notes on Marty Minshall and Los Vaqueros Trails

December 12, 2008

10:33 AM at Trout Pond parking area mileage 0.00

following Marty Minshall Trail [toward Stonewall Mine]

0.29 miles I climb over some fallen trees 58-689-34-682

683-576 a trail marker with two San Diego Trans County Trail stickers on it,
however, there are no obvious side trails here

correction: there is a little side trail off to the R, but it appears to have
been deliberately blocked [with tree branches]

[I go a little farther along Marty Minshall Trail]

Los Caballos Trail R, apparently the trails are still here, but one leg of the
little triangle has been removed

SA Marty Minshall Trail marker with San Diego Trans County Trail stickers on
it

58-908-34-606 trail marker where there is no trail junction, but it looks like
the trail may have been relocated [it appears that it formerly went either
around a fence line to the E or possible along a dry wier]

916-611
941-619
970-626
6-617
10-6178
35-626
52-618

89-590-"A" Stonewall Mine Trail to the R as shown on map

59-103-34-576! junction with trail over to island, mileage 0.91, I continue on
Marty Minshall Trail but I stop calling lat/lon

I'm getting a few drops of rain now and then

I've seen no sign of the road to my R that is shown on the map

Stonewall Mine Rd LR as shown on map

the Stonewall Mine Rd to my R is paved almost to this junction

I turn L to follow Marty Minshall Trail and the tct

to my L is a little picnic area [equestrian staging area]

trail veers off to R as shown on map

the road loops around through the picnic area, and the part past this point
appears to have been abandoned

it appears to have been deliberately blocked with parts of fallen trees

Stonewall Mine Trail to R as shown on map, and the Marty Minshall Trail and
tct to the L as shown on map

1.62 miles out, it may be a little inaccurate because of lost satellite
reception [reported by GPS]

as suspected, the former California Riding and Hiking Trail to the L has a
closure sign on it, and it is not well-beaten, I guess it's really closed

distances on trail signs are reasonably close to the odometer reading, which
is 1.73

I cross a road which is on the map, it is paved, and the continuation is
signed as Marty Minshall Trail, not California Riding and Hiking Trail, I
follow it

there are no tct signs at that junction

this trail might not be as shown on map, so I'm going to call some lat/lon

58-752-34-39 744-28 737-30 718-53 707-56 687-49 661-6 636-996! trail meets the
road as shown on map, I stop calling lat/lon

this road is paved, apparently all the way into the horse camp

unpave road to L as shown on map, farther on, this trail is signed as
California Riding and Hiking Trail

to L Soapstone Grade FR is signed at California Riding and Hiking Trail, but
not as tct

I continue on the California Riding and Hiking Trail going to Los Vaqueros
Horse Camp

junction with Los Vaqueros Trail as shown on map, there are a lot of fallen
trees here, but the trails appear to be open

I stop here to eat my lunch [it's about noon]

mileage here is 2.66

I then proceed on Los Vaqueros Trail back toward my starting point

junction shown on the map, California Riding and Hiking Trail to L

crossing Stonewall Mine Rd as shown on map

jucntion with Los Caballos Trail, a lot of fallen trees in this area, and Los
Caballos Trail to the S is very hard to find

I eventually find it by following horse manure

I have to wade through some brush to get down to Marty Minshall Trail

12:51 PM 4.65 back at Trout Pond parking area, end of this part of trip