Cowles Mountain
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Cowles Mountain | |
|---|---|
 Cowles Mountain as seen from San Diego. A remnant of the "S" can be seen near the summit. | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 1,593 ft (486 m) NAVD 88[1] |
| Prominence | 991 ft (302 m)[1] |
| Coordinates | 32°48′45″N 117°01′52″W / 32.8125497°N 117.0311403°W[2] |
| Geography | |
  Cowles Mountain | |
| Topo map | USGS La Mesa |
| Climbing | |
| Easiest route | Trail |
Cowles Mountain (/koʊlz/, /kaʊlz/ {a proscribed pronunciation}; properly KOHLZ, commonly KOWLZ) is a prominent mountain in San Carlos, San Diego, California. The 1,593-foot (486 m) summit is the highest point of the city of San Diego. It is protected within Mission Trails Regional Park.
San Diego State University
The mountain is named after George A. Cowles, a rancher and businessperson in southwestern San Diego County during the 1870s and 1880s.
For many years Cowles Mountain was locally known as "S" Mountain. In 1931, 500 students from San Diego State College, now San Diego State University (SDSU), painted a 400-foot-tall (120 m) letter "S" on the side of the mountain, after which it took on its popular name.[3] In April 1942, during World War II, the military ordered the "S" covered up for national security, as it could serve as a potential reference for enemy aerial attacks for strategic sites.[4] After the war, the painting tradition was resurrected.
In the 1970s, the annual repainting tradition was ceased for environmental and habitat protection but had a brief resurgence in the late 1980s. The "S" has not been repainted for nearly three decades. Except in 1991, when the senior class of Patrick Henry High School painted the "S" into a "9" and added a "1" next to it as a senior prank.
Mission Trails Regional Park
The entire mountain, with marked trails, is a protected area within Mission Trails Regional Park, which opened in 1972.
Trails
The main trail to the summit is a popular hiking destination taking hundreds of people per day to a 360-degree panorama of San Diego County. The hike to the top is 1.5 miles (2.4 km) long and an elevation change of about 950 feet (290 m). This trail is on the corner of Golfcrest Drive and Navajo Road. A much-less-used but maintained trail begins near the intersection of Boulder Lake Avenue and Barker Way. This trail meets the main trail near the summit.
On March 25, 2013, the trails of Cowles were closed for maintenance.[5] The trails were reopened in May 2013 after several improvements to water drainage and rock steps.[6]
