Reflecting along South Clevenger Canyon

I pulled into the empty parking lot for South Clevenger Canyon under cloudy skies. This hike was to be my last to complete this year’s San Dieguito River Valley Conservancy’s Coast to Crest Challenge. I had been saving it in hopes of enjoying some wildflowers along the trail, but the lack of rain at the right time nixed that. I grabbed my gear, including a rain jacket, just in case, and started up the trail. Having hiked this trail numerous times, I cruised along, reflecting on the previous year and the year to come, as this was my birthday hike.

The past year has been one of some great joys: my cervical fusion fixing my neck issues, losing over 50 lbs, and co-writing a hiking book with a good friend. There has also been some sadness: getting laid off after 9 years and losing my sister to COPD. As I reflected on all that, soon the metal chairs atop that boulder came into view. I pulled myself up the rock face using the ropes (I miss the stairs) and sat, soaking in the views off to the west. Today was not really a day to sit and relax, so I carefully scrambled back down and retraced my route. My thoughts turned to the year ahead. There is a lot of uncertainty in the world, and I can control only so much. For me, spending time outside will provide the grounding I will need to navigate the road ahead. Before too long, I neared the trailhead. A couple of hikers passed me, just starting their journey up the trailhead. As I reached the car, I needed 0.01 more miles to log a perfect 4.0 track, so I took a few extra steps in the parking lot to solve that “problem”. With that, my hike was done, 4.0 miles in 1:39 and a healthy 1135 feet of gain. Now, if it weren’t Passover, I would have had some well-earned Mexican food and a beer….

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.

Along the Old Coach Road…

I wanted to explore some more new-to-me trails, so one afternoon, I decided to finally hike the Old Coach Trail in Poway. I pulled into the empty staging area just north of Espola Road and set off to the north. Initially, this trail (technically “Justin’s Trail” for this section follows the road for 1/2 mile. Then, on the other side of the road is a signpost for the Old Coach Trail. My route now skirted the edge of a neighborhood, following an old dirt road along a riparian stream bed of Sycamore Creek. The Old Coach Trail served as the route for Butterfield Stage service between Poway, Escondido, and San Diego in the late 19th Century before being replaced by the coastal railroad and the rise of automobiles.

I climbed up and down, winding through another of those fine old oak groves which, according to the City of Poway, are some of the oldest in the city. After crossing a very fine bridge over Sycamore Creek, I could see the Maderas Golf Club off to the east. I even found an errant golf ball on the trail (I mean really errant!). It was now I would begin a good climb toward Heritage Drive.

The trail made a turn to the east along this road before turning northwest again onto a paved fire access road. I made my way down the steep grade, with a view of the Highland Valley before me. Once at the bottom, I passed around the border of the AQUA 2000 Research Facility, which was an experimental aquaculture water treatment facility that is currently inactive. From there, I hiked through the nursery, following the signs until I reached Old Coach Staging Area on Highland Valley Road. I grabbed a quick snack and retraced my route. Beyond one lone mountain biker, I had the trail completely to myself. Due to a miscommunication with a friend, I had to hustle the last mile and a half to make it back for a dinner engagement. With that said, this was still a great hike with 7.75 miles and a healthy 1,125 feet of gain.

Seeking Paradise Mountain

The original plan was for us to tackle Goat Benchmark, San Ysidro East Peak, and The Sirens as an overnight adventure. However, checking the forecast Friday morning quickly put an end to that plan. Winds between 25-30 mph, with predicted gusts up to 50 mph. None of us wanted to camp in that, especially in an exposed open flat, so we began looking for alternate hikes. The high winds scuttled anything out in the desert. Rick and Andrea suggested an interesting loop in Mission Trails, and I offered up doing either Mt. Gower or Paradise Mountain (both of which Ted needs). We settled on Paradise Mountain and agreed to meet at the trailhead at 8. Ted and I arrived first, and just before 8, Rick and Andrea pulled into the parking lot. The skies were overcast, and the summit of the peak was obscured by the clouds as we set off down the trail.

The trail almost immediately began to descend 300 feet down to Hell Creek. After the simple water crossing, the trail became mostly flat before beginning the climb to the summit. We chatted about all sorts of topics as we motored along the fairly well-maintained trail. The clouds had lifted, and the summit stood above us.

When we reached the junction, we all agreed that we should do the loop in a clockwise fashion. We pushed upward, pausing a few times to link back up. A side trail took us over to Viewpoint A, as labeled on Peakbagger. It did offer some nice views from there, but we did not linger. Once back on the main loop, we quickly reached Ditch Benchmark and stopped for a few photos. Someone had incorrectly left a summit sign for Paradise Mountain there. We tucked it into my pack and carried it over to the proper summit, about 1/2 mile to the east. We stopped for a snack break and to soak in the views.

Once refueled, we set off down the trail. Unlike our steep ascent, the descent was a gentler grade, which made everyone’s knees happier. Before we knew it, we were crossing back over the creek, starting the climb back to the trailhead. Along the way, a horse and rider passed us, heading down the trail. Once back at the trailhead, five more horses were getting ready to take their riders along the trail. We quickly cleaned up and headed out for a well-earned lunch at Burger Bench. I logged the hike at 8.25 miles in 4:31, with an elevation gain of 2,080 feet. The only negative was that I did find a tick on me later. It was still crawling, so I removed it and crushed it. Rick found one on him while hiking, so we’re keeping an out for any more.

Along the Upper Santa Ysabel Trail

Decided to knock out one of my two remaining Coast to Crest Challenge hikes this morning. The partially cloudy skies made it a perfect day to head out to hike some of the Upper Santa Ysabel Trail. Given that this trail is shared with off-road traffic, doing it on a regular weekday is ideal, plus having the shade from the partially cloudy skies is an added bonus. I drove out to Pauma Valley and turned on the dirt road that I have previously taken up to the top of Big Black Mountain. The road was in fair condition—don’t know if I would take a Prius on it, but any 2WD SUV-like car would do just fine. When I got to the wide junction with the Upper Santa Ysabel Trail, I pulled off and parked. I originally had planned to hike a longer portion of the trail, but needed to be back in cell coverage by 9ish. I figured I could still hike enough to make it count for the challenge. I grabbed my smaller daypack, trekking poles, and my hat, and set off.

The road, on which I could have kept driving, descended toward a small wash, before climbing back up a bit. There are lovely oaks along this section of the trail. I cruised along, enjoying the views of the dry creek below and the vistas back to the west. I reached a turnaround spot for vehicles, and in looking at my watch I realized that I needed to turn back. I reached my car and drove back down the mountain, getting back into Ramona and therefore cell coverage. This was a nice stroll, and I think I might try hiking the rest from the other side to “complete” the trail sometime soon.

Hiking Big Rock to Cowles Mountain

I decided to hike up Cowles Mountain via the Big Rock Trail. Believe it or not, I have actually never taken this route up Cowles as I generally take the Baker Way route when I care to climb this peak. I pulled into street parking and gathered my gear. It was still a bit chilly and the first part of the ascent would be on the northern slopes of the mountain. The trail passed by the dog park and the empty paddleball courts. Then the trail split, and the left fork climbed a short hill, while the right path skirted it. Off in the distance stood the communication towers next to the summit of Cowles Mountain.

The trail crossed a dry creek before beginning its real climb and I cruised along the fairly well maintained path. As the trail worked its way upward, I was afforded some nice views to the north – Woodson, Iron mountain and El Cajon Mountain were all standing tall.

I soon came to the junction with the Mesa Trail but stayed on the Big Rock Trail. Once it reached the service road, the warmth of the sun was enough to have me shed the light fleece I had been wearing. I had a short flat stretch before the road began its fairly steep climb to the summit, as it is designed for trucks and not hikers. As I reached the summit I took a moment to soak in the views. It was a very clear day, and standing atop the highest point in the City of San Diego offered up some nice vistas. After snapping a few photos, I extended the length of my trekking poles to assist with the steep descent and headed back down.

The return went quickly, and I gave friendly nods to others as they made their way up. As I neared the paddleball courts, they were now filled with players. I collapsed my poles and turned off my tracker. It recorded the trip as 4.8 miles in 1:56 (including the time at the summit).

New Year’s Day on Woodson Mountain

I decided to kick off 2025 by tackling Woodson Mountain. Driving to the Fry-Koegel trailhead, I was surprised at the lack of cars parked along Hwy. 67, especially as the Iron Mountain parking lot was packed when I drove past. It was a bit chilly, and much of the hike is on the northern side of the mountain (aka in the shade), so I slipped on a light fleece. I knew I would warm up as I began my climb, but I thought it was still just a tad too cold to not have on an extra layer. This route is now my preferred route to ascend Woodson Mountain. As I passed the houses at the beginning, the smell of a fire in a fireplace filled the air, along with the scent of bacon….

I did start to heat up, so I shed that fleece, and motored on up the trail. After joining the Poway Trail, I drew closer to the summit. I could see a modest crowd milling around the Potato Chip, snapping their photos. I stopped for a short break, snapped a photo with this year’s Six Pack of Peaks badge in front of the iconic landmark, then left the crowd behind. I made a quick stop at the true summit (I did not scale the boulder) before beginning the steep descent on the paved service road. I remembered to bring the rubber tips for my trekking poles, in order to protect their metal tips.

As I cruised down, scores of folks were huffing and puffing their way up. Several had the look of “how did I get talked into this?” on their faces. Once at the bottom, I returned to the car, tossed in my gear and headed off to Volcan Mountain for my second summit of the day!

El Cajon Mountain

The original plan was to take advantage of the cooler temperatures in Anza-Borrego and summit Kay Benchmark. Unfortunately, Ted injured his foot and could not join me, so I opted to finish the San Diego Six Pack of Peaks Challenge by climbing El Cajon Mountain. I parked along the shoulder of Wildcat Canyon, as the parking lot was not yet open. A bright moon hung in the sky to the west, I gathered my gear and set off under its light.

As I made my way along the familiar trail, the pre-dawn light began to increase until my moon shadow faded away. The sun was poking out from behind the mountain as I made my first small descent. This hike is “famous” for the fact you get to climb up and down several bumps along the way to the summit, and of course, do them again upon your return.

Portions of the trail certainly suffered some damage from Tropical Storm Hillary, as there were some good-sized ruts along the way. As I continued cruising along toward the summit, a few folks passed me, but I was in no hurry. I stopped at the rusting jeep and had a snack before the final push to the top.

Once at the summit, I enjoyed my PB&J and some orange slices. As a few other climbers mingled about, I snapped a few photos and began my descent. That is when my knees began to hurt. Back at the jeep, I applied some Voltaren, hoping it might provide some pain relief. I reduced my pace and stride length to see if that helped. I pushed on back to the car, fighting through the discomfort. Once back at the car, I headed home, looking forward to putting some ice packs on my aching knees.

Bernardo Bay & Piedras Pintadas Trail Loop

Like I suspect many of this year’s Coast to Crest challengers, I linked the Bernardo Bay Trail with the Piedras Pintadas Trail to complete two of the five hikes. Under a nice cool marine layer, I set off down the paved bike path toward the north. I cruised along the trail, looking at the fog hanging up above the summit of Bernardo Mountain. Lake Hodges remains empty this far back from the dam. I wonder how long it will take to refill once the repairs to the dam are complete. As I cruised along, bunnies would scamper across the trail in front of me, and the sounds of birds filled the air. As I neared the junction with the Piedras Pintadas Trail, I passed by quite a bit of habitat rehabilitation.

Turning onto the Piedras Pintadas trail, I enjoyed the smells of the various plants as I made my way toward the waterfall. I stopped at a bench to adjust my shoes, this was their inaugural hike, then had some water and set off again. Made the short climb up the hill, and took in the vista. As I returned, two coyotes darted into the brush. Soon, I was back at the parking lot, which was now much fuller. All in all, it was a nice 5 miles to start the day.

Del Dios Gorge

Invited my good friend Mark Better to join me in hiking Del Dios Gorge before work. This hike is one of the five hikes that make up the San Dieguito River Conservancy’s 2024-2025 Coast to Crest Challenge. This hike was previously included in the 2017-2018 challenge. We pulled into the parking lot and gathered our gear. I was hoping for some marine layer to cool things off for a bit, but none was to be had. As we reached the trailhead, three other hikers were just finishing up their hike. After a quick greeting, we set off.

The trail is pretty mellow, with a few small climbs along the way, and one nice bridge crossing. Mark and I caught up with each other as we made our way to Rattlesnake Viewpoint. We took a short break and took in the view of the Lake Hodges dam and then used the viewfinder to locate some points of interest. The day was warming up, and the hike has almost no shade, so we hustled back the way we came. Once back at the car, where the thermometer read just over 90°F, we enjoyed the air-conditioning as we drove home.

Grasslands Loop

Decided to do an early morning hike along the Grasslands Loop Trail in Mission Trails. However, this time I opted to start from the East Fortuna Staging Area which has plenty of parking for both cars and horse trailers. This staging area has several horse pens and a dedicated larger horse corral, as the Grassland Loop Trail is horse-friendly.

I started from the trailhead on the northwest side of the parking area. This flat dirt trail meanders past a vernal pool before linking with the North Fortuna Perimeter Trail (the other option from the parking area). After a short distance, I turned south toward the Grassland Crossing Trail to join the Grassland Loop North Trail. The now golden grasslands spread out before me. Kwaay Paay stood proudly to my south, and the Fortunas rose to the west. Others were also out enjoying the trails as well. The trail now turned south, and paralleled Oak Canyon, which was to the west. While a short connector trail would take me over to it, I remained on the Grasslands Trail. Soon I came to the Old Mission Dam Overlook. While the bench was inviting, I had chores to do back home.

From there I headed northeast, passing a collection of morteros, before rejoining the Grasslands Connector trail. I considered taking this short spur over the San Diego River but opted not to. I found myself back at the North Fortuna Perimeter Trail heading back toward the parking area. A nice easy 2.5-mile loop to stretch out my legs.