Long hike on a short day

We saved the longest for last, starting around 9:30AM on Dec. 26th. The weather was cool, perfect for hiking and no extra water was needed for this 20 mile adventure to one of the more remote peaks in the east bay.  A mix of fire roads and single track, e trails were in good shape. We saw a few other hikers earlier in the day, but none after the camps. Chilly and windy at the peak, but with clear views of Mt Diablo, the Vasco wind farm, and surrounding hilltops as the sun colored the clouds. Daylight finally faded and the rain started when we were about halfway back, but headlamps and Alltrails kept us on track. The rain brought out frogs, toads, millipedes, and a whole party of newts. During the day we saw deer, cows, quail, squirrels, and a sparrow hawk. Toyon was in full berry, to the delight of the birds. This was a tough hike for me, but I’d like to go again on a longer day in spring, maybe from the Del Valle end next time.