We went to Cuyamaca over the weekend of February 13-15. My boyfriend and I were trying to make an effort to wake up and watch the sunrise at the top of Stonewall Peak or Cuyamaca Peak. I had only watched the sunrise one other time in my life when I was 14 in Mexico. We had just got done building houses for some of the families from the local churches- it was one of most memorable experiences I’ve had.

Stonewall Peak is a 4 mile hike that has short switchbacks running along the backside of the mountain. Its a fairly easy hike with a huge reward at the top. Once you come to the base of the peak, you climb up about 2 flights of stairs with a handrail. At the top, 3 views will have a viewpoint description of what you’re looking at. Anza-borrego desert, Point Loma, and Mexico are all visible on a clear day.

My boyfriend and I woke up around 5:30am Saturday morning. With a few beers and some water in hand, we power walked all the way up to the top. We didn’t manage to see the sunrise at the top but we were the first ones up there for the day and the view was absolutely amazing. As I cracked open my celebratory beer at the top and looked at the young sky, I remembered it was Valentines Day which made the moment even better! Continue reading →