Dan's Outside

Field of… Spider Webs?

Meadow filled with dew-covered spider webs. Calero Park. January 23, 2005. Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.

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February 4, 2005 Posted by gdanmitchell | Commentary | Comments Off on Field of… Spider Webs?

Muir Trail Flowers

Flowers along the Muir Trail near Woods Creek. July 15, 2004. Photo copyright Dan Mitchell

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February 4, 2005 Posted by gdanmitchell | Commentary | Comments Off on Muir Trail Flowers

Oak Shadow

Oak shadow. Santa Teresa Park. January 30, 2005. Photo copyright Dan Mitchell

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January 31, 2005 Posted by gdanmitchell | Commentary | Comments Off on Oak Shadow

Coyote Peak

Coyote Peak. Santa Teresa Park. January 30, 2005. Photo copyright Dan Mitchell

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January 31, 2005 Posted by gdanmitchell | Commentary | Comments Off on Coyote Peak

Santa Teresa Park Trail Damage

Today’s hike at Santa Teresa County Park was slightly marred by some bad trail damage caused by mountain bikes. In the absence of any signs limiting their use of the trail it would seem that the riders were not violating any laws (except for the spot in the photo below on the right), but they sure tore up the trail.

Mountain bike trail damage at Santa Teresa County Park. January 30, 2005. Photos copyright Dan Mitchell.

The photo on the left shows a very muddy trail that was impassable to foot traffic but which appears to have gotten significant use from cyclists. The photo on the right shows an obviously closed area through which a number of cyclists had descended nonetheless.
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January 30, 2005 Posted by gdanmitchell | Commentary | Comments Off on Santa Teresa Park Trail Damage

A Good Bike Story

As I started up the Stiles Ranch trail today at Santa Teresa County Park, I found large group of volunteers doing trail repair. It turns out that this effort was sponsored by ROMP (Responsible Organized Mountain Pedalers).

ROMP trail maintenance crew. Santa Teresa Park. January 30, 2005. Photo copyright Dan Mitchell

I spoke briefly to a fellow who described himself as president of ROMP. Among other things I told him that my very first mountain bike ride (up to the ridge above Lexington Reservoir) was with ROMP many years ago, back when the group had just formed.

It looks like almost all trails – including, perhaps regretably, single-track – are open to cyclists at this park.
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January 30, 2005 Posted by gdanmitchell | Commentary | Comments Off on A Good Bike Story

Santa Teresa Park

Rock, lichen, California Poppy. Santa Teresa Park. January 30, 2005. Photo copyright Dan Mitchell

I hiked at Santa Teresa County Park for the first time today. (I rode a mountain bike through it on a few occasions in the past.) I ended up there more or less by accident. Once again I arrived at Calero Park to find the trails closed, and Santa Teresa was the closest hiking.

My limited previous experience with this park consisted of cycling from the Fortini Road entrance up the steep hill on the Stiles Ranch Trail and across to the main park facilities at the Pueblo Picnic Area. Today I started up the familiar section of Stiles Ranch Trail and wandered almost to the Pueblo Picnic area.

I was unaware that the park provides access to a high ridge topped by Coyote Peak. I hiked a loop up to Pueblo (?) Peak and across to Coyote Peak. Views from here are expansive, extending across Santa Clara Valley and the San Francisco Bay to the north, and down toward Gilroy to the south. I dropped down from here on a trail to the main parking lot, picking up the Fortini Trail to return to my starting point at the base of the Stiles Ranch Trail.
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January 30, 2005 Posted by gdanmitchell | Commentary | Comments Off on Santa Teresa Park

Santa Teresa Park Photographs

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Coyote Valley Oaks, Twilight. Santa Clara Valley, California. January 1, 2007. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell. (Sales)

Oak shadow. Santa Teresa Park. January 30, 2005. Photo copyright Dan Mitchell

Coyote Peak. Santa Teresa Park. January 30, 2005. Photo copyright Dan Mitchell

Rock, lichen, California Poppy. Santa Teresa Park. January 30, 2005. Photo copyright Dan Mitchell

ROMP trail maintenance crew. Santa Teresa Park. January 30, 2005. Photo copyright Dan Mitchell

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January 30, 2005 Posted by gdanmitchell | Commentary | Comments Off on Santa Teresa Park Photographs

Another Calero Photo from Last Week

Tree, pond, and fog. Calero Park. January 23, 2005. Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.

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January 29, 2005 Posted by gdanmitchell | Commentary | Comments Off on Another Calero Photo from Last Week

Plans change

I was going to hike at Calero again today and photograph the impossibly green hillsides. I drove there, got out of the car, loaded up my pack, walked to the trailhead… and found a “trail closed” sign – and more of a lake than a trail on the other side of the gate.

Instead I went to the Mockingbird Hill entrance to Almaden Quicksilver and followed a sort of odd route. I hiked out on the New Almaden Trail and then caught the faint lateral up to Randol. From here I went almost to Prospect #3 and took a short-cut to joint that trail to ascend to Mine Hill Trail. I followed the ridge and then dropped down on Mine Hill. I took a lateral that was supposed to go to Day Tunnel, but I turned right when I should have turned left and ended up on Mine Hill again though a bit lower. I finally followed the Hacienda Trai back to the car.
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January 29, 2005 Posted by gdanmitchell | Commentary | Comments Off on Plans change