Wednesday, April 23, 2025

Kumeyaay Promontory and Stelzer Summit

Hiked: 4/22/2025
Distance: 2.7 miles round trip on trail
Summit Elevation: 950' (Kumwaay), 1181' (Steltzer)
Elevation Gain: 530'
Elevation Gain (in Empire State Buildings): 0.4
Round trip time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Recommended water: 32 oz.
Parking/Fees: $5 County Fee Day Use
Difficulty: Easy

Stelzer County Park is about 2.2 miles from the El Cajon parking lot on Wildcat Canyon Road. There was a $5 day use fee that I had to pay via app. There were picnic tables and play sets for kids near the entrance. I headed for the hiking trail and found I was the only one using it. The trail had a couple of switchbacks up to the ridge. A sign pointed right for the Promontory and left for Stelzer Summit. I headed to the Promontory first at the west end of the ridge. Two large electrical towers dominated. The high point was on a rise behind a bench. No marks. I jumped back on the trail for Stelzer. The trail led to a saddle east of the summit, then a good use trail went to the top. The highest boulder was class 3, with a thin foothold that took me a few seconds to find coming down. Views were decent for a small peak with El Cajon visible over intervening hills. These were bonuses after completing El Cajon.



Kumeyaay Promontory

Stelzer from Kumeyaay

Stelzer summit block

El Cajon in the background



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