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| Hiking | 3.92 Miles |
832 AEG |
| | Hiking | 3.92 Miles | 2 Hrs 41 Mns | | 2.12 mph |
| 832 ft AEG | 50 Mns Break | | | |
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| no partners | | This hike is in Palomar Mountain State Park. I had driven up to the park via a dirt road called Nate Harrison Grade. http://hikearizona.com/photoset=27690
The park is not large, only about 1800 acres. I took my time on this loop, stopping at the wonderful fire tower where volunteer fire lookout Ramon Thomas was giving tours. This fire tower is on Boucher Hill, and you take the Boucher Trail to get there (although you can also drive to it.) But "Boucher" is not pronounced like the one in Grand Canyon "Boo-shay." It is pronounced "Booker." Ramon told me that it was a family by the name of Bougher, but somewhere along the way the spelling was changed to Boucher. From the fire tower I could see San Clemente Island, which is owned by the Navy. I used to be a volunteer out there back in the 70's, rounding up feral goats. (Alston will have fun with that information...) Turns out Ramon used to work out there for over 20 years. It turned out that he and I were both born in San Diego in the same year, but in different hospitals.
After an hour of chatting with Ramon and looking at maps, and identifying peaks--San Jacinto, San Gorgonio, the San Gabriel Mountains, Margarita Peak, Rodriguez Mountain, and many, many more--and islands--Catalina, and also the Mexican islands were visible as well as San Clemente Island, I left the tower and continued the loop. Going downhill through the old fire area is like walking between two tall hedges. The chaparral has grown up thickly, and the trail crews have to keep it trimmed back or the trail will disappear. I think it was mountain mahogany. I need to brush up on my chaparral plants. (Unintended pun!)
I looped around through the Cedar campground, which had huge cedar trees as well as gargantuan live oaks, and on up the Scott's Cabin Trail, and back to the parking lot. Afterward I stopped at the ranger station to talk to them about volunteering there. I think I may apply to be a volunteer there. I drove to the gate of the Palomar Observatory, and checked out the Fry Creek Campground, and drove down the East Grade Road, which is the usual road, the one with all the motorcycles. |
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Autumn Foliage Observation Moderate
Black oaks. |
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There is a point of no return unremarked at the time in most lives. Graham Greene The Comedians
A clean house is a sign of a misspent life. |
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