File photo: El Capitan County Preserve hiking trail

Story updated March 26

By Miriam Raftery

March 24, 2026 (Lakeside) – The San Diego County Medical Examiner’s office has identified a hiker who died on El Cajon Mountain in the El Capitan County Preserve on March 22 as Johnathan L. Gorbea, 40, of Lakeside.

Gorbea was a decorated U.S. Navy veteran who also worked for the Department of Defense, according to a GoFundMe page set up by one of his cousins, which by 11:30 a.m. March 26 had raised $16,715 of $20,000 sought.

Gorbea’s family reported him missing on Sunday morning, after he failed to return from a hike he had left for on Saturday morning.

By Gig Conaughton, County of San Diego Communications Office

August 1, 2021 (San Diego's East County) - Three San Diego County parks will be closed for the month of August starting Sunday, a measure taken each year because of the month’s typically high temperatures.

Parks officials announced that El Capitan Preserve near Lakeside, Hellhole Canyon Preserve in Valley Center and Mt. Gower Preserve in Ramona will be closed.

By Michelle Mowad, County of San Diego Communications Office

March 5, 2017 (Lakeside) -- The hike at El Capitan County Preserve is considered one of the most rugged and physically challenging in San Diego County. The preserve’s trails run along a granite-ribbed ridgeline, which has stunning views of both the ocean and mountains. It can easily take up to six hours to complete this 12-mile out-and-back trek.