Deception Pass State Park, Oak Harbor, WA

Located in NW Washington state, this strait is a pleasant hiking and camping destination, especially during the summer months. I hiked this one together with my parents and brother.



Note: Posted on 1/4/15. The "Published on" date is the actual date of the hike.

Sunol Regional Wilderness to Mission Peak Regional Preserve

This is a ~10-mile round trip hike I took in July 2010 from Sunol Regional Wilderness, through the San Francisco Water District land, up the eastern face of Mission Peak to the top, and back. Note: The journey is somewhat strenuous and gets quite isolated in the forested areas. If you choose to attempt this hike, it is a good idea to bring friends and ample food/water, clothing/sunblock, flashlight, and a cell phone.

The hike starts at the Sunol Visitor Center, where hikers
are required to purchase an Ohlone Wilderness Trail per-
mit and trail map. At the trail head, sign in.


The first 3 miles of the climb consist of SF Water District
land, which is forested and isolated.


After exiting this section and signing out on the other side,
the forest gives way to grassy hillside.


For the next 2 miles there is a steady climb until the top of Mission Peak. Time and energy management can become an issue, and my legs cramped up at around the 5-mile mark, forcing me to take a 20-minute break before turning back. After recharging my batteries with granola bars and water, it's time to descend Mission Peak, and cross the SF Water District land again (signing in and out again).

By the end of the hike I was exhausted, and had barely finished before sunset. Time to grab dinner, go home and sleep...

Trail: Ohlone Wilderness Regional Trail -- Sunol Visitor Ctr to Mission Peak, 9.25 mi
Difficulty: Moderate to Strenuous (length, unshaded, steep grade, isolation)

Stanford Dish, CA

This is a hilly jog near the Stanford campus. A good workout. It was introduced to me by my brother. The dish itself is a radio telescope built in 1966 by what is now SRI International.

Trail: Stanford Dish Loop, 3.8 miles, 500ft elevation gain
Difficulty: Moderate

Redoing some hikes/jogs

In mid February 2010 I redid a couple of my earlier hikes/jogs. Below are photo comparisons between summer and winter.

Shoreline Park


Mission Peak

Carson Falls, Fairfax, CA

In the woods of Pine Mountain off of Bolinas Rd. in Fairfax, there is a beautiful waterfall called Carson Falls. The falls are about 1.5 miles from the trail head, along Little Carson Trail.

Sunol Regional Wilderness, Fremont, CA

Nestled in the hills east of Fremont, Sunol Regional Wilderness is quite enjoyable during mid-winter when the hills are lush and green. Great for families, or for a brisk afternoon hike.

The drive to the park (going north on a narrow and winding Calaveras Rd.) provides nice views of Calaveras Reservoir and surrounding area. There are a few opportunities to park and enjoy the scenery, if you're not afraid of heights.


Little Yosemite is one of the park's main attractions. To get there, take the Canyon View Trail going southeast from the visitor center for a little over 1.5 miles. On the way, there's a moderately steep uphill climb and opportunities to get up close and personal with some cows (I kept my distance as a precaution). Then turn right and proceed downhill along the well marked trail to Little Yosemite, and make your return via Camp Ohlone Road.


Note: A trail map is available on entry to the park. Visitor center staff is friendly and helpful.

Montara Mountain, CA

Just south of Pacifica, Montara Mountain overlooks the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay. If you hike up to the north peak on a sunny day with no fog, you may be able to catch impressive views of both. One possible option is to start at San Pedro County Park, and take the Brooks Falls trail and Montara Mountain trail for 3.5 miles to the top, for a 7 mile round trip.


Note: The drive to and from the park is almost as scenic as the hike, with Highway 1 hugging the beautiful coastline.

Difficulty: >Moderate (length, elevation change)