Hike Log

#5 – Mt. St. Helena

Trailhead:

Robert Louis Stevenson State Park – Hwy 29

Type of Hike:

Day hike

Trail Conditions:

Trail in good condition

ROAD:

Road suitable for all vehicles

Bugs:

No bugs

Snow:

Snow free

Got there about 8:30 and was stunned to find parking across the road from the trailhead, since I'd been warned it fills up early. The first mile or so is pretty steep but it's under cover. The quarter-mile or so between the RLS monument and the fire road is pretty steep and rocky, but I just took my time. The fire road is a fairly easy ascent but it's almost all exposed, and the sun started to take a bit out of me in the last mile or so. Nothing terribly special about the top (it's a bunch of communications towers with the summit monument behind them) but WOW the views! It was clear enough to see Mt. Diablo and Mt. Tamalpais clearly. Beautiful trailside flowers had sprung up everywhere. Lots of people enjoying the day out – and I got my pic taken at the summit by two other Six-Packers who were kind enough to lend me their flag! This peak is pretty far from my home but I'd definitely come back.

One PS:  there was a disappointing amount of stuff at the summit monument. I know it's a heavily trafficked trail and a developed summit, but that doesn't mean it's OK to forget LNT principles. The plastic flowers, religious tracts, and broken glass I found scattered around up there were not okay.

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