Thought I would post a few pictures from a trip with some friends yesterday to the top of Los Pinos Mountain, in southeastern San Diego County, and from there down the Espinosa Trail back to the Corral Canyon OHV Area. We did this same route as a club run in July of 2006, the day before most of the area was charred in the Horse Fire. It was a couple of years before you could go back there,
The road to the top of Los Pinos Mountain is paved, one lane, with some great views. The best view, of course, is from the lookout tower itself. Norman, the guy who was there in July of 2006, was there yesterday too. He's even still driving that little red Fiat Spider we saw, but didn't have it with him yesterday.
The Espinosa Trail route (Wells, Los Pinos Lookout, #59, pp 211-213) is just under 20 miles. Wells describes it as moderate, being suitable for" agressive stock 4x4 SUVs with high ground clearance, skid plates and good articulation". He's about right. I never hit my skids or sliders, but there were a lot of deep ruts and ravines, and 4Lo really helped control speed down the steep trail. There are a few turns at junctions along the way, but the route is pretty easy to follow, and showed up on my older Garmin as well. It can get pretty hot out there, we were lucky yesterday, it was only around 80, maybe even cooler. When we were there 4 years ago it was over 100, with very high humidity.
The view from the tower. I was amazed at how many hummingbirds were up there.
Those who were there in 2006 will remember Norman.
Starting down Espinosa, some great views, especially on the corners.
The trail is not so much rocky as it is rutted and carved up by erosion, as a result of the loss of ground cover from the fires and this year's heavy rains. This particular spot doesn't look like it burned, but a lot of water has been flowing around this whole area, especially this year. Here's Rae in her Jeep.
I should probably thrown in some Xterra pictures for those who get bent out of shape seeing Jeeps. This trail is not for people who like to keep their paint nice and shiny, by the way.
It almost seemed more like spring than summer out there, it was not very hot, and there were lots of flowers. Quite a nice change from the last time, except that there were a lot of annoying bugs flying around.
Luckily there was a bypass around this recently fallen tree. Even with my full-size axe it probably would have taken way too long to cut through that oak.
It's hard to see it, but that is the fire lookout tower on the top of the green high point in the middle of the farthest ridgeline.
On the way back home I stopped for a few minutes to check out the remains of this old building along US 80 just west of Buckman Springs Road.
There are a few more pictures here:
http://frankbaiamonte.smugmug.com/So-Cal-Explorations-Day/Los-Pinos-Espinosa-070310/If anyone wants to do this trail, I would recommend soon, or wait until very late fall after the Santa Ana winds have died down.
