Ok, I know this is a short notice, but I've decided to take a run up to Santiago Peak this coming Saturday morning, May 5th (yes, that is less than 48 hours from now). I wanted to open it up to anyone else that would like to tag along. But.... here's the catch.... I am going SUPER early. The purpose of the trip is to view the Atlas V rocket launch that is supposed to be taking place from Vandenberg Air Force Base. The launch window opens at 4:05 am and closes around 6:00 am.
Some things to note:
*It will be extremely early. Please be prepared and well rested. The roads can be sketchy in the day with plenty of rest. They can be even worse at night with little rest.
*It is possible that the rocket launch could be delayed (until another day). They will technically have several launch windows between the 5th and June 1st, and they can cancel or delay it for many reasons (technical, security, weather-related, etc.). However, this is a pretty big mission (they're taking a new exploratory craft to Mars), and I understand there is a big "launch party" taking place in Lompoc (near the base). My guess is that they'll try REALLY hard to launch it during that party, so that everyone who worked on the project can see the fruits of their labor
*My schedule will be tight. I have to be in Los Alamitos at 8:00 am for a Cal OES function that I am participating in. So, if the rocket doesn't launch by 6:00 am, I'm leaving either way. I'll probably depart my house somewhere around 1:30 am, in case I run into any issues getting up there. Google says it's about a 1 hour and 45 minute drive up the mountain from my house in Murrieta, but I expect that it will be more like an hour and 20 minutes. I'll be taking Indian Truck Trail up the east face of the mountain to North Main Divide Truck Trail. If anyone else wants to come, we can plan to meet at the Vons shopping center off of Indian Truck Trail and I-15.
*I'm not sure how "impressive" the launch will be from the peak, but the views in general are spectacular, especially at night. It is high enough that is usually above the fog layer, but that can hinder your view of the city lights. The current forecast is for high pressure and warm temperatures over the weekend, so I'm hopeful there will be no fog.
If anyone is interested in tagging along, let me know and we'll work out the logistics. My objective is to photograph the launch using a long exposure, so I'll need lighting to be limited during the launch itself. That said, this could be a fun, short drive up the mountain to enjoy a beautiful view!