Decided to start this year’s Coast to Crest Challenge with the hike that is almost behind my house, the Lusardi Creek Trail. I have done this trail several times, but this time I decided to use the challenge’s start and finish spot off Camino Del Sur. I typically start from the Black Mountain Sports Park when hiking this trail. I hit the trail just before sunrise, critical since we are having yet another heatwave. I carefully crossed the flowing creek and headed east into the rising sun.
As I approached where I would leave the canyon, I pulled up the annotated AllTrails map. It had me ascending via the Lusardi Creek Trail. I could see a slightly less used trail branching off and I started down it, but after about 20 yards or so, it began to fade away. I returned to the junction and decided I must have misread my map. So, I headed along the other fork. After I felt I had traveled enough for any GPS issues, I rechecked my position, and I was not on the route that AllTrails was showing. I looked at the route, saw the terrain and topo lines, and ventured upward.
Working my way carefully upward, I am thinking I must have done something wrong. I knew I did not have far to go and I am comfortable traveling cross-country. I located the other trail and cruised down it to the selfie spot. Part of me thought about just walking the quarter mile back home and getting the car later, but I really wanted to see if I could find that missing trail from this side.
I worked my way back along the main trail, looking for any signs of a trail. Nope, there was nothing to be found, so I followed the service road I normally use back down into the canyon and eventually back to the car.
Once I was home, I started looking further into this. I knew something was amiss with the route. I pulled up the track again on my phone and on my computer. They were showing two different routes. Crazy! In chatting with Susie, who did it the day before, we discovered she also had AllTrails display the route up Lusardi Creek Trail. Never fear, it seems the issue has been corrected, but it is a good tale of doing your research before hitting the trails.
I am an avid peak bagger, sometimes backpacker, and former sea kayaker living in San Diego. In 2019, I became the third person to complete the San Diego 100 Peak Challenge. Not stopping with that accomplishment, I set my sights on the harder San Diego Sierra Club 100 Peak list, which I completed in 2021. In addition, I have conquered several Six-Pack of Peaks challenges (SoCal, San Diego, Central Coast, and Arizona-Winter). Beyond attempting the San Diego Sierra Club 100 Peak list a second time, I am looking forward to exploring new summits and new adventures across the southwest.