Uncategorized

This Week in San Diego Hiking – September 21, 2015

20150614DSC_1210Laguna_Cuyamaca
Hello Hikers!

I think I’m having weather deja vu – it’s been another hot weekend, and we have the possibility of rain to look forward to early this week as well. Personally, I am ready for fall.

If you heard about the creeper who was stalking female hikers in the San Bernadino area, we are happy to share that a suspect was arrested last Thursday.

Also in recent news is this story about more poor judgement when dealing with a rattlesnake. A man walking at Chollas Lake on Wednesday attempted to move a rattlesnake off the trail with his bare hands and was bitten in the process. He was transported to the hospital for treatment and his injuries did not appear life-threatening. The best thing to do if you encounter a rattlesnake is to give it wide berth and leave it alone. If you do feel the need to get it off the trail for your own safety or the safety of other trail users, you can toss small rocks or sticks in its general direction (do not attempt to HIT the snake) to encourage it off the trail. Don’t ever try to grab a rattlesnake with your bare hands, I don’t care how many episodes of Crocodile Hunter you’ve watched.

Next Sunday, September 27, we will have a Supermoon Lunar Eclipse! In San Diego, the moon will rise partially eclipsed at 6:36 pm. The total eclipse beings at 7:11 pm, maximum eclipse is at 7:47 pm, and it ends at 8:23 pm (check out www.timeanddate.com for more). There are plenty of activities scheduled if you’re looking for a group:

Of course you can also head out on your own for an eclipse-viewing night hike. Some of our favorite night spots are Iron Mountain, Cowles Mountain, and Garnet Peak. Make sure you bring your headlamps and extra batteries, since it will obviously be particularly dark with no moonlight!

Here’s the latest outdoor deals from Amazon:

Have a good week!

20150829_DSC5351-EditGarnetPeak

Coastal/Beach Hikes, del mar, Dog Friendly, Trail Write-Ups, Under 5 miles

Crest Canyon

20150822_DSC5039-EditCrest CanyonOriginally 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 →

Weekly Update

This Week in San Diego Hiking – September 14, 2015

20150628_DSC1621-EditBatiquitos
Hello Hikers!

I don’t know about you guys, but I am DONE with this heat. Since we don’t have A/C at our house, I have actually been looking forward to going to work each day so I can enjoy the climate controlled office. That’s just not right! The good news is the National Weather Service is predicting both rain and cooler temperatures for the first half of the week. Bring it on!

Please remember that even if you decide to go out hiking in the heat, please leave your dogs at home! There are reports of two dogs dying in separate events on Cowles Mountain last week due to the heat. Dogs cannot sweat and don’t regulate their body temperature as easily as humans can, so are much more susceptible to heat stress.  Leave the pups at home.

Next Saturday evening, check out the Sunset Hike and Amateur Astronomy Night at Santa Ysabel Preserve West. Join Park Attendant Bill Augustus in a short hike. Once we return to the staging area, we’ll view the skies above the Santa Ysabel West Preserve. Test your knowledge of the planets and constellations on this moonless night. Please bring a flash light, warm clothing and a jacket as the temperature will drop after sunset. Bring Binoculars or a Telescope if you have them. All Astronomy skill levels are welcome! Our hike will be approximately 1.5 miles long. Visit the County Parks and Recreation Guide for more information, or visit our Events Page to find even more upcoming hikes and events.

If you need some rain or cold weather gear to get ready for the upcoming El Nino, Amazon currently has 50% off or more on Columbia Women’s Outerwear.

New Sierra Trading Post customers can get $10 off their first purchase of $30 or more by signing up through this link. Sierra Trading Post has great deals on brand name hiking and outdoor gear – up to 70% off the retail price!

Have a good week!

20150214DSC_7018OakGrove_VisLoop

Celestial Events, Cleveland National Forest, Dog Friendly, Mt Laguna, Peaks, Trail Write-Ups, Under 5 miles

Garnet Peak

3 Comments

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 →

Weekly Update

This Week in San Diego Hiking – September 7, 2015

20150614_DSC9786-EditLaguna_Cuyamaca
Hello Hikers!

Happy Labor Day! I hope everyone enjoyed the nice cool weather, because it sounds like its going to be warming up again through the middle of the week. But the good news is it doesn’t look like we’ll be having crazy spontaneous combustion type temperatures again. You can always enjoy a nice coastal hike if its too warm inland for you.

Next Saturday, you can join the Fallbrook Firefighters Association for their 9-11 Memorial Hill Climb up Monserate Mountain. This is a  5k hike carrying the IDs of FDNY, NYPD, and Port Authority Officers who died on 9/11. The elevation gain is similar to the height of the Twin Towers. This year, proceeds will go to the Homes for Our Troops and National Fallen Firefighter’s Foundation. The registration fee is $45 through Friday, and $50 the day of the event. Visit the Fallbrook Firefighters Association for more information, or check out our Events Page to find other upcoming hikes and events.

And last, but not least, Amazon has some great Labor Day deals for us:

Have a good week!

20150425_DSC2997-EditSouthFortuna

Birding, Coast to Crest Trail, Coastal/Beach Hikes, del mar, Dog Friendly, San Dieguito River, Trail Write-Ups, Under 5 miles

San Dieguito Lagoon

20150822_DSC5130-EditSan Dieguito

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 →

Weekly Update

This Week in San Diego Hiking – August 31, 2015

20150605DSC_0955-EditWalkerPreserveHello Hikers!

Did anyone get out to enjoy the full moon on Saturday evening? We hiked up Garnet Peak to watch sunset and the moon rise, and it was gorgeous! It was also a wonderful break from the furnace-like temperatures we had during the day. Happily, it looks like we’re done with the horrendous heat for a little bit. The National Weather Service is forecasting temperatures 5 to 10 degrees cooler than average over the coming week. Sounds good to me!

It’s almost September, so hopefully these cooler temperatures will be sticking around. And if not, there’s still plenty of other things to look forward to:

  • September 7 is Labor Day, which hopefully means you get a day off work and can spend it hiking!
  • September 19 is Coastal Cleanup Day in San Diego. You can register to help at one of over 100 cleanup sites in the County and help keep San Diego (and our trails) beautiful.
  • September 23 is the First Day of Fall. I hereby declare cool, pleasant hiking weather to be mandatory as of this date.
  • September 26 is National Public Lands Day. This is another opportunity to volunteer and help out some of your favorite recreational areas. Its also a fee-free day for National Parks and National Forest lands! Check out one of the many great hikes in the Cleveland National Forest without worrying about your Adventure Pass.
  • September 27 is the next Full Moon. Moonrise should be around 6:30 pm, so head on out for a spectacular evening hike. If you’re new to night hiking, I recommend Cowles Mountain or Iron Mountain for a relatively easy excursion. Make sure you’re familiar with the route, and bring a headlamp, backup flashlight, and extra batteries.

For next weekend, you can also head out to the Elfin Forest Recreational Reserve to Walk With a Tracker on Sunday morning. Join Elfin Forest Recreational Reserve docent, Mike Gibbs, as he leads a leisurely two to three hour walk discussing animal signs found along the trails and the animal behaviors associated with those signs. Visit the Escondido Creek Conservancy’s Calendar for more information, or visit our Events Page to find even more upcoming hikes and events!

There’s some good deals at Amazon this week, including sales on several brands of backpacks:

Have a good week!

20150403_DSC6134-EditSweetwaterLoop

5 miles, Coast to Crest Trail, Cows, Dog Friendly, Santa Ysabel, Trail Write-Ups

Santa Ysabel West Preserve

20150807_DSC4124-EditSanta Ysabel
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 →

Weekly Update

This Week in San Diego Hiking – August 24, 2015

20120102_DSC3973-EditIronMtnSunset

Hello Hikers!

Hopefully you’ve all been taking advantage of the cooler temperatures to get outside, because it doesn’t look like they’re going to last. The National Weather Service is predicting possible afternoon thunderstorms in the mountains and deserts Monday through Wednesday and starting Thursday it’s higher temperatures all around. Come on, fall!

Next Saturday will be a full moon, so start planning your evening now! You can join the Friends of Los Penasquitos Canyon Preserve for a Full Moon Walk. A walk in the canyon under the eerie light of the full moon. Moonlight’s photoelectric effect affects all plants and animals, including ourselves. Discover it! Bring a flashlight, water, and insect repellant. Meet in the parking lot at 4206 Sorrento Valley Blvd. Check out their page for more information, or visit our Events Page to find even more upcoming hikes and events!

Happy Birthday to the National Park Service which turns 99 on Tuesday, August 25. In celebration there will be free admission to all National Parks for the day. Head on over to Cabrillo National Monument for a short hike and maybe a visit to the tidepools!

Here’s the latest deals on gear and clothing from Amazon:

Have a good week!

20150509DSC_0094-EditBlack Mtn

Coastal/Beach Hikes, North County, San Diego, Trail Write-Ups, Under 5 miles

Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve Extension

2 Comments

20150815DSC_2639-EditTorrey_EXT

If you enjoy viewing the sculpted sandstone and rare trees at Torrey Pines, but don’t like the crowds and high parking fees, you need to check out this hike. Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve Extension was acquired in 1970, 11 years after the main Torrey Pines Reserve became an official State Park. Local conservation groups, concerned about the destruction of rare Torrey Pines north of Penasquitos Lagoon, garnered national media attention and managed to raise the funds necessary to acquire and establish the extension. Continue reading Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve Extension →

Hiking trails in and around San Diego County