HIKE IT UP! to “Potato Chip Rock” via Fry/Koegel trail, Ramona side: 7:00a-9:30a

Please read the “Parking” section down below!

Potato Chip Rock via Fry/Koegel trail from the Ramona side. This is a out and back hike to Potato Chip Rock on via the Fry-Koegel Trail. This hike is a less challenging way to get to Potato Chip Rock, but this does not mean this hike is easy. It is up a mountain so it can be very challenging at times. Know your limits. We don’t hike fast but we don’t go slow either. The hike will begin at the Mt. Woodson Gateway County Preserve parking lot. The trail starts uphill, then down with a bend or two for nearly a mile before angling up the side of Mount Woodson. A reservoir on the left is a landmark along the way. This trail has more shade than the other routes up the mountain. About .5 miles from the top is a marked trail fork that goes left and upward to Mount Woodson. We take time for photos at the "Chip" then return the way we came via Fry-Koegel trail. Trail is rocky in sections with steep ascents/descents. Half the trail is in the shade of trees.

Rating: Challenging
Distance: 5.5 miles
Terrain: Rocky, Up/Downhill, steep grades
Elevation Gain: +1,200' ascent
Trekking Poles: For downhills (recommended)
What to bring: Light pack, water, sunscreen, hat, good shoes/boots, snacks.

Parking:
Please park at the Mt. Woodson Gateway County Preserve Parking lot since we will be starting the hike from there. Fee is $5 per day (payable via pay kiosk there or mobile app QR code) or the accepted $50 San Diego County Parks Annual Pass. Active San Diego County residents aged 62 and older can get a free perpetual senior pass.
I will post pictures of the parking area so look at the fotos if you are not familiar with the new parking lot.
Parking lot address: Mt. Woodson Gateway County Preserve: 16286 Highway 67, Ramona, CA 92065
If you copy/paste this address onto Google Maps, it’s will take you to the parking lot.

How to find us:
6:50am at the Mt. Woodson Gateway County Preserve, 1st parking lot, near the port-a-potties. 16286 Highway 67 Ramona, CA 92065. Hike starts promptly at 7:00am.

If you wish to bring a Guest, please have them join our SD Sociables group and sign up for the event.

Please note the following: KNOW YOUR LIMITS and be prepared**. Going out with us is the same as going out with a few friends. Expect the same risks, take the same precautions.

As organizers, we will do our best to give accurate descriptions of the hikes we post. Please note, this is NOT a race or fast-paced hike. If you're a beginning hiker, a hike's elevation and distance many not mean much to you. Likewise, difficulty ratings are subjective, and a hike that is "easy" to one person may be "moderate" to another. Err on the side of caution if you are unsure.

You're much better off going on a hike that's too easy for you than a hike that's too hard or too dangerous for you. As you go on more hikes with us, you'll become more familiar with our ratings and our descriptions, and you'll learn more about your own limits. Ultimately, it's up to you to keep yourself safe out there. One note, please bring more water than you think you will need. Better to carry the extra weight, than be thirsty.

All attendees participate at an event at their own risk and are solely responsible for any damage to their property and/or any injury to themselves.
By signing up for and/or attending this Meetup event, you affirm that you understand this disclaimer and that you knowingly and voluntarily agree not to bring any type of claim arising out of or related to this Meetup event against the organizers/hosts of the meetup group.
DISCLAIMER: By being member of this group and attending the Meetup events, you acknowledge that the hosts are not professional hikers/guides. All attendees participate at an event at their own risk and are solely responsible for any damage to their property, and/or any injury to themselves or their guests. By signing up for and/or attending this Meetup event, you affirm that you understand this disclaimer, and that you nor a third party knowingly and voluntarily agree not to bring any type of claim arising out of or related to this Meetup event against the organizer(s) of this Meetup group.