I met up with Larry Edmonds for his “Hike of the Month” at the parking area near Trout Pond, and finally had the chance to meet Jim Wick. Jim is a fellow Peakbagger who joined us for this hike. Six of us made our way eastward towards the Los Caballos trail. It was certainly fall, as it was chilly, but once we got moving, the temperature was perfect.
We crossed over Hwy. 79 and continued southward toward the Paso Pichaco campground. We skirted it as we turned westward and onto the Azalea Glen Loop trail, while the smell of early morning campfires filled the air. Jim, Larry, and I swapped peakbagging stories as we cruised along the trail.
We stopped at the morteros, filled with water from the recent storm. Acorns lay scattered around under a massive oak tree. Once we regrouped, we would begin climbing up toward Azalea Springs Fire Road. Our route then turned north and met Milk Ranch Road. We took a short break here, in part to marvel at the shell of a very old oak, and the new oaks growing inside of it. I had some coursework to attend to, so I bid farewell to the group and headed back along Milk Ranch Road.
Since I needed to drop off some book-related cards at Kit Fox Outfitters, I took the route through Julian and Wynola. Something was happening in Wynola, as the line of cars coming up the hill must have been 1.5 miles long! All told, the hike was 6.35 miles, in 2:51, and had a healthy 780 feet of gain.
I am an avid peak bagger, sometimes backpacker, and former sea kayaker living in San Diego. I am the co-author of Urban Trails: San Diego, coming in Spring 2026!
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 both the Arizona-Winter and Arizona-Summer). I am looking forward to exploring new summits and new adventures across the southwest.