Bernardo Mountain

ELEVATION: 1,150 FT
DISTANCE: 7.2 MILES
TIME: 3 HOURS
CHALLENGING

Bernardo Mountain is another mountain I have often seen but never hiked- until today. I was delighted to find a description of this hike in a book I received for Christmas, "101 Hikes in Southern California," by Jerry Schad. The trailhead starts just east of I-15 at the end of Sunset Road near Hodges Driving Range. I actually biked the first 1.5 miles of this trail, which goes under the freeway at first, and then leads to Felicita Creek. A trail jets off to the right just after crossing the creek. This is where I locked my bike and began to hike. This "shortcut" (which I think was supposed to be closed) follows the creek a ways through a spooky oak grove. There are several spots where the creek spills over the rocks forming little waterfalls (right).

After emerging from the grove, I met up with the main trail again. The trail winds around the north side of the mountain, and for the most part the brush on both sides was above my head, and in some spots formed a tunnel over me (left). I saw a lot of scat and a few pieces of mutilated rabbit, so I was a little nervous about mountain lions (some of the scat looked larger than coyote scat). I passed a large water tank toward the top, and finally the last switchback took me to the top. There are a lot of rocks to stand on at the top, and the view of Lake Hodges below was spectacular. I also saw Ralph's Ranch (below), which was built by the guy that founded Ralph's Grocery stores.

Battle Mountain

ELEVATION: 745 FT
DISTANCE: 1 MILE
TIME: 30 MIN.
DIFFICULTY: MODERATE




Battle Mountain is located on the northen border of Rancho Bernardo as part of the San Dieguito River Park and is distinguished by the large white cross at the top. According to this link, a wooden cross was first erected on this hill in 1966 by some Rancho Bernardo residents to celebrate Easter. The mountain is named "Battle Mountain" because of the Battle of San Pasqual that occurred 8 miles to the east. This link is worth a read if you live in Rancho Bernardo and are a history buff.

The hike starts at the end of a cul-de-sac in a nearby neighborhood. The trail is somewhat steep at first, then levels off a bit, but the last 50 yards are extremely steep. I was huffing and puffing when I got to the top. There is a good view of Lake Hodges at the top, as well as a nice view looking down on the Oaks North golf course (below).

Westwood Mountain

ELEVATION: 1,174 ft
DISTANCE: 2 MILES
TIME: 45 MIN.
DIFFICULTY: MODERATE

After living in Rancho Bernardo for almost 18 years, I finally climbed this mountain. Westwood Mountain is shaped like a turtle's back, so the first 10 minutes of the hike are the steepest, and it only gets easier from that point. The trail is wide, steep, and rocky at first, then becomes narrower and narrower. There were a few spots where I had to glance around to make sure I was still on the trail. The brush is about ankle high most of the way up. At the top and looking to the east, one can see a beatiful panorama of Rancho Bernardo.


At the highest point there is a flagpole that stands about 20 feet high, and there is an army lock box full of notes of climbers. According to a printed note taped to the box, it was left there by a guy named Bill who works nearby and hikes the mountain every weekday at lunch.

Torrey Pines State Reserve

COORDINANTS:
DISTANCE: LESS THAN 3 MILES
TIME: LESS THAN 2 HOURS
DIFFICULTY: EASY - MODERATE

The Torrey Pines Reserve is one of the most beautiful hikes in San Diego. It consists of a network of several trails, the longest of which is not more than 3 miles round trip. Each of the hikes offers ocean views, a cool sea breeze, and abundant vegetation, including the rare torrey pines. Apparently the ocean winds form these trees as they grow, because in some spots the trees are smeared over each other forming low canopies like the one below that my mom and sister are about to go under:

The Guy Fleming Trail has the reputation of being the best trail to hike. We wandered past sandstone structures, under and old twisted torrey pine trunk, along a path that ran parallel with the ocean, then into a shaded grove of trees. This morning we saw dolphins playing in the waves, and on one previous occasion we saw a Humpback whale swimming along the coast. This hike always makes me feel grateful to live in San Diego and not so bitter about my mortgage payment.

Mt. Woodson - East Approach

GOOGLE EARTH COORDINANTS:
33*00'31 N, 116*58'14 W
ELEVATION: 2,894 FT
DISTANCE: 3.6 MILES
HIKE TIME: 1.5 HOURS
DIFFICULTY: MODERATE

"My own personal Matterhorn" is what I like to call this mountain, located on the border of Poway and Ramona. It's peak is visible all over San Diego county, and when viewed from the west, has a very prominent shape that beckons to be climbed. This morning I hiked from the east side with my sister April. It was 49 degrees when we left the car, but as our elevation increased and sun continued to rise, it quickly warmed up to 76 degrees by the time we were done. The trail up is a paved service road, and is a gradual steep climb with only a few level spots. It took us 39 minutes to get to the top, and we spent some time exploring and taking pictures. Toward the top, there are some very large boulders (see below) that show the markings of rock climbers. The view is great in all directions except the south, which is blocked by a few other peaks. Parts of the ocean were visible to the west. This climb is always a fulfilling one and is one of my favorites.

Me on the "diving board"

That is April standing in the shadow below the boulder.

Black Mountain - South Approach

GOOGLE EARTH COORDINANTS:
32*58'52 N, 117*06'58 W
ELEVATION: 1,542 FT
HIKE DISTANCE: 3.7 MILES
HIKE TIME: 1.5 HOURS
DIFFICULTY: EASY

There are several ways to climb this mountain, located in Rancho Penasquitos. The easiest approach is up a service road on the south side that winds gradually up to the top. The service road is wide, and a little rocky on some parts. I slipped today on my way down and scraped my knee and hand a little. The top of this mountain has a lot of radio/microwave equipment that is visible for miles and miles. When I was growing up, I used to think it was some kind of creepy castle at the top (see picture below). Normally the peak offers great views in all directions, including Big Bear, Catalina Island, Cuyamaca Peak, and the Coronados. Today however, it was a bit hazy, so there wasn't much worth looking at when I got to the top. In the future I will post a description of a hike up the northwest side, which is much more challenging.

Looking down on "The Hill of Death" (top), and "The Castle" (bottom)

The Hill of Death

GOOGLE EARTH COORDINATES:
32*59'30.90" N
117*05'53.54" W
ELEVATION: 1,045 ft
HIKING TIME: 40 minutes
DIFFICULTY: Very Challenging

Why do I call it "The Hill of Death?" Although it takes only 20 minutes to get to the top, those 20 minutes are an extremely steep, rocky trail, straight up. This hike is more of a brief workout than an liesurely hike. The Hill of Death is a small hill (1,045 ft) that lies in a preserve just northeast of Black Mountain on the border of Rancho Penasquitos and Rancho Bernardo. The trail starts where my street dead ends and follows along a creek for a few minutes, then wraps around to the east where the real elevation gain begins. The trail may be some kind of old service road, but it is very rocky. I think what makes this hill a challenging climb is that the elevation gain is exponential, and you don't get a break until you get to the top. It just gets steeper and steeper and rockier and rockier. Most of the time I come close to a painful fall on the way down because it is very slippery. At the top, you can see the ocean to the west (on a clear day), Palomar Mountain to the north, Mt. Woodson to the east, and Black Mountain to the south. I have seen a few good sunrises from the top. This is the hike I end up doing if I have to get back quick, or if I need a brief intense workout. Today it was a great hike (a lot easier to do mid afternoon than first thing in the morning)!

A view of the trail from the top

Greetings Hiking Enthusiasts!

Welcome to my hiking Blog! I have been atop of many mountains, and enjoying the view, I have always wished that I had some way of telling others in detail how great the hike was and showing them the view. Now I can! This blog is going to be my journal of hikes in Southern California. Here I will post descriptions of the hikes I have done, digital images taken along the hike, and my thoughts about the hike. Now all of you will be able to enjoy the hikes as much as I do, and you won't have to worry about keeping up with me on the trail! I will send periodic emails to let you know when I have posted a new entry, and you should be able to comment on those entries if you desire. Check in often and happy hiking!