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** Use at Your Own Risk **
32J |
Monument Peak #1 |
6271' |
Location: San Diego County, about 16 miles southeast of Julian, 160 miles from Los Angeles
Maps
| Auto Club | San Diego County |
| Forest Service | Cleveland National Forest |
| USGS Topo | Monument Peak 7½ |
| Official HPS Maps | TPO file - Save to your computer then open with National Geographic TOPO! |
| Viewable JPG file - Approximately 500K | |
| GPX file or Google Earth KML file to download to GPS units and other map software (How to use GPX and KML files) | |
| Routes as shown on CalTopo using the above files (How to use CalTopo) |
Nearby Peaks: Garnet Mountain, Garnet Peak, Sheephead Mountain
ROUTE 1
(USFS Adventure Pass may be required)- Distance: 3 miles round trip on trail and cross-country
- Gain: 500'
- Time: 2 hours round trip
- Rating: Class 1, easy
- Navigation: Easy
Original: Laura Joseph and Byron Prinzmetal, October 2002
DRIVING ROUTE 1
- Take I-5 south to SR 78 in San Diego County.
- Go east on SR 78 through Escondido to the junction with SR 79 just past the town of Julian. Turn right (south) on SR 79.
- Go 6 miles to the junction with Sunrise Highway (S1) on the left. Turn left. Note your odometer and go as follows:
- At 7.4 miles, a paved road on the left with a sign "Kwaaymii Point". This is the turnoff for Garnet Mountain. Keep straight.
- At 9.9 miles a parking area at a gated dirt road on the left. This is the trailhead for Garnet Peak. Keep straight.
- At 11.4 miles, Laguna/El Prado Campground entrance and Foster Lodge entrance. Keep straight.
- At 12.5 miles, large parking area on the left (after mile marker 25). A trail from the parking area says, "Big Laguna trail to PCT .5 miles." Park here.
HIKING ROUTE 1
- From the parking area (5760'), follow the Big Laguna Trail to the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT).
- Turn left on the PCT and follow it to a point out of the trees where the radio installations on Monument Peak can be seen. The PCT will shortly make a sharp left turn with another fork going straight ahead.
- Go straight ahead and follow this fork as it swings right and comes to a fenced enclosure with some trailers inside. (This is a NASA installation.)
- Turn left and follow the fence around the left side of the installation until you come to a paved road.
- Turn left on this road and follow it up to the summit.
ROUTE 2
(USFS Adventure Pass may be required)- Distance: 3 miles round trip on trail and cross-country
- Gain: 500'
- Time: 2 hours round trip
- Rating: Class 1, easy
- Navigation: Easy
Original: Warren E. von Pertz, March 1968
DRIVING ROUTE 2
- Take I-5 south to SR 78 in San Diego County.
- Go east on SR 78 through Escondido to the junction with SR 79 just past the town of Julian. Turn right (south) on SR 79.
- Go 6 miles to the junction with Sunrise Highway (S1) on the left. Turn left. Note your odometer and go as follows:
- At 7.4 miles, a paved road on the left with a sign "Kwaaymii Point". This is the turnoff for Garnet Mountain. Keep straight.
- At 9.9 miles a parking area at a gated dirt road on the left. This is the trailhead for Garnet Peak. Keep straight.
- At 11.4 miles, Laguna/El Prado Campground entrance and Foster Lodge entrance. Keep straight.
- At 12.5 miles, large parking area on the left (after mile marker 25). A trail from the parking area says, "Big Laguna trail to PCT .5 miles." This is the parking spot for Route 1.
- Drive 1/4 mile south past the parking spot for Route 1. There is a large parking area on the left. Park here.
HIKING ROUTE 2
- From the parking area (5760'), cross the fence at the place provided and follow a faint road leading north.
- Keep left at a fork about 1/4 mile from the cars. The road goes up a long ridge and disappears. Continue north along the ridge to pick up the PCT.
- Turn left on the PCT and follow it to a point out of the trees where the radio installations on Monument Peak can be seen. The PCT will shortly make a sharp left turn with another fork going straight ahead.
- Go straight ahead and follow this fork as it swings right and comes to a fenced enclosure with some trailers inside. (This is a NASA installation.)
- Turn left and follow the fence around the left side of the installation until you come to a paved road.
- Turn left on this road and follow it up to the summit.
ROUTE 3
- Distance: 5 miles round trip on trail and cross-country
- Gain: 900' total, 800' out plus 100' on return
- Time: 3 hours round trip
- Rating: Class 1, easy
- Navigation: Easy
Original: George Wysup, April 2000
DRIVING ROUTE 3
- Take I-5 south to SR 78 in San Diego County.
- Go east on SR 78 through Escondido to the junction with SR 79 just past the town of Julian. Turn right (south) on SR 79.
- Go 6 miles to the junction with Sunrise Highway (S1) on the left.
- Turn left on Sunrise Highway for 11.4 miles to Laguna/El Prado Campground entrance and Foster Lodge entrance near mile marker 27. Park at Foster Lodge.
HIKING ROUTE 3
- Hike north from the lodge (5560') and pick up the PCT.
- Follow the PCT in the Mexico direction for about 1.5 miles, past bump 5958', to where it meets a prominent ridge going up to the left.
- Go up this ridge, over a minor bump, and continue to the summit.
Note: Avoiding the paved road near the summit results in a route 100% different than Routes 1 and 2.
NOTES
The summit offers a fine view of the Laguna Mountains and the surrounding area. Point Loma and the Coronado Islands can be seen on a clear day.
History of Summit Signature
Climbing Archives
Please report any corrections or changes to the Mountain Records Chair.