52 Hike Challenge 2016 Adventure Series
3 miles | +1500'
I love to sit on a mountain top and gaze. I don't think of
anything but the people I care about and the view.
This mountain is a sacred mountain to the Kumeyaay Indians
who made a pilgrimage to the summit to watch the sun rise over Buckman Peak for
winter solstice. A marker made of rocks pointed 16 miles to the southeast to
the 4641-foot peak and was used to help create a windbreak in the 1970s.
Flowers abound in the spring, including yucca and ceanothus,
with hummingbirds and swallowtail butterflies that are delightful. Shrub oak,
felt-leafed yerba santa, chamise, and manzanita blanket the mountain that is
green again, ten years after the 2003 Cedar Fire scoured the mountain.
Starting at 2700 feet, the trail begins with a gentle slope
and then starts to climb relentlessly at an average grade of 20 percent. Stop
and look at the amazing views of San Diego County’s valleys and mountains as
you climb. El Cajon Mountain in its vast granite glory will be behind you. As
3000 feet is reached, Palomar and San Jacinto mountains come into view with San
Gorgonio Mountain visible at 3300 feet. The views just keep getting better as
you climb.
At the 4187-foot summit, there is a rock wind shelter with a
boulder in the center. Sit and enjoy the beauty of the granitic peaks of San
Diego County before returning on the same trail. The hike is enjoyable all year
long, but it can be very hot in the summer months, so start early. Look back
along the trail climbing to the summit and know your comfort level for the
return as the descent is on those same loose rocks, washouts, and slick areas.
The chance of having the mountain all to yourself is very high as this is a
trail less traveled.
No comments:
Post a Comment