This is the Trail Report, a weekly email newsletter from reporter Maura Fox about hikes and San Diego County’s outdoors. Sign up to get it in your inbox first, every Friday.
Bumping along Proctor Valley Road in Chula Vista in pursuit of my hike this week, I started to have some reservations.
There I was — with my mom and her dog, Milo, in tow — driving toward what appeared to be nowhere. It was beautiful, as the early Thursday morning light tipped over the rolling hills. But much of the surrounding areas were marked with “no trespassing” signs, and we didn’t see any other possible hikers driving in or walking in the distance.
All to say, it was a little unnerving.
There are legends of ghost sightings and spooky happenings on the dirt road, like the woman who reportedly wanders it in the dark, crying out for her children. Then there are the stories of phantom headlights that drivers say they see traveling behind them. And of course, it has its own beast, the Proctor Valley Monster.
My mom and I didn’t experience any of this on our 2.5-mile hike in the Proctor Valley Natural Resource Area — luckily. But the thrill of it added to the adventure of our hike. You can read more about my route in this week’s column.
Toward the coast and decidedly less haunted, I was excited to see that a sea lion in La Jolla is believed to have recently given birth to two pups, instead of the typical one. The photo in this story is super cute.
Plus, a new tool helps San Diegans better understand their risk of extreme heat exposure and prepare for heat waves — and provides options to model projected climate change over the coming years.
Lastly, if you’re looking for a local summer hiking challenge, check out this one from the outdoor brand Fjällräven. It curated 10 local hikes in cities across the U.S. — including San Diego — in an effort to get people outside.
That’s all from me this week.
— Maura
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