Capping the Challenge at San Diego’s Hot Springs Summit

The day after completing the hike to High Point Palomar was the hike to San Diego County High Point – Hot Springs Mountain. I arrived around 0900H unfortunately the ranger station was closed and there was no pen available to write the requested information for the day hike permit. Fortunately another vehicle arrived and the passengers/driver were gracious to let me use their pen to fill out the requested information for the day hike permit. After we wrote our information & enclosed payment in our respective envelopes and dropped them in the designated drop slot, we continued to the parking lot. After last minute gear checks & preparations we hiked. The group then went off on their own hike and I proceeded at a much slower pace. The fall foliage was visible. There were a number of hikers out on the trail. I first visited the abandoned tower where there were four other visitors who were already there, before heading to the summit. When I arrived at the place below the summit block, I noticed the ammo box with the register was gone since the last time I was there. I would later find the ammo box with the register on the summit block itself. I took photos by the ladder then went over to the north side and I scrambled to one of the survey markers took photos, scrambled down and then headed up the ladder to the summit block. I took photos of the two survey markers there, took photos, and rested before descending back. On the way back I encountered some hikers, some were heading up and some were headed down as well as a vehicle. I took my time. I arrived back at my vehicle around 4:00 PM and that concluded the hike as well as the San Diego Challenge.