So, aside from my weekly spinning, this begins my official training for the TRT.
Showing posts with label outdoors. Show all posts
Showing posts with label outdoors. Show all posts
Sunday, February 09, 2020
Squires Lake Trail
Went for a walk with some friends today. It was described as a level hike, which should have been described as a decent climb to the flat section. It was a short hike (approx 2 miles) and we were each of different fitness levels. One other person and I took an upper loop with a bit more climbing, but then we met up with the rest of the group and a half mile in.
So, aside from my weekly spinning, this begins my official training for the TRT.
So, aside from my weekly spinning, this begins my official training for the TRT.
Friday, February 07, 2020
Announcement - Tahoe Rim Trail
I've committed to backpacking the Tahoe Rim Trail (TRT) during Summer 2020. The TRT is 165 miles and I'll plan to take a couple weeks. Some people can do it in a week or less, but I'm not there at this point. So I'll do 11-12 miles/day at least with the hope that I'll be in good enough shape to do longer days so I can take 1-2 rest days in Tahoe City and/or South Lake Tahoe.
I've already got most of my gear and am currently shopping for an ultralight sleeping bag. I bought a tent recently that I haven't gotten to try yet. I did try to put it up in the family room, but it's supported by hiking poles so I could not get it completely erected without damaging the floors. I'll share a review of it once I get a chance to use it.
So now, it's time to get back into backpacking shape.
I've already got most of my gear and am currently shopping for an ultralight sleeping bag. I bought a tent recently that I haven't gotten to try yet. I did try to put it up in the family room, but it's supported by hiking poles so I could not get it completely erected without damaging the floors. I'll share a review of it once I get a chance to use it.
So now, it's time to get back into backpacking shape.
Sunday, August 14, 2016
Matterhorn Loop - August 2016
(53 miles) Trailhead at Twin Lakes, parking at Mono Village Resort, "nine strong women."
Day 1 (~7 miles) - We started out in Crags Campground where we each grabbed a bear can and either a stove or fuel canister. We had to drive to Annett's Mono Village where the trailhead is, register the cars, and then start out through the RV park. So the start was nice and gentle through the RV park. We got a few comments, questions, and encouragements. Then it started out gradually up and I'm thinking, oh yeah, I can do this. And then it got real... quick. We passed Barney Lake and then it was up and it was rocky. This was billed as our most difficult day so no surprise that it just kept going up with lots of rock steps. One mule train passed us going the opposite direction. As they were coming toward us, we all looked at the leaders for advice about where to go on the single track with a pretty good drop and mules coming at us. Basically we just pressed ourselves against the upward rock and one of the leaders told us to hold on. lol No incidents. I did struggle with how I felt about the mules traveling over that terrain with all the weight of humans' gear. Everyone else seemed to think they enjoy the work and that they enjoy the 8 months of the year vacation.
We made it to the top of the lollipop stick and "hung a right" toward Peeler Lake. It would have been helpful to know that "Hey! We're at the lake!" does not mean we're done hiking yet. To find camp, we had to continue up and down the rocky edge of the lake... probably another mile. But we found a great site with an obvious kitchen right on a creek. I camped on the granite with a nice granite shelf next to me and a tree for hanging things. Views in every direction!
Day 2 - A "recovery" day through Kerrick Meadow with a bit of a non-recovery climb up Seavey Pass. The meadow was incredible! The trail was about 8 inches wide so we really had to watch our steps. That was difficult since I wanted to look around all the time. As the day progressed, it did get very hot in the wide open space. At some point we crossed a river that was low but still enough to get our feet wet. But one of the group fell on her butt in the water and then couldn't get up because of her pack. Not too dangerous in this situation but a reminder for those harder river crossings to disconnect the waist belt. I think she actually ended up being grateful for the wet pants because of the heat. lol
Eventually we began climbing up Seavey Pass. At that point, another member started feeling sick with gastrointestinal issues. She climbed Seavey like a trooper and we took it a bit slower. We passed a lake, whose name I don't know, where there were a few campsites but they were too small for our group. So we kept climbing just over the pass to a hidden campsite that would fit us. As we started getting settled, the leaders came by and said there was a better site just on the other side of some rocks. So we picked everything up and moved to the new site. I just carried my tent with the poles in it. lol The lake next to the site was pretty sludgy so we had water to cook with but no one swam in it. I did take the opportunity to wash my shirt but it didn't help much. I and another member of the group set up just to the side of the kitchen. That was good for less distance walking while there. BUT... at night I realized that the kitchen is where the bears will likely go first. Oops! But, aside from getting up to go to the bathroom 3 times in the first two hours of the night, all was well.
Day 3 - A downhill off Seavey Pass for about 3 miles before taking a .4 mile detour for some swimming, relaxation, and lunch at Benson Lake. While there, a mule/horse train went through with two wranglers(?) and one customer. It was my day to serve lunch and PB&J on tortillas it was. After lunch and some foot maintenance, we headed off for Smedburg Lake where we would spend two nights. It was flat coming out from the lake but then began to climb for a couple miles. The climbing intensified the last 1.5 miles. I was not feeling well by this point so those last miles, including the climbs, were torture. Others did not struggle nearly as much so it was not likely "that" difficult. It was just my day to struggle apparently. At Smedburg Lake, we made camp on the granite on the southwest side with a high kitchen overlooking the lake. Our neighbor was a young man named Seth who asked if he could cook us some fish. Uh. Yeah! About six of us shared a trout but even with just one bite, I could tell it was scrumptious! Dinner was tomato soup and polenta stew.
Day 4 - A rest day for four of us while the other five did a dayhike to Surprise Lake. We made pancakes for breakfast and then my time cooking was over for a few days. The dayhikers said it was awesome and beautiful but I enjoyed hanging out at the lake swimming, doing laundry, and reading. When the other five returned, three of us were doing yoga. Volunteer Peak watched over us and was a beautiful site at every stage of the day.
Day 5 - After a rest day, it was not too easy to get up and get going. But I definitely felt rested. Off we went to finally make our way into Matterhorn Canyon. Wow! We made our way over Benson Pass, which did not seem too much. As we traveled through Matterhorn Canyon, we were approaching Burro Pass, our main goal for the day. We stopped for lunch at the headwaters of Matterhorn Creek. A few drank directly from the creek since there is no crossover above that point. No one got sick so must be okay. I didn't risk it. After a good lunch (hummus and crackers), we headed out toward Burro Pass, which we'd had trouble pointing out while sitting for lunch. It was not where we thought it was but we were close. It was a hot dry climb up numerous switchbacks for about 45-minutes. When we reached the top, there was a snow drift that we were able to play in to cool off. The 360 degree views were amazing! Totally worth the work it took to get to that point. Aside from dropping from aircraft, there is no other way a person could get there and that felt incredible. This was the only day we saw no other people. All day. Just us! About 1.5 miles down from the pass and through a meadow, we made camp on the river in a beautiful granite and wooded site. I found a wonderful freezing cold "bathtub" in the river to sit in.
Day 6 - Another day, another pass. This time Mule Pass. Not much creativity in naming these passes. Ha! Another hike through a meadow with a bit of minor ups and downs and a build up to the pass. It was much less elevation increase and we planned to eat lunch at the top. But once we got there, it didn't seem like a great place to stay. So we continued on a bit further and found a rock overhang with some rock fall and snow where we ate lunch. We crawled under the rock and found a great place to sit, soak our feet and eat lunch. I had the most comfortable chair during this time that I had the entire trip! Ha! Over Mule Pass and on to Crown Lake. All gradual downhill. Ahh! We could see Crown Lake from a ways off and could see that there were people on the northeast side where it looked like the best sites were. When we finally got to the lake ourselves, seven of us waited until the two leaders ran around the entire wilderness looking for a place to camp. We ended up staying put where we were. The walk to the lake was about .5 miles but worth it for the cold relief. The night was cool and clear with lots of shooting stars and we stayed up a little later than usual talking and playing cards. Our last night out.
Day 7 - We got up early and started out a bit slow. I don't think any of us wanted to be done with the trip. Even though we also wanted to be done with the trip! Off we went toward Barney Lake. The first part of the trail was pretty gentle up and down but then the rocks and boulders took over. Another mule train passed by going up. And before I knew it, I could see the beach on Barney Lake where we were heading. And then... we were there. Sitting on the sand eating lunch... Babybell cheese, crackers, and some nuts. Some swimming and some feet soaking. Then other groups starting showing up and it seemed like it was time to get out. It was through meadows with ongoing "just one more look" at the scenery we were leaving. But, as one of the leaders said, "we can smell the barn!" and were hiking faster than we had the entire trip. Despite our speed, the trail seemed to keep going on and on. Several of us had to go to the bathroom so that didn't help matters. The trail basically ends at an RV Resort at Mono Village Resort so there were bathrooms... with toilets... available. Wahoo! Back at the parking lot, we got our boots off asap before sharing any last thoughts, feelings, etc. Then it was time for some food and drink before heading home.
An incredible adventure with some incredible women! I would totally recommend the Matterhorn Loop to anyone wanting to disconnect from electronics and the rush of life.
Day 1 (~7 miles) - We started out in Crags Campground where we each grabbed a bear can and either a stove or fuel canister. We had to drive to Annett's Mono Village where the trailhead is, register the cars, and then start out through the RV park. So the start was nice and gentle through the RV park. We got a few comments, questions, and encouragements. Then it started out gradually up and I'm thinking, oh yeah, I can do this. And then it got real... quick. We passed Barney Lake and then it was up and it was rocky. This was billed as our most difficult day so no surprise that it just kept going up with lots of rock steps. One mule train passed us going the opposite direction. As they were coming toward us, we all looked at the leaders for advice about where to go on the single track with a pretty good drop and mules coming at us. Basically we just pressed ourselves against the upward rock and one of the leaders told us to hold on. lol No incidents. I did struggle with how I felt about the mules traveling over that terrain with all the weight of humans' gear. Everyone else seemed to think they enjoy the work and that they enjoy the 8 months of the year vacation.
We made it to the top of the lollipop stick and "hung a right" toward Peeler Lake. It would have been helpful to know that "Hey! We're at the lake!" does not mean we're done hiking yet. To find camp, we had to continue up and down the rocky edge of the lake... probably another mile. But we found a great site with an obvious kitchen right on a creek. I camped on the granite with a nice granite shelf next to me and a tree for hanging things. Views in every direction!
 |
| My campsite |
 |
| The view from my tent |
Day 2 - A "recovery" day through Kerrick Meadow with a bit of a non-recovery climb up Seavey Pass. The meadow was incredible! The trail was about 8 inches wide so we really had to watch our steps. That was difficult since I wanted to look around all the time. As the day progressed, it did get very hot in the wide open space. At some point we crossed a river that was low but still enough to get our feet wet. But one of the group fell on her butt in the water and then couldn't get up because of her pack. Not too dangerous in this situation but a reminder for those harder river crossings to disconnect the waist belt. I think she actually ended up being grateful for the wet pants because of the heat. lol
Eventually we began climbing up Seavey Pass. At that point, another member started feeling sick with gastrointestinal issues. She climbed Seavey like a trooper and we took it a bit slower. We passed a lake, whose name I don't know, where there were a few campsites but they were too small for our group. So we kept climbing just over the pass to a hidden campsite that would fit us. As we started getting settled, the leaders came by and said there was a better site just on the other side of some rocks. So we picked everything up and moved to the new site. I just carried my tent with the poles in it. lol The lake next to the site was pretty sludgy so we had water to cook with but no one swam in it. I did take the opportunity to wash my shirt but it didn't help much. I and another member of the group set up just to the side of the kitchen. That was good for less distance walking while there. BUT... at night I realized that the kitchen is where the bears will likely go first. Oops! But, aside from getting up to go to the bathroom 3 times in the first two hours of the night, all was well.
 |
| View from the campsite over the sludgy water |
Day 3 - A downhill off Seavey Pass for about 3 miles before taking a .4 mile detour for some swimming, relaxation, and lunch at Benson Lake. While there, a mule/horse train went through with two wranglers(?) and one customer. It was my day to serve lunch and PB&J on tortillas it was. After lunch and some foot maintenance, we headed off for Smedburg Lake where we would spend two nights. It was flat coming out from the lake but then began to climb for a couple miles. The climbing intensified the last 1.5 miles. I was not feeling well by this point so those last miles, including the climbs, were torture. Others did not struggle nearly as much so it was not likely "that" difficult. It was just my day to struggle apparently. At Smedburg Lake, we made camp on the granite on the southwest side with a high kitchen overlooking the lake. Our neighbor was a young man named Seth who asked if he could cook us some fish. Uh. Yeah! About six of us shared a trout but even with just one bite, I could tell it was scrumptious! Dinner was tomato soup and polenta stew.
Day 4 - A rest day for four of us while the other five did a dayhike to Surprise Lake. We made pancakes for breakfast and then my time cooking was over for a few days. The dayhikers said it was awesome and beautiful but I enjoyed hanging out at the lake swimming, doing laundry, and reading. When the other five returned, three of us were doing yoga. Volunteer Peak watched over us and was a beautiful site at every stage of the day.
 |
| Volunteer Peak |
Day 5 - After a rest day, it was not too easy to get up and get going. But I definitely felt rested. Off we went to finally make our way into Matterhorn Canyon. Wow! We made our way over Benson Pass, which did not seem too much. As we traveled through Matterhorn Canyon, we were approaching Burro Pass, our main goal for the day. We stopped for lunch at the headwaters of Matterhorn Creek. A few drank directly from the creek since there is no crossover above that point. No one got sick so must be okay. I didn't risk it. After a good lunch (hummus and crackers), we headed out toward Burro Pass, which we'd had trouble pointing out while sitting for lunch. It was not where we thought it was but we were close. It was a hot dry climb up numerous switchbacks for about 45-minutes. When we reached the top, there was a snow drift that we were able to play in to cool off. The 360 degree views were amazing! Totally worth the work it took to get to that point. Aside from dropping from aircraft, there is no other way a person could get there and that felt incredible. This was the only day we saw no other people. All day. Just us! About 1.5 miles down from the pass and through a meadow, we made camp on the river in a beautiful granite and wooded site. I found a wonderful freezing cold "bathtub" in the river to sit in.
 |
| Matterhorn Canyon |
Day 6 - Another day, another pass. This time Mule Pass. Not much creativity in naming these passes. Ha! Another hike through a meadow with a bit of minor ups and downs and a build up to the pass. It was much less elevation increase and we planned to eat lunch at the top. But once we got there, it didn't seem like a great place to stay. So we continued on a bit further and found a rock overhang with some rock fall and snow where we ate lunch. We crawled under the rock and found a great place to sit, soak our feet and eat lunch. I had the most comfortable chair during this time that I had the entire trip! Ha! Over Mule Pass and on to Crown Lake. All gradual downhill. Ahh! We could see Crown Lake from a ways off and could see that there were people on the northeast side where it looked like the best sites were. When we finally got to the lake ourselves, seven of us waited until the two leaders ran around the entire wilderness looking for a place to camp. We ended up staying put where we were. The walk to the lake was about .5 miles but worth it for the cold relief. The night was cool and clear with lots of shooting stars and we stayed up a little later than usual talking and playing cards. Our last night out.
Day 7 - We got up early and started out a bit slow. I don't think any of us wanted to be done with the trip. Even though we also wanted to be done with the trip! Off we went toward Barney Lake. The first part of the trail was pretty gentle up and down but then the rocks and boulders took over. Another mule train passed by going up. And before I knew it, I could see the beach on Barney Lake where we were heading. And then... we were there. Sitting on the sand eating lunch... Babybell cheese, crackers, and some nuts. Some swimming and some feet soaking. Then other groups starting showing up and it seemed like it was time to get out. It was through meadows with ongoing "just one more look" at the scenery we were leaving. But, as one of the leaders said, "we can smell the barn!" and were hiking faster than we had the entire trip. Despite our speed, the trail seemed to keep going on and on. Several of us had to go to the bathroom so that didn't help matters. The trail basically ends at an RV Resort at Mono Village Resort so there were bathrooms... with toilets... available. Wahoo! Back at the parking lot, we got our boots off asap before sharing any last thoughts, feelings, etc. Then it was time for some food and drink before heading home.
An incredible adventure with some incredible women! I would totally recommend the Matterhorn Loop to anyone wanting to disconnect from electronics and the rush of life.
Monday, February 17, 2014
Stebbins Cold Creek Canyon
Ah those stairs! Love them. The trail starts off Highway 128 where the parking is pretty limited. It's a pretty gentle hike for the first mile or so and then... the stairs. But, once up the stairs, it's a more gradual ascent. There's a nice place to stop for a rest where three trails intersect. We went right, up the spine. It's a pretty steep climb but the trail is well maintained. Any time you want to stop for a rest, there's a beautiful view any way you look. Lake Berryessa is the most obvious scenery that you'll see. Once you make your way over the spine, it's down down down via several switchbacks. It's also where you'll run into more people coming up the opposite direction.
Once you get down, the traffic will probably be worse so be careful walking along the road to your car. Then head down for a bite and/or drink in Winters. Lots of cute places to check out.
Once you get down, the traffic will probably be worse so be careful walking along the road to your car. Then head down for a bite and/or drink in Winters. Lots of cute places to check out.
Monday, February 03, 2014
Cross Country Skiing & Snowshoeing - Big Sky, Montana
I went snowshoeing yesterday and cross-country skiing at about 7000 feet today. I got to Big Sky, Montana yesterday and haven't had any issues with headaches or any other altitude issues. I've been drinking water like crazy so I'm sure that is helping. I'm also not drinking coffee after my usual one. In the past when I've been here. I've had coffee all day. Uhh… why?
Anyway, the snow has been great. I could definitely feel the lack of oxygen but I haven't really feel limited at all. I was pleasantly surprised!
Snowshoeing takes off from Big Sky Resort and crosses over the ski hill into the woods where the Zip Line then flies overhead. The trail is easy to follow as it goes in and out of the woods, sometimes paralleling a ski run. At the top of the trail, you can go right or left. I went left, which took me to a Yurt where they apparently host dinners for people who are carted up there in some kind of motor drawn sleigh. The trail is back the same way but with more familiarity, it was more comfortable to go off trail a bit.
Skiing was at the Long Mountain Ranch where the trails were very well groomed. About 10 of us took the shuttle from the resort. We climbed pretty consistently for about 3 miles and then realized that we wouldn't be able to make the entire loop we were trying to complete and we needed to catch the shuttle. The downhill was pretty interesting after not cross-country skiing for two years. I snowplowed a lot of the way down and then tried the groomed tracks. My body didn't remember what to do on a corner and my mind wasn't quick enough to adjust. So the skis went out of the track and I slid across the skate ski track and fell into the powder. POOF! Didn't get hurt at all but I couldn't get out. lol Gary, one of the two men I was skiing with, was waiting for me to come around the corner to get a photo of me. He said he didn't take a picture of me when I fell but then teased that maybe it would show up randomly somewhere. I hope he did!! He also had to pull me out of the powder. About 2 minutes later, Marshall came around a different corner and he fell too. We continued down toward the ranch and ran into the 7 other people in our party who had been taking a lesson. So we all got to finish together.
A great few hours out in the cold fresh air of Montana getting some exercise. Awesome!
Anyway, the snow has been great. I could definitely feel the lack of oxygen but I haven't really feel limited at all. I was pleasantly surprised!
Snowshoeing takes off from Big Sky Resort and crosses over the ski hill into the woods where the Zip Line then flies overhead. The trail is easy to follow as it goes in and out of the woods, sometimes paralleling a ski run. At the top of the trail, you can go right or left. I went left, which took me to a Yurt where they apparently host dinners for people who are carted up there in some kind of motor drawn sleigh. The trail is back the same way but with more familiarity, it was more comfortable to go off trail a bit.
Skiing was at the Long Mountain Ranch where the trails were very well groomed. About 10 of us took the shuttle from the resort. We climbed pretty consistently for about 3 miles and then realized that we wouldn't be able to make the entire loop we were trying to complete and we needed to catch the shuttle. The downhill was pretty interesting after not cross-country skiing for two years. I snowplowed a lot of the way down and then tried the groomed tracks. My body didn't remember what to do on a corner and my mind wasn't quick enough to adjust. So the skis went out of the track and I slid across the skate ski track and fell into the powder. POOF! Didn't get hurt at all but I couldn't get out. lol Gary, one of the two men I was skiing with, was waiting for me to come around the corner to get a photo of me. He said he didn't take a picture of me when I fell but then teased that maybe it would show up randomly somewhere. I hope he did!! He also had to pull me out of the powder. About 2 minutes later, Marshall came around a different corner and he fell too. We continued down toward the ranch and ran into the 7 other people in our party who had been taking a lesson. So we all got to finish together.
A great few hours out in the cold fresh air of Montana getting some exercise. Awesome!
Wednesday, January 01, 2014
Cold New Year in the Redwoods
We spent New Year's Eve at Samuel P. Taylor State Park hidden from the sun. There weren't many people there on December 30th but it seemed pretty populated for December 31st. Most people seem to have celebrated New Year from a different time zone, us included. But there was a bit of noise at midnight for a few seconds… and then silence.
We had a couple visits from raccoons while we were still finishing dinner. We learned from last time to put food away right immediately but they didn't even have the manners to wait until we were done eating. One of them actually got away with a box of crackers! Bugger! I don't know if it was the same one or not, but we had another visit later after all the food was put away. It walked up on the table and seemed to look at us like we were not following protocol by having put our food away. We made noise and, of course, it took off. But with our headlamps, we could see its beady little eyes looking at us from a tree with his bandit mask on.
We also used our Dutch Oven for the first time and I followed a very easy recipe for Monkey Bread…. basically cinnamon buns. I burned the bottom in the fire a little but the rest was baked perfectly and tasted awesome. I just need to learn some of the finer points of Dutch Oven cooking. Good first effort though!
For future reference, camping in the redwoods in the winter is just a tad cold. The sun doesn't penetrate the cover so the ground never warms up and the air is always chilled and humid. Even Jambo was cold! Can't complain too much with what the midwest is going through with their constant below 0 temps. But I can comment anyway.
Finally, we were in Site 14, which we did not reserve. It was right next to Site 16, which we had last time. Site 14 was a good site with just enough space for our tent with garage attached. The car was able to block us from people driving by and there was good tree cover between sites so it was pretty private. I would stay in that site again at SPT SP.
Endnote: Just an FYI that we spent Christmas in Las Vegas. So we had the full spectrum of celebrations this season!
We had a couple visits from raccoons while we were still finishing dinner. We learned from last time to put food away right immediately but they didn't even have the manners to wait until we were done eating. One of them actually got away with a box of crackers! Bugger! I don't know if it was the same one or not, but we had another visit later after all the food was put away. It walked up on the table and seemed to look at us like we were not following protocol by having put our food away. We made noise and, of course, it took off. But with our headlamps, we could see its beady little eyes looking at us from a tree with his bandit mask on.
We also used our Dutch Oven for the first time and I followed a very easy recipe for Monkey Bread…. basically cinnamon buns. I burned the bottom in the fire a little but the rest was baked perfectly and tasted awesome. I just need to learn some of the finer points of Dutch Oven cooking. Good first effort though!
For future reference, camping in the redwoods in the winter is just a tad cold. The sun doesn't penetrate the cover so the ground never warms up and the air is always chilled and humid. Even Jambo was cold! Can't complain too much with what the midwest is going through with their constant below 0 temps. But I can comment anyway.
Finally, we were in Site 14, which we did not reserve. It was right next to Site 16, which we had last time. Site 14 was a good site with just enough space for our tent with garage attached. The car was able to block us from people driving by and there was good tree cover between sites so it was pretty private. I would stay in that site again at SPT SP.
Endnote: Just an FYI that we spent Christmas in Las Vegas. So we had the full spectrum of celebrations this season!
Sunday, September 01, 2013
Stebbins Cold Canyon - Hiking
We got up early to be at Stebbins by 7:30am to beat the heat and the crowd. We succeeded at both! We had most of the front side to ourselves, which made climbing the stairs a little easier. Then we encountered a few more people on the backside. The trail is well-marked and very easy to follow. It was also very dry and, as usual, lots of rock hopping. We decreased the amount of time it took us to complete the loop by nearly an hour. Neither of us believed the time on my phone was accurate when we finished. lol
I took my hiking poles and wore my Asolo boots to see if my knees would be in better shape for the descent. Nope! Maybe the boots are too heavy or perhaps it was because I haven't worn them hiking in awhile as I've opted for lighter weight most of the time. The scar I have on my foot was protected by mole skin but I also thinking the more solid boot helped with that. It's all about finding the balance. Speaking of balance, I think yoga has helped me with the rock hopping a lot. But now I need a little more strength to protect my knees.
Here's the route:
I took my hiking poles and wore my Asolo boots to see if my knees would be in better shape for the descent. Nope! Maybe the boots are too heavy or perhaps it was because I haven't worn them hiking in awhile as I've opted for lighter weight most of the time. The scar I have on my foot was protected by mole skin but I also thinking the more solid boot helped with that. It's all about finding the balance. Speaking of balance, I think yoga has helped me with the rock hopping a lot. But now I need a little more strength to protect my knees.
Here's the route:
Sunday, May 26, 2013
Stebbins Cold Canyon - Hiking
Distance - 4.75 miles
Time - 4 hours
Trails - Homestead and Blue Ridge Trail
Here is the description listed on the Meetup:
Here is a brief description:
Stebbins Cold Canyon Trail - The full hike is a 4.75 mile loop hike up Cold Canyon and then to the Blue Ridge with spectacular views of Lake Berryessa and the surrounding area. Lots of steps and rocks. A great workout!
Length/Degree of Difficulty:
•Loop trail - 4.75 miles, strenuous, elevation gain of 1500 feet
•Trail Condition: maintained, traihead well marked but otherwise unmarked, trailbed obvious, footing rough along ridge.
What I didn't attend closely enough to was the word "strenuous!" lol I'm not sure we would have gone had we noticed that so it was good we hadn't. The hike ended up being beautiful! There were definitely a lot of steps to climb and rocks to shinny over but the view of Lake Berryessa and the rest of the valley below was just incredible. The sky and lake were both so blue... different shades.
We stopped quite a bit to catch our breath for photos and to take in the views. The air temp changed periodically so that it would be so hot and then we'd walk through a cool spot. At the top we even got a little chilled. That kept things pretty comfortable overall.
As usual, coming down was such a relief at first. Then that started getting painful too. Tired legs definitely make the downhill more difficult. And Bozo with her bolted together knee was enjoying this part less than any of us. Thankfully it was pretty quick and we got back to the cars. I would definitely recommend going the direction that we did. I'd rather climb up the stairs and up the bulk of the rocks going up than going down. The Blue Ridge side also seemed a little more exposed so I imagine it being very hot climbing that side.
Afterwards we headed to Winters for some beer (Bozo, Arlene, & May), a Coke (Daphne), and an iced coffee (me) along with sandwiches and wraps at Steady Eddy's Coffee House. Very good reviews on the sandwiches and the drinks.
Definitely a great hike to be done again and again... now that we know where the trailhead is!
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