Sky Oaks, Warner Springs!

(a re-print of a study from the 1990's)

SKY OAKS

SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA MOUNTAIN MEADOWLAND

          Sky Oaks totals approximately 1,800 acres is 14 separate tax parcels ranging in size from 40 to 400 acres and encompasses the best private land holdings in the east half of a scenic valley of about 6700 acres. The elevation ranges generally from 4,400 to 4,600 feet, with small extremes of 5000 feet to the northeast and 4000 feet to the southwest. Boden Field at the northwest end of the property is over 200 level acres with about one mile of frontage on an excellent county paved road. Another larger level field dominates the central part of Sky Oaks. It is open grassland with scattered mature live oak. The property is bordered by mountains on the north, east, and south that belong respectively to the Bureau of Land Management (BLM), Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, and Cleveland National Forest. These surrounding public lands provide protective buffer and make the property's effective size much larger.

          The eastern end of the land has fairly dense tree cover which spreads out to open fields adorned with mature oak trees. The property's unspoiled appearance also includes remote creeks, stands of coulter pine, and numerous native plants including chaparral, redshank, and manzanita. There is abundant water from numerous existing wells. Geological evidence in a central location suggests an untapped thermal fault near the surface.

          At Sky Oaks the air is clean, the sun shines most days, and stars brightly illuminate the clear night sky. The Mediterranean climate includes summer daytime temperatures reaching 80 degrees F and above, with cooler nights. Snow falls several times each winter and is quick to disappear.

          The property is designated for multiple rural use. Specific zoning designations are S92 and A70. Current zoning allows for a maximum of 236 lots with an individual size of 4 to 20 acres. The San Diego County Department of Planning and Land Use has been receptive to specific plan developments. Biological investigations of the property have been made by Federal, State, and County, as well as university and independent scientists and no rare or endangered species have been found.

BACKGROUND HISTORY

          During the last century, a rest stop for the Butterfield Stage Coach was located in Combs Camp at the east end of Chihuahua Valley. An adobe building in the nearby community of Oak Grove was an official stagecoach stop on the Butterfield-Overland mail route from Fort Yuma. During the Civil War, Union troops established Camp Wright there to block secessionists from traveling through from the est to join Confederate forces. 

         The property has been used for grazing cattle and horses and growing crops intermittently. More recently, tourmalines have been mined on the next-door BLM lands. Today, the adjacent Pacific Crest Trail and the California Riding and Hiking Trail are excellent well maintained public paths that traverse the most scenic parts of the state. 

          The variety of flora and fauna created by this bio-diversity combined with a Mediterranean ecosystem, with its mild climate, and the scenery of coastal mountains and valleys in a pristine clear environment makes the property exceptionally attractive.

LOCATION AND ACCESS

          The property is located in the northern part of San Diego County just east of the I-15 "growth corridor" and south of Riverside County's Inland Empire - the fastest growing area in California. Access to the property is via the multi-lane I-15 freeway and paved county highways. 

        Ontario Airport, located at the east end of the greater Los Angeles area, is 1.25 hours away. San Diego International Airport is less than a 2 hour drive, and it takes 2.5 hours to drive to LAX. There are also four airports for small aircraft in the Temecula Valley. The private, paved Warner Springs airport is 5 nautical miles south of the property.

          The property is located east of Highway 79 about 30 minutes drive southeast of Temecula in Northeast San Diego County. It is 6 miles north of Warner Springs and 12 miles east of Palomar Observatory. Access to the property is from Highway 79 between Sunshine Summit and Oak Grove on the county paved and maintained road known as Chihuahua Valley Road. Chihuahua Valley is about 6700 acres of mountain meadowland. The east end of Chihuahua Valley comprises primarily the Sky Oaks property and the Rocking W Ranch and is in the center of the Southern California Peninsula Range. Combs Peak at 6193 feet elevation on Bucksnort Mountain is one mile to the northeast near the Pacific Crest Trail. The property slopes southwest providing views of Lake Henshaw (el. 2680 feet) ten miles away, and is part of the headwaters of the San Luis Rey River. The California Riding and Hiking Trail is one mile west of Sky Oaks and the Pacific Crest Trail is one mile east.

          Nearby focal points to the north include Temecula and Rancho California, known for fine vineyards and wineries, excellent restaurants, golf courses, and gated estates. The western town of Temecula, about 30 miles from the property, has retained its 19th century storefronts in the center of town, yet has all the 20th century amenities. These communities annually celebrate their heritage with frontier days, a colorful hot air balloon festival, and wine and food festivals.

          About five miles north of wine country, the largest earth-fill dam ever built in the U/S. is nearing completion. It will have 1,800 acres of recreation activities and a 9,000 acre nature preserve on either side of the water.

          About 30 miles to the south of the property, apple pie and cute B&Bs bring visitors to the quaint gold mining town on Julian. About 6 miles due south of the property, the Warner Springs Resort is known for therapeutic hot springs discovered by native americans centuries ago. The Warner Springs Airport is a popular site for sky sailing, and has extensive glider facilities. Another nearby attraction is the Palomar Observatory. 

BIOLOGICAL DIVERSITY IN THE PENINSULAR RANGES

          

          The University of California independently ranks two California Peninsula Ranges (one in the north and one in the south) as having the greatest biological diversity anywhere in the Continental United States. The Northern California Peninsula Range forms the spine of the San Francisco Peninsula - with San Francisco at the north end, the Santa Cruz Mountains being the spine, and the city of Santa Cruz at the south end.The Southern California Peninsula Range begins in the north - with the San Jacinto Mountains (south of I10 where the Palm Springs Aerial Tramway ascends to the San Bernardino National Forest). It continues south through Idyllwild, and then through the Bucksnort Mountains, in the middle of the Peninsular Range, where Sky oaks is located on the western side. It goes through portions of Cleveland National Forest lands, and continuing south through Cuyamaca Mountains (Cuyamaca Rancho State Park) and finally crossing the San Diego County line and Mexican border into Baja California.

BIOLOGICAL DESCRIPTION OF SKY OAKS AND SURROUNDING AREA

(From the Biology Department, San Diego State University, May 1996)

          Sky Oaks is centered in a broad valley and extends into adjacent mountain slopes. The valley is dissected by several drainages that are the headwaters of the San Luis Rey River. Elevation ranges from approximately 1000 to 1500 m (3900 to 4900 feet). Higher mountains surround the property on three sides. Beyond the mountains to the east, the elevation decreases rapidly to the floor of the Colorado desert about 20km from the property. The climate is mountaine Mediterranean, with warm dry summers with occasional thunderstorms and cool to cold wet winters with some snowfall. The vegetation is primarily chaparral/oak woodland complex.

          Prominent species are Adenostoma fasciculatum (Chamise Chaparral), Adenostoma sparsifolium, Ceanothus greggii (Dear Brush), Cercocarpus betuloides (Birchleaf Mountain-mahogany), and Quercus berberidifolia (Live Oak). The desertic influence is manifested by the presence of cacti, most notably Opuntia basilaris, on the site. Extensive areas of nearly pristine oak woodland dominated by Quercus agrifolia (Coast live oak, many exceed 3 feet in diameter and 500 years in age) occur in the valley bottom and along drainages. Small stands of Pinus coulteri (Coulter pine, cones are 8 to 12 inches, and are the heaviest known, often 4 to 5 pounds) are present on the higher peaks, mostly outside the boundaries of the property. The larger drainages are lined with riparian woodland and Populus fremontii (Fremont Cottonwood) and Salix (willow). There are also small areas of grassland and old field.
          Sky Oaks lies within a region that is notable for its high bio-diversity. San Diego County has one of the highest levels of endemism in the U.S. outside of Hawaii. Much of this bio-diversity is explainable by the climatic and soils variation that accompanies the marked topography created by the Peninsula Ranges. Sky Oaks exemplifies these conditions because of its unique location within this regional landscape. The vegetation is dominated by the distinctive and bio-geographically interesting redhsank (Adenostoma sparsifolium) chaparral. This type appears to occur only where the summer drought is ameliorated. In the case of Sky Oaks, this is attributable to this special habitat in southern California and Baja California, Mexico.
          On the higher slopes, change in soil type and perhaps overall improved moisture balance results in a shift away from dominance by redhsank and toward than of chamise (A. fasciculatum), manzanitas (Arctostaphylos spp.), and other species. Further up the slope, there is an open pine forest. These gradients from valley bottom to ridgeline offer excellent views.
          Perhaps the single most outstanding biological feature of Sky Oaks us the presenrce of nearly pristine oak woodland and riparian woodland. Both of these types occur primarily on alluvial soils or residual soils immediately adjacent the drainages. Both of these types have, in general, been badly abused elsewhere in southern California, and this gives little disturbed areas like those in Sky Oaks special significance. Further, their presence on the property provides a complete gradient from aggrading and degrading alluvial areas in the valley floor to the uppermost part of the contributing slopes.
          Included within the property are open areas dominated by grasses and forbs. The largest of these (Boden Field in the northwest, and in the center in the vicinity of Sky View house) show evidence of having been cleared in the past, and have been grazed by cattle and horses in recent years. In other places, especially on seepage slopes and on deeper alluvial soils, herbaceous dominated areas are almost certainly natural. The alluvial areas also support populations of the native shrub Artemesia tridentata (big sagebrush). These more open and level to gently sloping areas contribute important habitat and species diversity.
          No rare or endangered species have been found on the property or near adjacent property. SDSU has conducted extensive and continuous field studies on Sky Oaks and adjacent properties for most of the last two decades by permission of the respective property owners. Steep slopes or rocky areas are minimal on Sky Oaks. Air quality at the property is excellent. The location of the property adjacent to the Anza-Borrego State Park and the Cleveland National Forest increases its effective value by assuring permanent dedicated natural open space adjacent to the property into the indefinite future.

A PRIVATE HIDEAWAY IN THE MOUNTAINS OF NORTHEASTERN SAN DIEGO

Sky Oaks dominates the east half of Chihuahua Valley, which is just east of Highway 79 between Sunshine Summit and Oak Grove on 79. It is easily accessed from Highway 79 via the paved, county maintained road known as Chihuahua Valley Road that traverses the east-west length of the valley. San Diego Gas and Electric provides 3 phase 120/240-volt electric service through the valley from a 12kv line. Service goes through the middle of Sky Oaks from west to east with some north and south laterals. GTE provides telephone service to the entire valley (Area Code 909); the majority is underground telephone service, and the balance is via overhead line easement on SDG&E's utility poles. Most of the 6500- acre valley is 4500 feet elevation +-100 feet. It is gently sloping and level and level mountain meadowland with abundant mature native live oak and other trees, open fields and brush. The valley is otherwise surrounded by mountains - the highest being Combs Peak (el. 6193) on Bucksnort Mountain to the northeast - except for some openings to the south on Sky Oaks with magnificent views to Lake Henshaw. Simply stated, the surrounding mountains are adjacent public lands: Anza Borrego Desert State Park to the east, Cleveland National Forest to the south, and BLM to the north. The east end of Chihuahua Valley is the headwaters of the San Luis Rey River (originating on Sky Oaks). The 10,000 acres of watershed provides ample local water supply generally available with 100-foot wells. Mostly granite-type soils provide excellent drainage. 

Sky Oaks has been farmed or grazed since the early 1900's. Various studies over the years have found no endangered or threatened species in the immediate or surrounding habitat areas. There are abundant adjacent protected public lands that adequately support varied species of flora and fauna. Cleveland National Forest immediately to the south is 25,000 acres. It has campgrounds (Indian Flats) and 2-wheel drive dirt road access. Anza-Borrego Desert State Park is immediately to the east and is the largest State Park in the continental U.S. at over 600,000 acres. BLM has odd-sized multiple parcels to the north and partially to the west and south. These unique Forest and Park lands have and will continue to enhance the natural beauty surrounding Sky Oaks.

The natural beauty of Sky Oaks enhances the soundness of long term investment in Sky Oaks. The existing improvements and divisions of land in the valley are compatible with development of Sky Oaks. The supporting infrastructure of county paved and maintained road(s), electrical service, underground telephone service, high underground water and recharge rate, to Sky Oaks is very favorable. 

The Bucksnort Ranch
(A 40 acre farm and home within the Sky Oaks Ranch available for purchase now)

• Abundant trees and water, especially noted for abundant mature live oak
• Great views and paved road access
• Quiet, clear air, tranquil setting
• Best mountain climate
• Protected by adjacent public lands, including National Forest and State Park
• Once a rest stop on the Butterfield Stage Route
• Riding and hiking trails nearby, including the Pacific Crest Trail, and California Riding and Hiking Trail
• Utilities: well water, SDG&E electricity, GTE telephone
• Three active wells: production 20-200 gallons/minute
• Zone: A70 and S92
• Improvements: 1600 square foot residence, hand hewn oak 19th century homestead house, barn, wells, fencing
• Topography: mostly level to gentle sloping valley

1800 ACRES MOUNTAIN MEADOWLAND Potential uses include vineyard/winery, horse/cattle ranch, equestrian subdivision, spa/retreat, bed & breakfast, RV park, or combination thereof.