Essential Gear

I thought it would be fun to show a few pictures of the things I like to take with me when I go on a hike.

Camelbak: This is quickly becoming my prize possession. I let the REI lady talk me into the new 2006 "MULE" model, despite its relatively expensive cost. This little backpack has a 3-liter reservior with a nice tube that comes right over the shoulder and works like a straw with a controlled bitepiece. It is just large enough to hold a book, camera, maps, windbreaker, snacks, and a few other small items. This one even has a nice pocket at the top with a weatherproof zipper specifically designed to hold an MP3 player.

Pedometer: Given to me by Leah and Toby for my last birthday, this little gadget tracks and records my every step and if I program it accurately, it will translate steps into miles. It came with 4 separate covers, and I went with the red color to give me that "extreme" feeling when I am hiking. It records by using an internal spring mechanism that bounces each time I take a step. One of these days I am going to wear it to work to see how many miles I walk around the office each day.

Shoes: These Nikes were given to me by my father-in-law last Christmas. They have great traction and the seams are covered with a clear coating to prevent them from being scraped or ripped by rocks (a problem I have had with my other shoes). They have a nice breathable material that keeps my feet warm but also allows good ventilation. The front of the shoe is a thick rubber covering that hasn't seemed to scuff despite my run ins with rocks. Learn to recognize your traction so if you ever get lost, you will see your footprints and backtrack properly.

Snacks: I like to spend a little time at the top of each peak and enjoy a good snack. My favorite are the Tiger's Milk bars given to me by my mother-in-law last Christmas (two cases: Peanut Butter and Protien Rich). Who knows if they are really good energy bars, but they sure taste good. The balance bars are also good, which seem like a thick version of the Tiger's Milk. I don't know if I recommend the Snickers Energy Bar though- it seemed a little too much like a candy bar. Trail mix is also good. I used to eat sunflower seeds along the trail, but then I found myself trying to conceal them in my mouth when other hikers came along, and I was afraid someone would say something about me littering along the trail.

Books/Maps: In my opinion, any book by Jerry Schad is a must have. Not only are they well worded and informative, but I have found them accurate to a T, and very comprehensive. I recommend Afoot & Afield In San Diego County, or 101 Southern California Hikes. The latter gives you the highlights of the hike up front and also tells you if the trails are suitable for mountain biking. I usually search the net a little before my hikes, and I have found www.summitpost.org and www.peakbagger.com to be very helpful.

Garnet Peak

ELEVATION: 5,909 FT
DISTANCE: 2.4 MILES
TIME: 1.5 HOURS
DIFFICULTY: MODERATE

The alarm went off at 4:30 a.m. telling me it was time to get up and get ready for this hike. This peak has the reputation of being the best place to watch a sunrise in San Diego County. We made the early morning drive along the Sunrise Highway toward the Laguna Mountains where we met up with the trailhead. The first part of the trail is level and meets up with the Pacific Crest Trail. At that point (about halfway), it begins a steady climb up to the peak.

Although I missed the coming up of the sun by about 10 minutes, the view was magnificent nonetheless. I would recommend a plan to be at the peak 30 minutes before sunrise, because the best part is the bright orange sky that reflects upon the desert peaks before the sun actually comes up over the horizon.

The peak itself is a collection of jagged rocks that truly make you feel like you are on a peak when you stand on any one of them. This peak is one of the 10 highest in the county.

Although the views are good in all directions, the view east out upon the Anza Borrego desert is the most captivating. This is because the east side of the peak drops almost straight down into the high desert, whereas the west side is part of the plateau of the Laguna Mountains. It offers a great view of the Salton Sea, Pinyon Mountains, Hot Springs Mountain, and even into Mexico.

Oasis Spring

DISTANCE: 2 MILES
TIME: 1.5 HOURS
DIFFICULTY: MODERATE

While we were out in the Laguna Mountains, we decided to try this short hike as an aside to our hike up Garnet Peak. The trailhead is 1.3 miles south of the Garnet Peak trailhead on the Sunrise Highway (mile 26.5). We started at an overlook that was funded by Cleveland National Forest Adventure Pass dollars.

The trail follows along the Pacific Crest Trail at first, then deviates down a grade along the east side of the mountain with a view of the desert along the way. As we approached the spring, the vegetation became more lush, but the trees remained burnt from the 2003 fires.

We finally noticed the spring when we saw a large concrete “bathtub” full of murky water, and we began to hear its sound. A tiny cave in the rock of the mountain was pouring forth cold water to the right of the bath. The stream of water led down to a red pump house, which a volunteer later told us was the original source of water for the mountain.

Kwaaymii Trail

DISTANCE: 1/2 MILE
TIME: 30 MINUTES
DIFFICULTY: EASY

This is an interpretive trail that is located right behind the Cleveland National Forest Visitor Center along the Sunrise Highway. At the trailhead there are guides that identify 8 marked features along the way.

The purpose of the trail is to teach the hiker about the lifestyle of the Kwaaymi Indians as it existed many years ago. One highlight is the Pinyon Pines, which are bushy pine trees that produces nuts that were harvested by the Indians.



Also along the trail are two areas of authentic morteros, which are the holes in the rocks formed by Indians to grind the nuts. I would recommend this little hike especially to those with small children.

Cuyamaca Peak

ELEVATION: 6,512 FT
DISTANCE: 5.5 MILES
TIME: 2.5 HOURS
CHALLENGING

Cuyamaca peak is the second tallest peak in San Diego County (Hot Springs Mountain beats it by just 21 FT). On a clear day, the peak can be seen in the distance from many other locations within San Diego County. By enlarging the picture on the right (which was taken atop Mt. Woodson), you can see in the background (left to right) North Peak, Middle Peak, and Cuyamaca Peak (the tallest).

The trail is a paved service road that begins off Highway 79 adjacent to the Paso Picacho Campground. The trail maps say it is a 7.2 mile round trip hike, but it seemed shorter than that, so I am going with the 5.5 mile distance used in Jerry Schad's books (I lost my pedometer that day). The road is a gradual uphill, with some steep spots but enough level spots to give you a break every now and then. The surrounding trees were all burnt by the 2003 cedar fire, with the exception of the trees at the very top.

It was very cold when Byron, April, and I made it to the top, and the winds must have been at least 40 mph. On the left is a picture of my brother Byron attempting to eat sunflower seeds on the highest rock of the summit. One of them hit me and because of the wind propulsion it felt like being hit by an air soft gun. The clouds above us were flying by at great speeds, and a storm was moving in so we did not spend too much time at the top.

The view west was the most spectacular, because the elevation drop on the west side of the mountain is the greatest. If that park ranger who seemed to doubt our hiking abilities is reading this, WE MADE IT!

Doane Valley Nature Trail

DISTANCE: 1 MILE
TIME: 30 MIN.
EASY

Although most of the Julian/Cuyamaca area was burned in the 2003 Cedar Fire, the Palomar Mountain forest still remains to offer the feeling of being away amidst the mountain pines. The Doane Valley nature trail is a small interpretive loop that begins at the parking lot near Doane Pond in the Palomar Mountain State Park. Interpretive trail guides are available at the trailhead so that hikers can learn about the natural features along the trail. The trail winds through a forest filled with cedars, oaks, and white fir trees. A highlight of the trail is the very large twisted cedar tree which my brother is standing next to (right).

At one point the trail leads into a mountian meadow before winding back to the camp area. We saw a lot of birds, including Chickadees, Stellar's Jays, and Mountain Bluebirds. We also had a lot of fun calling for deer, but did not see any this time (though I have gotten very close to them on this trail before. If you are a fisherman, Doane Pond is an excellent place to catch trout. Below is a picture of me with the stringer of 9 fish caught by my Dad, brother Byron, sister April, and I.

Stonewall Peak

ELEVATION: 5,730 FT
DISTANCE: 4 MILES
TIME: 2 HOURS
MODERATE

Stonewall Peak is the smallest of a group of four main peaks in the Cuyamaca State Park Area. The peak is distinguished by a stony top made from several large granite boulders. The trail head begins right across the street from the Paso Picacho campground. The initial ascent of the trail is somewhat steep, but the remainder of the trail consists of gradual switchbacks to the top, so the hike is not too difficult. My father-in-law and I did this hike on a brisk December morning. Although the trees were all burnt by the 2003 Cedar Fire, a lot of the brush vegetation has begun to grow back. We even spotted some San Diego Sweet Pea (right).

The coolest part about this hike is the final ascent to the top. As the dirt trail comes to an end, a series of stone steps have been built into the boulders along with a metal guardrail for safety. The steps follow a straight line to the top, and the top is culminated by a rock alter that apparently was once part of some sort of monument.

The view is spectacular in all directions except the west, which is blocked by Cuyamaca Peak and Middle Peak. We spotted San Jacinto while looking toward the north over Lake Cuyamaca. I have plans to do this hike again with some siblings, followed by a pancake breakfast at the old diner in the nearby Julian town.