Phantom Trail

[2Wheels 0]

One of the posts that was deleted was about a quest for the Phantom Trail from the San Diego East County Mountains to the desert floor. The San Diego Adventure Riders group turned back about halfway through. Depending on exactly where the group was riding, it looks like it was a good call. Read this article. http://www.dirtfocus.com/photos2003/09-28_...ccain_index.htm.

If you're curious about the Phantom Trail and you have a few minutes to do some internet research, try this: go to MAPQUEST and get driving directions from Boulevard, CA to Mesquite Oasis, CA. After the directions come up, click on the box on the right that says "Avoid Highways" then click "Update Directions". It says you can make it from Boulevard to the desert floor by going north. I think this is the (impassable) Phantom Trail from the article on dirtfocus.

If you're still curious, you can find a topo map of the area on TerraServer. It shows Pepperwood Foot/Jeep Trail. There's about a 1600-foot elevation gain in about a mile and a half.

[sandiegoland 0]

I concur that they were trying to follow Pepperwood Trail. I followed it in Google Earth and verified that the photographic views in the article match the ridgelines that would show at approximately this location:

Google Maps

If you have Google Earth, enter in N32.850944 W116.345438 and pan around to see what they were into. Hard to spot anything that resembles a trail or road.

I can see where they got into trouble.

[Marbee40 0]

Oh my. That is one killer photo at the end of the article. Kinda sum's it all up nicely. Glad to see the humble "Lesson Learned" comments. BP isn't always available to come to the rescue. Thanks for sharing.

[Terrible619 4]

I am really glad I read this because I had used google earth to look for this exact same route a couple weeks ago. Last night I did just like Sandiegoland and lined up google earth to match the pictures in the article. I could see myself shooting down the same trail with the same mind set, thinking it was a for sure trail to the bottom. Well I guess they showed me to be more cautious. Still want to take a peek for myself though...........

[Joliet 0]

There are several areas around there and just south of there I would like to check out and even have a few routes mapped. It looks like they were on pepperwood comming down into canebrake wash. On my map that puts them in the sawtooh mountain wilderness. Key word being wilderness. That is why I havn't been in there yet. It looks no better south of there where I want to check it out. It goes right from desert state park(designated roads only) to carizo gorge wilderness (no moterized vehicles). Or maybe I am reading my map wrong. What do you guys show? Ken

[2Wheels 0]

There are several areas around there and just south of there I would like to check out and even have a few routes mapped. It looks like they were on pepperwood comming down into canebrake wash. On my map that puts them in the sawtooh mountain wilderness. Key word being wilderness. That is why I havn't been in there yet. It looks no better south of there where I want to check it out. It goes right from desert state park(designated roads only) to carizo gorge wilderness (no moterized vehicles). Or maybe I am reading my map wrong. What do you guys show? Ken

As far as I know the only official walking trail to the desert floor is Pepperwood Trail.

I've been meaning to take a hike down Pepperwood Trail for a few years now, but I've never gotten around to it. If anyone's interested, PM me and we could walk down there.

[Joliet 0]

The area I was interested in is 7 miles south west of the coordinates Sandiegoland gave above. Would like a trail that goes from McCain valley road to rock house canyon, bow willow canyon or south fork of indian gorge. Ken