Sunol 9-16-14

Another Tuesday morning hike. I'm thinking that I should keep trying new places — at least new to me in the last few years, so I choose Mission Peak. It seems that I have been avoiding the place because I know that it is a pretty big climb to the top, and there is not much shade on the trail. I think maybe I'm ready for it today. So Darby and I drive to the Stanford Ave. Staging area in Fremont. Most Regional Parks are nearly deserted on weekdays, so it is quite a surprise to find the parking lot completely full and all of the nearby streets all parked up for blocks around. Something must be going on that I don't know about, but I don't feel like dealing with crowds, so I change plans and we drive to Sunol Regional Wilderness.

When I got home from the hike, I looked on-line and found out about Mission Peak. It seems that sometime recently, people started posting selfies on Facebook of themselves on the peak. Now, it has become an internet phenomenon, and hundreds of people are climbing Mission Peak every day to take their selfies. They have to line up at the summit to get to the pole for their shots. It is becoming a major problem for the park district. I guess that it is good that people are getting outdoors and getting some exercise, but it has become really crazy. It seems especially crazy that while all this is going on, I can drive a few minutes over the hill to Sunol, a wilder and more beautiful place in my opinion, and be the only one on the trail all day.

Sunol was deserted when we got there except for a couple of people doing maintenance work on the Visitor Center. We started off up the Indian Joe Creek Trail, one of my favorites. It winds up a tight little canyon shaded by maples and sycamores. After a while, it climbs steeply, and passes the Indian Joe Cave Rocks, a pile of basalt boulders that are great for a bit of climbing. I pass on the scrambling, though, and just concentrate on getting myself up the trail. By this time we have gained over 1000 ft. We turned right on the Cave Rocks Road, climbed some more, and then left on the Eagle View Road to the Eagle View Trail. After crossing a steep little ravine, the single-track trail contours across a very steep brushy hillside to the Vista Grande Overlook, the high point of the hike. By this time, the day was pretty warm, and Darby and I were both beat. We enjoyed the far-reaching views for a few minutes and then started down the Vista Grande Road which follows the crest of the sharp ridge. I remembered coming down this ridge in the spring a few years ago when it was beautifully carpeted with poppies. It was quite dry and dead today. We greatly appreciated finding running water at the faucet at High Valley Camp, and continued down the Hayfield Road back to our car.

Indian Joe Creek Trail

Indian Joe Cave Rocks

On Cave Rocks Road

Eagle View Trail

 I was quite worn out and Darby appeared to be too. On days like today, when he gets home he crashes on the floor and doesn't move the rest of the day. But it was really a nice hike with changes of scenery at every turn -- shady canyons, rocks, open hills with far off views. That's why I like to keep coming back to Sunol.

5.4 miles, 1400 ft. climb