Are you a girl who loves the outside however is uneasy about going alone? Are you not sure which mountaineering footwear to put on or construct a campfire?
Possibly you haven’t seen the wildflowers at Hell Gap Canyon, gone fishing at Lake Morena or picnicking at Potrero County Park.
Whereas many residents absorb rays at San Elijo Lagoon or Waterfront Park, the county and state recreation departments and the San Diego County Truthful need you to discover others areas of the county.
This yr’s truthful theme is “Get Out There,” and rangers wish to open individuals’s minds to the parks and preserves within the county — a biodiversity hotspot.
“Girls within the Wild” is only one program serving to ladies acquire confidence to go solo.
“We discovered that there are some ladies who wish to get pleasure from park experiences however who’re afraid to go by themselves, so we’ll simply assist demystify these outside experiences for you,” stated Jessica Geiszler, advertising and marketing and public outreach supervisor for county parks and rec.
“We’re going to show you the important expertise it’s worthwhile to really feel comfy and competent within the outdoor, so you may go on the market and simply have enjoyable.”
Restarted after a pandemic pause, the Girls within the Wild program ladies teaches backpacking, tenting, mountaineering, Krav Maga (self-defense), mountain biking and a wide range of outside experiences primarily based on curiosity.
County and state rangers are giving workshops every day the truthful is open. (The truthful is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays in June.)
On the truthful’s 20,000-square-foot exhibit corridor simply past the O’Brien Gate, individuals enter a “ranger station” and study natural world native to areas and ecosystems and actions from the mountains to the desert to the seashore.
Across the “campfire,” rangers talk about subjects starting from reptiles to birds of prey to the species conservation program to survival expertise within the wilderness to biodiversity.
“There are issues that dwell and develop right here that don’t dwell and develop wherever else on the earth, so we must always rejoice that,” Geiszler stated. “We should always take each alternative to get exterior and really discover these locations and see these issues first hand.”
The county oversees 156 parks and preserves unfold all through the county. The state runs 18 parks, seashores and a reserve.
State property embody Anza-Borrego Desert State Park, Border Area State Park, Ocotillo Wells State Vehicular Recreation Space, Cuyamaca Rancho State Park and Torrey Pines State Seashore and pure reserve.
On the truthful, volunteers from state parks present hands-on interactive actions. At 3 p.m. Sunday, June 18, is a Tule Boat demonstration — exhibiting how the Kumeyaay created seafaring tule boats.
The Kumeyaay proceed to construct tule boats (or ha kwaiyo in Kumeyaay) and host ha kwaiyo launches and races alongside the San Diego coast.
Additionally deliberate are youth actions, together with crafts, and ghost tales for older people who aren’t faint of coronary heart.
“Individuals have a tendency to go to the (parks) that they’ve been to earlier than,” Geiszler stated. “They really feel comfy with what they know. However we wish to showcase all the different wild locations which might be additional out that perhaps they haven’t skilled.”
This can be a likelihood for us to say: ‘Hey, have you ever been to Wilderness Gardens? Have you ever been to Mount Gower? Have you ever been to Lake Morena? They’re so distinctive and so cool that supply belongings you simply can’t expertise wherever else,” she stated.
She referred to as Tijuana River Valley Regional Park a tremendous place, the place wildflowers and a chicken and butterfly backyard could be seen. Additionally, a campground was simply constructed, which accommodates yurts.
Hell Gap Canyon County Protect “has a scary identify however is completely attractive proper now,” she stated. “All the things is blooming. Some individuals might have examine it or thought it was too difficult, however there are all the time alternatives, look a bit deeper. They will go on a ranger led hike and be taught concerning the property after which tour it at their degree of consolation.”
Three actions has simply been scheduled for the Girls within the Wild Program.
From 7-10 p.m. Saturday, Aug. 12, is Girls Evening at Summer time Films within the Park. The film “Pitch Good” might be proven. Individuals can contact animal skins and work together with dwell animals.
From 11th of September:15 a.m. Saturday, Aug. 19, a Krav Maga self-defense course might be supplied. Krav Maga is the official self-defense system of the Israel Protection Forces.
From 9 a.m.-noon Saturday, Sept. 2, a fishing and kayaking workshop might be held. All provides might be supplied, whereas members be taught to fish and safely maneuver a kayak.
Reservations, which might be out there in July, are required for the Aug. 19 and Sept. 2 outings.
In October is a campout. Tenting tools might be supplied for these with out it for a small charge. Breakfast and snacks are supplied. Nature hikes and stargazing experiences are included. Contributors might be taught arrange a tent, begin a campfire and be taught survival strategies to construct confidence outdoor.
Climbing workshops are set for December and January, the place individuals be taught what to put on, what vegetation to keep away from and security suggestions for trails. Hikes begin with simpler ones and progress to a backpacking journey.
Curiosity within the outdoor grew by leaps and bounds throughout the pandemic and demand has remained excessive, Geiszler stated.
The county recreation division has a partnership with San Diego Mountain Biking Assn. and REI, referred to as Experience On Mountain Biking Problem, the place the division offers mountain bikes for individuals.
There’s a security speak and folks go on rides. They will strive totally different county trails with consultants in mountain biking.
“Any alternative for us to get individuals exterior and lively is a win for us,” she stated.
To get info on the county parks and recreation division, click on right here. To be taught concerning the state parks throughout the county, click on right here.
