Hello Hikers!

I’m excited that we’ve been getting some decent rain in March. Flowing creeks and rivers make for awesome hikes, not to mention that whole drought thing we’d all like to see an end to. It looks like there’s a slight chance of a bit more rain this morning, but the rest of the week looks clear so get out there and enjoy the blooming flowers!

The Fallbrook Public Utility District (FPUD) is currently in the process of selling the Santa Margarita River Property, home of the beautiful Santa Margarita River Trail. The land will be purchased by the Western Rivers Conservancy and is slated to become a permanent conservation area. Trail use groups want to make sure that the trails remain accessible for public use, and have set up an online petition where you can leave a comment and show your support for ongoing public access to the river trail. The public is also welcome to voice their opinions at the FPUD’s monthly board meeting. The next meeting will be held on March 22nd at 4 pm at the FPUD headquarters at  990 E Mission Rd Fallbrook CA 92028.

Sadly, there has been a recent bout of asshattery at the Highway 67 trailhead to Mount Woodson.  Wednesday afternoon, several hikers returned to their cars to find their windows were smashed and their belongings stolen. Unfortunately, this is not an uncommon occurrence at popular hiking spots. I’ve seen reports of similar incidences at Cowles Mountain, Lake Miramar, El Cajon Mountain and others. Here are a few tips to help make sure you’re not the next victim:

• The best way to protect your vehicle and belongings is to not leave ANYTHING in your vehicle while you’re hiking.
• Bags or backpacks left in the car can be a temptation for thieves – even if a bag only has your dirty gym clothes, a thief might go after it thinking that there could be money or electronics inside.
• Ladies, leave your purse at home when you head out to hike. Take out your keys, phone, and wallet and keep them in your backpack while you’re on the trail.
• Thieves have been known to hang around busy areas watching people, so they might spot you hiding your purse or electronics under the seat or out of sight, then strike once you’ve left the area. If you absolutely must leave valuables in your car (for example, if you’re heading to your hike right after work), hide them out of sight BEFORE you arrive at the trail head.
• Finally, let’s all keep our eyes open and look out for each other out there. If you see something suspicious, get a picture and report it to the police.

Next Saturday head on out to Escondido for a Discover Daley Ranch Hike. Meet Naturalist William Sherrard for a slow to moderately paced hike on the trails of Daley Ranch.  The planned hike is between five and seven miles in length and will last about 2.5 to 3 hours.  He will be happy to map out a hike for those wishing to go longer distances.  Choices are hikes of 5, 7, 9, 11, 14, 16, or 18 miles in length. Check out the Daley Ranch hike page for more details, or visit our Events Page to find even more upcoming hikes and events.

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Have a good week!