Peak #1: Mission Peak – Climbing to the Clouds
January 14th, 2024 – my first hike of the challenge!
My Garmin tracked 6.5 miles and 2295 ft of elevation gain:
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/13508692787
AllTrails Route & My Activity Recording:
Mission Peak Loop from Stanford Avenue Staging Area
The trail climbed elevation rapidly over a short distance, but the views were awesome every time I paused to rest. I even saw a peregrine falcon dive! Near the summit, clouds started to curl across the trail, and the views beyond the cliff edge were masked by a blanket of clouds. I felt like I’d entered another world – it was so peaceful and magical to be amongst the clouds and listen to the wind move over the hills.
Out of the six peaks that I hiked during the challenge (Mission Peak, Mount Saint Helena, Mount Diablo, Mount Tamalpais, Black Mountain, and Mount Umunhum), this trail had the most difficult terrain. Hiking in January during the rain season definitely impacted the trail conditions. I traveled counterclockwise, and during the first 2 miles especially, mud caked and suctioned to my shoes. The descent was also tough due to how steep and slippery the trail was.
I learned so many valuable lessons from my experience hiking the Bay Area Six-Pack of Peaks challenge, and what I learned most from Mission Peak is that you never know what you can achieve until you try. When I embarked on this trail, this was the toughest hike I’d ever attempted, but I saw a photo online of the summit, and I knew I needed to see it with my own eyes. That very weekend is when I made the climb, and it sparked my Bay Area Six-Pack of Peaks journey!
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