-Pine Mountain (SD)-

Elevation: 5,660 ft.

Date Hiked: 5-23-2010

SDC #24
San Diego county does not get snow in late May very often. Today happened to one of those not very often times. I decided to drive up to Mt. Laguna and see the snow. While I was there I thought I would hike up pine mountain. Pine Mountain is an obscure little bump off the west side of Sunrise Highway near Garnet Peak and Garnet Mountain. It is not so much a mountain as a bump on a ridge. Nonetheless it is on the SDC peak list therefore it must be hiked.

Pine Mountain

A cold front invaded southern California last night and dropped the temperature in the mountains below freezing. There was also off and on snow showers with this front. I wanted to see the weather up close before the summer heat hit so I drove up to Mt. Laguna and took photos and video of the weather streaming in from the west.

I also decided to hike Pine Mountain east of sunrise highway near Garnet Peak. There is not much information about this “peak” other than elevation and coordinates on the San Diego Sierra Club Website This was all I needed, I loaded the information on my GPS and headed out along a road toward the peak.

Frosted Trees Along Sunrise Highway

Frosted Trees II

Frosted Trees III

Frosted Trees IV

A Field Near Pine Mountain

The Start of the Road

As I hiked along the road I followed the GPS and made a turn along a second road. This road wound it way around Pine Mountain and past it. I followed this road until I was near the summit then I went off trail and followed the GPS direction.

The Road

Garnet Peak

The Road Toward the Mountain

Monument Peak

The Road After The Turn

The Road After The Turn II

Off Trail Route

Near the Summit

Pine Mountain Summit

Another Shot of Pine Mountain Summit

The view from the summit was unremarkable. Trees blocked most of the views and it was very overgrown. I followed the same route down as I did up. Round trip took just about an hour.

Clouds Over Sheephead Mountain

Frosted Trees

GPX Track Download