My wife and I completed our 5 peak challenge by summitting Cowles Mountain and Pyles Peak. Cowles Mountain is the highest peak in the city of San Diego (but not the county). The trail is extremely well marked with directional and distance signs, but the surface is rocky and slippery. Trekking poles are helpful. The 360 degree views from the top are very nice, but I did not enjoy the climb and descent because there are too many people on the trail. We went on a Wednesday during the middle of the day and I estimate there were 200 people that we ran into. By contrast, we only ran into 2 other people on our way to/from Pyles Peak. The bottom line is Cowles Mountain is a very popular place to exercise, so don't expect any solitude.
