As you’ve seen above, #preservethegood could mean anything – it could mean helping someone in a time of need; it could be picking up trash on a trail, or a wilderness area; it could be educating people on leave no trace principles; it could be making a difference in any way you want; and it could be just about anything you want as long as you are focused in keeping the magic and the unique positive things in this world and this life. In terms of tangible things, I encourage you, my readers and followers to use the hashtag when you post a photo of something amazing; or when you’re talking about something exceptional you – or someone else has done to improve the world. I look forward to seeing how all of you end up preserving the good in 2015, and you can rest assured that as always, I will keep preserving the good where I find it as well, because as Plato says, “Good actions give strength to ourselves and inspire good actions in others.”
As I mentioned previously, Waimea Canyon is a site that is most definitely one of the “must-view” locations on Kauai, and in the world; and as I also mentioned, the best way to experience it is to hike it. While there are many great hikes through the canyon, the best hike in my book is the Canyon Trail to Waipoo Falls. It is the best hike to me because at four miles roundtrip, it is accessible, it has stunning views of the canyon from inside the canyon, and it ends at the top Waipoo Falls. It also allows the hiker the chance to swim in a waterfall, which is a once in a lifetime experience.
Case in point: McGinty Mountain – or Mt. McGinty. Like Iron Mountain, the roundtrip distance of this hike is 4.8 miles, and the while the elevation gained is slightly less, Mt. McGinty has two advantages: more rare plants and….a lot less people. Advantage: Mt. McGinty. Moreover, Mt. McGinty also has something Iron Mountain does not: hidden mines. Advantage again: Mt. McGinty. So, if you’re interested in a peakbagging experience in San Diego county that does not involve lots of hikers, read on.
Fact: the best hike in San Diego County is one that most people aren’t going to want to do, and probably shouldn’t do, unless they are physically and mentally prepared. And, even better, here’s a supplemental fact about this hike: I had so much to say about this hike that I had to break up my comments into two posts. This hike involves traveling over rough terrain. It involves using a map and compass, or GPS unit. It involves scrambling and some bouldering. It involves not following a trail. It involves off-roading to a remote trailhead; and it involves committing a whole day to hiking in and hiking out. It involves exploring, and possibly breaking the law. It involves avoiding glowing orbs, and avoiding the Borrego Sandman (or men), if they exist. In short, the best hike in San Diego County is nothing short of an epic one-day adventure. This is precisely why this hike is the best hike in San Diego County: it is an adventure. What hike are we talking about? What I am talking about is the Goat Canyon Trestle Hike to the Carrizo Gorge, or if we are being formal, the Mortero Palms to Goat Canyon Traverse.
If you’re a Southern California resident, and you’re looking for a challenge that is a little more exciting than Potato Chip Rock (a/k/a Mount Woodson), the adventure you’re looking for is the Arroyo Tapiado Mud Caves. Since I covered this area in detail back in 2011 here, I’m not going to go into excruciating detail today, because you can read the details here. The caves are located approximately two hours outside of San Diego, and are perhaps the largest network of mud caves in the world, comprising some twenty to thirty caves.
Directions: If you are coming from San Diego, take the I-8 east to the town of Ocotillo, California. Exit the freeway, and turn onto the S-2 hearing North (Left). Follow the S-2 past the brand sparkling new wind turbines, through the border checkpoint, and into Anza-Borrego State Park. Once you are in the State Park, you will want to look for Mile Marker 43, which is also marked as the “Palm Spring” turnout (no, it is not the turnout for the town, it is the turnout for the actual Palm Spring from the Butterfield Stage Line). From this point on you will be “off-roading”.
Today I’d like to talk about the myth and legend of the “Devils Punchbowl” in San Diego County. If you’ve like me, and you’ve lived in San Diego, or spent enough time in San Diego, and you’re interested in the backcountry, chances are you’ve heard of “The Devils Punchbowl” after you heard about Cowles Mountain, Iron Mountain, and Woodson Mountain (a/k/a “Potato Chip Rock”). Here’s the interesting thing though: unlike the above peaks, “The Devils Punchbowl” is a more nebulous concept. There’s no doubt that it exists – it’s definitely a location that exists. But, it exists in about ten or eleven different locations, depending on who you are talking to, and who is giving you directions to the “actual” site.
In 1995, a Democrat was President; cell phones were chunky bricks that seemed better suited to calling in air strikes; you connected to the Internet via this thing called a modem that was connected to this other thing called a land line; and cassette tapes/VHS tapes were battling it out in a format war with these things called CD’s and DVD’s. Even crazier, Val Kilmer was Batman. That’s right. Val Kilmer. Batman. If that doesn’t prove that the 1990s was a strange time, I don’t know what does. Back then, I was just starting out as an outdoor adventurer. There was no handheld GPS; we had handheld maps, and handheld compasses – and woe betide you if you placed your compass on a car hood to take bearings! We also didn’t have hiking forums, blogs, or websites – we had these things called books. At that time, the best book for San Diego County was Afoot and Afield in San Diego County by Jerry Schad, who was the preeminent wilderness expert for the region.
Artichoke Thistle, near the start of the trail - beautiful, but invasive!
It’s time for some not-so-shocking true confessions today: I’m that person who stops when he thinks that he seems something interesting. I’m the person who, when he sees something interesting goes, “Hey, that looks really neat/interesting/what-is-that/different, I should check that out!” Then, I safely determine how to check it out, or, if there’s time or other constraints, mentally file the location and mysterious (or not so mysterious) thing away for a future visit. Sometimes, these places are as awesome as I think they are. Then again, sometimes, there’s a colossal letdown when I visit these spots.
Fortunately, one of San Diego’s “newer” trails is on the more awesome side of life. For years, I’ve been driving along Del Dios Highway and through the Del Dios Gorge, and have always wondered what exactly was down there. In the brief stretches where the road was not curvy, I’d peer into the gorge, and consider whether I could bushwhack through the terrain to Lake Hodges Dam. I never did this because I knew it would be hard on the environment); hard on my body (if you’ve ever traveled cross country through heavy brush, you know what I’m talking about; and because I never had the time. In 2006, the San Dieguito River Park unintentionally read my mind, and began construction of this trail in the exactarea where I had always wanted to go as part of the “coast-to-crest” path; and in 2010 the trail opened to public use. I’m not sure what was holding me back from visiting this area the last two years, but based on my hike the other day; I’ll definitely be going back in the near future.
Del Dios Gorge Bridge
Directions: The trailhead is located in the Del Dios Gorge parking area, which is located directly off of Del Dios Highway. If you are traveling east on Del Dios Highway, you will pass Calle Ambiente on the left, and then there will be a fruit stand that is present that will be on your immediate right. At the location of the fruit stand, there is a road that is marked with “SDRP” signs that leads to the parking area. Similarly, if you’re heading west on Del Dios, you’re going to want to find a way to turn into the fruit stand and follow the access road. Do note that this access road is closed at night, so if your car is in the lot past sunset, you may be locked in the parking area. The map from the SDRP, presented as the first link below does a great job of showing where you will turn.
From the parking area, follow the remainder of the access road to the top of a slight rise to the south, where the road dead-ends next to the Crosby Estates. This is where the Del Dios Gorge Trail starts (to the east); and where the Santa Fe Trail starts (to the west). The trail from this point is well marked, and for the first quarter to half mile, heads slightly uphill along the boundary of the Crosby Estates. While it is a bit disappointing to be directly next to civilization during this section of trail, there are great views of the mysterious Del Dios Gorge below. Depending on what season it is, you will also be able to view larger stretches of flowing water. When I went two weeks ago, there was not much water flowing, but 2012 has been a dry year, and it is summertime – but it was still cool to see what was heading through the gorge.
Lake Hodges Dam
After the initial section along, the trail traverses along the gorge, before dropping down past some interesting interpretive panels about bats, and then down into the gorge proper, where it crosses a fancy bridge that was installed specifically for the trail. This is a great spot to peer into the river, and check out the riparian terrain all surrounding you at this point. From the bridge on, however, was my favorite stretch of trail, as you are in the Del Dios Gorge proper, under partial tree cover, and next to the river. While you are technically beneath/next to Del Dios Highway at this point, I found the trail to be fairly quiet from ambient vehicle noise. At this point, the trail also begins to ascend along the side of the gorge to provide you with a great viewpoint to view the Lake Hodges Dam. At around the 1.75 mile mark, one way, there is another great interpretive panel display about wildfires, and the Dam itself. From that point, it is another slight uphill grade to have a great view of the Dam proper at the two mile point. At this point, you can elect to turn back to your car for a moderate four mile hike, or you can continue along the well-marked trail along the North Shore of Lake Hodges for an extended distance.
Tips: At 1.5 miles from the parking lot, there is a dirt access road turnoff for Lake Hodges Dam. It is impossible to miss, as it is well-marked with a plethora of “Keep-Out” signs. Although I personally would never venture into an area marked “Keep-Out”, I would suspect that if you follow it, you would have a great view of the lower area of the Lake Hodges Dam. I’m only telling you, the reader this, so you do not get lost and venture down to the Dam and receive a ticket, or get arrested, so you may consider that tip for informational use only. As for the rest, this is a great spot to jump off for a longer hike; and although I haven’t been here during the spring, I’d suspect that springtime is the best time for this trail due to wildflowers, and higher water flow in the river, and potentially over the Dam.
One of my favorite hikes in San Diego is the in-and-out hike in Cuyamaca Rancho State Park of the East Side Trail to Harper’s Creek. However, I must caution you: how much you enjoy this hike will likely depend on when you go. If you head out too early in the season, as I found one year with my hiking group, you’ll be slogging through muddy meadows under slate covered skies and pelting snow. If you head out too late in the season, as I found out another year, you’ll be trekking through dry vegetation to nothing but baked rocks that do not have the slightest hint of water. You may be wondering, “When is the best time to go?”; and I would say anytime in the late winter to early spring is the best time to go, because the seasonal flow of Harper’s Creek will not have dried up yet; and hopefully, you will get to see some seasonal wildflowers.
