Alter Experiences is on a mission to find the most remote, pristine, and bio-diverse habitats to host our glamping retreats. Our headquarters are located in San Diego's backountry where we currently manage several sites in Cleveland National Forest (Mount Laguna), Julian & near Lake Cuyamaca & the Cuyamaca Ranch State Park.

We also have various affiliate destinations in some of the most pristine and remote destinations on this planet where we offer our glamping retreats. Some of these destinations include; Baja California - Mexico, Catalina Island, Big Sur, and the Red Sea.

Each one of our sites is handpicked to offer you a truly nature immersive experience. We strive to create the most comfortable outdoor experience possible, even at our most remote locations. The result is an outdoor & nature immersive experience unlike any other.

In the very heart of San Diego county is one of Southern California's most pristine & bio-diverse natural environments. It's known as the Central Mountain region and encompasses the communities of Cuyamaca, Descanso, Guatay, Pine Valley, and Mount Laguna. It's here where we first introduced our initial outdoor hospitality model and are operating under permit by the US Department of Agriculture - US Forestry Service.

This region is exemplifying a tourism model based around bio-diversity, conservation, heritage and community development. It’s these principles which have inspired our company vision & business model.

"The Central Mountain Subregion lies east of the Alpine and Ramona Community Panning Areas (CPA), west of the Desert Subregion, south of the Julian CPA, and north of the Mountain Empire Subregion. The Central Mountain Subregion is one of the most scenic areas in the County. It is a recreational and agricultural resource for the entire County. It offers its residents and visitors a place to experience tranquility and the beauty of undisturbed nature.

There are two public recreation and wilderness areas in the Subregion: Cuyamaca Rancho State Park (approximately 25,000 acres) and the Cleveland National Forest (approximately 120,000 acres).

The Subregion covers approximately 200,000 acres, 78 percent of which are in public ownership or in the Inaja, Cosmit, La Posta, or Capitan Grande Indian Reservations. The principal types of vegetation found in the Subregion are southern oak woodland, which consists of two communities: the mountain woodland and the valley woodland, the coniferous forest, chaparral, and riparian vegetation. The Central Mountain Subregion contains most of the highest mountains in the County: Cuyamaca Peak (6,512 feet), Cuyapaipe Mountain (6,378 feet), Monument Peak (6,272 feet), and North Peak (5,993 feet). Other striking features of this Subregion are: Cuyamaca Lake, a reservoir for the Helix Water District the northern tip of El Capitan Reservoir; meadows and coniferous forests; and spectacular views of the Anza Borrego Desert from the Sunrise Highway."

Central Mountain Subregional Plan - San Diego County General Plan

The driving force behind this region's growth is an emphasis on the community character - preservation of the integrity of the National Forests and State Parks, the retention & enhancement of the rural character of the central mountain communities, & the preservation of the natural environment and habitat.

There are many individuals, sponsor groups, businesses and organizations that are working together towards these objectives for the area many years now. They've continued to set the example for a sustainable tourism model and overall environmental conservation.

You can read all about their plan in their publication "Central Mountain Sub-regional Plan," which can be downloaded here.

"Within the Central Mountain Subregion, we preserve and respect our venerable and historic structures in the form of lodges, halls and restaurants, churches and residences, barns, and bridges. Our compact utilitarian commercial cores represent a very small percentage of our overall land use and provide essential local services for area residents and visitors. Limited pockets of residential development spread outward from our village centers to areas where they fit well within their surroundings. The lack of tract housing developments and larger commercial centers further defines and enhances the unique character of our backcountry communities. It is the combination of 52 these factors that contribute to our quaint rural ambiance and charm.

Because of limited infrastructure and limited natural resources like groundwater, any further growth must be carefully managed. Any growth must also compliment our natural rural landscape and adhere to our community character. Our communities are gateways to recreational opportunities. We place an extremely high value on recreational opportunities provided by open space and community trails which offer pedestrians, equestrians, and mountain bikers access to federal, State and County Parks. As committed backcountry stewards, we believe in the preservation of clean air and dark skies, mature woodlands and open spaces, natural resources, and water quality. These core values are reflected in our rural lifestyles and make up some of the essential components of our community character.

The Central Mountain Subregion is perhaps one of the few remaining areas within the County that still offers visitors a chance to escape their fast-paced urban lifestyle and recall with nostalgia, the essence of life in a small mountain village. As nearby suburban populations continue to increase, it is of the utmost importance that the natural beauty of our local rural landscapes and vital character of our small villages be treasured and preserved for future generations."

Central Mountain Subregional Plan - San Diego County General Plan