6 AM. Before sunrise, the party gathered one by one at the Ellie Lane trailhead parking lot and prepared for the upcoming hike. The morning’s weather added a unique twist. Because of the drizzling rain here (where it normally does not rain much), the slight pelting of the rain drops energized us.
The Ellie Lane Trail is next to Iron Mountain and is not as well known. None the less, can compare to any other San Diego hiking trail. The course is a winding trail full of beautiful bucolic scenery. There is a route from the top of the Ellie Train that connects to Iron Mountain. So, if it is too much of a burden taking the ever-crowded main Iron Mountain trail, this route is a great alternative.
Our goal today is to hike a total of three peaks. It is a 8.5 mile train course, covering slightly rough stone fields. Fortunately, the thick clouds and misting rain helped cool down our sweat and our anxiety. We then hiked the mountain in a relaxed and jovial mood. Even now, I can feel and smell the moist soil, the smell of flowers floating around the mountain and the hear the sound of rain failing in the stillness of the mountain air.
9AM. We were three hours into the hike, when we reached the top of Iron Mountain. The dense fog and clouds did not allow us to capture the beautiful scenery at the top. However, today’s hiking in the rain was a valuable experience that I wouldn’t give up to others. Like I said before, the rain hitting our faces enhanced our experience.
Once we reached to peak, we broke for snacks and some more good conversation. As always, this was a precious time to remember. I was very proud of our party and our shared accomplishments.
We finished the mountain hike with no complaints as the rain with the downfall becoming more intense. This shared experience really helped our team’s Esprit De Corps. I can’t wait for our next adventure.
Trailhead : 16399 Ellie Ln, Poway, CA 92064
Length/Est/ Difficulty: 8.4 mi (4 h +/-) / 1,961 ft / moderate
Ellie Lane Trail to Iron Mountain| AllTrails
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