Cuyamaca Peak, Cuyamaca Rancho State Park, San Diego County. 
December 15, 2018

I've been trying to plan a few trips to see more conifers and decided to visit some low-hanging "cones" and head down to San Diego. I thought that a trip to Cuyamaca Peak might be cool as at 6,512 feet in elevation it is supposed to harbor the southern extent of the range of sugar pine and there is also a handful of other conifers. I also know that the super rare Cuyamaca cypress is on the southwest flanks of the peak and thought that maybe, just maybe I could bump into one. I did not  haphazardly bump into Cuyamaca cypress on the way up the peak but I did manage to park under Jeffery pine, have a good hike with Rebecca and a few friends, saw sugar pine, and ended up seeing more conifers than I thought I would.   

Friends and I next
to a fire ravaged sugar pine. 

It seems almost the entire area burned during the 2003 fire. The hike was paved, short and steep rising 1,600 feet in about 2.5 miles. After sweating through the chaparral filled lower portion of the trail we neared the top, the grade became easier, and soon we were enjoying the cool shade of the conifer canopy. At the top of the peak we found a good mix of conifers including white fir, Coulter pine, incense cedar, and sugar pine. Some of the trees had been burned badly but were surviving, while some seemed less affected by the fire. The hike was fun and recommended and I'll be back to the area to see Cuyamaca Cypress later this winter.  

7. Sugar Pine (Pinus lambertiana) 
The draped canopy of sugar pine made it stand out from Coulter pine and I guess I had never seen it before (a lifer!). I know I will see this species again later and cant wait to compare these southern burned sugar pines to some northern ones. Sugar pine is known for having the longest cones of all the pines (normally 12 to 18 inch) but the ones I found were about 10 inches in length. The cone is distinctly cylindrical and has a persistent stalk. The five relatively short, 2 to 4 inch needles of sugar pine were also distinctive to me.  The bark on the trees was slightly furrowed and had a mixture of gray, brown and beautiful pink tones.   

The best example of sugar pine at the top of Cuyamaca Peak. 

The cones and 5 needles of sugar pine. These needles
were approximately 2.5 inches in length and the cones
were approximately 10 inches in length. 

Me next to a trail side sugar pine.
I love the burned trees in the background. 

Close up of sugar pine bark. The bark is
beautiful with grays, browns, and pink tones.