Editing Mount Soledad

{{Short description|Mountain in San Diego, California}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox mountain
| name = Mount Soledad
| photo = Soledad from Torrey Pines.jpg
| photo_size = 285
| photo_alt = Finger of a mountain visible behind a cliff and on a beach with a partly cloudy sky
| photo_caption = Mount Soledad seen from the north in [[Torrey Pines State Natural Reserve]]
| elevation_ft = 823
| elevation_ref = {{NAVD88}}<ref name="ngs">{{cite ngs |pid=DC1849 |name=Soledad |accessdate=2021-09-19}}</ref>
| prominence_ft = 472
| prominence_ref = <ref name="pb">{{cite peakbagger |pid=21350 |name=Soledad Mountain, California |accessdate=2021-09-19}}</ref>
| parent_peak = [[Black Mountain Open Space Park|Black Mountain]]
| location = [[La Jolla, California|La Jolla]], [[San Diego County, California|San Diego, County]], [[California]], [[United States|U.S.]]
| map = United States San Diego Northwestern
| map_alt = Location within Northwestern San Diego
| map_caption = Location within Northwestern San Diego
| map_size = 250
| label = Mount Soledad
| label_position = bottom
| coordinates = {{coord|32.839866731|N|117.252491236|W|type:mountain_region:US-CA_scale:100000_source:ngs|format=dms|display=inline,title}}
| coordinates_ref = <ref name="ngs"/>
| topo = [[United States Geological Survey|USGS]] La Jolla
| age = 
| first_ascent = 
| easiest_route = 
}}

'''Mount Soledad''', also known as '''Soledad Mountain''', is a prominent [[landmark]] in [[San Diego]], California, United States. The mountaintop is the site of the [[Mount Soledad Cross]].

== Geography ==
The {{convert|823|ft|m|adj=on}} mountain<ref name="ngs"/> lies between [[Interstate 5]] to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It is mostly within the community of [[La Jolla, San Diego, California|La Jolla]] where the northern and eastern slopes form a sharp [[escarpment]] along the [[Rose Canyon Fault]]. The community of [[Pacific Beach, San Diego, California|Pacific Beach]] is on the gentler southern slope. There are several [[radio]] and [[television]] transmitters located on the summit including [[KFMB-TV]] and [[KGTV]], the [[CBS]] and [[American Broadcasting Company|ABC]] affiliates respectively. Commercial aircraft approaching San Diego from the direction of [[Los Angeles, California|Los Angeles]] often use Mount Soledad as their point to start the downwind leg of their approach to [[San Diego International Airport]].

== Land events ==
On October 3, 2007, a [[landslide]] destroyed two homes, damaged several others and ripped up more than 100 yards of a residential street on Soledad Mountain. Five houses were damaged, and over 20 others were evacuated. The City of San Diego had noticed water and gas main leaks since July, and cracks in the pavement since August 2007.<ref>{{cite news |title=46 homes evacuated after landslide in La Jolla |date=October 3, 2007 |newspaper=[[San Francisco Chronicle]] |url=http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/n/a/2007/10/03/state/n145815D44.DTL |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080310215203/http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=%2Fn%2Fa%2F2007%2F10%2F03%2Fstate%2Fn145815D44.DTL |archive-date=2008-03-10 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

== Legend of Munchkin land  ==
There is an [[urban legend]] that in the 1930s, a group of little people who appeared in Hollywood films such as ''[[The Wizard of Oz (1939 film)|The Wizard of Oz]]'', came to San Diego, where they built miniature houses on Mount Soledad.<ref name="museumofhoaxes.com">{{cite web |title=The Legend of Midgetville |publisher=Museum of Hoaxes |url=http://www.museumofhoaxes.com/hoax/weblog/permalink/the_legend_of_midgetville/}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=A Big Man Looks for the Land of the Littlepeople |date=2003-05-12 |newspaper=The Daily Aztec |url=http://media.www.thedailyaztec.com/media/storage/paper741/news/2003/05/12/Tempo/A.Big.Man.Looks.For.The.Land.Of.The.Littlepeople-757722.shtml?page=1 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080409091327/http://media.www.thedailyaztec.com/media/storage/paper741/news/2003/05/12/Tempo/A.Big.Man.Looks.For.The.Land.Of.The.Littlepeople-757722.shtml?page=1 |archive-date=2008-04-09 |url-status=dead }}</ref>

The legend gained traction due to the fact several houses were built on steep slopes overlooking the Pacific. As passing observers looked down, the perspective made doors and other features appear smaller than normal. Most of the supposed "Munchkin Houses" have been remodeled and the effect is no longer present.{{citation needed|date=March 2017}}

== Last home of Dr. Seuss ==
Mount Soledad is the location of the last home lived in by [[Dr. Seuss]]. His widow, [[Audrey Geisel]], resided atop Mount Soledad in a lavish home, which includes an observation tower referred to as the ''Seuss house'' by the locals, until her death in 2018.<ref>{{cite news |last=Bell |first=Diane |title=Dr. Seuss' menagerie well-tended |date=March 8, 2008 |newspaper=San Diego Union-Tribune |url=http://www.signonsandiego.com/uniontrib/20080308/news_1m8bell.html}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Sullivan |first=Robert |url=http://ucsdmag.ucsd.edu/magazine/vol1no2/features/seuss.htm |title=Oh The Places He Did Go |publisher=UCSD Alumni Association}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/22/obituaries/audrey-geisel-dead.html|title=Audrey Geisel, 97, Dies; Dr. Seuss' Widow and Keeper of His Flame|newspaper=The New York Times|date=22 December 2018|last1=Seelye|first1=Katharine Q.}}</ref>

== Cycling ==
Because of the variety of long steady climbs, light traffic on most routes, and great views, Mount Soledad is a popular [[cycling]] destination and area.  There are numerous routes ranging from the relatively gradual, {{convert|3.5|mi|adj=on}} climb up Soledad Mountain Road on the southern slopes to the very steep and short, {{convert|1.25|mi|1|adj=on}}, Hidden Valley Road to Via Capri route on the north side.

==Mount Soledad Cross==
{{main|Mount Soledad Cross}}
[[Image:Mt Soledad Cross Restoration.jpg|thumb|Restoration of the cross in 2008]]
Mount Soledad is topped by a large concrete [[Christian cross#Forms of the Cross|Christian cross]], first built in 1913, and since rebuilt twice. The third and current version was dedicated in 1954 as the Mount Soledad Easter Cross; the word "Easter" was dropped in the 1980s. After the cross was challenged in court during the late 1980s, it was designated a [[Korean War]] memorial. It became the center of a controversy over the display of religious symbols on government property.<ref>"It's a spot known worldwide", in: {{cite video|people=KUSI announcer|url=http://www.cnn.com/2011/US/01/04/california.cross/index.html|title=Appeals court says cross on federal land is unconstitutional|date=January 5, 2011|publisher=Time Warner|accessdate=February 1, 2011}}</ref>

It was ruled unconstitutional by the [[United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit]] in January 2011.<ref name=McKeown>{{cite web|url=http://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2011/01/04/08-56415.pdf|title=Opinion by Judge McKeown, No. 08-56415: Steve Trunk and Jewish War Veterans of the United States of America, Inc.; Richard A. Smith; Mina Sagheb; Judith M. Copeland v. City of San Diego and Robert M. Gates|publisher=United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit|date=January 4, 2011|accessdate=February 1, 2011|page=219|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110112041901/http://www.ca9.uscourts.gov/datastore/opinions/2011/01/04/08-56415.pdf|archive-date=January 12, 2011}}</ref>

On June 25, 2012, the [[Supreme Court of the United States]] denied [[certiorari]], allowing the order of the Ninth Circuit to stand.<ref>[http://www.scotusblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/11-998-11-1115-Denial.pdf ''Mount Soledad Memorial Ass'n v. Trunk''], 132 S.Ct. 2535 (2012).</ref>

In July 2015, a group called the Mt. Soledad Memorial Association reported that it had bought the half-acre of land under the cross from the Department of Defense for $1.4 million.<ref>Tony Perry, [https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-cross-sold-20150720-story.html Group buys land under Mt. Soledad cross, possibly ending two-decade court fight], ''Los Angeles Times'' (July 21, 2015).</ref> On September 7, 2016 the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit issued a one-page ruling, ordering dismissal of the case and an end to all current appeals, stating that the case was now moot because the cross was no longer on government land. Both sides agreed that this decision puts a final end to the case.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/2016/sep/08/soledad-final/|title=Soledad cross case concludes, leaving memorial in place|last=Moran|first=Greg|date=September 8, 2016|work=San Diego Union-Tribune|accessdate=9 September 2016}}</ref>

== See also ==
* [[List of San Diego Historical Landmarks in La Jolla, California|San Diego Historical Landmarks in La Jolla, California]]

== References ==
{{reflist|2}}

{{Neighborhoods of San Diego||state=collapsed}}

[[Category:Mountains of San Diego County, California|Soledad]]
[[Category:La Jolla, San Diego]]
[[Category:Landmarks in San Diego]]
[[Category:Military monuments and memorials in the United States]]
[[Category:Parks in San Diego]]
[[Category:Mountains of Southern California|Soledad]]