Pinnacles National Monument
Copyright © 2010 Deborah M. Zajac. All Rights Reserved.

I’m not quite up to Scout Peak here. Close though. Look how far I’ve climbed!
We hiked a total of: 7.1 miles
Total ascent: 1600ft.
We finished this hike in: 7.75 hours.

I hiked up Bear Gulch Trail to Bear Gulch Reservoir to
Rim Trail over to High Peaks Trail up to the Overlook
where I looked through Ranger Dan’s telescope to view a nesting male Condor sitting on an egg.
Ranger Dan said the female
and male condor are taking turns sitting on the egg.
From here we continued up High Peaks Trail (Steep and Narrow trail)
to Old Pinnacles Trail and finally
onto Bench Trail which led us back to Bear Gulch where we started.

A bit of information about the park and condors.
An Ancient Volcano

Rising out of the chaparral-covered Gabilan Mountains, east of central California’s Salinas Valley,
are the spectacular remains of an ancient volcano.
Massive monoliths, spires, sheer-walled canyons and talus passages define millions of years of erosion,
faulting and tectonic plate movement.

California Condors at Pinnacles
Pinnacles National Monument is a release site for the endangered California condor,
and the birds can sometimes be seen from hiking trails throughout the park.
Pinnacles National Monument has been a part of the California Condor Recovery Program since 2003.
The park now manages 22 free-flying condors. Each bird is monitored carefully after its release to
increase its chances of survival. Biologists ensure that they choose safe roosting sites, find feeding areas,
and stay away from hazards such as lead-contaminated food and power poles.
~US National Parks Service