Hike #20 Corte Madera Mountain

52 Hike Challenge 2016 Adventure Series

6.5 miles | +1800'

Known as San Diego's "Half Dome", the imposing face of Corte Madera Mounatin is quite impressive. Located in the Eastern portion of San Diego in the Cleveland National Forest, and at an elevation of 4,657 feet, it offers a great view of the surrounding backcountry. The trail traverses through a variety of terrain and beautiful areas on its way to the summit.

From the trail head along Corral Canyon Road, enjoy an oak-shaded dirt road for 0.5 mile and then continue in the northwest direction behind the signed garbage can onto the Espinosa Trail.

At 1.5 miles, look back over the view of the valley at the hiker’s gate before crossing the intersection of fire roads. This is the first view of the 300-foot-high precipice of Corte Madera Mountain just right and beyond the sign. Clearly marked are Espinosa Trail, Los Pinos Peak (closed vertical access road) and the Corral Canyon OHV Area. An added wooden sign labeled Corte Madera Mt. points to the right, where you continue on a fire road until coming to a T junction. Directly across and to the right of a slab of granodiorite rocks, another Birds of Prey sign marks the Corte Madera Mountain Trail. The trail narrows with manzanita, sage, rocks, Coulter pines, and oaks making it easy to follow but sometimes a challenge to see at a distance.

What has been a steady uphill becomes steep to near a 60 percent grade up and over the 4588-foot peak. This is where trekking poles and/or hands help scramble up and over rocks and loose soil. Take a break and bring your cameras out for spectacular views of Los Pinos Mt., Long Valley Peak, Corte Madera Valley, and the Pine Valley Bridge over Secret Canyon. Continue past the split rock and start down. Once descending past a huge boulder at your left shoulder, the last mile seems effortless. The trail is easy to follow with one Y junction where you veer left. The right leads up to private property in Corte Madera Valley. There are a couple of granodiorite slabs where cairns help your confidence in continuing on the trail to Corte Madera Mountain peak.

The 360-degree view of mountain ranges and valleys is remarkable on a clear day. To the south in Baja California is the Sierra Juarez plateau with the Santa Catalina and San Clemente islands to the west; east has a view of Los Pinos Mountain and the Espinosa Trail.