Moments in Dirt and Ink

Robert Louis Stevenson State Park Click for map. Mount Saint Helena was on my radar long before seeing it as the highest mountain on the San Francisco Area Nifty Ninety peak list. It was my real desire when I came out and hiked Table Rock and that was renewed when I saw it has over 1000 feet prominence. From the top, if you want to get any higher, you've got to come down a thousand feet first. It sticks out a bit from the rest of the landscape. The largest parking is in the same huge dirt turnout available for Table Rock. There is also a little on the other side of the road. The trail climbs to a utility road and there is a little more parking at the bottom of that as well. The big lot has plenty of room, so I go for that and then have to cross the highway to start. The start of the trail includes a large picnic area with a few old steps going nowhere. There was a bit more here once. No dogs are allowed past the picnic area. My camera battery is dead. It had a light...

Robert Louis Stevenson State Park I am expecting it to be dry as I go south, but it has been almost constant rain. There was even rain as I climbed the tight hairpins of SR-29, but as I pull on my shoes the clouds are clearing out as quickly as they can. I seem to have gotten here at just the right time. The air is crisp and my breath comes out in giant puffs. Hail from earlier is gathered in a few spots and pointedly sticking around. Across the road, the trail starts up to Mount Saint Helena. The peak bagger wants to go up there, but I suspect this other trail is nicer and there are only a few hours until sunset. Sign at the trailhead. A couple short switchbacks on the trail bring it up to an old road along the ridge. Trees crowd in tightly around giving very little view. Small break show pieces of what is out there. A sudden break to the left gives a huge viewpoint for the first real look around along the trail. There is a tree down across the trail to it, but ...