Santiago Peak

Santiago Peak
Santiago Peak
Kalawpa, Mount Downey, Old Saddle Buck, Old Saddleback, Saddleback Mountain, San Juan Mountain, Santa Ana Peak, Temescal Peak, Trabuco Peak
	The southern slopes of Santiago Peak, as seen from above San Juan Canyon (February 2008)
Highest point
Elevation	5,689 ft (1,734 m) NAVD 88
Prominence	4,387 ft (1,337 m)
Listing	California county high points 37th
Coordinates	33°42′38″N 117°32′03″W / 33.710513139°N 117.534218203°W
Naming
English translation	Saint James
Language of name	Spanish
Geography
	Santiago Peak Location in California Santiago Peak Santiago Peak (the United States)
Location	Cleveland National Forest, Orange / Riverside counties, California, U.S.
Parent range	Santa Ana Mountains
Topo map	USGS Santiago Peak
Climbing
Easiest route	Hiking trail

Santiago Peak is the southern mountain of the Saddleback landform in Orange County and Riverside County, California. It is the highest and most prominent peak of both the Santa Ana Mountains and Orange County. The peak is named for Santiago Creek, which begins on its southwestern slope.^[1] During most winters, snow falls at least once on the peak. A telecommunication antenna farm with microwave antennas sits atop the peak.

The Acjachemen referred to the peak as Kalawpa, with the nearby village of Alume meaning "to raise the head in looking upward," in reference to the mountain.^[4]

Hiking

More than one trail leads to the top of Santiago Peak, but the most popular among hikers is the Holy Jim trail. The Holy Jim trail gains about 4,000 feet (1,200 m) in elevation and is a 16-mile (26 km) round trip. It is a moderate to strenuous hike and is most enjoyable during spring and winter due to the large number of insects during warmer times of the year.

From the summit of Santiago Peak, one can see the larger Southern California peaks like San Gorgonio Mountain, San Jacinto Peak, and Mount San Antonio. However, due to the large number of antennas at the top of Santiago Peak, a full 360-degree view of the surrounding landscapes is not possible. Those at the top must walk approximately a quarter-mile around the perimeter of all the antennas to take in views of every direction.

Radio communication facilities

Santiago Peak is a radio site with buildings owned by American Tower, Crown Castle, MobileRelay Associates, Day Wireless, Orange County Communications, the United States Federal Government, the State of California, and Southern California Edison, among others.^{[citation needed]}

Santiago Peak provides radio coverage over much of Los Angeles, Orange, San Bernardino, Riverside, and San Diego counties. It houses both broadcast and two-way communications facilities on virtually every frequency band, including FM broadcast, VHF low- and high-band, UHF, 800/900 MHz, and microwave.^{[citation needed]}

In September 2024, the Airport Fire, which originated in Trabuco Canyon, burned to Santiago Peak and damaged parts of the radio infrastructure.^[5]