5.5 miles | +1900'
Reaching a height of 4,187 feet, Viejas Mountain rises above
the surrounding hills in San Diego County and looms in the north over the small
town of Alpine, CA. Located near the southern end of the Cleveland National
Forest, just north of Interstate 8, this triangular shaped mass clearly stands
out to those traveling both east and west on the interstate. I've wanting to
hike this mini-monster of a mountain again ever since I discovered another
approach to the summit from the south. There's a small turnout just off
Interstate 8 and Willows Road that provides easy access to the trail that
climbs straight up the south ridge of the mountain. It's longer than the west
approach but the views are better.
Years ago there existed on the summit of Viejas Mountain an
arrangement of stones interpreted by anthropologists to be a winter-solstice
marker, used for ceremonial purposes by the Kumeyaay Indians. Unfortunately,
the marker was thoughtlessly destroyed by campers in the mid-1970s. In its
place several windbreaks were constructed, including one large one with a small
lean-to and fireplace for those seeking shelter during overnight stays.
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