Escape to The Outpost by Valley Farms, Day Trips to Mt. Laguna

We are fortunate to live here in San Diego. How many people can surf in the morning, then be in the snow and mountains by the afternoon? I love the beach, but the hills are always calling. Few things make me happier than packing up the car, heading to Julian, or simply driving to see the snow. 

There’s a certain magic in waking up to a snowy mountain and deciding that family time trumps school today. The excitement of grabbing warm clothes and sleds and heading for the hills is unparalleled. To this day, I’ve never faced any resistance from the kids, but their mother does occasionally remind me of my impulsive decisions. 

As I’ve grown older and my parents are no longer with me, I’ve come to realize the profound value of a day spent sledding in the mountains. It’s a memory that’s truly worth making. 

Sledding is the impetus for the trip, but truth be told, after a few fun runs and some damp clothing, we are all done and ready for lunch. Finding good food used to be a tall ask as most of the food south of Julian was forgettable, to say the least. I am happy to say that is no longer the case. 

The Outpost by Valley Farms is the new kid on the block, and the food and atmosphere are precisely what the Sunrise Highway needed. The Outpost is a quaint establishment with a ski lodge vibe. There are even a few cabins for rent in the back.

Valley Farms is a local market that offers a variety of food options at several locations throughout San Diego. I go to the one in Spring Valley, but they have another location in La Jolla off Torrey Pines Road. The butcher department is the main attraction, but the market is also enjoyable, as it features items you won’t find elsewhere. I drive out to Valley Farms when it’s time to restock my wood for the pizza oven at California Firewood. 

The Outpost offers a varied menu featuring burgers, pizzas, and salads. On the weekends, they offer breakfast and my favorite, BBQ. Barbeque is something that Valley Farms is known for, and if you are lucky, the smoker will be pumping out that sweet oak perfume that plays havoc with my senses. 

I like to get to the Outpost early, as the word is now out. If you plan to go sledding on a weekend, consider heading to the Outpost for breakfast beforehand. If you go mid-week, sled first, then head there for the BBQ.  

I like to finish our trip with what we now call the loop. I continue up the Sunrise highway through Julian, then head home via Wynola. The loop accomplishes a few things. If the kids want to fool around in Julian, Dad can have a beer at the Julian Beer Company. The return trip through Wynola allows us to pick up pie at Mom’s Pie House and avoid the lines in Julian, and my girls love Wynola Junction Antiques and Collectables down the road.

The mountains are right in our backyard, and they have so much to offer. If you find yourself heading up in the summertime, consider camping at Pinecrest, a vintage trailer park with an Olympic-size pool. I wrote an article about Pinecrest a couple years ago; the experience is like stepping back in time.  

Embrace your pioneer spirit, dust off your warm jacket, and make a memory for your family collection. See you up there.