DATE: Monday, March 8
DISTANCE: 8.2km / 5.1 miles
ELEVATION GAIN: 284m / 933'
TIME TAKEN: 1:36
SUMMIT: Peak 1038' (316m)
PARK NAME: LAFAYETTE RESERVOIR RECREATION AREA
COUNTY: CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA
STOLEN BAY MIWOK LAND
SOUNDTRACK: Stone Titan: Sunny Side Up
FULL HIKE DESCRIPTION COMING SOON!
FULL HIKE DESCRIPTION COMING SOON!
Barberry and Eurkea are two little summits in the East Bay hills. Eureka is barely on private property, and I have never attempted to reach it, even though I have hiked close by several times over the past few years. Barberry Peak, a feature which I didn’t even know had a name until last year, is a publicly accessible ridgepoint overlooking the east side of the Caldecott Tunnel entrance. They were both on my “East Bay Hills Obscure Peaks To-Do List,” and both would be visited today.
The weekend was here, which means nothing to me, of course, unemployed for almost a year now, but my brother Alex still has a job, and he has weekends off. So as usual, I hit him up to see if he wanted to hike. He also gets the choice of where we go, because his time is much more precious than mine. He had the idea that we would do a warmup hike for our trip to Death Valley, coming the following weekend, so at Big Al’s suggestion, we were at the De La Veaga trailhead in Orinda, to do a repeat, or at least some approximation, of my old “Orinda To Oakland” hike: not carless this time, no use of dirty dog BART. Fearing I would be late for the meetup time, and fighting a hangover from drinking alone at home last night (where else?) I jumped in the van and rocketed myself through the Caldecott Tunnel, to the trailhead. I actually got there first, but Alex was only seconds behind me, and he had to come all the way from San Francisco. We tried to approximate the weight of the backpacking load we would be carrying in Death Valley, Alex with his large pack at 25 pounds, and me with my daypack, stuffed with as much extra weight as I could find, including junk from the back of my van, which got it up to 22 pounds. I followed proper protocol, and singed in at the trailhead with my EBMUD permit number, and we were off, on what has become one of my most familiar trails.
We were soon lost in conversation, and before I knew it, there was a fire road off to the right, and I said “how would you feel about a mild trespass to an obscure East Bay peak?” He was game, and we veered off, contouring along the hillside cow trails, to be away from the view of the house that was right there by the peak, even though we weren’t even trespassing yet. Around this time, we saw three coyotes in the valley below. Cool! We came around the west side of the hill to remain out of sight, and then went straight up. Then, at the top of the climb, where there was a fence delineating the private property of Eureka Peak, there was one more coyote! Less than 15 feet past the barbed wire fence, and we were on Eureka. A good view of Mount Diablo and Vollmer Peak nearby. Then we went straight down through the fields to rejoin the De La Veaga Trail below, which carried us up the west side of Siesta Valley, into Oakland, and back to civilization, as we heard the roar of cars on Grizzly Peak Boulevard.
Erupting now into daylight now, out of the tranquil Eucalyptus and Bay Laurel groves, we crossed GPB, dodging both motorists and cyclists, and went into the muddy trails of Claremont Canyon Regional Preserve. Not too long after this is my favorite part of the Orinda To Oakland hike, where you come around the bend and the whole of Oakland, San Francisco and The Bay is revealed before you! Magical every time. At this point, there were now quite a bit of people about, coming up from Berkeley, from the west, to enjoy the weekend afternoon. We didn’t feel the need to go all the way down to the bottom of the Berkeley side, because we were not planning on using BART. So we turned around, and headed back the way we came. Back across GPB, and then at the four-way trail intersection, I said to Alex, “how about we go check out Barberry Peak?” And that was it, off to the next quest.
A short jaunt down the Bay Ridge Trail, and we got to the unofficial track that leads up to Barberry. There was a picnic table there, so we sat down and had a quick snack. Then up the hill. The use trail continued all the way to the top, with classy switchbacks and everything. The peak had some rocky bits, and an open view of the surrounding area, especially down to the 24 freeway cut. Urban hiking at it’s finest. We decided to make things interesting, yet again, by not returning the way we came, but by looking for a way down the ridgeline towards the California Shakespeare Theater. The idea seemed bunk at first, a potential total bushwhack, but then just like magic, a faint trail appeared that carried us almost all the way down to the bottom of the ridge, where it magically disappeared again with no evident destination, and we had to slide down a steep, slippery hillside, plough through a tangle of brush, and we were finally delivered down at the Cal Shakes Theater.
The facility was officially closed due to Covid (obviously), but the theater was still physically open (no doors), so we went inside and had a look. From there, we decided to take the most direct way possible back to the trailhead, traveling N/NE over two fences, through the EBMUD watershed and cow fields, where we soon found another old trail that led us through a gap in the ridge, back to the more robust system of cow and farm roads on the other side, which funneled us finally back into the De La Veaga Trail. From that point, we were down to the cars on the Orinda side in a matter of minutes. It ended up being a wild variation on the Orinda To Oakland Hike, but highly successful in researching the obscure peaks of the East Bay hills.
FURTHER READING
Oakland Geology: Some science on Barberry Peak and surroundings
Bob Burd: Bob handles Eureka Peak and many others
DATE: November 13, 2020
DISTANCE: 19.11km / 11.88 miles
ELEVATION GAIN: 971m / 3186’
TIME TAKEN: 4:38
LIME RIDGE OPEN SPACE
MOUNT DIABO STATE PARK
CONTRA COSTA COUNTY, CA
SOUNDTRACK: Chainsaw Orchestra: Black Point
SUMMITS:
• Lime Ridge High Point: 305m / 1,001’
• Black Point: 546m / 1,791’
PHOTO ALBUM
MAP
"THE SEVEN GATES OF DIABLO" #7
To be honest, even though I was keen to visit Lime Ridge Open Space and Black Point someday, based on their own merits, the true reason for my visit on November Thirteenth was to establish the “seventh gate” to Mount Diablo State Park, the last piece in my project, the Seven Gates Of Diablo: Seven ways to walk into the park from the outside (the park was closed to cars due to the pandemic). Why seven? It just sounded more badass than six. Of all the “seven gates,” this one was the most questionable: Hopping fences and crossing through borderline “private” property, dodging herds of cows, and entering MDSP through a non entrance that is not known to the public whatsoever! If you’re interested in such an adventure, please continue!
I arrived at the Lime Ridge parking lot at Ygnacio Valley Boulevard and Cowell Road, in Concord, at about 7:30AM. The weather was cool, and the sky was grey, but the landscape was just about as dry as could be, having not seen rain since May. I began trekking down the dusty dirt roads that led me into the park. I soon broke off onto dusty trails that wound up into the dusty oaks and parched grass environment that made up Lime Ridge Open Space, and I could see, at first from the tracks, and soon after from the participants, that this was a mountain bike place. And before I knew it, I was dodging them. Everything looked brown and tired and dead, and then Diablo came into view, as it always does. Elevation was gained, and views opened up of the surrounding countryside. There were darker clouds in the distance, suggesting that the long dry season might be about to come to an end.
Within a half hour, I had arrived at my first destination, the Lime Ridge Highpoint, which was crowned by a bench. I wasn’t tired yet, so I didn’t sit, but instead spilled off the south side of the hill to continue towards the park border, following at first, a rustic track through the brush, then the more typical ranch road. Less than an hour in, I was through Lime Ridge Park, and at a private property gate, which I jumped over and continued on my way. I don’t think it was actually private property, just some kind of land reserve that hadn’t been opened to the public yet, or that’s what I told myself to justify it. Now I was in a no-man’s-land of straw colored ranch, nibbled to the stub fearless cows, and toxic green ponds. Some of the cows were blocking the roads I wanted to use, and didn’t seem like they wanted me around, so I actually did some detours into the fields just to avoid them. In less than an hour, it was 9:17 by now, I was through the questionable land tract, and at Mount Diablo State Park’s unceremonious secret back entrance.
I came in on a utility road, which momentarily intersected with Red Road, and less than ten minutes after that, reached the Black Point Trail, which would lead me to my next summit goal. It was here on this winding trail that I saw the only other person of the day in MDSP, a female jogging down the hill. I continued on, until then I had considered it more likely that I would meet a mountain lion than a human, so I guess it was a nice surprise! The trail carried me along and up over the west shoulder of Black Point. With a view out now, I thought I saw some smoke rising from a fire somewhere on the other side of the Oakland Hills… will it ever end? Just before 10AM, I reached Black Point summit, which was marked with a post, and was pretty brushy and unremarkable. But it had a decent view of it’s surroundings: I was able to catch views out to the south, of Olofson Peak, and to Eagle Peak in front of Mount Diablo. In another half hour, I was at the bottom of the trail again, at Red Road, and exited the park the way I had come in. Somehow, on my way back through the cow fields, I took a detour through a woodsy ravine, which would have been rather pleasant in wetter weather. I also captured, photographically, the effect of a hillside divided by a fence, one side cow clipped, one side not.
I had a glance back at Black Point behind me, and then got back into Lime Ridge, on the Paraiso Trail. I took a different way back through Lime Ridge, trying to see the scenery, which consisted of mountain bike chewed trails, blasted hilltops, and weird concrete structures whose presence could not be explained. There was a strange feeling all day, like a tension as the world waited for the first rain of the season finally to come, and it did, not long after. It wasn't much, but it was the beginning. Me, I felt I had gotten away with something, entering Mount Diablo through an obscure entrance that few have ever used, and why would you want to? But that was it: the seventh gate had been passed.
FURTHER READING
• Bay Area Hiker: Presents a handy guide to Lime Ridge
• Bob Burd: Takes the kids to Black Point
• Lime Ridge on PEAKBAGGER
• Black Point on PEAKBAGGER
DATE: September 23, 2020
DISTANCE: 8.47km / 5.26 miles
ELEVATION GAIN: 351m / 1150’
TIME TAKEN: 2 Hr.
SUMMIT: Gossip Rock 329m / 1080’
DRY CREEK PIONER REGIONAL PARK
ALAMEDA COUNTY, CA
STOLEN OHLONE LAND
SOUNDTRACK: Toy Dolls: Idle Gossip
PHOTO ALBUM
MAP
It had been over twenty days since my last hike, California had mostly been a smoky hell, and I was dealing with a not too horrible, but very persistent foot injury that might have stemmed all the way back to my excessive rock hopping on the Fourth of July. Smokewise, the was was fairly clear, I needed to get outside and do something, anything, and I had some screenprinting supplies to hand off to Amber, so we met about halfway between San Jose and Oakland, and went out for a little hike.
The trail was selected more for it’s central location than any other reason, and it had a named “summit” for a destination, satisfying my requirements. It was a warm day, which we were acutely aware of, not starting until after 10AM. Climbing the fire roads, first through the lower vegetated stream bed, then up into the oak grove savannah, everything dry as a bone. Gossip Rock was not the high point of the area, or even the park, but it was within reach for our quick jaunt, a classic oak shaded rock outcrop in the Bay Area hills. One of the flat rocks appears to be an Ohlone Native American grinding stone. We went back down to the parking lot (mostly) the way we came up, and then went out separate ways!
FURTHER READING
• Quincy Koetz: A nice summary
• East Bay Hill People: Another brief description
• Gossip Rock on PEAKBAGGER
A few days prior to this, I had considered my 16 mile outing in the hinterlands of Mount Diablo to be my last hike of the season in the East Bay Hills, which were increasingly getting warmer and drier. It was time to focus some attention on the Sierra Nevada now! But out of the blue, an old friend hit me up to go on a hike in Sunol Regional Wilderness. In spite of the fact that it was a pretty hot day, we weren’t getting an early start, and it was also a Saturday (I usually avoid going out on the weekends at any cost, since I can pretty much hike any day I choose, unemployment has it’s benefits!), I readily agreed to meet up with Bryce so I could catch up with the old buddy and talk music, life, etc.
I tried to meet Bryce at the Sunol parking lot, at the appointed time, but even before I got there, I knew this would be a no go. Even Welsh Creek Road, on the approach, was jammed with cars, trying to turn around and get out, not one parking space in sight. When I got to the gate of Sunol, there was a prominent sign reading “Parking Lot Full,” and I believed it. Just then, I saw Bryce driving out, and he kind of shrugged. We pulled over at a turnout together, back down the road, to consult, and I suggested Pleasanton Ridge instead. I had never been there before, but it was on my local hit list. This turned out to be a good choice, as we pulled into the Foothill Staging Area, we saw the parking lot was not even half full. Not bad for a beautiful Saturday in late May.
We took off uphill, on a meandering course that began with the Woodland Trail. No particular goal in mind, but I was angling to get to the high point of the ridge if possible. It was typical California rolling hill country, turning from green to brown at this time of year, cowshit country, the beasts were about. But there was a nice breeze and some especially majestic oaks. It wasn’t long before a view opened up to south to Maguire Peaks and Mission Peak. We turned north, and cruised the ridgetop. To our left, the higher, but privately owned, Sunol Ridge beckoned for some future trespassing. Most of the park seems to be double trails, a ranch/fire road and a complimentary single track trail (or trails) that go alongside it, or weave around near it. We used both of these options alternately as they suited us.
Continuing north on the Thermalito Trail eventually joined us up with the Ridgeline Trail, on which also continued north, through the area which temporarily becomes Augustine Bernal City Of Pleasanton Park. Once through the enclave, you are back in PRRP. Much to my delight, the high point of the the Pleasanton Ridge formation was found, almost by accident. But then verified by smartphone of course. There was a bench, a water tank, and a ton of ducks for some reason. Also, what are these strange little monuments? We took a different was back to the parking lot, creating a sort of grand loop out of the Ridgeline, Meadow and Sycamore Grove trails. A nice afternoon outside. And bear in mind, friends out there, if you ask me to go for a hike with you, I probably won’t say no. Unless I am already on a hike.
FURTHER READING
BA Hiker: Some general info in PRRP
Redwood Hikes: Big pictures and a little info
Bob Burd: Bob visit the Pleasanton Ridge highpoint
DATE: Friday, April 24, 2020
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| Howe Homestead Park |
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| Shell Ridge high point (center right) |
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| China Wall formation |
