Hello Hikers!

Next Saturday from 9am to noon is the Annual Creek to Bay Cleanup, sponsored by I Love A Clean San Diego. There are over 100 coastal and inland cleanup sites throughout the county, so sign up to help keep our open spaces and waterways clean!

There will be some construction at the Cabrillo National Monument from now through June, which will affect access to the tidepoools there. Parking lot #1 (closest to the tidepools), the tidepools trail, and bathrooms near the tidepools will be closed. You can still park at the two other lots and access the tidepools area via the Coastal Trail.

The San Diego Reader has a comprehensive article on the Marines’ recent crackdown on hikers and mountain bikers trespassing on Miramar property. Hopefully this will lead to some better signage along the boundary so people don’t accidentally end up where they don’t belong.

Don’t forget, now through Sunday, April 24 is National Park Week! Enjoy free admission to all National Parks all week long.

Sport Chalet has announced they will be closing all their stores and going out of business. If you have any gift cards for their store, you’ll need to use them by April 29th, 2016. Store closing sales began yesterday and will continue for several weeks, so if there’s some gear you’ve been hoping to get, now’s the time to go!

Next Sunday you can join the San Diego Natural History Museum Canyoneers to hike Morena Butte! This is a difficult 5 mile hike with elevation change up to 1500 feet. The Canyoneers have special permission to drive into Ward’s Flat as a jumping off point for this challenging hike. The trail up to the top of Morena Butte is steep and rocky but the views are spectacular. On our return we’ll look for seasonal wildflowers in Ward’s Flat. Visit the Canyoneers’ web page for more information, or check out our Events Page for even more upcoming hikes and events.

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• Coleman Self-Inflating Camp Pad with Attached Pillow $32.50

Have a good week!

Hello Hikers!

I hope everyone was able to get out this weekend in between rain showers. It looks like things should be clearing up over the course of the week, so if you’ve been holding out for sunshine, your time is near!

Next Saturday marks the beginning of National Park Week. From April 16 – 24, all national parks will have free admission. If you don’t have the time to make a trip to one of the major National Parks to take advantage of this deal, you can always visit Cabrillo National Monument in Point Loma.

Next Saturday, head on up to Escondido for a Discover Daley Ranch hike (5 – 7 miles). 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. Visit the Daley Ranch Naturalist Hikes web 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!

Hello Hikers!

Welcome to April! This month we have National Park Week April 16 – 24 to look forward to. You can celebrate by visiting any National Park for free! Other noteworthy dates include John Muir’s birthday on April 21st, and Earth Day on April 22nd.

For all of you evening hikers, note that with the advent of spring, staging areas at the San Dieguito River Park are now open until 7:30 p.m.

There’s more good news in store for north county hikers. San Diego County has received a $200,000 state grant to purchase undeveloped land near Iron Mountain in Poway. This is part of a larger plan to connect trails at Iron Mountain, Mount Woodson, and Dos Picos County Park.

Next Saturday you can join the San Diego Natural History Museum Canyoneers at Rancho Jamul Ecological Preserve.  This area is normally not open to the public, but the Canyoneers have special permission to hike this 5,600-acre California Fish and Wildlife ecological reserve. Here we’ll find sage scrub and riparian environments, and efforts to convert grasslands to native habitat. The ruins of an historic brick-making kiln will also be visited. Visit the Canyoneers web site for more information, or check out our Events Page for even more upcoming hikes and events.

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Have a good week!

Hello Hikers!

Another beautiful weekend is behind us, I hope everyone got out and enjoyed the trails. It looks like we might have a little bit of rain this week, but hopefully it will be all clear by next weekend.

Good news for all you Iron Mountain fans: twenty new parking spots have been added near the trailhead! While this isn’t going to alleviate all of the parking woes there on busy weekend mornings, every bit helps. Remember, you can also start from the alternate Ellie Lane trailhead up the highway if the main lot is full. It makes for a longer hike, but more miles are good for you, right?

The San Dieguito River Park has announced the beginning of the Public Comment Period for their proposed Pamo Valley segment of the Coast to Crest Trail. Head on over their website for all the details and information on how to submit your comments. The deadline for comments is April 22, 2016.

Next Saturday head over the Volcan Mountain Wilderness Preserve and Hike to the Summit! Take a hike to the summit of Volcan Mountain. Enjoy spectacular views of San Diego County from the trail on your way up and from the summit. This hike is considered strenuous with an elevation gain of 1,000 feet from the parking area to the top. Park along Farmer Road and hike up the gravel road to the Hubbell gate. Wear appropriate hiking attire. Bring plenty of water and snacks for the summit. Inclement weather will cancel this event. Check out the County of San Diego Parks and Recreation Program Guide for more information, or visit our Events Page to find even more upcoming hikes and events!

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Have a good week!

Hello Hikers!

Welcome to spring! We had some beautiful weather this weekend, I hope everyone was able to get out and enjoy it. It looks like there might be a chance of rain Tuesday morning, but otherwise should be another perfect week.

Next Saturday you can join the Friends of Los Penasquitos Canyon Preserve for a Vernal Pool Walk! Join naturalist Mike Kelly for a walk through San Diego’s most endangered habitats, the vernal pool. See and learn about the extremophiles, the endangered plants and animals that live in or around these short lived pools. Visit the pools every few weeks with us to see the amazing changes in plants and critters. Meet at 11101 Taloncrest Way, San Diego 92121 (off Calle Cristobal in Mira Mesa). Visit the Friends of Los Penasquitos Canyon Preserve website for more information, or visit our Events Page for even more upcoming hikes and events.

If you haven’t hit up Anza-Borrego yet this season, here’s another reason to make the trip. The annual Swainson’s Hawk migration is happening right now. The Union-Tribune has a good article on the phenomenon, so get out there soon to enjoy both the birds and the wildflowers!

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Have a good week!

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!

Hello Hikers!

Don’t be alarmed by that strange wet stuff falling from the sky, apparently this is the “rain” thing we keep hearing about. It looks like the storm will continue through Monday, with rain showers throughout the county, high winds, and even snow in the mountains! The precipitation should clear out tonight, but there might be some more in the works later this week. Better late then never El Niño!

Don’t forget Daylight Savings Time will begin this Sunday. This is the time of year where we “spring forward,” and have an entire hour of our lives mercilessly taken away from us. To make up for this terrible injustice, I think we should all skip work on Monday and go hiking. Tell your boss I said it’s ok.

If you don’t want to wait until Monday, then consider bringing your favorite four-legged hiking buddy to Ramona Grasslands next Saturday for a Furry Friends Hike! Bring your dog and a dog toy to donate to the Helen Woodward Namial Shelter, and join the San Dieguito River Valley Conservancy for an easy to moderate, family-friendly approximately 4-mile furry friends hike at the Ramona Grasslands Preserve. Visit the San Dieguito River Park’s web site for more information, or check out our Events Page to find even more upcoming hikes and events.

KBPS has an article about a recent decision by the County Board of Supervisors to purchase 147 acres of open space in Valley Center near Keys Creek Canyon. The property will be managed by the County Department of Parks and Recreation and will include multi-use trails.

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Hello Hikers!

Happy Leap Day! I don’t know about you, but I think that if we have to have an extra day, it should be a holiday, especially when the weather’s this nice. It looks like we have more warm weather to look forward to, but possibly some patchy fog in the mornings. Long-range forecasts are predicting a chance of rain next week, but I refuse to get my hopes up too much.

Since it’s practically March, we have some good things to look forward to. Daylight Savings is just a couple of weeks away on Sunday, March 13th. We’ll have an extra hour of daylight to enjoy some post-work hikes in the afternoons. And March 20th is the Vernal Equinox, or First Day of Spring. I’m already seeing signs of wildflowers starting to bloom, so hopefully the advent of spring will bring some fantastic displays.

Next Saturday you can join the Friends of Los Penasquitos Canyon Preserve for a Wildflower Hike on Doug Hill. Join Native Plant Society member Beth Mather for this wildflower hike on the biologically diverse Doug Hill in Black Mtn. Open Space Park. Hike is about half a mile and involves one good hill, but will be slow paced. Meet in the northeast corner of Black Mtn. Ranch Community Park on Black Mtn. Park Way at 14700 Carmel Valley Rd., Rancho Peñasquitos, San Diego 92129. Visit their web page for more information, or check out our Events Page to find even more upcoming hikes and events.

I’m still seeing lots of reports of rattlesnake sightings on trails throughout the county, so make sure you stay alert while hiking! Keep your dogs on leash and young children nearby as well.

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Have a good week!

Hello Hikers!

It looks like we have yet another week of above average temperatures in store for us, so get outside and enjoy that sunshine!

All this nice warm weather has its downsides, however. It appears that the rattlesnakes are coming out early this year. I’ve heard several reports of rattlesnake sightings from people in East County, Ramona, and Escondido. So make sure you keep your eyes and ears open when you’re out on the trails!

If you’re looking for a challenge, head on over to Daley Ranch next Sunday for an Early Morning Fitness Hike. Join Naturalist Rita Ospelt on a reverse grand tour of Daley Ranch. The hike will follow the perimeter of the Ranch on the same trails as the February 21 hike but going the opposite direction. The trail to Stanley Peak will be thrown in for an extra challenge. The total distance will be 13.9 miles and will be at a brisk pace. Expect steep uphill/downhill sections and this hike is not suited for children. Visit the Daley Ranch web site for more information, or visit our Events Page to find even more upcoming hikes and events.

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Have a good week!

Hello Hikers!

Happy President’s Day! If you’re fortunate enough to have today off, remember that it is a fee-free day in the National Forests. You can explore one of the many local hikes in Mount Laguna or  the Cleveland National Forest without having to worry about buying an Adventure Pass.

It looks like we have a few more days of summer still ahead of us. The National Weather Service is forecasting Santa Ana conditions, with high temps and windy conditions for Monday and Tuesday. It should begin cooling down on Wednesday and there’s even a chance of showers going into Thursday! While I’m certainly enjoying this great weather I’d really love to see some more rain.

Next Saturday afternoon join the Friends of Los Penasquitos Canyon Preserve for a Vernal Pool Walk. Join naturalist Mike Kelly for a walk through San Diego’s most endangered habitats, the vernal pool. See and learn about the extremophiles, the endangered plants and animals that live in or around these short lived pools. Visit the pools every few weeks with us to see the amazing changes in plants and critters. Meet at 11101 Taloncrest Way, San Diego 92121 (off Calle Cristobal in Mira Mesa). Visit the Friends of Los Penqsquitos Canyon Preserve’s list of hikes for more information, or check out our Events Page to find even more upcoming hikes and events.

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Have a good week!