Black Mountain

Today I summited Black Mountain using an easier route than I usually take; instead of starting at the base of the mountain in Rancho San Antonio Preserve, I started at the Monte Bello trailhead. I then hiked an 11-mile loop though Monte Bello, Skyline Ridge, Russian Ridge, and Coal Creek Preserves (AllTrails) and checked off Black Mountain and Borel Hill along the way.

I also passed one of the more unusual things one can see along a Bay Area trail: there’s an old Pacific Bell pay phone located next to the Black Mountain Backpack Camp, about 1.5 miles from the parking lot. And I think I take a photo of it every time I hike this route (btw. Pac Bell hasn’t existed as a company since 1997). While there’s no dial tone when you pick up the receiver, this time we called the number on the phone, and it rang, so it’s still (sort of) in service.