Election day in 2008, but I've already voted. After reading Alvin's post on going to the peak in 2007, decided to break my old habit of always going to the Lagunas. Afra says that I need to be able to ski 6 hours uphill to go over Tioga Pass, so a little ski uphill may help this conditioning. The day is sunny and there are no tracks on the snow covered road that leads to the west from 78. No ski tracks that is. Plenty of turkey, rabbit and coyote tracks are in evidence. Read the sign about not hiking alone because of the mountain lions, but am trusting my bolo knife, which I have sticking out of my vest for easy access. Most of the ski I am rotating my head to be sure that there are no surprises, but the only animal that I see is a deer moving in the brush and it was within 400 yards of the start. The weather is warm or at least sunny and the ski is on about 4 or 5 inches of snow. Head off toward the North on the Fern Flat Fire Road and keep going until it meets with the California Riding and Hiking trail. A nice three hour ski that proves that San Diego does have everything and enough solitude left for someone on skis.


Turkey tracks are everywhere.


A coyote has walked over my tracks, as seen on my way back downhill.