This is the highest point in San Diego County (beats Cuyamaca Peak by 11 ft) and I’m grateful that the Los Coyotes Reservation allows us to hike this beautiful trail on their tribal lands. The surrounding valleys are green and views are fantastic. Although the nearby towns reached a scorching 102°F, the trail was actually a bit cooler, owing to the higher elevation, with an occasional breeze. The trail is basically a fine gravel fire road, quite steep the first 2 miles, but eventually becomes a gentler grade for the rest of the ascent. The rickety lookout tower at the top is not the actual summit. When you arrive at the saddle you’ll see a sign (with a knife sticking thru it) that will point you to the real summit. Just follow the pink ribbons. The true summit is on a large boulder. Two red and blue ropes can help you get up there with a bit of grip and core strength, but there is also a ladder if you go around the back. If you go that way, the last 6 ft or so to the summit requires a bit of Class 3 climbing. There are handholds and footholds in the rock but they’re a bit small, so make sure you have a good grip before hoisting yourself up. The top is a small concrete platform that may fit 3 people. There’s a USGS survey marker in a shallow pit on the summit, and another one down the rock a bit where the ropes are anchored. Special thanks to Phil and Mandy, 2 very nice people I met on the trail who retrieved my dropped Gatorade bottle while I tackled the true summit! Above and beyond!
Note about the bugs: it all depends on your tolerance but I didn’t think they were too bad.  Just gnats lingering intermittently around your head, but not all the time, and never constantly buzzing in your ears and face.  Some writeups I've seen make it sounds like locust plagues of biblical proportions!

Peak 11 / 18 of the #SixPackofPeaks challenge