Coast To Crest Hike
72 miles from Julian to Del Mar
Day 1 - Lake Hodges
I got up early on the first day of the hike, excited to get started. I ate breakfast and packed up the gear I would need for the day (2 water bottles, food, sunscreen, and my notebook) into my small backpack. Then I got dressed in my comfortable walking clothes and put on two pairs of socks, then my hiking shoes. In the car, I thought about the challenge ahead. Day one was about 13 miles along the edge of Lake Hodges and continuing down to the fruit stand. Day one was supposed to be the day we hiked Volcan Mountain, but because of the rain the trails were closed. I hoped the trails along Lake Hodges weren’t too muddy.
My mom and I arrived at school and got our car assignments. We arrived at the trailhead early and had to wait a while for one car that got lost. Mr. Leader asked us what species of bird lives in the Arroyo Willow plant, and I got the answer correct, it is the Least Bell’s Vireo. Finally, everyone was ready so we departed on the first leg of our journey. The first half of the hike was very peaceful, we stopped at a little park area to eat about half way. After lunch, we reconnected with the lake. It was so beautiful and blue, reflecting the clear sky above. After hiking around the north side of the lake, we came to the Lake Hodges Dam. I was immediately struck by the power of the Dam. I could not even imagine how strong that dam must be in order to hold back that much force. For the next few miles, I could not stop thinking about how dams are built and what the San Dieguito River Valley would look like without the Lake Hodges Dam.
After we passed the dam, the area became much drier and there seemed to be less plant growth. It was amazing how different the land looked before and after the dam. The rest of the hike was warmer and dry, but the weather was still quite beautiful. We got picked up at the fruit stand and went home to get ready for another day of hiking!
Pictures of day 1 below:
My mom and I arrived at school and got our car assignments. We arrived at the trailhead early and had to wait a while for one car that got lost. Mr. Leader asked us what species of bird lives in the Arroyo Willow plant, and I got the answer correct, it is the Least Bell’s Vireo. Finally, everyone was ready so we departed on the first leg of our journey. The first half of the hike was very peaceful, we stopped at a little park area to eat about half way. After lunch, we reconnected with the lake. It was so beautiful and blue, reflecting the clear sky above. After hiking around the north side of the lake, we came to the Lake Hodges Dam. I was immediately struck by the power of the Dam. I could not even imagine how strong that dam must be in order to hold back that much force. For the next few miles, I could not stop thinking about how dams are built and what the San Dieguito River Valley would look like without the Lake Hodges Dam.
After we passed the dam, the area became much drier and there seemed to be less plant growth. It was amazing how different the land looked before and after the dam. The rest of the hike was warmer and dry, but the weather was still quite beautiful. We got picked up at the fruit stand and went home to get ready for another day of hiking!
Pictures of day 1 below:
Day 2 - San Dieguito
It was harder to get up on the second day of the hike. My body was still tired from the first day, so getting up and eating breakfast was slower. I slipped back into my hiking socks and boots and got in the car. we drove to school and got our carpools assigned before heading out to the hike location. It was easier to find the location on day two because it was the same place that we were picked up on day one, the fruit stand. We got off faster on day two because all of the delays from day one were resolved.
Day two hike was much less scenic than day one because a good part of the trail was along San Dieguito Road, as opposed to pedestrian hiking trails. The first part of the trail was much more scenic, the trail ran through a canyon that was protected wildlife land. For part of the hike, one side of the trail was a golf course. The difference besides the golf course and the natural plant growth was large. Mr. Leader pointed out how the golf course’s smooth grass only provided shelter for organisms who live in the bottom layer of the habitat, such as worms or bugs, while the natural side had a much deeper layer of brush and shrub life that could accommodate many more birds, lizards, or large mammals, as well as the native bugs that live underground. This got me thinking about how much damage my family’s landscaping does to the native ecosystem. I tried to convince them to get rid of our lawn and plant a native garden instead, but they said no.
By now my feet and legs were getting really tired and sore. We walk along the side of the road until we reach a store corner which has grass. We sit to eat lunch and rest our feet for a while there. Then we keep walking west along the road until we reach another trail. This trail was really exciting because we had to cross a river. I was so glad that I brought some water sneakers, but even with a change of shoes, my feet were still a bit wet when I put my hiking socks back on. I think that is the reason that I got some small blisters on my toes. We continue down the trail until the plants around us start to change again. We are getting closer to the ocean! Eventually we arrive at our stopping point for the day and go home to sleep.
Day 3 - Volcan Mountain
After returning from Arizona and the long weekend, I am all recharged and ready to continue the hike. On this day, my mom and my friend Jessica were able to join us for the hike. Jessica came to my house bright and early and we went to school to pick up a carpool. The drive to the hike was way longer than previous days because it started way out in Julian. The hike on day three was a little different, it was composed of two segments, the first one was a loop to the top of Volcan Mountain and back, and the second was a linear hike west.
The first part loop up the mountain was quite difficult, and the high altitude made it hard to catch my breath. After walking uphill for 1 hour and 45 minutes (3 miles) I was exhausted. But the view from the summit was amazing, and made the difficult walk totally worth it. The way down was much faster, we went the same distance in only 45 minutes. After we returned to our cars, we were all very tired and sore, but we were reassured by the fact that the second half would be downhill and easier.
The second half was more flat, but there were three large hills that we still had to climb. The second half felt really long to me, probably because I was tired from the earlier hike. The scenery was amazing from the second part of the hike, it looked a lot like New Zealand with the green rolling hills and cows. The grass and trees were extra green in the area because of the rain the weekend before, and I could tell that the cows were really happy about that. One cow came over to us as we walked by and was standing just a few feet away! There were also a bunch of adorable baby cows standing with their mom cows and seeing them made me really glad that I am a primary consumer.
Almost at the end of the hike, we stopped at a clear patch of grass that had bones all over the ground. I identified a shoulder, a leg, and two vertebrates, but couldn’t figure out what animal it was from. It was probably from a cow that was killed by a bobcat or coyote. We finished the hike and drove home to rest before the final day.
Pictures of day 2/3 below:
Day 4 - Dog Beach
I woke up on the fourth day sore and tired. My toenails were bruised from being pressed to the front of my sneakers going downhill. I was relieved and excited that it was the last day and it would be a shorter hike, only a mile. I got ready and put on my normal sneakers instead of hiking shoes because it was such a short walk. When we arrived at the drop of area we could not quite see the beach, but could tell we were close because of the seagulls and salty air.
We started walking along the San Dieguito River Valley Trail, but due to construction, we had to take a detour through the Del Mar Fairgrounds. Walking through the fairgrounds was hot and way less scenic than the trails. I couldn’t help but think about how much healthier our river park would be if the Del Mar Fairgrounds were not built. It is sad to me how much space is being used by parking lot, when it could be used as habitat for some of San Diego’s most at risk species.
After circling around the fair, going down a dead end path, turning around, circling the race track, and climbing some stairs, we were finally getting close. The hike was a lot longer than I expected and my feet were getting really tired. We finally crossed the coast road and the end was in sight! We hiked down the final stretch and arrived on the sand. We were done! Even though I missed a few days, I felt quite accomplished at that moment. Overall, the hike was an amazing experience for me and I am so glad that I had the opportunity to participate.