Category Archives: Weekly Update

Weekly Update

This Week in San Diego Hiking – May 28, 2018

Photo: Mother Miguel Mountain

Hello Hikers!

I hope everyone is enjoying the long weekend and getting lots of time outdoors. It looks like decent hiking weather should continue for the next week.

Next Saturday, June 2nd, is National Trails Day. There area all kinds of hikes, volunteer projects, and other activities scheduled throughout the county the county to help celebrate and promote awareness of the importance of our trails. Check out the American Hiking Society’s web site to find an activity near you.

Mission Trails Regional Park has announced they have recently installed a new summit marker at the top of South Fortuna Mountain. New markers will also be installed atop Kwaay Paay, North Fortuna, and Pyles Peak in the coming months.

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Have a good week!

Photo: The Historic Flume Trail

Weekly Update

This Week in San Diego Hiking – April 23, 2018

Photo: Horsethief Canyon

Hello Hikers!

It looks like our perfect weather should continue for a while – it should even cool off a few degrees as the week progresses, making for nice hiking conditions.

Sad news out of Tecolote Canyon, where a hiker found a body on Sunday afternoon. Police say it was likely a transient, and while the cause of death is still under investigation, it doesn’t appear suspicious.

On a more positive note, the San Elijo Lagoon Conservancy has announced that excavation efforts have successfully opened the inlet at San Elijo Lagoon. These efforts will improve tidal circulation and restore oxygen levels for aquatic species in the lagoon.

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Have a good week!

Photo: Gonzales Canyon

Weekly Update

This Week in San Diego Hiking – April 16, 2018

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Photo: Dust Devil Nature Trail

Hello Hikers!

Looks like things are cooling down this week! If you’re headed for the desert or mountains it looks like its going to be pretty windy. We might even get a bit of rain on Thursday!

Remember that next Saturday, April 21st, is the beginning of National Park Week. You can get free admission to all National Parks on that day!

We’ve seen some reports on Facebook that a section of the Perimeter Trail between North Fortuna and Oak Canyon in Mission Trails Regional Park will be closed from April 16th through August for utility road repairs by SDG&E. This appears to include the very northern part of the Oak Canyon Trail.

Loma Beat has a wonderful, thorough article detailing the improvements being made at Sunset Cliffs Natural Park in Point Loma. The major work should be finished by the end of the summer.

The San Diego Union Tribune has a good article detailing the efforts of local Ramona community groups to get the California Department of Fish and Wildlife to open access to a plot of land adjacent to Barnett Ranch, which would allow a connection between Barnett Ranch trails and Luelf Pond County Preserve.

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Have a good week!

Photo: Otay Valley Delta

Weekly Update

This Week in San Diego Hiking – April 9, 2018

Photo: Cactus Hill

Hello Hikers!

Looks like this week will be starting off warm, with high temps on Monday and Tuesday. Things should start cooling off mid-week.

There’s been lots of reports of rattlesnake activity lately as the weather begins to warm up. While rattlesnakes are present year-round in San Diego, they are much more active during the summer. Rattlesnakes are an important part of the local ecosystem, and while they can be scary, with a little common sense we can all share the trails amicably:

    • Avoid rattlesnakes by staying on the trail and away from tall brush and grass where you can’t see where you’re putting your feet.
    • Be alert and keep your ears open (no earbuds!) for their tell-tale rattling noise. A snake would REALLY prefer to avoid a confrontation so they will warn you if you get too close.
    • If you need to go over a rock or log, step onto the obstacle instead of over it in case there’s a snake hidden underneath.
    • Keep dogs on leash and children under close supervision.
    • If you encounter a snake, just back off and give it some space. Go around it if there’s space or wait for it move away. If it’s blocking the trail and not moving, you can gently encourage it to move along by tossing small rocks towards it (not AT it – you’re trying to scare it away, not hurt it).
    • In the unlikely event that you get bit, call 911 and/or get to a hospital as soon as possible. Snake-bite kits are not recommended (they are ineffective at best, harmful at worst).

If you’ve got some time, I highly recommend watching this informative YouTube video on the subject.

April 21st marks the first day of National Park Week, and there will be free admission to National Parks to celebrate. Head on over to Cabrillo National Monument for a hike or to check out the tidepools!

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Have a good week!

Photo: Sycuan Peak

Weekly Update

This Week in San Diego Hiking – April 2, 2018

Photo: Historic Flume Trail

Hello Hikers!

Looks like this nice hiking weather should continue for a little while – mild temps and morning clouds are forecast for most of this week, with a small chance of rain on Saturday.

If you missed, 10 News has some cool video a local driver caught on his dash cam of a mountain lion running across the road in San Carlos near Cowles Mountain. It’s a good reminder that these critters are out there, so make sure you know what to do if you encounter one on the trail.

The San Dieguito River Valley Conservancy (SDRVC) will be holding a photo scavenger hunt throughout April. Participants must submit pictures of ten specific items and locations and submit them by April 30 to win SDRVC swag, REI discount coupons, Adventure-16 bucks, and more. Visit their website for all the details.

Now that spring is here, the San Dieguito River Park staging areas will be open until 7:30 pm. Mission Trails already switched to later hours after Daylight Savings, with most parking areas now open until 7pm (although the Visitor Center parking lot still closes at 5). So get out there for some after-work hikes!

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Photo: Los Penasquitos Canyon Preserve (West)

Weekly Update

This Week in San Diego Hiking – March 26, 2018

Photo: Canyon Oak and Desert View Loop

Hello Hikers!

Looks like we’re done with the rain for now, this week should bring us clear weather and warmer temperatures.

The US Forest Service – Cleveland National Forest has announced that the new trail to Three Sisters Falls is open for use, although it is not yet 100% complete. The new trail has a safer and more direct route to the falls than the previous unofficial trail had, and should help with erosion control. Additional work will continue over the next few months.

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Have a good week!

Photo: Rock Mountain

Weekly Update

This Week in San Diego Hiking – March 18, 2018

Photo: Barnett Ranch Preserve

Hello Hikers!

Are you tired of rain yet? Not me! It looks like we’ll have a couple of nice days before the next event on Thursday when we’ll see some more rain.

All you amateur naturalists out there should mark your calendars for April 27-30, when City Nature Challenge 2018 will take place. This is a worldwide competition to see which city can make the most observations of their local plants and animals over a 4 day period using the iNaturalist app. The San Diego Natural History Museum is spearheading our local effort and has instructions on how to participate and a number of scheduled events.

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Have a good week!

Photo: Mule Hill Trail

Weekly Update

This Week in San Diego Hiking – March 12, 2018

Corte Madera MountainPhoto: Corte Madera Mountain

Hello Hikers!

More rain is on the way! Heavy precipitation is possible for Wednesday through Sunday as some storms roll through the region.

A small fire burnt half an acre near Kumeyaay Lake in Mission Trails Regional Park last week.

Mark your calendars for March 28, when co-author Don Endicott will be conducting a 45-minute presentation at Adventure 16 in San Diego on the revised 2nd edition of 50 Best Short Hikes, San Diego. This updated edition of Jerry Schad’s last book contains 50 local day hikes from 1 to 8 miles in length.

NBC 7 has a nice report on a current project to restore native vegetation along the Walker Preserve Trail in Santee.

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Have a good week!

Photo: North Fortuna via Oak Canyon

Weekly Update

This Week in San Diego Hiking – March 5, 2018

Photo: Otay Valley Regional Park

Hello Hikers!

I hope everyone enjoyed finally getting some rain and snow. It looks like things should be pretty dry for this week.

The Solana Beach City Council has approved plans to build hiking trail and other amenities at the Harbaugh Seaside Trails preserve just south of San Elijo Lagoon. The site is small, just 3.4 acres, but will connect with the Coastal Rail Trail and other trails. Construction is expected to be complete by the end of the year.

Improvements are coming to Sunset Cliffs Natural Park, including removing non-native eucalyptus trees and weeds and restoring the area with native plants, and enhancing trails to improve durability and protect against erosion.

There have been new reports of a creeper along the Walker Preserve Trail in Santee. Several women have reported a man following or watching them with his hands down his pants. Anyone who has witnessed such an incident is asked to contact the Sheriff’s Department at 619-956-4000.

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Have a good week!

Photo: Dyar Spring/Juaquapin Loop (Cuyamaca Rancho State Park)

Weekly Update

This Week in San Diego Hiking – February 26, 2018

Photo: Big Laguna/PCT Loop

Hello Hikers!

The big news this week is that winter has finally come to San Diego! It looks like the cooler temps should be sticking around, and we’ll be getting more rain tomorrow and hopefully more snow in the mountains as well! More precipitation may be on its way later in the week as well.

The Coast News reports that the Escondido Creek Conservancy is working to repair an illegal mountain bike trail found on private property in Harmony Heights, near the San Marcos/Escondido border. The trail runs about one mile, across both Conservancy land and another owner’s land. The San Diego Mountain Bike Association is helping to assess and repair the damage. There will be a work day on March 4th to help restore the damaged area, if you would like to help call (760) 471-9354 or email Nathan Serrato at Nathan@escondidocreek.org.

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Have a good week!

Photo: View from the Canyon Oak and Desert View Loop in William Heise County Park