El Cajon Mountain | |
---|---|
Highest point | |
Elevation | 3,677 ft (1,121 m) [1] |
Prominence | 1,955 ft (596 m) [2] |
Listing | San Diego peaks list [3] |
Coordinates | 32°54′53″N 116°49′12″W / 32.914825394°N 116.820044197°W [1] |
Geography | |
Location | San Diego County, California |
Topo map | El Cajon Mountain |
Climbing | |
Easiest route | Hike class 1 [3] |
El Cajon Mountain, commonly known as El Capitan or El cap, is a mountain in the Cuyamaca Mountains, and prominent natural landmark in the East County of San Diego. [4]
The summit of El Cajon Mountain is at 3,677 feet (1,121 m). [1] The mountain is almost completely surrounded by private property and an Indian reservation, [5] but the mountain itself is mostly within the Cleveland National Forest or the County of San Diego's El Capitan Open Space Preserve. [4]
There are two main routes to climb El Cajon Mountain, the main class 1 trail hike from Lakeside, California, and several class 3 climbs up the south face, [5] which is now private property [6] and closed to public access. [7] The main trail hike is considered one of the hardest hikes in San Diego County because of its steep climbs and rolling terrain. [8]