I pulled off Sunrise Highway and parked under the shade of a pine tree. About 8 or so cars lined the road, as this is a popular trailhead for mountain bikers and hikers. The forecast was predicted to be in the upper 80s in the mountains, so I wanted something that was a bit more mellow and had a bit more shade along the trail. After grabbing my gear, I crossed the highway to the trailhead. I chatted with 3 mountain bikers who were also just setting off on their ride. I set off following the Water of the Woods trail to the north. I cruised along, letting myself reflect on a variety of things. Soon, I found myself at the small pond near the Los Rasalies Ravine. I then hopped onto the Sunset Trail and began a short climb along the hills to the west of the Big Laguna Meadow. Along the way, I got a great view looking across a canyon to Manza Benchmark. After a while, I spied a nice viewpoint that afforded me a good view of the meadow.
I descended to the meadow floor, then crossed over the northern end of, until I joined with Big Laguna Trail. The trail turned south and hugged the eastern side of the meadow. As I hoped, it had a modest amount of shade to ward off the heat. A light breeze also helped as I passed by cows resting in the shade.
Earlier this year, I hiked a portion of this trail with my wife, daughter, and our dog, and knew a lovely spot to take a break and enjoy the views of the meadow. But as I drew near I could see a young family had beaten me to it. So, I went a little further south and found a place to enjoy a small snack before continuing on.
I crossed over the small dam that created Big Laguna Lake and headed back the way I came. For the most part, I had the trail to myself, which was what I wanted. I soon found myself back at the car, and after tossing in my gear, looked at the temperature and it was now a toasty 89°F. The shade and breeze certainly helped. I stopped off at Mike Hess Brewery for their Margarita Pizza and a cold beer before heading home.
I am an avid peak bagger, sometimes backpacker, and former sea kayaker living in San Diego. In 2019, I became the third person to complete the San Diego 100 Peak Challenge. Not stopping with that accomplishment, I set my sights on the harder San Diego Sierra Club 100 Peak list, which I completed in 2021. In addition, I have conquered several Six-Pack of Peaks challenges (SoCal, San Diego, Central Coast, and Arizona-Winter). Beyond attempting the San Diego Sierra Club 100 Peak list a second time, I am looking forward to exploring new summits and new adventures across the southwest.