[Bloated Chipmunk]

Today I decided to do a solo hike up Stonewall Pk., something I've had my eye on ever since I saw it last May when visiting the area. I figured it was a good day to do a potentially popular hike as a lot of peeps would be sitting on their couches watching the Superbowl. I left the house around 8:00, stopped for gas, & was on the 8 in no time. Then I took the 79 north to the trailhead. I wasn't sure where I was supposed to park or if there was a fee, so asked the ranger @ the booth of the entrance to Paso Picacho CG across the way. She told me I could park in the campground day use area for $8, or go back down the rd. about 1.5 mi. or so & park for free @ a different trailhead. Hmm, tough decision. Opting to add another couple mi. onto my hike, I drove back down 79 to connect with the Cold Stream trail. This trail more or less paralleled the hwy. along sometimes waterlogged terrain until it met with the Stonewall Pk. trail.

TH

Stonewall Pk.

Dead tree

Gettin' closer to Stonewall Pk.

That's good to know

Uh oh, what does this mean??

Where I just came from

The main trail was pretty wide with an easy incline up switchbacks all the way to the top. Much of the trail had a fence along it, not sure why. The last bit was a walk up bedrock with a railing for assistance.

There was a hungry squirrel @ the summit too, but I didn't feed him anything.

Curious, hungry squirrel

It was windy & therefore chilly @ the top, so I didn't hang out long.

Heading down

Dead tree

Bye-bye Stonewall

Bye!

The trip down was uneventful, & I was back home by mid-afternoon.

[MountainMan]

Very nice! Cool pointy peaklet!

[daffish]

Ah, Stonewall Peak! Your pictures bring back memories. That mighty mountain is the first one I ever 'climbed'. During my sixth grade, sometime way, way, way back in the 1960's, we had a week long 'camp' at Cuyamaca and went up to the top. Cuyamaca has several minor peaks that are easy off-trail walk ups and the whole area is great to ramble around and explore in the remoter areas of the park. A lot of indian 'metates' (acorn grinding holes in bedrock) are located all over. P.S. watch out for rattlesnakes!

[Bloated Chipmunk]

Thanks for the heads up. Yep, definitely watching for those rattlesnakes! Haven't seen any yet, but plenty of lizards. Good to know there are other little pks. nearby. I'm sure I'll be doing lots of exploring in the coming mos.!