Spring 2013 continues. This week's Coe ride is out to Dutch’s Trail.
Greg, Mike, and I begin at 8:45am with the Jim Donnelly Trail:
Hikers elect the old Jim Donnelly Trail:
We pedal up and over Willson Peak—the highest point of our ride—and on to Tule Pond:
This PRA guy drove his SUV in to do some fishing here. With a straight face he told us he was on an official mission to find out what kind of fish are in the pond.
Mike rides by the Fish & Game Pond
White Tank Road:
Rose Dam Trail; this is Mike's first ride with a new Deuter Race EXP Air pack which he liked a lot.
Also relatively new is the Tallboy LTc, though it doesn't look LT at this moment. He likes the Tallboy a lot too.
Noon at Pacheco Camp, tent town for the
California Conservation Corp crew:
We learned from Maintenance Ranger Eric G. that to avoid a fine from "Water Resources", the Park is having this CCC crew clear out reeds in the spillways of various lakes in the area.
Crossing Mississippi Creek on Coit Road:
1 pm @ County Line Road & Coit Road Mike decides to turn back. Map meeting to puzzle-out the return:
His bailout route has him going out to Mississippi Lake and at the end of the day he’s completed 41.7 miles/7,264' climbing, one of his longest rides ever.
http://app.strava.com/activities/45608626A new fallen pine on Turkey Pond Trail, imagine that:
2pm, we’ve ridden over 20 miles and finally we’re on Dutch's Trail:
Purple flowers, Purple Pond:
More of Greg on Dutch's Trail:
Yellow flowers, Yellowjacket Pond:
At 4pm we reach the Dowdy Ranch Ghost Town:
We got water and had a long rest. Greg convinces me that Dormida/Vasquez is the way to get back to Hunting Hollow. So here we go, starting the Burra Burra Trail:
This seems like the lowest place in the world, the streambed bottom of the Dormida/Vasquez hole:
Riding up Vasquez Road:
photo: Greg
The fence-line is the Park boundary.
Long Dam Trail:
The sun is setting as we reach the Serpentine rocks near Willson Peak:
…but we have enough daylight to descend Middle Steer Ridge without needing lights (though we had brought them). 7:30pm we are at Hunting Hollow.
Ride Profile, just another way to look at the day:
Start at Hunting Hollow » Hunting Hollow Road » Jim Donnelly Trail » Jim2Jones Trail » Spike Jones Trail » Steer Ridge Road » Willson Peak Trail » Grizzly Gulch Trail » Rodeo Pond » Wagon Road » Fish & Game Trail » Coit Road » Coit Lake Perimeter Trail » Coit Dam Road » Willow Ridge Road » White Tank Road » White Tank Trail » Rose Dam Trail » Pacheco Creek Trail » Pacheco Camp » Coit Road » Pacheco Ridge Road » Phoneline Trail » Coit Road » County Line Road » Turkey Pond Trail » County Line Road » Dutch's Trail » Yellowjacket Trail » Tie Down Trail » North Fork Trail » Kaiser Aetna Road » Dowdy Ranch Visitor Center » Kaiser Aetna Road » Burra Burra Trail » Dormida Trail » Vasquez Road » Long Dam Trail » Wagon Road » Steer Ridge Road » Middle Steer Ridge Trail » Hunting Hollow Road » Hunting Hollow parking. 40.34 miles / 7:50 rolling / 10:46 total time / 9,391' climb
Gilroy:
Cordoza Ridge:
