High in the Cuyamaca Mountains in North San Diego County is the charming Gold Rush town of Julian. Elevation 4,220 feet, Julian nestles into the Cuyamacas, which from the air appear like chocolate-chip cookie dough in reverse. Massive pale granite rock outcroppings cram into the dark mounds of densely wooded indigenous pine trees, as well as the less expected poplar and oak trees. Because of these deciduous trees, the area boasts fall color — well, it's not New England, but pretty spectacular for California.
Julian started life as a gold-mining town, but today it is famous for another of New England's traditional bragging rights — apples. James Madison brought the first apple trees to Julian in the early 1870s, and the fruit won awards from the Chicago World's Fair in 1893 and the San Francisco World's Fair in 1915. The first Julian apple celebration was held in 1909; the event has run continuously from mid-September through November since 1949.
While there is no airport located in the town of Julian, pilots know the area because of the Julian Vortac. Approaches into the San Diego area fly directly over Julian at the VOR, located on Volcan Mountain. The view is stunning as the granite outcroppings give way to huge meadows and shimmering Lake Cuyamaca near the base of Stonewall Peak (elevation 5,730 feet), the site of one of the greatest of Southern California's gold mines.
The gold-mining influence is still vivid in twenty-first-century Julian. Placer gold was discovered here in 1869. Unlike other Gold Rush camps, Julian survived because of its rich soil and proximity to San Diego. Its Main Street retains the original false-front stores, wooden sidewalks, and Victorian architecture of the 1800s. There's the Rongbranch Saloon, the Miner's Diner at the Julian Drugstore, and a horse-drawn carriage. There are apple pie bakeries such as the Julian Pie Company and Mom's Pies along Main Street and the scent of cinnamon permeates the air. Every restaurant in Julian has apple pie on the menu. In October, 10,000 apple pies are made per week to satisfy the tourists who come for the seasonal colors and frontier-town atmosphere.
The historic Julian Gold Rush Hotel, built in 1897, takes visitors back in time. The hotel's founding owners were a former slave, Albert Robinson, and his wife, Margaret. Robinson was the first "colored man" summoned as a juror in San Diego County. The Gold Rush is the oldest continuously operating hotel in Southern California (800/765-0201). There are many spots to eat, including the Julian Grille (760/765-0173), which features innovative cuisine and selections from the area's local winery, Menghini Winery. There are wine tastings available at the Codarosa Wine Saloon and the Witch Creek Tasting Room. Tours of an authentic Julian gold mine are given by the Eagle Mining Company (760/765-0036), and the area has extensive hiking trails and guided horseback trail rides (760/765-1598). Contact the Julian Chamber of Commerce (760/765-1857) or visit the Web site ( www.julianca.com).
Flying there
Ramona Airport is 22 miles from Julian. It is the third busiest of San Diego County's eight county-owned airports (Lindbergh Field and Brown Field are city-owned). A 1,000-foot runway extension project was recently approved for Ramona and work is scheduled to begin this month. The project won approval primarily because a U.S. Forest Service and California Department of Forestry air-attack base is located at Ramona. During fire season — June through December — the area is one of the most active air-attack bases in the country. The runway is currently 4,000 feet by 150 feet and cannot support the Lockheed C-130s that the forestry service will begin to use for firefighting (the 40-year-old Douglas DC-4s are being phased out). Construction of a $1.2 million air traffic control tower is also under consideration.
Borrego Springs Airport is 30 miles east of Julian. Its desert landscape is in stark contrast to the lush mountains around Julian. Borrego Springs sits on the edge of the 600,000-acre Anza Borrego State Park. Of interest to pilots is the "sky trail," a flight path through the desert designed by one of the park rangers that is especially beautiful when the desert is in bloom in the spring.
Richard Selinger, airport manager for both Borrego Springs and Ramona, says of the flying around the Cuyamaca area, "It's great VFR flying here most of the time. The views are spectacular. You can have the ocean on your left wing tip, the desert on your right, and the mountains in between." Flying in this area is challenging. From Ramona you must immediately climb to 6,500 feet because of the terrain and then almost as quickly drop to 520 feet to land at Borrego.
Enterprise Rent-A-Car has a location at Ramona (760/789-2062). The drive up to Julian will take you past vast open meadowland called Big Valley by its first Indian inhabitants. Known as the Gateway to San Diego's North County, it is also known as the Valley of the Sun (a step up from another moniker — Ramona was also once known as the Turkey Capital of the World). It is called the Valley of the Sun because Ramona is far enough away from the coastal area to escape the maritime cloudiness. You'll have a feeling that Little Joe and Hoss should be riding around the Ponderosa as you pass the ranches between Ramona and Julian.
Desert Car Rental is located at Borrego Springs (760/767-7415). Selinger cautions that the drive from Borrego to Julian is not for the faint of heart. In one 15-mile stretch the winding, two-lane road drops from 4,000 feet to 500.
Sky soaring and a spa
Of interest to glider pilots is the nearby Warner Springs Gliderport, a private strip just 10 minutes from Julian. Established in 1959, it is the hub of soaring activity in San Diego County, one of the largest soaring centers in the United States. Strong thermals, ridge lift, shear lines, and mountain wave are all encountered in the area. The gliderport is managed by Sky Sailing (760/782-0404). Flights are offered starting at $70. A highlight is the Palomar Mountain Mile High Flight (that's a tow to 5,280 feet) over the Palomar Observatory.
Pilots may land at Warner Springs with prior permission from the gliderport. Sky Sailing also provides transportation to another California landmark, Warner Springs Ranch (760/782-4200), a 2,500-acre spa and golf resort whose regular visitors have included Teddy Roosevelt, Charlie Chaplin, Clark Gable, and John Wayne.
Good mountain flying, spectacular vistas, and American apple pie make San Diego's North County worth the trip.
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