Delightful treats are waiting for you! That ice cream is so delicious! Tastes just like old fashioned homemade! There are lots of toppings for sundaes and enticing recipes for your soon-to-be favorite coffee. Lots, lots more to intrigue you at the Bailey Store.
The enchanting resort was built in the late 1800’s. The historic dance hall/barn has hosted so many memorable events as a fun place to gather for sharing meals, square dancing, birthdays, weddings and so many celebrations. About a century ago this corner in the store was a post office. Oh my!!! Can you imagine how thrilled the locals would have been to gather for their mail and have Hilda offer this yummy ice cream?
Open Friday, Saturday and Sunday from noon to 7 or give them a quick call to confirm 760-247-2300
Did you know the General Store now has Wi-Fi? Fred White, owner of Western Broadband gifted the free public hotspot. Thank you so much Fred! It is simple to access. When you visit the General Store, just go to your settings and jump on SavePalomarMountain.org. Scan the QR code on our flyer or sign and you’re ready to share your feelings about keeping those lines off this beautiful mountain. Then you can easily forward to family and friends. Of course you can also check your messages anytime or send a text. No password required.
And, when you’d like a refreshing pick-me-up, stop in for friendly smiles from DJ, Pascale and Staff. Have fun shopping and be sure to check out the variety of coffee from the cooler…. oh, try the Caramel Latte, delicious!
Oh, by the way, would you give us some love? You’re invited to simply click from where ever you happen to be. Leave your comments about why you enjoy Palomar Mountain and would like to see it preserved for future generations to enjoy.
Could you use some flyers or post some signs to spread the word? Just let me know and thanks for sharing!
Bonnie Phelps, Realtor lovin’ the beauty of this Mountain
Members of your Save Palomar Mountain Task Force had a great day with two men that work with NextEra Energy/ Horizion West, Fred Bauermeiste and Eric Oesterling. They are here with George Ravenscroft and Jim Hamerly, our SMP Task Force Chairman. They accepted our invitation to come from the Bay Area for a day on Palomar Mountain. Of course, our goal was to introduce them to this ‘Treasured Gem’ and voice our concern and reasons why we were asking them to ‘skirt the mountain’ with the 500,000 volt transmission lines.
We met up at Lake Henshaw to drive what we have learned through the bidding process and referred to as the the SDGE ‘orange line’ route (shown on our website). However, thankfully, SDGE did not get the contract for construction. NextEra did win the contract and our Task Force has been working to learn what their route options might be and do everything possible to keep the route off Palomar. We met up at Lake Henshaw and following the ‘orange line’ map, began our drive up East Grade Road, with many stops planned along the way. I did show on the map that this is our only east/west road and that we would be driving all roads.
We took off up Panorama Trail, paused at both the Will and Dyche Valleys then pulled in to George Ravenscroft’s property. George explained his land was used to stage the Fire Department during one of our last fires, the fact that Palomar has been used as Indian Villages for centuries and mentioned endangered species. That fire did jump his home and met up with the back burning started along the grade. With the fire and wind history, topography and many other reasons, it doesn’t make sense to us that the lines be installed anywhere on the mountain.
Fred and Eric were very familiar with our website, and knew of the over 600 comments that have poured in from all over the United States and 20 countries showing public use support. We drove across Crestline, out to Birch Hill, past the Fire Station and popped in at the General Store and then to out to the Observatory. We cruised down to Bailey’s Resort, through the State Park and up to Boucher Lookout. Have you been there lately? You are invited to check it out like we did! Take the steps up to meet with the volunteers. It was so interesting to hear about the important service they provide at the Boucher Hill Lookout. Mike Downs (in uniform) and Kurt Barnhart (green cap), tell about the process of finding and identifying locations to report ‘smokes’. We checked out Doane Pond and a loop in the campground.
Much our our conversation was about the potential of increased fire danger with the mountain’s history, strong winds and topography. We discussed the small roads and the fact that all our housing areas come to a dead end as they do not have another way out. If an evacuation was needed for residents, researchers, campers, vacation rental folks and visitors, everyone would need to go out the same direction and potentially cross, maybe multiple times to leave the mountain, under 500,000 voltage lines.
It was time for lunch! Perfect timing as we had arranged to slip in along with hundreds of kids at the Christian Conference Center. Aaron Nelson (center) was our host and is the new Director at the camp. They have a few more weeks of summer campers and we got to experience it in full swing.
It was a very productive day and a pleasure to meet Fred and Eric. They are so knowledgeable and we’d love to have them join us here on Palomar. Just no 500,000 volt towers, please….
Will keep you posted!
Bonnie Phelps, Tour Guide for NextEra and Palomar Mountain Task Force Member
Palomar has had a wonderful resource for so many marketing and printing needs for over 25 years. Save Palomar Mountain recently had postcards, signs and flyers made. When I opened this order, including new business cards, I was so impressed with the design work and finished products. I remembered about other ways Susan has given back to the community and just had to do this ‘shout out’.
Owner of Premiere Image, Susan Humason has a fun story about her love affair with Palomar. Living in Texas, she earned an undergraduate degree in forestry. She moved to San Diego for her MBA. Missing trees so much, she had a very fast-paced, high stress job but was longing for a much more calming environment.
Discovering Palomar Mountain, she first rented, then later a fun cabin below the Lodge became available. Susan had to make it her own and enjoyed her ocean view immensely. She became involved in the community and served on the PMPO. They had started a newsletter and Susan has donated her time to publish the Annual newsletter for over two decades. She is living back in the city but said her heart is still on Palomar and love that it has remained so pristine. She has also re-published three books on Mountain history and does all the banners. If you haven’t met, you’ll usually see her at the Hoedown and Pancake Breakfasts.
Thank you Susan! When you need marketing materials, design, printing or promo items, simply reach out:
For the past 5 years + when folks on Palomar have needed a new roof, most have used Pollie Varona. We just counted up that he and his crew have installed over 30 roofs up here, including ours. Pollie was up yesterday finishing a project on Crestline and popped by asking if we would like ours serviced. Of course!
They start by blowing off all the debris and then checking areas of penetration; all vents and chimneys. They removed old caulking and replaced it with new. He showed me photos of rust around a chimney and used a special product to protect that area until we get it replaced. They cleaned our gutters, did some repairs, recalked around windows where needed and touched up with paint we had tucked away. Pollie also pointed out work a company did that recently installed a dish so a sports fan I know can keep up on the games. Alas, they installed their cable on top of the shingles and then secured it across a valley on the roof! Anytime you penetrate a roof, you are asking for leaking. The proper way is to run cable along the facia and not penetrate the roof shingles at all. He patched all the holes from under the shingles and has everything set for the next home run or touch down or what ever it may be.
Does this sound like something you’d like to have done? Simply call or text: Pollie Varona 760-519-0697
Our four Treasures grew up on Palomar and many locals know them. So occasionally, I take the liberty to share a bit …
Two of our grandkids were born early at about 5 pounds. One of our mountain weekenders, Dr. Yvonne Vaucher got them off to a great start in Intensive Care. Last year I shared about our grandson, Judah doing well as a Happy Patient of Doctor Vaucher.
Today is Sunshine’s birthday. We were so pleased to see Dr. Yvonne for the second time at the hospital when we arrived 15 years ago. Our newest granddaughter was having great care in her little incubator. Here is an update on those two little babies:
Judah is now 16 and 6 feet 4 inches tall! Sunshine already passed up her GramBonnie at 5 feet 9! We are very pleased with how those little preemies are turning out. Thank you Dr. Yvonne!
That photo on the bridge? They were all enjoying this year’s Eclipse on the White River in Arkansas.
Fun tales are told of a much-loved, old-timer by the name of John Leech who built a one-room, very rustic cabin on this property in the early 1900’s. In 1950 this ‘modern’ cabin was finished with real running water and later, electric lights! That was good timing as the tiny cabin tucked in the woods, eventually met it’s demise during a heavy snowfall. You can still find some of the lumber and parts of the cast iron kitchen stove.
John’s granddaughter Linda, and her three brothers, talked to me for years about the possibility of someday letting go of their last piece of Real Estate on Palomar. In 2019 I opened a big envelope from Linda’s brother Jim. It had an amazing mountain lion photo and hand-written story telling a little of their family history with multiple properties on the mountain. Click to see the lion photo and read the story.
A few days ago, Linda and her husband Bob had their four grown sons out from around the country for a family reunion. They all came up to say ‘good bye’ to the cabin. It was hard to do! Linda’s first visit was when she was 6 months old. The sons have fond memories hiking in the woods, sledding in the snow, walking up to the General Store, looking at the bright stars and pancakes for breakfast… so many good times.
Well, it’s your turn now.
There is an open living, dining and kitchen with two bedrooms and a bath, power and water, waiting for you. You will not be bored, fixing up the cabin on this property that is just shy of an acre.
What does it need? Before you experience a ‘water feature’ greeting you during your first rain or snow, you’ll want to put on a new roof. The cabin had a vintage wood stove for 74 years that was past it’s prime. A new heat source will be on your list. You do have a shed out back to store your tools and those sleds, don’t forget the sleds.
One of the last, very original, 100 year old cabins is waiting for you! What peeks your interest? Weekend getaways, even full time living or a fun challenge to restore and short up for future generations to enjoy? You will need your tool box for projects that have been waiting for you for decades.
The beautiful stone fireplace sure resembles several up here made by Ralph Tillinghast who built the huge master-piece, still enjoyed at the Lodge.
If I remember right, this cabin was home to a family that helped create the largest class size at our one-room school about a half-century ago. Apparently the school got up to about 30 students and a third of them were from the family living in this cabin. So if you have a family of 12 or less, you can make it work!
Tuesday morning I went down to the South Grade Road improvement job site. Took a few pix for you. I’d been concerned about the signage that didn’t seem to make sense. It was perfect timing. I was introduced to a sharp guy, Aaron Aguinaldo who is the Resident Engineer. He wanted to make it right and went with me to see the signs. He had a thick stack of paper on his lap. We got to the top of the mountain and I suggested drawing the correct road names on a piece of paper. He opened his stack of paper and – ta da! It was a huge collection of county maps that they used for the signage placement. One glance at the map and we figured out what caused the confusion pretty quick.
When the South Grade was built to bring the mirror up in the 1930’s, it was originally named ‘South Grade Road’ all the way to the Observatory. Decades ago, the part of the Grade from the Summit to the Observatory was changed to ‘Canfield Road’. Aaron rode with me as we drove around to the construction company’s signs posted in some puzzling and pretty creative places. We were smiling and shaking our heads seeing those old maps and the current street signs. Aaron made the corrections on his historic map printed with road names from nearly 100 years ago.
He notified CalTrans and they got the Message Board moved to the top of the South Grade, facing down hill. Some signs might still covered as they are not needed. Aaron also mentioned that they are planning for a wait time of no more than about 10 minutes, Monday through Friday and only during the day.
When I was at the job site, I gave a big ‘thumbs up’ to the workers arriving for the day. One man posed for us, Alfred Ortiz. He is one of the brave crew that suit up with all their gear for their day way up in their ‘cubicle’. They scale the huge cut above the road, securing themselves to climb high on that steep bank to dislodge dangerous boulders. The huge pile of rocks and boulders are then trucked away with all the heavy equipment. Thanks to Sandrine Miller-Montgomery for the photo with two of the workers circled in red. Wow!!! They have been doing an amazing job in this 90+ degree heat to help create a safer Highway to the Stars!
So fun to run into JP Bartkowski in the General Store. We were catching up and when he mentioned his very successful formula for getting rid of skunk smells, I just had to take his pic for this post. They have some resident skunks at the ranch and his dog is a common target. JP simply mixes up his magic potion and shampoos his dog or any surface and no more skunk smell:
Small bucket of water
One small box baking soda
One bottle Hydrogen Peroxide
Two to three ounces of DAWN dish soap (Gotta be Dawn)
Palomar Mountain News 