Lately, I haven’t been doing too much hiking. A few nature walks here and there, as a park volunteer, but no getting out and enjoying a hike, just for the sake of hiking. So yesterday, when the afternoon looked like it would be open, and the motivation matched the desire to get out, I took off for the local mountains.
Right before I left I got some email notifications that some new geocaches had been published out near where I wanted to go. I loaded them on my GPS, and my phone, got my pack loaded, and decided to hit the road.
In order to get the caches, which were east of my intended trailhead, I got off Highway 8 and took 79 through Cuyamaca Rancho State Park, then on to Sunrise Highway.
All 5 geocaches were of the park-and-grab variety and it wasn’t long before I grabbed 3 first-to-finds, and two more older caches.
After the geocaching was done, I made my way over to the Meadows Information Center trailhead (Agua Dulce on my Google Map). When I pulled up there were quite a few cars parked along the road, but by the time, I got my pack out and ready, extended my trekking poles, and chugged some water, four cars had pulled out.
By this time it was 4:30 in the afternoon, and it was warm but I wouldn’t say hot, the sun was low enough to drop behind some of the taller trees in certain sections. It really was a great day to be outside, enjoying the summer.
For the most part it was a quick hike, only an hour and half, and 3.2 miles. After leaving the trailhead, I immediately headed north on the Sunset Trail. This is the same trail I reported on in March, but this was the southern end, and a much shorter journey. Going north on the Sunset Trail, I worked my way around and down to the Water of the Woods, a smallish reservoir, intended to water cattle. This was the southern end of my March hike, so now I’ve hiked the whole Sunset Trail, just not at once. One of these days I’ll organize a vehicle shuttle and do the trail point to point.
This time of year the reservoir/pond is alive with small creatures, mostly birds and insects, but I imagine there must be frogs living in there. I doubt there are fish, as the water sometimes dries up completely.
Arriving at Water of the Woods, I can see there are cattle in the meadow. I’d never seen cows out there before, but like I said, the reservoir was probably made by ranchers to water cattle. There is, after all, still a ranch across the meadow called Laguna Ranch. Being a suburbanite my whole life, I don’t know much about cows, other than they taste pretty good, and I like cheese, but the further along the trail I walked, the more cows I was able to see.
I assumed cows, being domestic animals, wouldn’t have much of an issue with a hiker going by, but these were some nervous cows. Some were large bulls, and occasionally one would square up the closer I got. Mostly they just got nervous and walked or ran away from the scary hiker. Once in a while, a nervous (and drooling) mother cow would make head feint towards me before running off. Whenever a group of cows was close and nervous, I would look around for a boulder or tree I could go hide behind if one of those squared-up bulls decided to protect his brood. But, they mostly just trotted away when I got too close. Which was fine by me, as I wasn’t enjoying having to constantly shoo cows off the trail ahead of me.
The meadow was beautiful in the afternoon, and there was still a slight green to the meadow grasses. Some friends told me in the spring the meadow was all green, and covered in wildflowers. I’ll keep that in mind for next year.
It was such a nice afternoon, and it just kept getting nicer (except for all the cows), it was too bad I left my camera in the car. I did have my newest toy, but it was the first real outing with video, so it’s a little rough, and I missed some shots I should have taken, but I’ll get better. Surprisingly there were only 3 other people on the trail, but I guess the heat out east is not ideal hiking weather. My internet weather sources had the temps in the low to mid-90s, but it was actually quite nice. Normally I wouldn’t have gone when it was that hot, but the lows were in the 50s, so I figured on an afternoon temperature drop.
Around 6 p.m. I was already nearing Sunrise Highway again, happy I’d made the drive out the mountains. Only downside was I’d hoped to stop by Alpine Beer Company on the way home to fill a growler with Pure Hoppiness, but sadly they close at 6:00. Oh well, great trip anyway.
Sunset Trail, Laguna Meadow at EveryTrail
Plan your trips with EveryTrail iPhone Travel Guides
One of the first things I did when I moved back to San Diego from Portland, Oregon in 1997 was hike to Cedar Creek Falls with a couple of my old buddies. It was early March, when we drove from my pal, Eric’s, house in Ramona to the trailhead. The falls were crowded that day, not to mention surrounded by poison oak, and not really a fulfilling hike in my book. There are more secluded falls around, which are easier to get to, and with fewer beer cans. In those days I was grossly out of shape, and the hike out was unpleasant; a long uphill slog.
I was in Cuyamaca State Park yesterday, and a couple of visitors I spoke with asked about Cedar Creek Falls, as though they were considering it as a place to escape the heat. It was very hot up there yesterday, and if there was a glacier where Cedar Creek Falls is, it wouldn’t have been worth the hike. Four people succumbed to the heat and had to be rescued. One of their two dogs died in the heat. Forest Service and Cal Fire crews handed out cases of water, drove people out, and made necessary rescues in the heat.
Folks, as hot as it is, you need to make good decisions before heading out on the trail. Like not heading out on the trail. Even the most experienced hiker is susceptible to heat exhaustion, and it doesn’t take long. Heat stroke is even worse, and walking out of Cedar Creek in 100 degree heat is a quick way to put your life in danger. Light-colored, long-sleeved shirts, a wide brim hat, and as much water as you can carry is only a start in that heat. Go to a movie, to the library, or stay home when the thermometer nears 100. If you’re making a steep downhill hike into a hot canyon, keep in mind you’re coming out the same way. Be safe, and use common sense.
