of the park and headed back to the entrance.20151108DSC_4285-EditStelzerPark


Directions:
From Interstate 8, take Highway 67 north until the freeway portion ends and turn right on Mapleview. Turn left on Ashwood, which will turn into Wildcat Canyon Road. Go approximately 2 miles and the entrance to the park will be on the right. Cost for parking is $3 and requires self-registration, so bring exact change. map

Total Distance: 2.9 miles
Difficulty: Moderate
Total Ascent: 709 feet
Dog Friendly?: Leashed dogs allowed
Bikes Friendly?: Bikes allowed
Facilities: Vault toilets and water at park, but there is currently a boil water order in effect for the park
Fees/Permits: $3 Day use parking fee

For more information, visit:
County of San Diego Parks and Recreation – Louis Stelzer County Park
Trail Map
View route or download GPX in CalTopo

Eagle Peak

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Eagle Peak has been touted by many San Diego hikers as having some of the best views in the county. Rising just west of the Cuyamaca Mountains, Eagle Peak towers high above the surrounding Cedar Creek, Boulder Creek, and San Diego River Gorges, and does indeed offer some stunning views. However, this hike is somewhat overshadowed by the more popular Three Sisters Falls hike, which shares a common trailhead, so the chances are good that you can have this fantastic peak all to yourself. Continue reading Eagle Peak

Stanley Peak (Daley Ranch)

20150904_DSC5493-EditStanley PeakIt had been a long time since we’d made it up to Daley Ranch for some hiking, and were feeling like we were long overdue for another visit. The weather hadn’t been particularly conducive to peak bagging, especially in Escondido, but we decided to suck it up and make an early start so we could tackle Stanley Peak. The day turned out to be warm, but not unbearably hot, so with an ample supply of water and sunscreen we were adequately prepared for the adventure. Continue reading Stanley Peak (Daley Ranch)

Sycuan Peak

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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

Garnet Peak

20150829_DSC5172-EditGarnetPeakThis 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