At 2,812 feet, Black Mountain looms large, way up, and behind, the smaller hills to the west of Highway 280 in Silicon Valley. On a clear day you can see the Pacific Ocean, as well as San Francisco, and the entire Silicon Valley at your feet. You can also gaze at some of the other […]
Hiking to Mount Saint Helena
A peak in the beautiful Mayacamas Mountains overlooking Napa Valley and beyond, Mount Saint Helena will give you the best views all around. In Robert Louis Stevenson State Park, this hike is great at different times of the year and one of the few mountains in the Bay Area to get snowfall in the winter. […]
Hiking to Rose Peak from Del Valle Regional Park
Rose Peak. The name evokes thoughts of gentle beauty. But this Rose is guarded not by thorns, but by a relentless series of climbs and descents. In total, nearly 20 miles for the round trip, and 5,000 vertical feet. This is one tough hike. This out-and-back route can be hiked as a long day hike, […]
Hiking Mount Sizer Loop in Henry Coe State Park
Mount Sizer is one of the highest points in Henry W. Coe State Park. While the peak is really just the high point along Blue Ridge, getting there and back via this loop requires four climbs totaling well over 3,500 vertical feet, including one of the steepest trails in the Bay Area. This southern-most trail […]
Hiking Mitchell Canyon to Mount Diablo
Mount Diablo stands tall over the San Francisco Bay Area. At 3,849′ it is not the tallest peak in the area, but it is one of the most prominent. Surrounded by low-lying hills, Diablo looks even more impressive. In fact, in 1851 it was established as the baseline and meridian for land surveys covering two-thirds […]
Mark Your Calendar for the Switchback Showcase
Mark your calendar and join me at the Starbright Theater in Campbell, CA for the first-ever Switchback Showcase 2018 – Sights and Sounds of the Outdoors. There will be several short films, including the premier of Chris Smead’s The High Sierra Trail and something from Jason Fitzpatrick of Mile, Mile and a Half fame. Here’s the trailer for Chris’ […]
Hiking Stinson Beach to Mount Tamalpais
Mount Tamalpais stands guard over the bay, with views stretching from the Farallon Islands to the snow-capped peaks of the Sierra Nevada mountains. And while you can drive almost to the top, it’s nothing to brag about. Hiking to the top is better. Better still? Hiking to the summit, starting from Stinson Beach. This hike […]
Hiking Mount Umunhum
Mount Umunhum is one of the tallest peaks in the Santa Cruz Mountains, and has a rich history, first as a sacred site for Native Americans (“umunhum” means “resting place of the humming bird”), and more recently as a Cold War-era Air Force radar station. The radar station closed in 1980, and the land acquired […]
