StoneWall Peak in Cuyamaca Rancho State Park

It was a cloudy day when we began in San Diego. A light drizzle was followed by rain in some areas as we drove along towards Cuyamaca Rancho State Park.

It was a easy hike along gentle switchbacks. The fires in the last 5 years have charred most of the age old oak trees. As expected the trail is well maintained with bushes having grown to heights taller than most humans. The cloud cover did not allow a view of the top of the peak as we hiked up. A light drizzle gave way to steady rain and we were forced to take shelter among some rocks by the path. There was no thunder as forewarned, just steady rain. We made the distance of 2 miles within an hour, despite the 5 to 10 minute stop due to rain.

The ascent to the top on this day was interesting due to the guard rails on the granite top and the mist and clouds in the area. It brought back some fond memories of hikes in the Sahyadris that usually bring this kind of experience in this month. The ascent here was about 813 feet with the peak being recorded at 5726 feet and the base at 4913 feet. This makes it taller than Kalsubai (5400 feet) the highest peak of the Sahyadris in Maharashtra but definitely is not as much of a challenge (not been to the latter though). What a difference latitude makes? It always amazes me, this region has snow at altitudes of 5000 feet in winter months, despite being close to the ocean.

The top offered good views of Cuyamaca lake and some other mountains in the distance in all directions. There was quite some greenery despite the fires but the mark of fire will persist for years to come.

The descent was as comfortable as one would expect. We were back to the Paso Pichacho Campground in just over two hours.

It was a short drive to the base, followed by quick ascent/descent, thereby making it an enjoyable half day hike.

Cowles Mountain in Mission Trails Regional Park, San Diego

Having been twice to Iron Mountain and Mt Woodson, I was looking at other hiking options in and around San Diego city limits. I then read about Cowles Mountain (pronounced as "Cow-ellz"), the highest point within San Diego city limits standing 1591 feet above sea level.

I began the trail at the visitor center located beside Golfcrest Drive at 4:21 pm on July 20th, 2008. The elevation change to get to the top is 950 feet and it is a distance of 1.5 miles to get to the top. This is a rather easy hike suitable for all ages (small kids to grand parents) and is well populated. In exactly 37 minutes, I made it to the top along a wide and dirt filled trail. Views in all directions were hazy in the distance but as expected they were unobstructed. Lake Murray reservoir appears close from the top and one can also recognize Mt Soledad, Black Mountain and other landmarks along the coast.

After a 15 minute break looking at the views and hydrating myself, it was time to get down. Getting down was not as fast as expected. It took 27 minutes of brisk walking to get to the parking lot. There were quite a few people jogging up and down. Infact a group of three, beat me on the way to the top by about 5 minutes.

The hike from Lake Poway to the top of Mt Woodson is tougher than this one, although there are other approaches to the top of Cowles Mountain in this area. A 360 degree panoramic view, proximity to the city and the fact its the tallest one around are three things I liked about this short easy hike.