I was eager to get started today due to the upcoming heat. It was expected to exceed 100 degrees east of San Diego, so I was looking to get as many peaks in as I could before mid afternoon. Oakzanita Peak on the southern end of Cuayamaca Rancho State Park, was the one HPS peak that I had missing from my Cuyamaca collection over the years. I arrived before 8AM and in my eagerness to beat the heat, I set out on the wrong trail. It eventually got me to where I wanted to go, but it added some mileage to the hike. Instead of taking the Lower Descanso Creek Trail, I took the East Side Trail. All this trail did was parallel Highway 79 all the way to East Mesa Fire Road. Once on the fire road, I was able to connect with the Upper Descanso Creek Trail, which ultimately led me to Oakzanita Peak.

The trail is moderate at most. In fact, at no time did I need to stop and rest on the way up. The heat from the sun was not moderate, though, so I was glad to be going downhill after an hour and a half of climbing. Boulders top the peak, but I found no register anywhere. With a quick return to the parking area, where I had the hike to myself for the morning, I headed off to Sunrise Highway to round out the day.