As usual, I'm way late with logging my hikes, but I figured better late than never 🙂

My latest ascent of Hot Springs Mountain was overall pretty uneventful. There had been two separate mountain lion sightings in the days before, so I was keeping my eyes peeled to maybe spot one of these elusive animals, but, alas, no such luck.

As usual, the first two miles (covering the steepest and most exposed part of the hike) were a bit of a slog, but once you reach the forested part it's all worth it. Surprisingly (it being late March), there were still a few snow-covered spots next to the trail.

At the summit, the notorious rickety ladder got moved to a new spot, and getting to the top platform is an even more precarious and dicey adventure now. Add to that the frayed ropes that looked even less trust-inspiring than last time, and I decided to skip the platform this time and just put an entry into the summit log (which, thankfully, is still located below the actual summit).

Other than that, good visibility, and still relatively mild March temperatures. Summiting San Diego County's highest mountain always makes for a good day 🙂