Just received this from a friend that rides the Penasquitos area frequently:
Well all, we knew this day was coming and here it is?Pardee will begin construction of the Shaw Lorenz development on Del Mar Mesa next week. They will start at the western most end of the development at the end of Carmel Mountain Rd and work east. However the entire mesa will be closed for the duration of the project. All the single tracks known as ?the intestines? will be a memory beginning Monday, April 14. I have worked out a plan with the developer to maintain access to Cobbles from Del Vino road. We are still looking at logistics, but unfortunately we may loose access to ?Side hill? from the top during construction, so that makes it obsolete from the bottom, until the construction is complete. It is very likely that the Shaw Valley Trail will also be cut off at the south end because they are building an access road for all the equipment which involves a 10 foot high berm. Signs will be going up at strategic locations explaining the closure (i.e. at the ball fields, fishhead trail, Del Vino, and the end of Carmel Mountain Rd).
I am meeting with Pardee and construction staff tomorrow morning to discuss some options to try to keep these trails open, I might not be able to, but I will do my best.
The development has a trail going around the outside of it as part of the community plan, but we will have to wait, what could be several years, before it is complete.
Please pass this information on to everyone you know. It is imperative that all users obey the No Trespassing signs and trail closures for their own safety. Also, it will help build a cooperative spirit among all of us and developers. DO NOT START CREATING NEW TRAILS BECAUSE THESE ARE GONE, THAT WILL NOT HELP ANYONE. STAY ON EXISTING TRAILS AND OBEY ALL SIGNS. And most of all have fun. If you have question, please feel free to call me.
Gina Washington
Senior Park Ranger
City of San Diego, Open Space Division
858.538.8066 (PH)
858.536.8334 (FAX)
edit: I heard that the Tunnels area (aka: Ho Chi Minh Trail) will remain open. lou...
Edit for spelling...lou
Here's an update from Gina Washington, Park Ranger:
I just met with Pardee and the grading contractor this morning and we have good news.
?Side Hill? will remain open for the duration of the project. Access will be provided by going to the end of Carmel Mountain Road, past the construction trailer office where a trail will be delineated with orange fence and signs behind the newest construction site up to the power line tower, and follow the newly installed signs to ?Side Hill?.
Cobbles/Queens will remain open with a slight variation at the entrance/exit onto Del Vino; ALL USERS will have to enter from the east side of Del Vino on the d.g. path through the wooden bollards.
Shaw Valley Trail will be OPEN WEEKENDS ONLY (Saturday and Sunday). This is a little more difficult to explain, but once all the work is done and signs are in it should be easy to follow. The grading contractor will be installing a road from the end of Carmel Mountain Rd. winding east down into the valley and then back up to the mesa, this would obviously cause an impassable berm; however they will install a ramp on the north side of the berm from the trail that will be open on weekends for equestrians and hikers to get up to the newly constructed road, turn west toward Carmel Mountain Rd and link onto the new trail access to ?Side Hill?. This will all be signed and fenced.
THERE WILL BE NO ACCESS TO THE CENTER OF THE MESA FROM ANY OF THE TRAILS FOR THE DURATION OF THE PROJECT. DO NOT VANDALIZE/PASS THE ORANGE FENCE INTO THE CONSTRUCTION ZONE FOR YOUR SAFETY!!! Some of the orange fence will be protecting vernal pools that are being restored, so it is very important that you STAY OUT.
The developer assured me that trails are a high priority, they want to get the grading done and the new trails in as soon as possible. The new trail will go along the rim of the canyon and then a bit through the neighborhood past and through the vernal pool sites that are being preserved. It won?t be the winding ups and downs that are there now, but it will be a nice link between Cobbles and Side Hill/Shaw Valley.
Now I know there is concern that even though Cobbles and Side Hill are open, having no way to connect by way of the mesa seemingly doesn?t do any good unless you live in the neighborhood. However, I have to disagree with that view. Once you pop out of Cobbles, go out to Del Vino and then down Del Mar Mesa Rd to the west (there are multi use trails along the road, or just ride the road) until you get to Carmel Country Rd go south up the hill to Carmel Mountain Rd and turn east to the end where you can access Side Hill. I know it?s not Open Space, but you?ll get a good work out and it is a great loop. Also, you can access the Neighborhood 10 trails and ?Eucalyptus? from Carmel Country Road. It will be something new?
I really want to emphasize again how important it is to not build/cut any new trails through the open space areas. This is a transition we all have to deal with, so let?s make it as easy and uneventful as possible.
Please pass this email on to everyone you know that uses the Del Mar Mesa trails so they won?t be caught off guard Monday morning when they go out for their daily run. Thanks, BE SAFE AND HAVE FUN.
Gina Washington
Senior Park Ranger
City of San Diego, Open Space Division
858.538.8066 (PH)
858.536.8334 (FAX)