I was wondering when someone would do this peak. This is the only western mountain I've ever been on. My own photos of the mountain were lousy, so I didn't want to do a post. Nice job.
The amazing thing to me about Palomar was the difference in vegetation from base to summit. Arid desert at the base, and thriving pine forests at the summit.
So the observatory isn't on the "actual" Palomar Mountain and the real peak has two names that are "High Point" and "Palomar Mountain"? Is this page mean't for the mountain with the observatory or the one with the fire watch tower? Sorry if that was confusing, but hopefully you get what I am saying....
Great page and info! After checking out the page a couple weeks back and learning about the Cal-Tech property from the Observatory area to the highpoint, I went up to check it out with my kids last week. We did a little tour of the area, and on the way out I asked a Cal-Tech employee about accessing the highpoint. He referred me to the Forest Service. I stopped at the Forest Service office near the Observatory area, and they granted me permission to use the fire access road leading from there to the highpoint.
I went back up a couple days later with the mountain bike, crossed four gates en-route. The road drops a couple hundred feet, then climbs about 600-800 vertical feet to the highpoint. Three miles one way. Crossing over the gates felt ok with the permission of the forest service.
This video shows the road, conditions and terrain up there. It starts from the highpoint heading back to the Forest Service office.
BobSmith - Nov 14, 2006 10:13 pm - Voted 10/10
It's about time.I was wondering when someone would do this peak. This is the only western mountain I've ever been on. My own photos of the mountain were lousy, so I didn't want to do a post. Nice job.
The amazing thing to me about Palomar was the difference in vegetation from base to summit. Arid desert at the base, and thriving pine forests at the summit.
tarol - Nov 14, 2006 10:39 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: It's about time.I was surprised as well when there wasn't already a page for Palomar Mountain... Thanks for your comments!
Alex Wood - Sep 7, 2008 5:54 pm - Voted 10/10
A little confused....So the observatory isn't on the "actual" Palomar Mountain and the real peak has two names that are "High Point" and "Palomar Mountain"? Is this page mean't for the mountain with the observatory or the one with the fire watch tower? Sorry if that was confusing, but hopefully you get what I am saying....
Alex Wood - Sep 11, 2008 1:12 am - Voted 10/10
Re: A little confused....ahh, thank you. That makes sense now. I always look at those "bumps" and am always confused.
Wasatch Summits - May 9, 2012 9:56 am - Hasn't voted
Fire road up top.Great page and info! After checking out the page a couple weeks back and learning about the Cal-Tech property from the Observatory area to the highpoint, I went up to check it out with my kids last week. We did a little tour of the area, and on the way out I asked a Cal-Tech employee about accessing the highpoint. He referred me to the Forest Service. I stopped at the Forest Service office near the Observatory area, and they granted me permission to use the fire access road leading from there to the highpoint.
I went back up a couple days later with the mountain bike, crossed four gates en-route. The road drops a couple hundred feet, then climbs about 600-800 vertical feet to the highpoint. Three miles one way. Crossing over the gates felt ok with the permission of the forest service.
This video shows the road, conditions and terrain up there. It starts from the highpoint heading back to the Forest Service office.
Link to youtube.