Take Transit to Trails?
Tom Mangan of Two-Heel Drive (Tom, again I first typed Two-Hell Drive before backspacing and correcting… ;-) has an interesting post with a quick overview of some options for getting to your San Francisco Bay Area hike on public transit. (See Transit accessible trails in the Bay Area)
Read Tom’s Post for details and links to more information. The short story is that you have lots of options if you live in certain areas north of the Golden Gate. You have limited options if you live elsewhere in the Bay Area, but some of them do seem pretty interesting. His report on Mt. Diablo, for example, is intriguing. I’ve often considered heading to New Almaden Quicksilver County Park on a VTA but have never quite gotten around to it – something about schlepping my typical Big Bag o’ Camera Gear through city streets and on the bus perhaps?
A day after posting this I realized I could have had even more perverse fun with the title of the post – “Time to Take Transit to Top Trails” would have worked. (I suspect that Tom would have approved… or at least chuckled a bit.)
Two-Heel Drive reports on one of my favorite hiking locations
Tom Mangan just posted a description of his Sunday hike at my favorite local park, the Calero County Park south of San Jose. I was there on Saturday (when it was cool and foggy in the morning, Tom… ;-) and he was there on Sunday after the Great Spring Warmup in Central California.
Tom hiked on some of my favorite trails in the park, including the relatively remote Chisnantuk Peak Trail, which traverses some of the less visited corners of the park (and in doing so passes over some less maintained trails) and also visits some of the open ridges that provide great vistas of Santa Clara County and beyond.
As a bonus, Tom not only writes a witty and informative description of his hike, but he accompanies it with some great photographs of the area, including some of the wildflower displays – which were probably more or less at their peak when he visited
More Redwoods
At his Two Heel Drive blog, Tom Mangan points out a redwood grove that I did not know about. It is located at the Mount Madonna county park on the ridge between Santa Clara and Santa Cruz counties.
A Good Sound on the Trail
Today, for the first time in almost a year, I heard the sound of running water during my hike in the Calero Hills. Here in dry California that is a special thing!
Almaden Quicksilver County Park Photographs
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***About this page
You might wonder “why so many pictures of this park?” It is the closest decent hiking location to my home, so I go there frequently – often once a week. Although this park overlooks Silicon Valley (and even San Francisco on a clear day) and some trails are almost literally in the backyards of expensive Almaden Valley homes, there is a lot of great hiking here. (More info at http://www.parkhere.org/ and at Ron Horii’s Almaden Quicksilver web site.)
All text and photographs are © Copyright G Dan Mitchell – all rights reserved. Neither text nor photographs may be used in any form without explicit advance permission from G Dan Mitchell.
(Note: This now qualifies as a rather old page, but I’m keeping it around for the archives.)
***Photos of buildings at Almaden Quicksilver
– There is no escaping the fact that this was a mining site for many years (hence “Almaden Quicksilver County Park”), and I find the ruins historically and aesthetically interesting. A separate page (Almaden Quicksilver County Park Structures Photographs) contains photographs of these subjects.
Note: Additional photographs from this park are found here.
—
New and Old Trees, Spanish Camp. Almaden Quicksilver Park, California. April 15, 2007. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell. (Sales)
Trees, Spanish Town. Almaden Quicksilver Park, California. April 15, 2007. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell. (Sales)
Oak Grassland Near Webb Canyon. Almaden Hills, California. March 17, 2007. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell. (Sales)
Two Hikers, Oak Grove Near Webb Canyon. Almaden Quicksilver Park, California. March 17, 2007. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell. (Sales)
Santa Clara Valley Hills. Almaden Valley, California. February 16, 2007. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell. (Sales)
Winter Hiker. Almaden Hills, California. February 16, 2007. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell. (Sales)
Oak Emerging from Fog. Almaden Hills, California. February 16, 2007. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell. (Sales)
“>
Poison Oak Leaves. Almaden Quicksilver Park. October 14, 2006. © Copyright G Dan Mitchell.
Autumn Leaves. Almaden Quicksilver Park. October 14, 2006. ©: Copyright G Dan Mitchell.
Rocks, Trees, and Grass. Almaden Quicksilver Park. March 18, 2006. © Copyright Dan Mitchell.
Diablo Range Snow and Clouds. Almaden Quicksilver. February 18, 2006. © Copyright Dan Mitchell.
Oak Arches. Almaden Quicksilver Park. December 23, 2005. © Copyright Dan Mitchell.
Late Season Fall Color. Almaden Quicksilver Park. December 23, 2005. © Copyright Dan Mitchell.
Tree and Rain. Almaden Quicksilver Park. December 21, 2005. © Copyright Dan Mitchell.
Solstice Trees. Almaden Quicksilver. December 21, 2005. © Copyright Dan Mitchell.
Prospect #3 Trail. Almaden Quicksilver Park. February 26, 2005. © Copyright Dan Mitchell.
Oak Grove and Fog. Almaden Quicksilver Park. October 22, 2005. © Copyright Dan Mitchell.
Moonrise Near the Senador Mine. Almaden Quicksilver Park. October 16, 2005. © Copyright Dan Mitchell.
Mt. Hamilton and Santa Clara Valley Fog. Almaden Quicksilver Park. October 1, 2005. © Copyright Dan Mitchell.
Leaves Turning Colors. Quicksilver Park. September 2, 2005. © Copyright Dan Mitchell.
Sunset. Almaden Quicksilver Park. July 21, 2005. © Copyright Dan Mitchell.
South Santa Clara Valley from Catherine Mine. Almaden Quicksilver Park. July 19, 2005. © Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
Morning Light. Almaden Quicksilver Park. May 7, 2005. Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
Almaden Quicksilver Hillside. April 2, 2005. Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
Spring Flowers. Almaden Quicksilver Park. March 13, 2005. Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
Fisherman at Guadalupe Reservoir. Almaden Quicksilver Park. March 13, 2005. Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
Morning sun on oak trees and new grass. Almaden Quicksilver Park. February 26, 2005. Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
New oak foliage. Almaden Quicksilver Park. February 26, 2005. Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
Hillside near Guadalupe Reservoir. Almaden Quicksilver Park. February 12, 2005. Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
Looking west from the ridge above Senador Mine. Almaden Quicksilver Park. February 12, 2005. Photo copyright Dan Mitchell
Oak and grass covered ridge near Webb Canyon. Almaden Quicksilver Park. January 22, 2005. Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
New Years Day. Almaden Quicksilver Park. January 1, 2005. Photo copyright Dan Mitchell. Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
Sun on a nearby ridge as rain approaches. Almaden Quicksilver Park. January 1, 2005. Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
Rainbow over Almaden Valley. Almaden Quicksilver Park. January 1, 2005. Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
Santa Clara Valley with San Francisco in the far distance. January 1, 2005. Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
Spur trail between New Almaden Trail and Randol Trail. Almaden Quicksilver Park. December 15, 2004. Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
Trees and grass on a small ridge near the Randol Trail. Almaden Quicksilver Park. December 15, 2004. Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
Trees in morning sun at Almaden Quicksilver Park. December 15, 2004. Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
Fog in the Santa Clara Valley. Almaden Quicksilver Park. December 11, 2004. Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
Golden late-fall trees. Almaden Quicksilver Park. December 11, 2004. Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
Oaks and fog on a ridge at Almaden Quicksilver Park. December 10, 2004. Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
Trees and grass on the New Almaden Trail. December 4, 2004. Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
New Almaden Trail. December 4, 2004. Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
Bare branches, fall leaves, and new grass. Almaden Quicksilver Park. November 14, 2004. Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
Peeling bark. Almaden Quicksilver Park. October 31, 2004. Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
Bay trees. Almaden Quicksilver Park. October 31, 2004. Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
Green and brown leaves on the Deep Gulch Trail at Almaden Quicksilver Park. October 23, 2004. Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
Oak tree near the Hacienda Trail. Almaden Quicksilver Park. October 16, 2004. Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
Fall trees near the top of the Deep Gulch Trail at Almaden Quicksilver. October 16, 2004. Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
Mountain Hamilton beyond Almaden Quicksilver ridge. September 18, 2004. Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
Randol Trail #2. Almaden Quicksilver Park. September 3, 2004. Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
Almaden Quicksilver Park with Mt. Hamilton in the distance. August 28, 2004. Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
Randol Trail. Almaden Quicksilver Park. August 28, 2004. Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
Hacienda Trail oaks. Almaden Quicksilver. August 21, 2004. Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
Hacienda Trail. Almaden Quicksilver. August 21, 2004. Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
Catherine Tunnel mine site. Almaden Quicksilver Park. August 7, 2004. Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
Lichen and Leaves on the Castillero Trail. Almaden Quicksilver Park. August 7, 2004. Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
Mine Hill trail in evening light. July 28, 2004. Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
Fall colors near English Camp. Almaden Quicksilver Park. November 15, 2003. Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
Rock, grass, and trees on the Woods Road trail. Almaden Quicksilver Park. June 12, 2003. Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
Dry grass at Almaden Quicksilver Park. June 26, 2004. Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
New Almaden Trail near Mockingbird Hill. April 18, 2004. Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
Rocks, grass, and trees. Almaden Quicksilver Park. April 18, 2004. Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
Another version of the oak-covered ridge near Webb Canyon. March 27, 2004.< Photo copyright Dan Mitchell./i>
Oak-covered ridge near Webb Canyon. March 27, 2004. Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
Hillside near the Hacienda entrance to Almaden Quicksilver Park. August 13, 2002. Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
Near the Hacienda entrance. March 20, 2004. Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
Bridge on the New Almaden Trail, Almaden Quicksilver County Park. March 13, 2004. Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
Trees and grass along Woods Road, Almaden Quicksilver Park. February 15, 2004. Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
January flowers. January 31, 2004. Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
Forested section of the Prospect #3 trail. Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
Almaden Quicksilver early autumn leaves. September 28, 2003. Photo copyright Dan Mitchell
Almaden Quicksilver early autumn leaves in black and white. September 28, 2003.
Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
Photo copyright Dan Mitchell.
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Dan's Outside 
Today's Hike – New Almaden Quicksilver
Since school is out (yes, teachers look forward to that, too!) and I have a major pack trip coming up later this summer (more about that later) it is time to get serious about whacking the old body back into some sort of shape. Although I’ve always felt that the best conditioning for backpacking is the first three days of the trip, as I get older I find that I’d rather start those first three days from a little better position if possible.
So, today I decided on a “conditioning” hike that pushed me both in terms of dealing with heat/sun and climbing. I started at the New Almaden entrance to the Almaden Quicksilver County Park and ascended past English Camp by way of the Deep Gulch trail. Deep Gulch is a less-used route that has the disadvantage (or, for my purposes today, the advantage) of being rather steep but on a hot day like this the fact that it is in a, uh, deep gulch means that it is also very shady. After English Camp I continued on past the site of the old mill on the ridge via the Castillero trail to join up with the Mine Hill trail, which I followed back down to the parking lot.
I certainly do not recommend this route in these conditions to anyone out for a pleasant little stroll. It was 90 degrees when I returned to my car and portions of the hike near the highest point are directly in the sun – and I was there right around noon. On the other hand, it seemed like I had the entire park almost to myself. During the several hours I was there I saw exactly five other people.
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June 29, 2009 Posted by gdanmitchell | Commentary, Places, Trails, Trips | almaden, ascend, castillero, climb, county, deep gulch, descend, hike, hill, hot, mine hill, new, park, peak, quicksilver, santa clara, trail, train, weather | Comments Off on Today's Hike – New Almaden Quicksilver