Due to local weather forecasts indicating that the summer heat will persist, officials from the Cleveland National Forest announced on Monday (10th) that two popular hiking areas in the inland San Diego area will be off-limits to the public until the end of August.
According to reports from the city news agency, the Public Affairs Department of the Cleveland National Forest stated in a press release that the San Diego River Gorge and Three Sisters trails will be closed for the next three weeks to “ensure public safety and maintain personnel and air rescue access in case of new wildfires.”
Forestry officials said that since early July, emergency service personnel have carried out 11 medical rescues and 18 less urgent assistance missions due to the extreme heat in these two hiking areas.
These two leisure destinations, beloved by visitors, can be accessed from the San Diego River Gorge Trail and the Three Sisters-Cha’chaany Hamuk Trailhead.
Officials pointed out that both trails are classified as “reverse slope trails,” meaning downhill on the way in and uphill on the return, making hiking on these trails extremely challenging under any circumstances.
The National Forest Service stated in the announcement that in extreme heat and above-average humidity, some hikers may face the most difficult sections of the trail when temperatures are at their highest and their drinking water is running out.
Officials also mentioned that every year, hundreds of visitors in these two areas suffer from heatstroke, requiring medical treatment or helicopter rescue. Each incident requires the use of local emergency medical services, putting forestry personnel and collaborating agencies at risk of heatstroke and high-altitude operations.
The Cleveland National Forest stated in the announcement, “As temperatures are expected to decrease in the coming weeks, the forest management team will reassess the closure of these areas. If the safety of the hiking areas is confirmed, they will be reopened to allow the public to enjoy beneficial recreational activities for physical and mental well-being in the national forest.” ◇