"Dedicated to education, exploration and advocacy for Upcoming Events and Outings Subscribe to our email list now! NORTH SAN DIEGO WILD HERITAGE CAMPAIGN TO CONDUCT EDUCATIONAL OUTINGS TO PROPOSED WILDERNESS AREAS San Diego, CA – The North San Diego Wild Heritage Campaign will conduct a series of outings to proposed wilderness and wild & scenic river areas in north San Diego County and south Riverside County . The purpose of these guided outings is to inform the public about natural places that are being proposed for protection through federal wilderness and wild & scenic river designation in the 49th Congressional District, represented by Congressman Darrell Issa. All of the outings are free. Note: Group size is limited on all of these outings for resource protection and safety reasons. Reservations are required. Participants who arrive at the trailhead without reservation may be turned away. HIKE ALONG SANTA MARGARITA RIVER IN FALLBROOK Saturday, February 27, 2010 The Santa Margarita River flows through lands owned by the Fallbrook Public Utilities District near the town of Fallbrook. These lands are managed by the Fallbrook Lands Conservancy for habitat protection and public recreation. There is an easy trail that follows the river for several miles, providing plenty of opportunities to hike, ride bicycles and horses, observe wildlife, and swim in the river’s pools. ~~~ HIKE TO TENAJA FALLS ON SAN MATEO CREEK Saturday, March 13, 2010 Meeting location:
From Interstate 15 in the community of Wildomar, take the Clinton Keith Road exit and head south 5.2 miles on Clinton Keith Road. Turn right on Tenaja Road and drive 4.7 miles west. At the intersection of Tenaja and Rancho California Roads, turn right on Rancho California Road. The road turns into Forest Service Road 7S01 (high clearance vehicles are advised beyond this point). After about a mile, continue past the Tenaja Trailhead and drive another 4 miles to the Tenaja Falls/San Mateo Canyon Trailhead. ~~~ CAR CAMP AT OAK GROVE CAMPGROUND AND DAY HIKE ON THE PACIFIC CREST TRAIL Meeting location: Kids are welcome to join their families on this car camp at Oak Grove Campground in the Cleveland National Forest. Located in the shadow of Agua Tibia and Beauty Mountain proposed wilderness areas, this beautiful setting is inspirational and convenient! Sunday morning, the grownups will hike a 6-mile section of the Pacific Crest Trail through the nearby Caliente roadless area, with a car-shuttle to return us to camp. This outing to a potential wilderness area is sponsored by Friends of the River and The North San Diego Wild Heritage Campaign. ~~~ DAY HIKE TO AGUA TIBIA ON PALOMAR MOUNTAIN Saturday, April 3, 2010 Meeting location: The general store in Aguanga on SR79 at the intersection with SR371 The Agua Tibia proposed wilderness on Palomar Mountain is characterized by deep canyons cloaked primarily in coastal sage scrub habitat. Here and there in deep pockets, north-facing slopes and other sheltered places small groves of old-growth forest endure the hot, dry summers. Willow, cottonwood and other hardwoods grow along the larger streams and provide a cool refuge for wildlife. The rugged Cutca Trail traverses the area from east to west. The 7,834-acre proposed additions are recommended by the Forest Service for wilderness designation. This outing to a potential wilderness and wild & scenic river is sponsored by Friends of the River and The North San Diego Wild Heritage Campaign. ~~~ OVERNIGHT BACKPACK HIKE TO BARKER VALLEY ON PALOMAR MOUNTAIN Saturday, April 24 – Sunday, April 25, 2010 Contact leader for meeting location and time Nestled in a remote, deep valley on the east side of Palomar Mountain, the West Fork of the San Luis Rey River offers beautiful oak woodlands and broad meadows – perfect for a campout. We’ll hike into the valley and setup camp for the night, and then visit cascading water falls. A hike to High Point fire lookout on Sunday will highlight the trip, with 360-degree views of the rugged backcountry. This outing to a potential wilderness and wild & scenic river is sponsored by Friends of the River and The North San Diego Wild Heritage Campaign. topo map (PDF) ~~~ BIRD WALK AND PICNIC ON THE SAN LUIS REY RIVER NEAR PALOMAR MOUNTAIN Sunday, May 2, 2010 Meeting location: Meet at San Luis Rey Picnic Area, Cleveland National Forest, on SR76 between the La Jolla Indian Reservation and Lake Henshaw This beautiful, riparian wooded section of the San Luis Rey River affords splendid opportunity for bird watching and just relaxing. Families with children will enjoy spending time along the stream, and an expert ornithologist will be on hand to identify birds. Maybe we’ll see an endangered southwestern willow flycatcher or least Bell’s vireo (song birds) – bring your binoculars! We’ll all sit down to a potluck picnic at noon in the shady picnic area with bathrooms and water. This outing to a potential wild & scenic river is sponsored by Friends of the River and The North San Diego Wild Heritage Campaign. ~~~ DAY HIKE TO SAN DIEGO RIVER GORGE PROPOSED WILDERNESS AND WILD & SCENIC RIVER Saturday, May 8, 2010 Meeting location: From SR78/79 near Julian, turn south on Pine Hills Road; bear right on Eagle Peak Road at several forks in the road, then proceed to the end of Eagle Peak Road. This is a distance of 11 miles over narrow, windy and sometimes unpaved roads. Allow at least 1/2 hour from SR78/79 intersection. ‘Saddleback’ is located just south of the San Diego River Park Foundation’s ‘Eagle Peak Preserve’. The North San Diego Wild Heritage Campaign invites you to explore the rugged upper reaches of the proposed San Diego River Gorge Wilderness and Wild & Scenic River near Julian. Dropping 1,000' from our trailhead at ‘Saddleback’ at the south end of Eagle Peak Road, we'll intersect the San Diego River, and travel upstream through beautiful riparian oak woodland, deep into the scenic gorge. Encompassing approximately 2,400 acres of proposed wilderness, and nearly 8 miles of proposed wild & scenic river, the canyon's distinctive scenery is enhanced by steep slopes and spectacular waterfalls. Hikers and local residents frequent the canyon rim to take in the wild vista, but visitors who wish to explore this wild area up close will be challenged by the rocky and trail-less gorge. Identified by the Forest Service as an area of high ecological significance, the river's diverse riparian and coastal sage habitat is home to the endangered arroyo toad, endangered California gnatcatcher, sensitive southwestern pond turtle, Coast Range newt, two-striped garter snake, yellow warbler, rosy boa, coast horned lizards, and orange-throated whiptails. This outing to a potential wilderness and wild & scenic river is sponsored by Friends of the River and The North San Diego Wild Heritage Campaign. ~~~ DAY HIKE TO BEAUTY MOUNTAIN Sunday, May 23, 2010 Meeting location: Contact leader for details. This outing is part of a 4-day wilderness encampment at Oak Grove Forest Service Campground on SR-79, details for which are yet to be determined. At 14,249 acres, the Beauty Mountain Proposed Wilderness Addition is a scenic jewel draped in chaparral, fascinating rock formations and oak woodlands. The area is a transition zone between Anza-Borrego Desert State Park to the east and the endangered coastal sage scrub of the Coast Range to the west. The California Riding and Hiking Trail crosses the area. On warm spring days, visitors are greeted with the heady scents of sage, manzanita, and California lilac while hill after misty hill rises in the distance, presenting an unbroken view of wild country. Our hike will explore this pristine area, in the shadow of Palomar Mountain. This outing to a potential wilderness and wild & scenic river is sponsored by Friends of the River and The North San Diego Wild Heritage Campaign. ~~~ Upcoming Spring/Summer Outings... DAY HIKE TO SAN YSIDRO MOUNTAINS TBD Meeting location: The Ranchita Store on S22, Montezuma Highway Explore the rocky, chaparral-covered southern flank of this 6,020-foot peak, home to the sensitive loggerhead shrike and rare wildflowers. Remnants of old gold mines abound, making this an historic adventure as well as a wild one. This outing to a potential wilderness area is sponsored by Friends of the River and The North San Diego Wild Heritage Campaign. ~~~ DAY HIKE ON PACIFIC CREST TRAIL IN SAN FELIPE HILLS TBD Meeting location: Parking lot 0.2 miles north of SR78 on S-2 (just north of Scissors Crossing) Hike a 12-mile stretch of the Pacific Crest Trail as it winds along the spine ridge of the San Felipe Hills Wilderness Study Area. Spectacular views of high-desert back country abound, with the ridgelines uniquely linear due to their proximity to the Elsinore and Earthquake Valley faults. Views of Volcan Mtn to the west, Pinyon Mtn to the east, with Palomar and even San Jacinto clearly visible, make this hike truly special. We will be hiking point-to-point, south to north, with a car shuttle. Contact leader for optional car-camp location on Saturday night. This outing to a potential wilderness area is sponsored by Friends of the River and The North San Diego Wild Heritage Campaign. ~~~~~~ No email? Call Geoffrey at 858.442.1425 c CAMPAIGN BACKGROUND These outings are part of a comprehensive grassroots volunteer-based campaign to establish federal wilderness and wild & scenic river protection for sensitive lands in San Diego and southern Riverside Counties. Each of these outings is lead by Geoffrey Smith, a long-time outing leader in San Diego County with over 25 years of experience conducting group outings into backcountry areas. For more information visit www.FriendsoftheRiver.org | www.Wilderness4All.org | www.CaliforniaWild.org | www.SierraClub.org # # #
"A wilderness, in contrast with those areas where man and his own works dominate the landscape,
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