Creek to peak

I had another one of the crazy urges so early on Saturday I packed my gear and head to Mount Diablo for my annual summit climb. My hiking partner Alice was in Arizona enjoying the sun at spring training baseball game so I figured I would hit the road for a monster hike.



The summit hike is a doozie. This was my fifth time up the mountain and the fourth on my own. My route started at Mitchell Canyon following the Mitchell Canyon Creek, heads to Deer Flat and then to the Juniper Trail to the the summit.



I was trying to make push myself and see if I could make it a fast hike. The trip is just about 16 miles round trip with a climb of about 3,400 feet. I wasn't making the greatest time finishing the first leg to Deer Flat in an hour and ten minutes. Those switchbacks on Mitchell Canyon Road are killers and I struggled with them. I was gasses heading into the second leg of the hike and by the time I reached the summit I had failed to crack my goal of three hours to the top. I reached the summit parking lot at the three hours and five minutes mark. So close, I 'll get it one of these days.



The temperature was cool and breezy, perfect for a long hike. There were few hikers on the first two legs of the hike as I practically a had the trails to my self. There were several groups heading out to the top from the Juniper campgrounds but I passed them quickly on the way up and down.



All and all it was a good hike. I was sore afterwards and wishing I worked a little harder on my times but hey I did make it all the way to the top. I didn't take too many photos with my point-and-shoot digital camera but the views were spectacular.