Welcome to the mountain edition of Fun Fact Friday where today’s fact will be about… You guessed it Mount Diablo. Have you ever wondered why that magnificent looking mountain is named after the devil? According to the Concord Historical Society, the naming of Mount Diablo began at a time when a small tribelet of Chupcan Indians inhabited the valley. Spanish explorers arrived in the late 1700s and the soldiers nicknamed the area “Monte del Diablo.” The term “monte” described the dense thicket of willows at the north end of the valley, which soldiers believed was possessed by evil, devilish Indian spirits, hence the name, “Monte del Diablo” — thicket of the devil. Monte was later misinterpreted by English speakers as “mount” or “mountain,” and the name “Mount Diablo” became commonplace.

Now for today’s hike report!!! What a stunning day to be in the Bay Area as the skies were clear and visibility was perfect in all directions. I set out from the Mitchell Creek Visitor Center at 8am when the gates opened up and made my way towards Eagle Peak. As soon as I gained some elevation I knew I was in for a treat because I could see across the San Joaquin Valley to the snow capped sawtooth peaks of the Sierra Nevada. Looking around I was rewarded with views of some my recently summited peaks in the challenge like Mt. St. Helena, Mt. Tamalpais, and Mt. Umunhum. Looking Southwest it appears there’s still hope for catching some snow on Sizer Peak and Rose Peak. The biggest takeaway from today was the stunning panoramic views of California. There’s still a little bit of snow on Mt. Diablo and a few downed trees on the way down the Juniper Trail but all in all I was hiking in near perfect conditions today!!!