Copyright © 2011 Deborah M. Zajac.  All Rights Reserved.

I met two fellow hikers this morning who are also training for some upcoming summer hiking and backpacking trips. Our goal this morning was to start the hike at 5:30AM, summit and be down by 8:30AM.

I fell behind rapidly, and at one point was at least a 1/2 mile behind my 2 hiking companions. They were wonderful and marked or pointed me in the right direction when I reached a fork in the trail. We hiked up a new to me trail this morning called the Horse Heaven trail which takes you up the back side of the mountain.

The trail is pretty steep in a few places, and then meanders around the ridge, and then you drop down into a valley lush with a little creek, oak trees, and native shrubs. A large part of the trail is single track and very rutted from cows, and rain, but it winds its way gently up the slope then under the Peak 100ft or so it gets steep again.

I was surprised to find myself at the Pole once I reached the summit. I was there before I expected to be. The hike itself was work, and quite strenuous in those really steep places, but not as hard as it’s been before. I do believe I’m getting stronger. Rather than another shot of me at the Pole here is the view of the Pole, and distant Downtown San Jose gleaming in the morning sun light.

I improved my Summit time by 10 minutes and overall up and down time by an hour!

(see my hike stats at the bottom of the page)

More views from the trail-

View of Mission Peak Trail winding up the mountain w/ construction trucks. Mission Peak is getting a new bathroom up at the sub Peak. It’s much better than an Out-house!

Steven and Nick climbing a really steep bit of Horse Heaven Trail

Lichen covered boulders and rocks with a view of the bay and Fremont, CA.

A view of the single track part of the trail, and ridge line with the morning sunlight shining on the hilltop.

Very near the summit a Meadow Lark was greeting the morning with song.

On the way down taking the Mission Peak Trail we saw the new bathroom’s upper half and roof being put into place.

Hike details:

Total miles hiked- 6.2

Total elevation gain- 2,197ft

Time to summit 1:50

Total Hike time: 3:06

Nikon D300s|Nikkor 18-200mm VR