INCH Hike: Rocky Ridge Trail

27. Rocky Ridge Trail (03/08/97)

Hikers (7): Ben, Beth, Jennibeth, Peter, Russ, Sara, Taylor
Distance: 7 miles
Rating: 3 difficulty, 7 beauty
Park info: Las Trampas Regional Wilderness near San Ramon

Write-up by Peter

A beautiful, crisp, spring day -- perfect hiking weather! We piled into the car and headed to the East Bay to hike the Rocky Ridge. We had covered the eastern portion of Las Trampas State Park on our last visit, so this time we confined ourselves to the western portion of the park.

When we got there, we found Sara waiting for us, but no sign of Ben and his new bride, Jennibeth. We figured that Waffle had weaseled out on us again.

1, 2, 3, ... HIKE!

Just as we set off on trail, we were cautioned by a woman who was walking towards us not to go up that way because there was a bull waiting up just around the corner, and this being rutting season, he may not be too pleased to see us! Canteen Boy was having none of that and just charged on ahead.

I had stayed back with the girls. Decision time: Stay with the ladies and listen to more of their non-stop chatter about shopping and clothes and hairstyles and the Bosnian Prince (Sara's new-found beau), or take a chance and get gored by the bull? Wait for me, Rusty!

We made it past the bull without incident, and proceeded up to the top of the ridge fairly quickly. From here it was just a flat two miles until the turnoff for Devil's Hole. We somehow missed the turnoff and ended up taking a steep route down to the Hole -- coming back would be a challenge. Plenty of shiggy on the way down -- good stuff! As usual, Rusty went off trail and ended up taking a longer route down.

Once we got to the Hole, it was not much more than a quagmire. So much for lunch with the Devil. Taylor was starting to get nervous about the Killer Cows lurking around, so we began the long climb back out to the top of the ridge.

Once we made it to the top of the ridge, we bumped into Ben and Jennibeth. Good timing for them, since we saved them a trip down to Devil's Hole and back. We all sat down for lunch together and enjoyed the view stretching out for miles below us. (Editor's note: In keeping with the weasel tradition, Ben has still not paid me back for the sandwich I gave him.)

After lunch, it was a pretty quick trip down through some fields with more cows, some of which expressed their displeasure at seeing us (I think all the talk about the Prince was getting to them too). There was also a good dose of shiggy -- The Man was disgruntled, but that's why they call it a hike!

Milestones:
Jennibeth's 1^st leaf