Mount Soledad

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Mount Soledad Easter Cross
Mount Soledad Easter Cross

Mount Soledad is a prominent landmark in the city of San Diego, California, United States. The mountaintop is the site of the "Mount Soledad cross", the subject of a continuing controversy over the involvement of religion in government. See Mount Soledad cross controversy.

Contents

[edit] Geography

The 822-foot-(251-meter)-tall hill lies between Interstate 5 to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is mostly within the community of La Jolla where the northern and eastern slopes form a sharp escarpment along the Rose Canyon fault. The community of Pacific Beach is on the gentler southern slope. There are several radio and television transmitters located on the summit including television channels 8 and 10, the CBS and ABC affiliates respectively. Commercial aircraft approaching San Diego from the direction of Los Angeles often use Mt. Soledad as their point to start the downwind leg of their approach to San Diego International Airport.

View of downtown San Diego from the top of Mount Soledad.
View of downtown San Diego from the top of Mount Soledad.

[edit] Land events

On October 3, 2007, one home on Soledad Mountain Road, one of the main roads up the mountain, was destroyed by a major landslide. Five houses were damaged, and over 20 others were evacuated. The city of San Diego had noticed water and gas main leaks since July, and cracks in the pavement since August.[1]

[edit] Legend of Munchkin land

A common urban legend, has stated that:

back in the 1930s a group of little people who had made a lot of money in Hollywood appearing in movies such as The Wizard of Oz supposedly came down to San Diego and built a collection of miniature houses on Mt. Soledad where they could live in comfort together. But of course, nobody seems to know exactly where on Mt. Soledad this group of small houses [exists].[2]

Despite these rumors, the Munchkin land does not exist. It was discovered that they were most probably "a group of four cottages on Hillside Drive in La Jolla built by famed architect Cliff May. [3] [4]

[edit] Last home of Dr. Seuss

Mount Soledad also holds the last home lived in by Dr. Seuss. His widow, Audrey Geisel still resides atop Mt. Soledad in an abandoned observation tower what is referred to as the Seuss house by the locals.[5][6]

[edit] Cycling

Because of the variety of long steady climbs, light traffic on most routes, and great views, Mount Soledad is a popular cycling destination and area. There are numerous routes ranging from the relatively gradual 3 1/2 mile climb up Soledad Mountain Road on the southern slopes to the very steep and short (1 1/2 miles) Hidden Valley Road to Via Capri route on the north side.

[edit] Mount Soledad Cycling Routes

The routes up to the top of Mount Soledad going clockwise starting in Pacific Beach, are (note: the footnotes are links to Google maps showing the routes):

  1. Pacifica - Pico Street at Garnet Ave, Pico Street, Pacifica Drive[1], Amity Street, Middleton Road, Middleton Way, Soledad Rancho Road, Soledad Mountain Road, La Jolla Scenic Drive South[2].
  2. Soledad Mountain Road - From Garnet Ave up Soledad Mountain Road to La Jolla Scenic Drive South[3].
  3. Soledad Road - Lamont Street, which becomes Soledad Road, to Soledad Mountain Road and La Jolla Scenic Drive South [4].
    • Variation (Alta La Jolla Drive) - While going up Soledad Road, turn left at Alta La Jolla Drive, then right on Cardeno Drive and up to the top via La Jolla Scenic Drive[5].
  4. Cardeno Drive - Fanuel Street, which becomes Cardeno Drive, to La Jolla Scenic Drive South[6].
  5. Rutgers - From Candlelight Dr at Van Nuys, Vista Claridad, Rutgers Rd, to La Jolla Scenic Drive South [7].
  6. La Jolla Mesa - Mission Boulevard, which becomes La Jolla Mesa Drive, to La Jolla Scenic Drive South[8].
  7. La Jolla Rancho - Forward Street, Linda Rosa Ave, La Jolla Corona Drive, La Jolla Rancho Road[9], La Jolla Scenic Drive[9].
  8. Muirlands Vista - Nautilus Street, Muirlands Vista Way[10], Muirlands Drive, La Cumbre Drive, El Camino Teatro, La Jolla Scenic Drive South[11].
  9. Muirlands - Nautilus Street, Muirlands Drive, El Camino Teatro[12], La Jolla Scenic Drive South[13].
  10. Nautilus - Nautilus Street at Neptune Place to La Jolla Scenic Drive South[14].
  11. Valverde - Nautilus Street, Via Valverde, Caminito Valverde[15], Caminito Bassano West, Upper Hillside Drive, Via Casa Alta, La Jolla Scenic Drive South[16].
  12. Upper Hillside - Exchange Place, Country Club Drive, Romero Drive, Brodieaa Way, Encilia Drive, Upper Hillside Drive[17] (requires walk through side pedestrian gates to get around a short section of private road with locked gates across the road at each end), Via Casa Alta, La Jolla Scenic Drive South[18].
  13. Hillside - Hillside Drive at Torrey Pines Road to Via Siena and up Via Capri[19].
    • Variation (paved path): Where Hillside becomes Via Siena, turn right to continue along the remaining short dead-end section of Hillside, where it becomes a paved path. At the end of the path it is easy to connect to Via Capri near the top[20].
    • Variation (Soledad Ave) - Exchange Place, Soledad Ave, to Hillside Drive... [21].
    • Variation (historic bridge detour) - Exchange Place, Soledad Ave, Al Bahr Drive, Crespo Street, Castellana Road to Hillside Drive...[22]
  14. Via Capri - Hidden Valley Road to Via Capri[23].

[edit] References

  1. ^ Route from Pico Street at Garnet Ave up Pacifica Drive to Amity Street
  2. ^ Route from Amity Street at Pacifica Drive to the top
  3. ^ Route up Soledad Mountain Road from Garnet Ave to the top
  4. ^ Route from Lamont at Beryl to the top
  5. ^ Route across Alta La Jolla Drive from Soledad Road to Cardeno Drive
  6. ^ Route From Fanuel St at Turquoise St to the top via Cardeno Drive
  7. ^ Route up Candlelight Drive and Rutgers Rd to the top
  8. ^ Route from Mission Blvd at La Jolla Blvd to the top
  9. ^ a b Route from Forward Street to La Jolla Rancho Route from La Jolla Rancho up to the top
  10. ^ Route from Nautilus to Muirlands Drive along Muirlands Vista Way
  11. ^ Route from Muirlands Drive to the top
  12. ^ Route along Muirlands Drive and El Camino Teatro
  13. ^ Route from El Camino Teatro to the top
  14. ^ Route up Nautilus Street to the top
  15. ^ Route up Nautilus Street to Caminito Valverde
  16. ^ Route from Caminito Valverde to Via Casa Alta to the top
  17. ^ Route from Exchange Place at Torrey Pines Drive to Upper Hillside Drive
  18. ^ Route from Upper Hillside Drive to the top
  19. ^ Route from Hillside Drive at Torrey Pines Road to the top
  20. ^ Aerial photo that shows the paved path from Hillside Drive that parallels and converges with Via Capri
  21. ^ Route from Exchange Place and Torrey Pines Road to the top via Soledad Ave and Hillside Drive
  22. ^ Al Bahr historic bridge detour
  23. ^ Route up Hidden Valley Road and Via Capri to the top

[edit] External links

Coordinates: 32°50′23″N, 117°14′41″W