Santiago Peak, Saddleback Mountain - Orange County, CA
Posted by: 
DopeyDuck
N 33° 42.516 W 117° 32.115
11S E 450402 N 3729975
Santiago Peak is the highest point in Orange County at 5,689 ft. Santiago and Modjeska peaks combined are officially part of the Santa Ana Mountains, but referred to by the locals as Saddleback Mountain. The summit log is in a rusty can near DX4298.
Waymark Code: WM6X78
Location: California, United States
Date Posted: 07/31/2009
Views: 22
Santiago is the highpoint of Orange County in Southern California. It lies along the crest of the Santa Ana Mountains, a coastal chain located southeast of the greater Los Angeles area. It is often referred to as Saddleback which refers to the skyline profile formed between it and nearby Modjeska Peak. There are various fire roads that approach the peak from all directions, and some more inviting trails that make it nearly to the summit as well. The Holy Jim Trail is probably the most scenic route to the top. The terrain is mostly chaparral, typical of the southern California mountain landscape, with stands of oaks and sycamores found in the deeper canyons with seasonal water flow.
The top of the peak is crowned with one of the densest arrays of telecommunications equipment found anywhere in the state - there is no single location for sweeping 360 views. By walking around the various installations in about a quarter mile radius, one can see views in all directions covering five counties and a large portion of the southern California area - from Catalina and San Clemente Islands out in the Pacific Ocean, south to Mt. Palomar, east to San Jacinto Peak and the desert environ, north to the San Bernadino Mountains and San Gorgonio, and of course the ever-popular hundreds upon hundreds of square miles of urban sprawl all around.
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