Dan's Outside

I go, I see, I do, I walk, I think, I like…

2006 Log

January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November | December

January

January 1, 2006 – On a day of rain and powerful winds I was unable to get to the usual trails, but I managed an urban hike down the river trail.

January 3, 2006 – The storms died down enough today to permit an actual hike. I climbed the English Camp trail to the ridge on the Castillero trail at Almaden Quicksilver.

January 8, 2006 – Back from Seattle last night and time for a hike today. I went out on the New Almaden trail, cut to Randol via Buena Vista and finally ended up taking pictures of oak trees near the junction with Prospect #3 trail.

January 13, 2006 – After work I had just enough time to get an early start on a three-day weekend by climbing to the first ridge at Calero Park as the sun set.

January 14, 2006 – Driving trip to Santa Cruz and then up the coast to photograph waves and birds.

January 15 2006 – Almaden Quicksilver: Up Deep Gulch to the Mine Hill/Castillero junction for lunch, then down Mine Hill and English Camp trails.

January 16, 2006 – Hiked to the top of the first high ridge at Calero to take some photos.

January 21, 2006 – Late afternoon hike at Rancho Canada del Oro.

January 22, 2006 – Morning hike to summit of Mission Peak – very windy!

January 27, 2006 – Quick hike up Deep Gulch to just above English Camp, where Jameson telephoned me for a ride home.

January 28, 2006 – The “big loop” at Almaden Quicksilver: Out on Randol to the far junction with Mine Hill; back along the ridge to English Camp; descend via Deep Gulch.

January 29, 2006 – Mission peak again. This time I climbed up the very muddy Horse Heaven route, but took the shortcut just after the switchback single-track. Arrived on the top with fog coming in; soon the peak was completely blanketed. Descended on the main trail.

February

February 2, 2006 – Finished up early at school today. Came home and grabbed the camera gear and got a short hike in at Calero.

February 4, 2006 – At New Almaden Quicksilver, out Randol, up Prospect #3 and then back via Castillero and Deep Gulch.

February 5, 2006 – Up Mission Peak via Horse Heaven (chased by cows!). Extremely windy on the climb and even more so on the ridge. Descended the main trail.

February 11, 2006 – Went to the Bear Valley Telemark Festival where I did two clinics on basic telemark turns and linking turns.

February 17, 2006 – Hiked my favorite ridge route at Calero in very cold conditions. It was only 41 degrees at noon when I got back to the car.

February 18, 2006 – Hiked up Mine Hill and English Camp trails to the Reduction Mill and then back down the English Camp trail.

February 19, 2006 – Mission Peak in cold weather. No snow on the peak, but snow not much higer to the southeast in the Diablo Range.

February 25, 2006 – Mission Peak… again! This time to near the summit via the Hidden Valley (?) trail then south to Monument Peak. Stopped at another high point along the way back, then ascended Mission before returning via the main trail.

March

March 4, 2006 – Started March with a drive (and then a hike). Drove to Yosemite Valley on the day after a low-elevation snowfall and did a photo day. Hiked from the stables up about a mile and a half past Mirror Lake on snow, turning around at a bridge over (I assume) Tenaya Creek.

March 11, 2006 – With overnight snow at very low levels I hiked Mission Peak this morning.

March 18, 2006 – Hiked up Deep Gulch trail to the grove of trees on the ridge below the Reduction Works, then returned via Mine Hill trail.

March 19, 2006 – Hiked out past Goat Rock to do some photography. It was cold in the morning and the creeks were running, but there were a few scattered flowers beginning to bloom. Back via the waterfall and Castle Rock.

March 30, 2006 – Did something I rarely do anymore today… took a hike without my camera. Did the short loop at the up toward Senador Mine then past Guadalupe Reservoir, returning via Almaden Trail.

April

April 2-5, 2006 – Photo excursion to Death Valley. Day 1: Drove to Racetrack Playa in time to set up camp in my vehicle, but too late for sunset photos. Day 2: Up before dawn to drive a mile or two back to the playa for several hours of photography and wandering about the playa as the sun came up. Back down to Scotty’s Castle for lunch, then a campsite at Furnace Creek, followed by a bit of afternoon photograhy. Day 3: Again up before dawn to catch sunrise at Zabriskie Point. Further visits to Badwater, Devil’s Golf Course, Golden Canyon (hiked to the Red Cathedral) and other spots before heading back to Zabriskie for sunset. Day 4: Up early again to head home with time for some photography along the way.

April 8, 2006 – New Almaden Hike from Hacienda up to the Castillero/Mine Hill Junction via Mine Hill and Castillero Trails.

April 15, 206 – One muddy hike at Almaden. Went up toward Senador Mines but took the left fork to the New Almaden Trail to just past the Webb Canyon trail, where I cut right to catch the main trail to the ridge and then back to the car. What a mess!

April 16, 2006 – Giving in to the urge to avoid more mud, I took an urban hike on the creek trail.

April 22, 2006 – What a difference a week makes! While there were still a few muddy spots at Almaden Quicksilver, most of the trail had dried out nicely. I went from the MacAbee entrance up to the junction of the Mine Hill and Castillero trails.

April 23, 2006 – Hiked up the main trail toward the top of Mission Peak but detoured to the right via Paradise Valley (or whatever it is called) to the low saddle south of the peak. From there I headed a short distance south along the ridge to photograph a rock outcropping. Returned via Mission Peak summit and the main trail.

April 29, 2006 – After a busy day of state academic senate, I managed to get out for a short hike up the ridge at Calero at sunset.

April 30, 2006 – I ended the month of April with a moderate hike at Almaden. Out past the mine site from Mockingbird Hill, then via Randol to the New Almaden trail for the steep descent back to the starting point. Quite a few flowers, though it looks like more are on the way.

May

May 5, 2006 – Urban wallk in the late afternoon.

May 6, 2006 – A “Hodges Trip” with students from Hoover Middle school! Up at 3:30 to drive to Donner Lake. Started at the state park museum, hiked the length of the lake and then up old hiway 40 to Donner Ski Ranch.

May 19, 2006 – Urban walk.

May 20, 2006 – Quicksilver. Out from MacAbee Road and started toward Prospect #3.

May 27, 2006 – Visited Bodie and Mono Lake on the way to Mammoth.

May 28, 2006 – Skied Mammoth.

May 29, 2006 – Skied to Minaret Vista.

June

June 3, 2006 – A nice morning hike at Calero Park. Went up to Bald Peaks ridge and to within a mile of the Cottle picnic area at a point where the trail enters the Rancho Cañada del Oro open space. Next time I’ll make this a full loop. Hiked about 8 miles.

June 4, 2006 – Another morning hike, this time at Almaden Quicksilver. Started at MacAbee Road (among the throngs of runners and hikers) and eventually headed up Mine Hill to the high point on the Castillero trail before retracing my steps. 9 miles.

June 10, 2006 – Hiked a big loop at Calero today. I went out on the north portion of Javellina Loop, then took the Cottle and Chisnantuck trails up to the Bald Mountain Trail. Followed Bald Mountain for awhile along the ridge before descending to Figeroa and then heading back to where I started. The whole loop was nearly 9 miles.

June 11, 2006 – We’ll call this the annual waterfall trip. I got up and 3:00 a.m. and drove to Yosemite Valley. Spent the day mostly hiking around the Valley floor, then drove up to Glacier Point for sunset. Arrived back home at 1:00 a.m.

June 17, 2006 – Despite the fact that this is another “Paper Grading Weekend,” I managed to get out for an early morning hike today. Hiked out to and along the Bald Peaks Trail at Calero, well into the Open Space land and making it to the top of the highest point on the ridge. All told, it was a 10.5-11 mile hike.

June 25, 2006 – Did one of my “climbing hikes” today – from Sanborn Park up to Skyline and then to Castle Rock State Park and back.

July

July 1, 2006 – School’s out! (yesterday) – Hiked Mission Peak this morning.

July 2, 2006 – Hiked out to Spillway Lake in the Tioga Pass area. Camped at Aspen campground in Lee Vining Canyon.

July 3, 2006 – Up early to drive to Mono Lake to take sunrise photos. Quick trip to top of Conway, then back to Lee Vining for coffee. Back up to Tioga/Tuolumne area for various short hikes and photography stops. Ended with sunset photos at Tuolumne.

July 8, 2006 – Marched up the hill (to the upper Providentia trail) and back down again at Almaden.

July 9, 2006 – a rather warm “big loop” hike at Calero – on Chisnantuck and Bald Peaks trails.

July 10, 2006 – Early morning 2 1/4 hour urban hike.

July 15, 2006 – Short evening hike up Deep Gulch to English Camp; back down via Mine Hill.

July 16, 2006 – Roundabout hike to the top of Mission Peak. Up the main trail but then to the rock outcropping on the cutoff before the ridge. Descent on the main trail, but then took the lateral to the Horse Heaven trail.

July 17, 2006 – Spare the Air Day so I took the train to SF and walked along the waterfront.

July 20, 2006 – Another Spare the Air day… so this time I went to SF and walked up the Embarcadero, then up to North Beach and to Coit Tower before heading back down into the financial district. Took a quick ferry round trip to Sausalito before heading back home.

July 22, 2006 – Went to Tuolumne to escape the heat and do some photography. Made it to Mono Lake and other areas around Tuolumne.

July 23, 2006 – After some morning photography in the meadow, I hiked out the Young Lakes trail to ridge near the junction to the final mile and a half to the lakes. (Just past the spectacular open rocky/meadow area with the view of the Cathedral Range and the Sierra crest.

July 27-August 1, 2006 – On a family trip to Seattle we did quite a bit of urban hiking, mostly in downtown Seattle, but also a bit on Bainbridge Island.

August

August 7-12, 2006 – (After injuring my toe at the start of the month, I had to forego any hiking before this trip.) The annual Talusdancers pack trip, though a rather easy and short one this year.
Day 1: Drive over Tioga Pass to Big Pine Creek for trailhead barbecue and car camping.
Day 2: Backpack up to Lake Two.
Day 3: Backpack to Lake Four.
Day 4: Hang at Lake Four. Short early morning walk to Summit Lake.
Day 5: Day hike to Lakes Six and Seven.
Day 6: Hike out and drive home.

August 20, 2006 – Toe is recovering enough that I could take a short hike today at Calero.

August 21, 2006 – Continuing the recuperation with a short urban walk.

August 22, 2006 – Quicksilver hike from MacAbee Road to the reservoir and back.

August 23, 2006 – Another little easy loop at Calero.

August 25, 2006 – Urban hike: Train to San Francisco, then walk along Embarcadero to Ferry Building, past Transamerica Building, through Chinatown and North Beach to Fishermans Wharf, then back along waterfront.

August 26, 2006 – Short hike at Quicksilver.

August 30, 2006 – Up Deep Gulch to the ridge on Castillero Trail – on a hunt for locations that Wallace Stegner might have used as a setting for the home in Angle of Repose. Back down via Mine Hill.

August 31, 2006 – Very short photography walk at Calero.

September

September 1, 2006 – Long urban walk to downtown and back.

September 2, 2006 – Up very early for an early morning hike up Mission Peak. Arrived at trailhead with barely any light. Went to the ridge to the south of the peak to photograph rocks along with spectacular clouds above and fog below.

September 3, 2006 – Urban walk.

September 6, 2006 – Urban walk.

September 7, 2006 – Fast Almaden Quicksilver hike. Up Deep Gulch and Castillero to the Castillero/Mine Hill junction. Then down Mine Hill, across the lateral trail past English Camp, and down Deep Gulch.

September 9, 2006 – Drove to Yosemite with the intention of backpacking but permits were gone. Hiked out to and beyond Mono Pass.

September 10, 2006 – After dawn photography at Mono Lake, I backpacked up to Fletcher Lake.

September 11, 2006 – Day hiked to Vogelsang Pass and then up to the ridge between Fletcher and Parsons Peaks.

September 12, 2006 – Hiked back down Rafferty Creek to Tuolumne.

September 16, 2006 – First day of a pack trip along the Sierra Crest between Old Donner Pass and Squaw Valley. Hiked along PCT about 9 miles to a point just north of Tinker Knob. First snow of the season was on the trail from a small front that came through the night before… :-)

September 17, 2006 – Second day of pack trip. Hiked along PCT to backside of Squaw. Some crossed the ridge at the top of Squaw and others (including me) traversed around the north side of the ridge. Descended to upper lodge.

September 23, 2006 – Now that school is starting again, getting out on weekdays will be much more difficult! Today I hiked a longish loop at Calero that took me to the top of the rocky hill on the Javelina Loop, from which I walked back via my ridge route.

September 24, 2006 – Getting a late start, I only had time for a short hike today – out to nearly the reservoir from the north entrance to Quicksilver.

September 30, 2006 – Fall leaf trip to eastern Sierra. Spent the morning around Carson Pass/Hope Valley. Headed south via Monitor Pass and 395 to end up at Four Jeffrey campground.

October

October 2, 3006 – Second day of leaf trip. Spent morning and early afternoon in Bishop Creek drainage. Left around 3:00, but it was raining as I drove north.

October 7, 2006 – Drove to Yosemite early to find Tioga Pass Road temporarily closed due to light snow. The road soon opened and I drove on up. After TPR breakfast, Owen and I drove to Saddlebag Lake, waited out a small snow shower, and backpacked around the left side of the lake to Cascade Lake. Cold!

October 8, 2006 – Got up late due to the very cold and frosty morning. Packed after sun began to hit camp. Continued on loop through 20 Lakes Basin, eventually returning via the other side of Saddlebag Lake. Last Mono Melt of the season for late lunch at TPR, then time for some photos in Lee Vining Canyon, up the Virginia Lakes Road, around Conway Summit, and other places before heading home.

October 14, 2006 – English Camp via Deep Gulch.

October 22, 2006 – One-day trip to Yosemite in beautiful weather to photograph spectacular fall foliage. Hiking included parts of the upper end of the Valley and the Mist and Nevada Fall loop around Vernal Fall.

October 28, 2006 – Up for an early (but not quite early enough) start at Mission Peak. On the trail at about 6:40 a.m. for climb to the ridge south of the summit just after dawn.

November

November 5, 2006 – Time for a short loop hike at Almaden Quicksilver today.

Life got busy and I neglected to record a variety of day hikes…

December

I neglected to record several hikes during the first half of the month – Almaden Quicksilver, Calero. Ah, well.

December 20, 2006 – Short hike at Calero to photograph winter trees.

December 28, 2006 – A one-hour dusk hike out to the Vallecitos trail at Calero.