Redonda Mesa facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Redonda Mesa |
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View west to Redonda Mesa in the Santa Ana Mountains.
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 2,825 ft (861 m) NGVD 29 |
| Geography | |
 Redonda Mesa
Location in California
Redonda Mesa
Location in the United States
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| Location | Riverside County, California |
| Parent range | Santa Ana Mountains |
| Topo map | USGS |
Redonda Mesa is a cool flat-topped mountain, also called a mesa, located in the southern Santa Ana Mountains. It's found close to the Pacific Ocean in sunny Southern California. This special place is in Riverside County, California.
The highest point of Redonda Mesa reaches about 2,825 feet (861 meters) high.
Contents
Exploring Redonda Mesa's Location
Redonda Mesa sits near the border between Riverside and San Diego Counties. It's a few miles northeast of Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton. It's also about 11 miles (18 km) west of the city of Temecula.
Amazing Views from the Top
From the top of Redonda Mesa, you can see some incredible sights on a clear day!
- To the south, you might spot cities like Oceanside, Fallbrook, and Bonsall.
- Looking north, you can see more of the Santa Ana Mountains.
- To the east, the Temecula Valley spreads out below. You might even see Anza and the San Jacinto Mountains further away.
- To the west, you'll see Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton and the huge Pacific Ocean. On very clear days, you might even spot Santa Catalina Island far out in the ocean! Parts of San Clemente in Orange County are also visible.
Plants and Nature on the Mesa
The natural areas of Redonda Mesa are covered with special plants. These plants belong to a group called Coastal sage scrub. This type of plant community is becoming rare in Southern California, making Redonda Mesa an important place for nature.
A Look at Redonda Mesa's History
In the late 1960s, a man named Edward E. Sharp bought the top of Redonda Mesa. He was a big real estate broker in the area.
The Microwave Tower Era
Back in the 1970s, before we had fiber optic cables for fast internet, telephone companies needed other ways to send signals. Redonda Mesa was perfect because it had clear views from San Diego County all the way to Orange County. This made it an ideal spot for a microwave relay station.
Around 1981, AT&T bought 20 acres (8.1 hectares) on top of the mesa from the Sharp family. They built a 100-foot (30-meter) tall tower there. This tower had many white "cones" that pointed towards other stations in Oceanside and San Clemente. It helped send phone calls across the region for about ten years.
New Life for the Tower
After new technologies came along, the tower wasn't needed as much. So, in 2002, AT&T sold Redonda Mesa back to the Sharp family. They then sold it to Herbert Massinger.
Mr. Massinger did something really unique! He turned the old microwave relay tower into a newly fixed-up home. This home sits on 20 acres and has amazing ocean views. On a clear day, you can see Catalina Island, San Clemente, and even the Coronado Islands off the coast of Mexico!
Images for kids
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Microwave relay tower after the cones were removed
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View to the south of northern San Diego County
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View southwest of Camp Pendleton and the Pacific Ocean
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Redonda Mesa Ranch gate
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Water tank on the ranch
