Survey of Sunrise Trailhead Area

November 20, 2008

NB on Sunrise Hwy [in my truck]

mile 26.5 is scenic overlook for Storm Canyon

just before mile 28 is road down to Pine Valley

mile marker 28.5 at 8.0 on my odometer

8.1 on L is an interpretive bulletin board turnoff

mile 29 at 8.5

8.8 Pioneer Mail Trailhead to R

Kwaymii Point Dr and sign for Anza Borrego State Park

mile 34 is at 3.5

3.7 L into Sunrise Trailhead

SE corner of trailhead corner at 32 58.648 N 116 31.439 W

there are rest rooms near this corner and beginning of Lucky Five Trail

I go around the enclosure counter clockwise

[start at 58-648-31-439]

677-473 entrance from Sunrise Hwy

698-501 NE corner and another entrance from Sunrise Hwy

681-506 La Cima Trail

635-444 the SW corner

connect to first corner [648-439!]

The Lucky Five Trail is roughly at the middle of the S end

La Cima Trail is roughly at NW corner

both trails are signed as multi-purpose for bicycles, hikers and horseback
riders

641-442 I set out on the Lucky Five Trail

mileage 0.26 [approximate perimeter of enclosure]

614-352

trail is running very nearly parallel to Sunrise Hwy

588-281
543-242

the path here appears to be the remains of an old fire road, it may have been
a previous alignment of Sunrise Hwy

536-238
501-233
481-229
488-219
496-207
498-160
511-144
512-134

good view from this point, I take a picture

503-96
481-77
461-71
438-33
419-33
393-36
328-37
299-44
257-14
250-965
265-914

246-912 large valley to the S, and the trail here is narrower, it may not be
part of an old road

254-892
263-893
271-898

some switchbacks here, even though the grade is not very steep

269-889
252-878
239-883
255-863

58-245-30-851 trail emerges on Sunjrise Hwy next to entrance to Lucky Five
Ranch, mileage 1.28

I cross Sunrise Hwy to enter what appears to be a continuation of the trail
[it is a gated dirt road]

239-834 I go around a locked gate with a state park boundary sign on it

237-821
188-796

this is definitely a double track with automobile tire marks on it

126-795 area to R is signed as closed for restoration

99-758
75-721
49-704
43-693
30-661
7-656
3-630
992-616
938-570
908-540
893-520
922-522

what appears to be a piece of the PCT down in a ravine to my L

57-952-30-513-PCT Pacific Crest Trail LR but the road continues, mileage 1.98

to the L just beyond the PCT is an overgrown double track marked closed for
restoration

I continue on the road

964-480
960-440!

topo shows this road heading away from Sunrise Hwy, end of this part, I turn
around

back at Sunrise Hwy at 2.75, I turn R

mile 33.5 at 2.82

3.54 miles, back at Sunrise Trailhead, I rest here a while, then I'll check
the other trail

mileage 3.71 58-679-31-501 I enter La Cima Trail

676-524 interpretive plaque holder on L, but it's empty

681-559
670-598
671-621 water tank, remains of windmill, and water for horses
682-647
669-661
658-700
662-720
645-732
662-751
652-805
691-805
709-792
738-780
754-796
807-811
824-848
830-875
819-915
858-894
889-890

Sunrise Hwy is fairly close, there is a barbed-wire fence between this trail
and the highway

898-907
936-908
961-952
986-950
9-952
39-978
32-34
38-65
23-81
995-82

59-29-32-88 trail crosses a paved road leading to La Cima Conservation Camp,
mileage 4.84

59-29-32-120 junction, Upper Green Valley Trail is to L, unmarked trail
[probably the continuation of La Cima Trail] to R, I turn R

44-97
76-78
99-96
141-9
165-997
179-3
192-34
241-4
287-996
348-6
363-7
376-24
402-26
440-43

this part definitely resembles an old roadbed

498-103
521-142
528-185
521-199
504-213
469-222
489-255
508-264
562-264
594-261
623-310
629-354
630-392
620-495
601-517
623-526
645-535

59-629-32-598 unsigned slanted T junction, I turn sharp R

I see some signs marking it as the California Riding and Hiking Trail [CHRT]

649-574! I cross Sunrise Hwy

sign on other side says CRHT

it's also marked as the Trans County Trail with a very small sign

end of this part, I stop to eat my lunch here at the Fages Monument

mileage here 6.36

I'm going to follow the CRHT to Soapstone Grade

back at the T [59-629-32-598]

588-631
578-645
534-677
499-691
478-690
543-720
526-780
509-815
478-850
455-854
416-903
350-935
302-979
279-988
247-996
195-7
163-982
115-971
18-950
967-936
905-952
879-934
865-944
830-947
801-920
761-902
754-921
705-952
672-962
651-947
636-954

58-610-32-943-"park boundary" entering Cuyamaca Rancho State Park

535-908
488-860
498-835
451-795
399-791
379-777
374-769
314-715
341-679
319-655
262-645
242-664

58-169-32-703! trail emerges on Soapstone Grade FR, mileage here 8.45

I turn L and stop calling lat/lon

58-111-32-287 junction with Upper Green Valley FR, I turn L and start calling
lat/lon

188-296 mileage here is 9.25
298-298
340-317

this is apparently the remains of an old road [which is shown on the topo]

369-315
385-321
402-321
410-303
469-270
487-273
498-256
538-236
575-252
580-240

58-605-32-236-"park boundary" entering Anza Borrego State Park

straight gullies on either side just beyond the fence line, it appears that
the fence line may have caused the erosion

635-249
668-206
684-206
697-221
733-188
759-182
783-163
808-165

just past that point the old roadbed veers R, and there is a trail sign
pointintg to the L

the old roadbed is so overgrown that it's hardly visible

880-145
942-145
962-123
979-130
27-139

59--27--32--124 previously surveyed junction, end of this part [change to
59-29-32-120! to match previous reading]

I go back to the starting point on La Cima access road and Sunrise Hwy

11.2 miles back at the truck, end of this part

across the street from the trailhead is a connector to the PCT

bicycles are not allowed on it

I leave my bike at the truck to survey it on foot

58-699-31-472 I enter the path

723-462
722-434
742-430
750-418
747-383
768-363
792-363
802-354
821-350

58-821-31-334! junction with PCT

end of this part, I turn around


-----------------------------------------------------------------------


Survey of Pacific Crest Trail near Sunrise Trailhead

December 6, 2008

Starting from Sunrise Trailhead on Sunrise Hwy, I will hike the
Lucky 5 - PCT Loop

set out on Lucky 5 Trail at 10:58 AM [0.00 miles]

1.03 miles 11:18 AM I cross Sunrise Hwy

before this point, I met four mountain bikers going in the opposite direction

a man on a motor bike passes me on this road

I guess this hike won't be as lonely as I thought it would be

L onto PCT at 1.67 miles, 57--959--30--512
[change to 57-952-30-513 to match reading on Nov. 20]

959-527
926-535
935-547
954-550
983-587
997-600
14-611
37-624
63-675
64-673

there are bicycle tire tracks on this trail, although there shouldn't be

111-697
141-723
165-710 this part is vertiginous
188-715 this part is not so bad
192-743
242-782
258-796
270-819

58-271-30-838 what appears to be a social trail to L going up to the road, I
turn L

263-835

58-242-30-836! trail emerges on Sunrise Hwy just N of the Lucky 5 Trail,
mileage here 2.21, I turn around, end of this part

2.25 L on Pacific Coast Trail, I resume calling lat-lon [58-271-30-838]

286-858
305-879
322-889
380-897
408-901

58-461-30-919-"*" PCT trail marker, views of road and canyon, I take some pictures

what looks like the remains of a road R and L

464-932 another PCT marker, apparently to keep hikers off that road

441-932

402-960 road is to my L, quite close and 20 to 30 feet above me, there is no
social trail up to the road, but I could scramble up there if necessary

414-973
429-975
469-25
475-26
500-14
521-10
533-24
533-46
527-58

highway is quite close at top of a steep slope [I would find it very difficult
to scramble up to the highway]

536-84
538-97
546-93
558-113
569-160
572-156
588-162
588-147

58-615-31-118-"*" faint roadbed to each side and PCT signs

626-130
672-138
692-146
678-165
675-204
678-225

673-258-"*" pair of PCT signs, but no visible side trail

703-277
726-268
765-261
810-226
804-267
816-296
814-322

58--821--31--333! previously encountered [on another trip] trail junction,
mileage here 3.41, time now 12:31
[chnage to 58-821-31-334 to match Nov. 20 reading]

I stop calling lat-lon and I turn L to go back to the starting point

3.81 I cross Sunrise Hwy

3.89 12:39 PM back at the starting point at the beginning of the Lucky 5
Trail, end of this part


-----------------------------------------------------------------------


Survey of Pacific Crest Trail near Sunrise Trailhead

December 11, 2008

Sunrise Trailhead on Sunrise Hwy

10:24 AM 0.00 miles, entering connector to PCT [Pacific Crest Trail]

0.25 miles the junction with PCT 58-821-31-334 [matches Nov. 20 reading]

I go N on PCT

837-342
855-328
896-307
916-298
933-303
942-317
929-345

900-379 a faint side trail to L apparently leading up to a small pond [shown
on the topo], I turn L

there is also a trail marker here

881-402! the pond is dry, I take a picture, end of this part, I turn around

back on the PCT [900-379], I continue N

902-384 another trail sign on this side

921-382
958-396
5-453
11-468
35-494
51-508
51-522
61-549
71-556
87-555
129-534
165-534

144-553-"side path" faint side paths L and R through an arroyo, L side path
may lead to another pond [as shown on the topo], probably dry, no trail signs
here

169-566
196-595
205-599
214-593
241-613
251-615
267-601
285-593
306-600
322-620
331-646
327-678
355-669
374-689
395-724
425-735
452-740
483-722
499-726
527-742

so far, I have not see or heard Sunrise Hwy from the PCT

573-734
592-743
617-774
626-789
648-805
658-831
668-842
709-841
718-843
731-864
756-879

to my L I can see a valley, which may be the one that contains the California
Riding and Hiking Trail E of Sunrise Hwy

786-858
810-853
831-857

I can see Cuyamaca Lake from here, and I can also see Sunrise Hwy

856-883
884-902
904-930 the remains of a barbed wire fence to my R
925-935
948-960
963-977
986-986
997-987
10-18 I am just 1/100th of a minute N of the 33rd parallel
6-35
19-65

opening to grassy valley to L, rest is low chaparral

50-80
96-60
125-81
148-85

I think I can see some of the truck trails down in Oriflamme Canyon and Mason
Valley TT

181-111
200-138
241-141
263-130
279-130
306-143
305-195
307-212
337-226
351-245
372-242
403-245
430-211
442-206

I see the dirt road going down into Oriflamme Canyon [Mason Valley TT]

I've ridden that road during the Tour de Julian

459-222
496-222
503-243

I don't see any bicycle tire marks on this part of the PCT, but it is quite
ridable

568-270
589-271
613-279
630-325

0-640-32-326 junction with California Riding and Hiking Trail [aka Mason
Valley TT], mileage 3.24, time 11:47, I explore a bit, take some pictures and
eat my lunch

12:02 PM mileage 3.38 I continue on the California Riding and Hiking Trail
toward Sunrise Hwy

639-340 I go around a locked gate on Mason Valley TT

619-356 fork in road, I keep L to stay on the California Riding and Hiking
Trail [Mason Valley TT goes R]

just beyond this fork, there is a trail sign with a San Diego Trans County
Trail sticker

570-397

545-393-fence I pass through a gap in a fence, with some yellow-top post, a
faded California Riding and Hiking Trail sign, and a state park boundary sign

539-389
514-353
461-332
365-299
334-287
293-285
202-261

0-122-32-257 area ahead close for plant rehabilitation, trail goes R, pretty
good signage

106-345
98-356
51-354
0-359 I am right on the 33rd parallel!
946-364
883-360
844-349

59-799-32-352 the other end of that closed route, it's pretty well signed

763-368
740-384
714-420
699-452
688-490 old trail SA has a closure sign on it, I go L onto current trail
677-496 trail turns R, to L is a faint closed double track
678-520
677-543
672-563

59-664-32-569! Sunrise Hwy, I stop calling lat/lon here, distance 4.77 miles,
time 12:38 PM

I'm going back on the La Cima Trail

there is a sign at the entrance to La Cima Trail, but I missed it on a
previous trip because it is partly hidden behind foliage on a fallen tree
branch

6.32 junction with Upper Green Valley Trail, time 1:14 PM

[accidental open mike more than six mintes, notes at Sunrise
Trailhead missed]

[arrive back at Sunrise Trailhead about 7.8 miles, more or less,
at 1:40 PM according to time stamp on 38421]

now NB on Sunrise Hwy in my truck

Fages monument just beyond mile 36 marker, center of monument parking area is
at 6.4 on my odometer

6.6 former California Riding and Hiking Trail crossing and cattle guard

L on C-79 at 8.1

9.7 paved-over cattle guard

end of survey