Description:
From the trail sign for Garnet Peak, follow the trail 0.5 mi N through Jeffrey and Coulter pine forest. Cross the Pacific Crest Trail and continue NE on the unmarked rocky path leading upward toward the peak. The exposed summit harbors metasedimentary rock characteristic of the Laguna's eastern ridge, and sharply falls away yielding an unobstructed 360º view of the jewels of Southern California. To the east is Storm Canyon and the desert badlands below. Along the eastern horizon lies the Salton Sea some 60 miles away. Looking NW, the dome of Palomar Observatory may be visible, while a more westerly gaze will reward you with peaks of Mts. San Jacinto and San Gorgonio. West and south are the Laguna and Cuyamaca mountain ranges. You are likely to feel the notorious desert winds from this vantage point, so prepare accordingly.