Distance: 12.2 miles round trip on trail and cross country
Summit Elevation: 3675' (El Cajon), 3367' (El Capitan), 3177' (Silverdome II)
Elevation Gain: 4121'
Elevation Gain (in Empire State Buildings): 3.3
Round trip time: 6 hours 30 minutes
Recommended water: 100 oz.
Parking/Fees: Free on Wildcat Canyon Road
Difficulty: Strenuous
This was a training hike to log some elevation gain before year end. It was my third summit of El Cajon, and I picked up two new sub-peaks, El Capitan and Silverdome II. I parked at the normal trailhead on Wildcat Canyon Road and was one of a dozen cars in the lot. I followed the road up to the start of the trail. I had forgotten there were restrooms where the trail started, a nice convenience. I started at a brisk pace, going up and down the hills on the main trail. It's about 5.5 miles to the top of El Cajon and I made it in a single push. There was a new metal sign on the summit, but no register. The benchmark was still in tact on one of the boulders.
I descended back to the main trail, then took the signed trail to El Capitan. There was a metal shed near the top filled with trash. A metal pole marked the summit on a small boulder. I checked out the highest boulder on top and found no marks or register. It had a great view of Silverdome II, and I was tempted to head directly to it. However, with no trace of a use trail, I thought I'd probably regret it.
I returned to the main trail and dropped down and back up a few hundred feet to the saddle between El Cajon and Silverdome II. There was a short trail that led part way up Silverdome II, ending at three mine adits decorated with wreaths. Each went back only 20-30'. The next half mile or so was a moderate bushwhack. First, I started up toward the ridge, using boulders when possible. I tried to head around the first cliff on the right, but got bogged down in brush well over my head. Then, I headed left of the cliff and found lighter brush, mostly knee to waist high. I climbed up a false summit, then saw the true summit further away. The summit boulder was about 15', class 3 with good holds and minimal exposure. Below it, I found a register placed by Larry Edmunds in 2019. It only had 10 signatures, counting my own. Bob Burd signed it May 27, 2026. Now, I know his secret to prolific peakbagging, he is coming back from the future! Eric Newcomb bagged Silverdome II in 2014, so there have been others. I understand the dearth of visits, the brush can be disconcerting. I found a much better path on the way back. The descent had more gain than I remembered, but that was the point.
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