(forgot to turn on logging for the first 10-15 minutes, once more... duh...) North of the insanely popular Iron Mountain trailhead is another access point to the upper portion of the Poway trails system: Ellie Lane trail. Hiking clockwise there's quite a nice ascent in the first mile or two. At the ridge where Ellie Lane Trail becomes the Miner's Ridge Trail (I think...) a little use trail leads further up in a north-westerly direction, to a high point that overlooks Santa Maria Valley and Ramona, with sweeping views to Palomar Mountain, Mount Gower, San Vicente Dam and Reservoir, etc. - well worth it.