Hello Hikers!

Another lovely weekend is behind us, which means its time to start planning next weekend! It sounds like it might be getting warmer this week with the possibility of some mild Santa Ana winds. This might be a good weekend to plan a morning hike, or head out to Mount Laguna where the temps look like they’ll still be pretty cool. Just be aware of the increased fire danger that accompanies those pesky Santa Anas!

Another good destination would be Palomar Mountain State Park. The forecast is calling for cool temperatures up there as well, and Sunday is the 2014 Palomar Apple Festival. The Festival will feature delicious apple goodies like pie and cider (guests are invited to bring their own treats to share), live folk music and square dancing, arts & crafts for the kids, games, and period re-enactors. And, most importantly, admission to the park will be free that day! Check out the Friends of Palomar State Park web site for more information.

If you’re looking for something a bit closer to home, try a Nature Walk at the Tijuana Estuary on Saturday morning. Discover the native plants of the Tijuana Estuary on this tour led by a very knowledgeable docent. Docents will be happy to answer your questions as well as give you an overview description of an estuary. Meet at the reception desk in the Visitor Center to begin your tour. Visit the Tijuana Estuary calendar for more information, or check out our Events Page for more things to do!

New Vitacost customers can get $10 off any order of $30 or more if you sign up using this link. Vitacost has a wide selection of meal bars that make great snacks when you’re on the trail.

Check out RockyMountain.com’s Clearance Sale – The North Face, JanSport, Columbia & more up to 60% off!

Have a good week!

Hello Hikers!

Well the weather was certainly much more cooperative this weekend, I hope everyone was able to get out and get their hike on!

It’s only a couple of weeks until Halloween! You can get in the spirit (haha) this weekend with a couple of Halloween-themed hikes and activities at some of our County Parks:

• San Elijo Lagoon will be holding their Not-So-Scary Estuary days on Saturday and Sunday from 1pm – 4pm. Meet creepy, crawly, and hooting animals this Halloween. Costumes are encouraged! Conservancy volunteers and county rangers will treat guests to a rare glimpse into the wonders of wetlands. Kids can create lollipop spiders and animal facemasks, feel animal pelts, and make animal tracks in the sand. Go trick-or-treating along the “Haunted Hike” nature trail—a photo opportunity and experience not to be missed! more info
• Dos Picos Regional Park will be having Haunted Trail Hikes this Saturday from 6:30pm – 8:30pm. During this time of year the woods come to life with creatures natural and supernatural. Meet the rangers and spirit guides in the day use parking lot by the light at the restroom. Guided hikes last about 20 minutes and cover some challenging terrain. Wear warm clothes and sturdy shoes. Bring a flashlight and an adult. Event and parking are FREE! more info

Or if those sound a little to scary for you, you can enjoy a laid-back Bird Walk at the Tijuana Estuary this Sunday at 3pm. It’s fall migration time so there’s probably a lot of cool critters to see! Take a leisurely stroll down the McCoy Trail and view and learn about some of the 370 species of birds that live or stop by this Reserve on their yearly migration. Walks begin at the Visitor Center unless otherwise noted on calendar. Bring binoculars if you have them. All ages welcome. No reservations required. Visit the Estuary’s Calendar for more information, or check out our Events Page for more upcoming hikes and activities.

Need some warmer gear now that fall is finally approaching? Right now RockyMountainTrail.com is offerrng 20% Off One Full Priced Item With Promo Code fall20

Amazon has a few good deals this week as well:

• 25% or more off select merino wool products
• Save up to 50% on Select High Sierra Backpacks
• Midland LXT650VP3 36 Channel GMRS Two-Way Radio for $49.99
• 25% or more off select outdoor socks
• 33% off Magellan eXplorist 610 Waterproof Hiking GPS

Now through October 16, you can get FREE Emergency Supplies plus FREE shipping on Long-Term Food Kits at WiseFoodStorage.com!

Have a good week!

Hello Hikers!

Welcome to October! I hereby declare an end to summer and its accompanying unpleasantly hot temperatures. From now on it will be cool and pleasant, with an occasional moderate breeze.  Promise.

In addition to pleasant fall weather, October has lots of other cool stuff to look forward to, including:

• October 12 – 16 is National Wildlife Refuge Week! To kick it off, this Sunday, October 12 is Animals on the Bay Day at the Living Coast Discovery Center in Chula Vista. There will be free admission and numerous special activities for the whole family. More information
• October 26 is the Palomar Apple Festival. There will be free admission to Palomar Mountain State Park all day, plus fun festival activities from 11 am to 4 pm. More information

We’ve updated our Events Page with County Parks activities for the fall season, plus Daley Ranch and Anza Borrego State Park activities for October. There’s loads of hikes and other activities listed. For example next Sunday you can join the San Diego Natural History Museum Canyoneers as they hike the Cabrillo National Monument Bayside Trail.

Today only, you can get a subscription to Outdoor Photographer magazine for just $4.99/year from DiscountMags.com when you use promo code 4628.

Looks like Amazon has some good end of season deals on outdoor gear:

• Up to 50% Of Select Coleman Sleeping Bags
• Up to 30% Off Select Bike Tools
• Up to 25% Off Coleman Airbeds
• Save up to 40% on the Xtreme Bright LED Lantern
• Save 25% or More on Select Pepper Spray Products from Sabre
• 74% off LED Hand Crank LED Flashlight – Cell Phone Charger, FM Radio, Alarm

Fall means its time to put away those sandals and look for some new boots! Reboot for Fall – Shop Teva’s Boot Collections for Men and Women!

Have a good week!

Hello Hikers!

Looks like San Diego’s nice weather has been continuing, unfortunately we’ve been out of town and not able to enjoy it. The long range forecast says it will be a bit warmer next weekend, but hopefully it will still be pleasant enough to get out and get some dirt under our boots.

If you’re looking for something to do next weekend, how about joining the San Diego Natural History Museum Canyoneers on Sunday at the Blue Sky Ecological Reserve? This is an easy 5 mile hike with elevation change up to 1000 feet. This easy walk just north of Lake Poway follows along a stream and a woodland canyon of large oaks. The tracks of wild animals—including coyotes, mountain lions, and bobcats—attest to the habitats protected by the reserve. The new longer hike option will climb to an overlook of Lake Poway. Directions: (Poway) From I-15, exit east on Rancho Bernardo Rd., which becomes Espola Rd. (S5). The entrance to the reserve is 0.25 miles east of the intersection of Old Coach Rd./Bridlewood Rd. Check out the Canyoneers calendar or visit our Events Page for more upcoming activities around San Diego County.

Amazon has some nice deals for us this week:

• 64% off Carabiner “Grenade” Survival Kit
• Save Additional 20% Off Select FuelBelt Running Accessories
• Up to 40% Off Polar FT4 Heart Rate Monitor
• Up to 50% Of Select Coleman Sleeping Bags
• Save $25 on the Xtreme Bright LED Headlamp
• Save 25% or More on Select Products from Sabre

Have a good week!

Hello Hikers!

Well the weather this weekend was much more favorable for hiking than the previous weekend. Hopefully this pleasant weather will stick around for a bit!

Take advantage of the cooler temperatures and help out the Chaparral Lands Conservancy by volunteering to help with some restoration work at Carmel Mountain on Saturday morning. They’ll be fencing, posting signs, re-contouring vernal pools, weeding, and clearing trash depending on who signs up. Carmel Mountain Preserve is an oasis of endangered chaparral habitat within city limits and is host to endangered and sensitive species. They’ll start the day with an hour-long nature walk led by director David Hogan, followed by an hour and a half to two hours of habitat management activities. Check out the event on their Facebook page for more information, or visit our Events Page to find more activities going on next weekend.

Don’t forget next Saturday is also National Public Lands Day. You can get free entry to all Federally Managed Lands including Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, US Fish & Wildlife Service, and US Forest Service properties. This means you can go to Mount Laguna or other Cleveland National Forest areas and leave your Adventure Pass at home, or check out Cabrillo National Monument for free!

Today only you can get a subscription to Popular Photography for just $4.99/year from DiscountMags.com. Use promo code 7943.

Right now new customers can get 25% off their first order (up to $20) at Wag.com using code SKRA2183.

Have a good week!