Site Suitability Analysis

Map 1: Cuyamaca and Laguna Mountains

This topographic map was my first step in understanding the character of the Cuyamaca and Laguna Mountains, an area where elevation, climate, and terrain shape every trail, overlook, and experience. Using a high resolution digital elevation model, I traced the rise and fall of the land, revealing slopes that taper into quiet valleys and ridgelines that lift toward cooler summer air. The terrain ranges from 762 feet to 6,479 feet above sea level, creating dramatic shifts in temperature, vegetation, and access across the region.

To build this map, I derived slope values directly from the elevation raster and symbolized both layers with a combined color ramp and hillshade effect to enhance terrain readability. Contour lines and major roads were added to create stronger spatial context and to show how movement through the mountains is shaped by the land itself.

For me, this map was more than a technical visualization. It was a way of seeing how people move through space, where they find comfort, and how terrain shapes the experience of being outdoors. The topographic foundation guided the entire site suitability analysis by showing where the land naturally invites visitors in and where it quietly asks them to tread more carefully.

Weighted Suitability Map — Narrative and Technical Version

Map 2: Potential Campground Sites

This suitability map brings the full story together. After weighing elevation, slope, forest cover, access to roads, and terrain ruggedness, the analysis reveals where new campgrounds could fit gently into the landscape. Areas with the highest suitability scores appear in warm tones, forming clusters around the Cuyamaca Mountains and Mount Laguna, where environmental comfort and accessibility come together.

Technically, this map was created by standardizing and weighting each raster criterion and then combining them through raster calculation to generate a cumulative suitability surface. The final raster was classified to highlight the areas with the strongest potential, and an inset map was added to draw attention to a region with particularly promising site options.

What I love most about this map is how it shows possibility. Each patch of color represents a place where people might someday gather, rest beneath conifers or oaks, or look up at a sky filled with stars. It is a map rooted in data but shaped by humanity, showing how thoughtful geography can help create outdoor spaces that are safe, accessible, and connected to the rhythms of the land.