[Bloated Chipmunk]

With an unseasonably cool day for mid-May combined w/good timing for seeing barrel cacti in bloom, I opted for the short 'n steep hike up Round Mtn., a.k.a. "Dickhead Mtn." as my boss thinks that's what it looks like. This volcanic plug sits right next to the freeway in the Jacumba area yet does not see very many visitors. The proximity to the Mexico border makes it prime territory for border patrol, however, on this day I had no encounters w/them...nor w/anyone else. Unfortunately there weren't as many barrel blooming as I'd hoped for, nevertheless it was a nice hike. The one other time I'd hiked this pk. we'd come from the SW after taking a circuitous drive to reach the plateau across from it; this time I just parked along the frontage rd. @ the big pullout & called it good.

Round Mtn.'s east side

From the rd. I walked southwesterly, crossing a couple of barbed wire fences & the RR tracks before reaching the base of the pk. on its south side. There was some brush to go through but overall nothing too bad.

RR tracks looking north

RR tracks looking south

I reached the south slope & immediately came across the plethora of barrel cacti.

Barrel cactus

Lots of barrel cacti

@ this point I just more or less walked straight up the south slope, hitting the true summit & then the lower, northern summit w/the flags.

Looking over @ the northern summit

Mt. Tule to the NW

My tiny car below

Summit flags

Plateau to the W/SW

The southern, higher summit

De Anza Springs Resort

Jacumba Mtn.

Gray Mtn. across the freeway

The border wall

After a leisurely rest & a few texts, I headed back down.

Barrel cactus blooms

Lots of barrel cacti

Short hike

Rt.