Photo: Mountain Palm Springs in Anza-Borrego Desert State Park
Hello Hikers!
While Northern California has been getting pummeled with rain causing major floods, we had a beautiful weekend, perfect for hiking. It looks like we’ll be getting our turn this week, although things won’t be nearly as dramatic as up north.
At long last, the 5th Edition of Afoot and Afield: San Diego County is available for pre-order on Amazon! It is scheduled to be released on March 14th. This book has long been considered the bible of San Diego hiking, but after Jerry Schad’s passing in 2011, the future of the Afoot and Afield legacy was nebulous. Current co-author Scott Turner has picked up the mantle and fully updated the book by re-hiking each of the routes and adding numerous new hikes. I’ve hiked with Scott and I have no doubt the new edition will be as valuable a hiking resource as the previous editions.
Next Sunday, head on out to the West Sycamore section of Mission Trails Regional Park for a West Sycamore Nature Walk. Join Ranger Andrew Miller at 8 a.m. at the Goodan Ranch Staging Area (located at the very east end of Sycamore Canyon Road at 16281) in Poway (zipcode 92064) for a 90-minute guided nature walk. He will focus on the plant communities commonly found at West Sycamore. Please be sure to bring bottled water and wear comfortable shoes and sun protection (hat, sunglasses, sunscreen). Rain cancels. For more information, visit the Mission Trails Events Calendar, or check out our Events Page for even more upcoming hikes and events.
Don’t forget next Monday, January 16th, is a fee-free day in the National Forests and National Parks in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Speaking of National Forest passes, the US Forest Service has announced that Adventure Passes that expired in 2016 or January 2017 can still be used through February 28, 2017, due to a shortage of new passes. Day passes can still be purchased for $5. More information on Adventure Passes and where they are acquired can be found here.
Fox News has a report about a hiker who found a body of a woman believed to be between 40 and 50 years old on a dirt path near the road in Jamul on Saturday. Sheriff’s Detectives are investigating the case as a possible homicide.
Much of the Miner’s Ridge Loop Trail at Black Mountain Open Space Preserve has been temporarily closed due to higher than normal arsenic readings at a nearby abandoned arsenic mine. Research and thorough testing is expected to take several months, but there is no conclusive evidence that there has been or is an imminent threat to the health of the public, plants or wildlife in and around the mine or along nearby trails as a result of this discovery. A map showing the trail closures is available here. You can still climb Black Mountain via other routes, including the Nighthawk Trail.
Here’s the latest outdoor and fitness deals from Amazon:
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- Etekcity Ultra Bright Portable LED Camping Lantern $8.34
- Save on Kelty Noahs Tarp 9 and more
- Save up to 60% on orage Ski Apparel
- Save up to 40% on Royal Robbins
- Save on select Under Armour gear
Have a good week!
Photo: Blue Sky Ecological Reserve
