June 8th, 2024 – my fifth hike of the challenge!
My Garmin tracked 15.28 miles and 3184 ft of elevation gain:
https://connect.garmin.com/modern/activity/15814771299
AllTrails Route & My Activity Recording:
Black Mountain via Stephen E. Arbors, Black Mountain, and Chamise Loop
I noted the elevation changes for each of the miles leading to the summit:
Mile 1 – 371 ft
Mile 2 – 545 ft (+174)
Mile 3 – 1060 ft (+515)
Mile 4 – 1457 ft (+397)
Mile 5 – 2045 ft (+588)
Mile 6 – 2660 ft (+615)
Summit, Mile 6.4 – 2866 ft (+206)
Terrain:
Mainly dirt paths, similar to fire roads. Not too rocky. The trails were pretty wide except on the Quarry Trail, the downhill section of the Black Mountain Trail, and the Chamise Trail near the Mary Davey Memorial.
Best Views:
Quarry and Black Mountain Trails
Summit:
The summit wasn’t as obvious as the summits of other peaks, where the vast views below make you feel like you’ve reached the top of the world. While I could tell that I was at a high elevation, the landscape below didn’t seem as far away as it did when summiting Diablo or Tam for example. That being said, I was still totally taken by the beauty of the mountain – the area near the summit marker was covered in tall, yellow grass and dotted with rocks that looked like meteorites, and I could see other peaks in the Santa Cruz mountains in the distance. There was an enormous sense of calm and quiet, listening to the wind move through the grass, even with the large radio towers nearby.
What was most challenging?
The last push to the summit was tough and relentless, especially on a hot day. One of my favorite moments from the day was when a passing hiker said, as I was making my way uphill, “Last major hill! Last major hill! You’ve done this before!”, and it was an awesome boost.
Tips:
- Bring lots of water! I carried 3 liters in a reservoir in my backpack and an additional 3/4 liter in a water bottle. It was heavy but 100% needed. Stay hydrated out there!
- Bring trekking poles if you can. I used them mainly to warn any critters that might be up ahead on the trail, like rattlesnakes (I didn’t see any, but did keep my eye out for them)
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), I encountered the most wildlife on this trail! I saw lizards, rabbits, turkeys, a baby deer, a small frog, and two massive gopher snakes.
I learned so many valuable lessons from my experience hiking the Bay Area Six-Pack of Peaks challenge, and because of my experience hiking to Black Mountain, I gained a new sense of self-confidence and self-reliance. I was nervous to embark on this hike solo because I’d never hiked in the Santa Cruz mountains before, and I knew there were mountain lions, rattlesnakes, and other wildlife that I don’t encounter quite as frequently closer to home. I dove into research, making sure I was as prepared as possible, and faced my fear, and it definitely helped me grow as a hiker.
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