Mt. Diablo 11-29-15

It was a Sunday and a good day for a hike. I don't like to do weekend hikes with Darby because there are usually lots of dogs on the trails, so since I wasn't taking him, I decided to go to Mount Diablo (where dogs are not allowed on trails). The recent cold weather had made my knee hurt more than usual, so I didn't want to do anything very difficult. I thought I would try the Madrone Canyon Trail, a mile-long section that would be new to me. It doesn't appear to be a new trail, but it doesn't show up on my old map from 1987.

I had seen a recent news story about problems with bicycles on the mountain. Apparently there have been a lot of collisions between cars and bikes in recent years. The state park addressed the problem by putting up signs saying "do not pass bikes on blind curves". That sounds reasonable, but I doubted that the problem could be solved simply by putting up signs. On my drive up, I saw first-hand how serious the problem was. Most of the road is a narrow two-lanes with no shoulders cut into a steep mountain slope, and many blind curves. It is a steep climb, so the uphill bikes are barely moving. Several times, I had to come to nearly a complete stop and wait what seemed like several minutes for the bicyclists to round a corner. I would guess that a lot of drivers don't have that much patience. There needs to be a better solution, but I don't know what that would be.

I paid my $10 at the gate and parked at Curry Point. I started off heading up the Summit Trail, then went left on the Staircase Trail. It was a chilly day, but clear and sunny, and it felt good to be outdoors again. Soon I was down in the chaparral and sandstone of the Rock City area. It is a bit confusing with lots of side trails through the rocks, but there were plenty of trail signs showing the way. The signs told me that I was on the "Trail Through Time", and I enjoyed reading several large signs explaining the geologic features. This is one of the most popular areas of the park, and there were lots of families with kids climbing on the rocks. Watching them, I remembered doing the same myself some 60 years ago, and then more recently with my sons and now my grandkids.

Rock City

The "Trail Through Time" signs led across the main road and down into a canyon on the Madrone Canyon Trail. It was a pretty walk shaded by oaks and a few madrones with lots of moss and ferns. At the bottom, a bridge crossed the dry creekbed and I turned left on the Devils Slide Trail. It climbed up a little side canyon, passing Sulfur Spring, a puddle of milky water with a bit of sulfurous odor. The woods gave way to grassy hillsides at the top and I turned left again on the Knobcone Point Road. A bit more climbing brought me back to my car.

Madrone Canyon Trail

This turned out to be quite a nice little hike, and not hard enough to bother my knee very much. On the map, the Madrone Canyon Trail appears to parallel the main road, but in reality it is far enough down in the canyon that I was totally unaware of the road being nearby.

3.3 miles, 750 ft. climb

Diablo Foothills 11-17-15

It has been a couple of days since the last rainstorm, and the weather has been cold and clear. Yesterday I did a little hike at Garin and an icy wind made it a bit uncomfortable. Today promised to be warmer with less wind, so another hike seemed to be a good idea. I was thinking of somewhere around Mt. Diablo, and looking at the map, I noticed a trail to the top of Castle Rock, one that I had never tried. I could go up Pine Creek, take the Sunset Trail to the top of the ridge, and follow it back to Castle Rock. The only problem was that the map shows the trail ending at the park boundary just past the top of the hill. I figured that it is only about a half mile back down to the trail along the creek, and I should be able to manage that even if I did have to cross a bit of private property. I would leave Darby at home since part of my hike would be within the state park, but he could use a rest day anyway.

Shell Ridge Trail

 On the drive out there, I thought maybe I could extend my hike a bit by starting at the Old Borges Ranch instead of the Castle Rock Trailhead. But then I missed the turn and ended up at Castle Rock anyway. I still could check out a bit of the hills to the southwest, so I started off up the Diablo Scenic Trail. The name sounded good, and I found that it lived up to its name. With some green grass starting to show after the recent rains, the wooded hills were quite beautiful. Then there was a very steep section up a chaparral covered hill that slowed me down a bit. At the top, a single-track trail branched to the left, avoiding a bit more climbing, so I tried it. It turned out to be a shortcut to the Shell Ridge Loop Trail, which I intended to take anyway, so it all worked out. Soon I was back down to the Stage Road Trail along Pine Creek.

Rocks above Stage Road Trail

I continued along the familiar trail up the creek. We have had three pretty good rainstorms in the past month, but because of the drought, there still was no water in the creek. I've noticed the same with several other creeks. I think the land has become so dry after years of drought that it just soaks up the rainwater and doesn't allow any to run off. It was a very pretty walk anyway, with groves of oaks and green grass coming up all around.

Sunset Trail

I turned left on the Sunset Trail, a rough single-track climbing steeply up a rocky little ravine. At one of the steepest parts, I heard something and looked up to see a mountain biker speeding toward me just a few feet away. I quickly stepped up the steep bank to get out of the way as he sped past. Then I lost my balance a bit and fell back to the trail, just missing his back tire. I doubt that he noticed, but if I had fallen back a split second sooner I would have knocked him off the trail for a bad fall. I think mountain bikes are great, but it's too bad that a few riders have no regard for other people's safety let alone their own.

At the top of the ridge, I turned left on a fire road that soon turned into another single-track, the Castle Rock Trail. This turned out to be the best part of my hike. The trail winds along the top of this sharp ridge, partly in oak woodland, partly in chaparral, with lots of big sandstone rocks. It reminded me of the trail along Las Trampas Ridge. At several spots there are great views of the tops of the spectacular rocks rising from the southwest side of the ridge. At one point I heard voices below, probably from climbers on the rocks. Fortunately I had chosen the fall season to do this hike because the area is closed much of the rest of the year to protect the peregrine falcons that nest in the rocks.

Castle Rock Trail

I reached what appeared to be a high point on the ridge, the hill named Castle Rock on the map, and then the trail became harder to follow. I stayed to the right at each fork and that turned out to be the right way. I came out on a grassy hillside with a fence signed "Park Boundary". But it didn't say "no trespassing" so I crawled under the fence because the way looked much easier on the other side. I followed cow trails or deer trails down the hillside, and they soon became more obvious trails from human use. At one point the trail went straight down a very steep slope and I had considerable difficulty getting down without falling. After that it wasn't so bad and I ended up at the mouth of a little canyon. I had to crawl under another fence and then I was back on the Stage Road Trail. Right at that spot, there was a sign reading "Habitat Enhancement… No Entry Beyond This Point". I regret breaking the rules, but I doubt that my footsteps caused that much damage. Another half mile and I was back to the car.

So once again I have to say that this report is just a recounting of what I did and not a recommendation that others do the same. I don't want to be responsible for anyone getting into trouble for breaking the rules or hiking on private property. On the other hand, I have some pretty strong opinions about property rights. I don't see the harm in someone walking across private land that is far from any homes or other development. When I visited England years ago, I enjoyed walking across farmer's fields on paths that had been used for centuries. We could do that here with some more reasonable attitudes.

This hike turned out to be one of my best in a long while. I like places with a lot of variety and this one had plenty -- rolling grassland, oak woodlands, shady streamsides, rocky chaparral, and great views.

5.5 miles, 1200 ft. climb

Del Valle 10-19-15

It was a beautiful fall day and I felt like getting outdoors for a while, but not for a long hike. It seems that lately my hikes have been getting shorter and easier, but I haven't yet given up on longer ones. While thinking about places to go I remembered that several years ago when I checked out the regional parks Trail Challenge, one of the trails listed was at the north end of Del Valle, an area I had never seen. We have been horse camping several times at Del Valle in past years, and have ridden on some of the trails, but always at the south end of the lake where most of the facilities are -- marina, swimming areas, campgrounds. At the north end, there is not so much going on. There is Camp Arroyo, a youth camp used by the YMCA and the Taylor Family Foundation, there is the dam, which is a restricted area, and there is a trail leading south to the reservoir.

Darby and I drove out there at mid-day, passing Sycamore Grove park, the Veterans Hospital, and Wente Winery to the Arroyo Road Staging Area. The trail passes through an old walnut orchard, crosses the creek, and begins climbing the hill rather steeply. Soon views open to the north of Wente's vineyards and golf course and the valley beyond. The steep grade doesn't let up until you reach the top of the hill, and there before you is a great view of the lake. I had expected to get a good view of the dam, but it is hidden behind a hill in a restricted area. I could see the East Shore Trail descending along the treeless hills, looping around Heron Bay, and the Heron Bay Trail heading down closer to the shore. I had thought about making a loop using those trails which would add a couple more miles, but now that I could see the trails, they didn't look that interesting. We just turned around and headed back down the hill.

We were on the trail only a little over an hour, but climbing the hill had given us plenty of exercise and we enjoyed the views.

2.0 miles, 500 ft. climb

Sunol 10-5-15

A week and a half after hiking at Sunol I had another free day and I decided to go back and try the Welch-Flag Hill Trail that I had noticed on the map last time. This time the weather was cooler and felt like I could handle a bit more climbing. My plan was to find some place to park on Welch Creek Road and start hiking from there. The only problem with that is that the park doesn't allow parking on the road without a permit. It's a one-lane road with no shoulders and very few places where it would even be possible to park if it were allowed. But on most weekdays the park is very lightly used and there are no rangers around, so I figured that I could probably get away with breaking the rules a bit.

First, I drove a short distance up Welch Creek Road just to check out the beginning of the trail and see if there was room to park. About a quarter mile up I saw an unmarked gate on the right. Parking looked possible but not welcoming because of a ditch and a pile of logs in the way, so I turned around and went back down to near the start of the road where there was plenty of room on the shoulder.

Hiking back up the road made me a bit nervous because the road is so narrow that it would be difficult to get out of the way if a car came by. Luckily, none did. Once through the gate and on the trail, I relaxed and enjoyed climbing a little oak wooded canyon. I noticed a lot of bumps and hollows along the way that were probably the result of old landslides. This whole area near the mouth of Welch Creek has some wild topography — very steep rocky hillsides rising from the valley that is the track of the Calaveras Fault. Soon the canyon opened up and then the trail climbed steeply up the nose of a ridge overlooking another steep little canyon which opens up into a valley. Soon there is a trail junction with the Flag Hill Loop Trail.

Looking back, a sign informs me that the "Welsh to Flag Hill Trail" terminates at the road and that I will have to return to Flag Hill. Obviously, they don't want people using the road as a trailhead as I did. By the way, I noticed that all of the signs along the way spelled Welsh with an "s", as in "someone from Wales", while on the map it is spelled with a "c". I turned left and continued up another steep ridge and then around the head of the valley. I came out on the ridge of Flag Hill a little below the summit, and enjoyed the big view over the central part of the park. Soon I was at the cliffs that I had seen on my previous hike, and cautiously approached the edge to take a photo. I generally like being on high places, but when it is a sheer drop off, I suddenly get very uncomfortable near the edge. I settled for a shot from a couple of feet back. The trail then continued down the ridge and back into the valley to complete a loop.

It turned to be a really nice hike with lots of interesting stuff to see along the way. If it weren't for the parking situation, I would heartily recommend it to anyone, but apparently the park district doesn't want people doing what I did today, and I wouldn't want to be responsible for getting someone into trouble for it. So I'll leave it up to you what to do with the information.

3.6 miles, 1000 ft. climb

Sunol 9-25-15

I was feeling rather aimless as I set out for a hike with Darby. We drove to Sunol without any plan and when we got there I looked at the map and noticed a trail that I don't remember seeing there before, the Flag Hill Loop Trail. We started off in that direction, but the day was pretty warm and my energy level was rather low, and wasn't too sure I felt like climbing all the way up Flag Hill. So when the trail began heading uphill away from the creek, I noticed that a well worn path continued along the creek. I thought we would follow it a short ways to see where it went. I was surprised to find that it just kept going. After a mile or so, I figured that it probably went all the way to Welch Creek Road, but then an old overgrown ranch road branched up the hill to the right, so I decided to check that out instead. It curved back along a bench a couple hundred feet above the creek, so we kept following it. The west face of Flag Hill was above us with some quite impressive cliffs at the top, cliffs that aren't visible from the main part of the park. The road finally dwindled away to nothing, but we soon found a gate that led to the Flag Hill Trail which we followed down to our starting point.

It was enough of a hike for a low-energy hot day, and it was interesting to see an unfamiliar corner of the park. The trail along the creek appeared to be quite well traveled, especially by horses, and I don't know why the park district doesn't show it on their maps. Maybe they don't want people disturbing the cattle, although much of the rest of the park is used for grazing as well. While hiking, I thought that we may have gone beyond the park boundaries, but the map shows that it is all park land. The Flag Hill Loop Trail will have to wait for another time, and I also noticed another unfamiliar trail on the map, the Welch-Flag Hill Trail. Perhaps I can combine them both in a future hike.

2.9 miles, 550 ft. climb

Brushy Peak 8-6-15

Brushy Peak Regional Preserve is a nice little open space area conveniently located a short distance north of 580 in Livermore. I had visited it once several years ago, and I wanted to take another look at it. I knew that it was a place without much shade that could be quite uncomfortable in mid-summer heat, so I waited for a day that promised to be a bit cooler.

Darby and I started out from the staging area on the West Side Loop Trail, obeying the sign and keeping him on a leash. The sky was mostly overcast, and it was only a little bit warm, but the humidity was high and I was soon dripping with sweat as I was climbing up this little valley. Near the head of the valley, a large house on a hilltop nearby reminded me that this is not exactly wilderness. After a considerable climb, the trail cuts across the south slope of the peak just a few hundred feet below the top. The actual peak is an area held sacred by local native americans, and access is limited to those with tour reservations. I didn't feel like climbing any higher anyway. This area just below the peak is quite interesting with scattered oak trees and lots of sandstone outcroppings, not at all like the treeless lower hills.

As I began to descend the other side, there were nice views to the southeast of hills lined with wind generators. Further down, I passed not far below a line of generators, and was surprised that they made a considerable amount of noise in an otherwise very quiet place. Finally, another dry little valley took us back to the staging area. It had been a good hike in an interesting place and just about right for Darby and I, who are both getting older and don't like to get too worn out.

4.6 miles, 800 ft. climb

Las Trampas 7-27-15

It's been a while since I posted anything here, but that's mostly because I've been hiking trails that I have already covered. I've already written about most of the places within easy driving distance, and I usually don't feel like driving very far when there are so many good trails nearby. Recently, I noticed in an e-mail newsletter from EBRPD that a new addition to Las Trampas had been opened to the public, so I went there today to check it out. The Ellsworthy Staging Area is off of Ellsworthy Circle in the new Quail Ridge development along San Ramon Valley Blvd. between Danville and San Ramon.

I arrived there mid-morning to find that the development was still being built and the streets were nearly blocked by construction activity and trucks. I found the short road up the hill to the staging area, but workers were digging up the asphalt there making it impossible to get through. I found a place to park on the street. It was signed "guest parking only", but I figured that it was unlikely that anyone would come by on a Monday morning to check my guest status. After winding up the hill a short distance, I found the small staging area. Of course it was empty since driving access was blocked.

The first half mile or so of trail is on an easement through private land, but it's just like any other park trail -- a dirt road gently climbing across rolling grassland. Soon the climbing is not so gentle, and it heads nearly straight up the very steep wooded hillside. It was a nice place but the roar of traffic on 680 below made it not so peaceful. After a lot of hard work, I reached the top of the ridge with good views all around. After some more climbing to the top of a hill, I could see where the road continued along the grassy ridge to the northwest to meet the trail coming up from the Remington park entrance, a trail that I had hiked a couple of years ago. I figured that since I could see the connection and it looked just like the trail I was already on, I didn't need to hike all the way over there, so I turned around and started back down.

Going down, it seemed even steeper than coming up. It took a lot of effort to keep from sliding on the steep dirt, and my knees and feet got pretty sore. I was glad to be finishing up around noon because it was becoming a warm day.

2.7 miles, 950 ft. climb

Round Valley 3-7-15

Perfect time of year to be out on the trails. The weather is perfect, the hills are all green, wildflowers are coming out, what more could you want? It's a Saturday, a good day to leave Darby at home, so I chose a place where dogs are not allowed, Round Valley. The only other time I hiked there, last spring, I stayed mostly on the level valley floor, but this time I hiked up over a big hill.

Marsh Creek near park entrance

I arrived at the parking lot around 11, and it was full of cars, so I knew that there would be lots of other people on the trails. The Hardy Canyon Trail branches left just across the bridge from the parking lot. The bridge crosses Marsh Creek, which was flowing pretty good. The other, smaller creeks that I would pass today would be all dry. Around the hillside a ways, the trail heads up a small canyon. The dry creek bed is filled with sandstone ledges and boulders and the steep banks are shaded by oaks, with lots of buttercups in the grass. It's a very pretty hike, climbing, but not too steep. After a mile or so, the canyon opens up into a big grassy bowl, and finally at the top there is suddenly a great view down into Round Valley to the west.

Hardy Canyon Trail

Starting down toward Round Valley from the top

I sat down for a few moments for some water and a granola bar and enjoyed the view. I was afraid that the descent would be painfully steep, but it wasn't bad at all. On the way there are some interesting sandstone cliffs with a few caves. After a long way down, I was on the valley floor and following Round Valley Creek back to the parking lot.

This was really a nice hike, one of my best in a long time. I thought that by choosing a trail that went up a big hill, maybe there would be fewer people, but I had plenty of company. I didn't really mind. In fact it was kind of interesting to evesdrop on bits of conversation as people walked past.

4.8 miles, 1100 ft. climb

Mt. Diablo 2-14-15

It sure makes you wonder about climate change when here it is Valentine's Day and we're having sunny weather in the 70's. But I may as well make the best of it and go for a hike. Since it's a Saturday, and I don't like to take Darby out on weekends because there are so many other dogs on the trails, I decide to leave him at home and go to Mt. Diablo where dogs are forbidden on trails. I had been thinking about hiking the Falls Trail for some time, but without rain there wouldn't be any falls. Finally, there was a major storm last weekend, so I figured that today there would be water in the creeks. I saw on the map that there was a park entrance in Clayton at the bottom of Donner Canyon, one that I had never used, but since no parking was indicated, I wasn't sure what to expect.

I got to Regency Drive off from Marsh Creek Road at around 11, and found that the street was parked up for about a quarter mile from the trailhead. I would have plenty of company on the trail. But it was a beautiful day and the sun was sparkling on the water of Donner Creek as I started up the trail. It is really a pretty creek splashing over rocks with green grass and oak trees coming right down to the banks.

Near trailhead on Donner Canyon Road

Soon I noticed up ahead a group of people with a dog. I was mildly annoyed because park rules don't allow dogs on trails, but I wasn't going to say anything to them. Then up the trail comes a ranger on an ATV who stops and gives the people a ticket. It felt like a guilty pleasure to watch that happening.

Donner Canyon Road

I turned left onto the Hetherington Trail, a single-track along the east side of the creek. The trail crossed the creek again and I was able to step across the rocks, but then it crossed back again, and I had the choice of stepping between two big rocks covered with slippery moss, or a long jump. I chose the jump, feeling pretty sure that I could make it. Once again, I found that I am not as agile as I once was and came up about a foot short with my jump and got a wet foot.

Wasserman Trail

Now the trail was climbing the hillside east of the creek through oaks and meadows. On the Wasserman Trail, I kept climbing as the hillside became more rugged. I came upon a group of about 5 people on horseback who managed to get their horses off to the side of the narrow trail to let me pass. I was thinking that this trail was a bit steep and rugged for our horses.

After going down the Cardinet Oaks Road for a short distance, I finally turned off onto the Falls Trail which cuts across the west face of North Peak. As I passed a couple around my age, the woman said "You have to be a mountain goat for this trail". I would have to agree. It is very narrow, steep and rocky in many places, and a slip could mean a long fall and serious injury. As the trail bent into Wild Oat Canyon, the first couple of falls came into view. They are not large falls -- maybe around 20 ft. high -- but their setting is spectacular. All around the head of Donner Canyon, very steep ravines converge far below, a vertical world of rock, brush and trees. I noticed many spring wildflowers that I didn't expect so early in the season, and shady hillsides thick with moss and maidenhair ferns. As the trail dropped down around the head of the canyon, I noticed several picturesque junipers, making it feel like it was much higher in the mountains.

Falls Trail

One of the falls

View from Falls Trail

Descending the west side of the canyon, with views across to where I had just been, I realized that I was pretty tired. This was a harder hike than I expected. Looking at the map beforehand, it didn't look like much. I tried to remember the only other time I hiked the trail, about 25 years ago, but I could't remember much. What I do remember is that it was a while after my first knee surgery, and my knee was hurting during the hike. I was trying to do too much too soon after surgery, and I ended up needing a second arthroscopic surgery a year or so later. Back on the Donner Canyon Road, the walking became easier, and I began thinking about food and drink. I hadn't brought any lunch and it was nearing 2 pm. I would stop and get some fast food on the way home.

Indian Warrior

It had been a really good hike. It was a bit hard, but there were so many beautiful spots to see. Now I understand why the Falls Trail shows up on a lot of lists of best Bay Area hikes. It is really a spectacular place. It could use some trail maintenance, however. On the trail, I passed a guy who commented on that, wondering aloud if there was some kind of volunteer trail crew that he could join to help with it. I just checked, and it appears that the Save Mt. Diablo organization does some of that, and I hope that this trail will get some of their attention.

6.2 miles, 1400 ft. climb

Sunol 1-30-15

on the McCorkle Trail

The day started out foggy, but by noon it was beautifully clear and sunny, so after lunch, Darby and I headed to Sunol. My idea was to hike something like the route I took about 3 years ago when we got soaked by a rainstorm that started halfway through the hike. I've been trying to avoid duplication of trails in this blog, but finding new ones without a long drive is getting harder to do. So, although I've already covered most of this route, I'm just going to do it again because it is one of my favorite places. The part that I especially wanted to see was the eastern area of the park -- the backpacking camps and the McCorkle Trail.

The last time I hiked to the Little Yosemite area, the road along Alameda Creek was closed because of construction work on the Calaveras Dam. As today was a Friday, there was no one at the Visitor Center to ask, so I assumed that the road was still closed and we started out on the Canyon View Trail instead. Looking at the park map, I see that this trail is described as having a "gentle rise in elevation". It is true that it only climbs a few hundred feet, but the first part of the trail is uncomfortably steep before it levels off along the hillside. At the Cerro Este Road which leads down to Little Yosemite, we crossed it and continued on the Canyon View Trail, which joins the Camp Ohlone Road a little further on. It was great weather for hiking -- a little cool but clear and sunny. I noticed lots of woodpeckers flitting about in the oak trees. The hills were still nice and green, but just starting to look a bit dry again after a month of no rain. The creek was still running pretty good from the December rains. Above Little Yosemite, the creekbed is a lovely wide area of gravel and big old sycamores.

We turned left on the Backpack Road which climbs up into a pretty little valley with a large rugged rock jutting out of its center. Then we turned left on the McCorkle Trail which gradually climbs around the head of the valley and across the hillside. I was thinking that this would be a nice area to be spending the night in a backpacking camp. I've never camped here, but maybe someday I could talk my grandkids into it. Finally, I reached the junction with the Cerro Este Road. Last time I came this way, I continued up over the ridge at Cerro Este, but today I felt like I had had enough climbing. Besides, the sun was getting low, and I wanted to head for home.

At this point, I got a bit confused, and wished I had a park map with me. I didn't bring one with me because I figured I knew all of these trails by heart, but sometimes my memory isn't as good as I think it is. I knew that there was an old road that headed down this ridge to the west, but I wasn't sure just where it was. I knew about this road because I remember hiking on it the first time I ever came to Sunol. That was in the mid-50s before there was a park here. My uncle, John Bruce, a biology teacher as San Ramon Valley High School, had heard about the future park, and took our families out here to check it out. We hiked way up this ridge and enjoyed the views. I remember finding a tarantula along the way.

off-trail on the ridge

I probably should have turned left on the Cerro Este Road, but instead I headed cross-country over the brow of the ridge. The hillside became very steep for a long way down, and I had to step carefully to keep from slipping down. It seems that I'm not as agile as I once was. We finally came to the road and from there it was much easier going back to the Canyon View Trail. Later, at home, I was still curious about the road down the ridge that I remembered. The park map doesn't show anything there, but the USGS topo does, and a faint track shows up on satellite photos. I guess my memory is not as bad as I thought, but somehow I lost it. I think it was because there were a few cattle there and we swung wide around to avoid distrubing them.

It was a very good hike -- beautiful place, beautiful weather, and not really too hard.

6.1 miles, 1600 ft. climb

Briones 1-10-15

Old Briones Road

After a nice hike yesterday at Dublin Hills, I was ready to go again. Maureen was going to a training clinic at a ranch near Briones, and I thought I could go along with her and then do some hiking. She was going with her friend, Cherry, and when she told me that they would be leaving at 7 am, I decided to drive separately to avoid getting up so early. I took my time with breakfast and taking Darby for a walk, and I arrived at the Bear Creek Staging Area a little after 10. I didn't bring Darby this time because it was a Saturday and there would be lots of dogs on the trail (which there were).

The morning had started out overcast and foggy, but by the time I started hiking, it was sunny with only some distant haze. I followed the Old Briones Road up the valley, an easy walk until it started climbing to the crest of the hills. I remember when this was an unpaved public road in the 50s, before there was a park. My family drove it several times just to see what was there. In those days it didn't take much to entertain people and a Sunday drive was a popular activity. Today, there were plenty of other people out on the trail, probably with much the same idea in mind, just spending some time outdoors. Maybe things haven't changed so much after all.

The climb to the ridge wasn't too hard, and I had plenty of energy left. At the top, I passed a group of about 15 boy scouts. They looked a bit tired, and I overheard one of the dads telling them that this was a 10 mile hike and they had only done about a third of it so far. I hope they all survived it OK.

One of Sindicich Lagoons, with Mt. Diablo nearly lost in the haze

I turned left on the Briones Crest Trail and passed the two Sindicich Lagoons, weedy ponds that were partially filled from last month's rain. A couple of months ago they had been completely dry. After climbing over the shoulder of Mott Peak, the trail continued along the ridge, making a wide circle around the head of Abrigo Valley, with several mild ups and downs. There were nice views all around of distant hills. The wide trail went over a final hill and then suddenly became a narrow single-track heading quite steeply down the end of the ridge and back to the staging area.

View southwest from near the west end of the Briones Crest Trail

The steep descent was a bit hard on my right knee, which hurts now and then from an old injury, but otherwise I was feeling pretty good. I drove over to the ranch where Maureen was having her clinic, and ate some lunch as I watched a group of riders learning some of the finer points of Cowboy Dressage.

5.5 miles, 1000 ft. climb

Dublin Hills 1-9-15

It seemed time to get back into hiking after all the holiday stuff and a very persistent cold. Besides, there were a lot of rainy days in December. I did get out for a few walks but only in nearby places that I have already written about. Today, I wanted to keep it fairly easy, so I decided to go back to Dublin Hills, a place that I first checked out a couple of years ago. On the map, I saw the possibility of a loop down into Donlon Canyon, a somewhat different route than last time, when I stayed along the ridge.

 It was a bit cool and overcast as Darby and I started out from the Donlon Point Staging Area. Last time we skipped a side trip to Donlon Point, so today, we walked the quarter mile or so to the hilltop, and found it worth the extra effort. There are great views in all directions, but especially to the south, where beautiful rolling ridges extend beyond the 580 freeway directly below. The partial overcast and hazy valleys made for quite picturesque views. As we walked north along the ridge above the rows of fairly new houses, there were lots of bluebirds flitting around ahead of us.

After a mile along the ridge, we turned right, heading past a stock pond surrounded by cattle and down into Donlon Canyon. After a gradual descent, the trail steepens through trees to the bottom. There, suddenly a condo development appears, and we walk through it for a block or so until the trail heads back up the other side of the canyon, passing a flood control pond. It's a fairly steep climb up the side of the canyon, but it didn't seem very hard, and then we were following a spur back toward the main ridge. The trail heads back down to the stock pond, but we continued along the spur passing some interesting sandstone outcroppings to complete our loop. The sun began to come out and create some dramatic scenes of light and shadow on the hills as we finished our walk.

It turned out to be just about what I had hoped for -- a nice walk with plenty of variety, good views, and not too difficult. It would be nice if the housing development was not so near, but for much of the way it was out of sight, and there was plenty of nature to see.

4.1 miles, 850 ft. climb