Maureen was going to be working all day, so it seemed like a good time for Darby and I to go for another hike. I had recently been looking at the EBRPD map of Las Trampas, and noticed that they had added some land at the southern end of Las Trampas Ridge, and that there was a new park entrance in Danville. It was new to me anyway -- it has probably been there for a while.
The morning was very foggy, but I didn't feel like waiting, so we drove out to Danville about 10 am. The park entrance is very easy to find. From the Sycamore Valley exit on 680, go straight west through the shopping center onto Remington Loop, and look for a gated road between houses.
Here in Danville, the fog was clearing. We started out in bright sun, but we could see the fog breaking like a wave over the ridge and hiding the top. The trail starts out steep, and continues climbing steadily up the ridge. Looking back down from the edge of the fog, there was a dramatic view of the valley lit by sunbeams breaking through the fog, and the tip of Mt. Diablo barely showing above it. Then a few minutes later, we were in the fog and couldn't see very far in any direction. As we climbed, we could see what looked like the top just ahead, then another hill would appear from the mist.
Finally, after what seemed like a long climb, we reached the ridge top, and headed north along it. There wasn't much to see -- only a hundred feet or so of the trail ahead and behind us. On previous hikes, the furthest south on the ridge that I had been was the junction of the Del Amigo Trail with the Las Trampas Ridge Trail, so I wanted to make it to that point. The fog began to break up, revealing nice views of the Danville area, as we neared the junction. Finally we were there and we turned around and retraced our route all the way back.
The morning was very foggy, but I didn't feel like waiting, so we drove out to Danville about 10 am. The park entrance is very easy to find. From the Sycamore Valley exit on 680, go straight west through the shopping center onto Remington Loop, and look for a gated road between houses.
Here in Danville, the fog was clearing. We started out in bright sun, but we could see the fog breaking like a wave over the ridge and hiding the top. The trail starts out steep, and continues climbing steadily up the ridge. Looking back down from the edge of the fog, there was a dramatic view of the valley lit by sunbeams breaking through the fog, and the tip of Mt. Diablo barely showing above it. Then a few minutes later, we were in the fog and couldn't see very far in any direction. As we climbed, we could see what looked like the top just ahead, then another hill would appear from the mist.
Finally, after what seemed like a long climb, we reached the ridge top, and headed north along it. There wasn't much to see -- only a hundred feet or so of the trail ahead and behind us. On previous hikes, the furthest south on the ridge that I had been was the junction of the Del Amigo Trail with the Las Trampas Ridge Trail, so I wanted to make it to that point. The fog began to break up, revealing nice views of the Danville area, as we neared the junction. Finally we were there and we turned around and retraced our route all the way back.
5.7 mi. -- 1600 ft. up and down
No comments:
Post a Comment