By Ken Stone
No beaches. No parks. No problem.
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Amid coastal city limits to control crowds and coronavirus, San Diegans in small numbers escaped to the Laguna Mountains on Friday.
Paul Buss and daughter Olivia of Mission Beach brought three UC Santa Barbara students from Sweden who are staying with them. The young women posed with nonsocial-distancing snowmen on a wide expanse off Sunrise Highway.
“Our home is right on the beach and we can’t even stand on it,” he said at 5,000 feet.
Jeremy Raymond Noriega, 23, of Campo snowboarded off a rocky outcropping with Matt Payne, 25, of Rancho San Diego. Noriega said he usually surfs off La Jolla Shores.
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Mike, who declined to share his last name, brought his four kids between the ages of 7 and 14, along with a 12-year-old Labrador-Australian cattle dog mix named Ridley — who rolled in the snow with delight.
He said they’ve been stuck in the house “through the whole quarantine.” They mostly enjoy hiking and indoor rock climbing.
The Aguirres of El Cajon brought their almost-2-year-old daughter, Marceys, who built a miniature snowman.
It was her first time in the snow, Dad said in 40-degree weather.
Cameron Rollin, 19, of Jamul and four friends fashioned a mini-jump from stray logs and packed snow to launch their circular sleds. Their flying saucers landed safely — chased by two dogs they brought with them.
Almost all of the several dozen people seen Friday afternoon stayed in their household groups — not violating social distance practices down the hill.
The snow was receding Friday, and wasn’t expected to offer much fun Saturday.
Should San Diegans have right to visit mountains if they maintain social distancing?https://t.co/9IzXVCUBGo
— Times of San Diego (@TimesofSanDiego) March 28, 2020
Scattered showers were expected early Saturday with patchy fog. But temperatures in the Cleveland National Forest were expected to rise, with highs of 46 to 52 degrees.
“Little or no snow accumulation,” said willyweather.com.
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