Captain's Log: Hike 6
Rose Peak was a proper final challenge to complete our Six Pack of Peaks. The Sunol Park gate does not open until 8 and the visitor's center doesn't open until 8:30. If you do not purchase your back country permits prior, you will have to wait until at least 8:30 to begin this mammoth hike. Much like Sizer we got very lucky with the weather. The valley was completely filled with fog until we climbed out of it for the last couple miles. It kept the trail cool for most of the climbing, which again was fortunate because there are a grand total of 7 trees for most of the hike except at the start and the summit. You will be going out of the park into the back country for most of this one, where there will be multiple branching trails. After marker 21 the proper trail is overgrown, so it is easy to follow the wrong route. Definitely either download Alltrails or take pictures of the extended map at the back country trailhead for this one, so you can navigate back to the proper route if you do end up taking a wrong fork like we did. Most of the backcountry hike is exposed and is filled with herds of grazing cows. The fog was intense at this point for us. We had little more than 100 ft of visibility until we got to the ridge line above the fog cloud. The climb is very gradual, with no overly steep sections. There is also a log book at the peak, so be sure to keep an eye out for the ammo box hidden in the stump at the peak. This hike is more of an endurance challenge than anything. On the way down we had no cloud cover and were slowly melting the entire way. Definitely bring at least 4-6 liters of water for this one. Your lungs may be fine, but your feet will hate you by the end of this one.
Responses
I have taken the wrong turn several times along this trail. It is hard to realize you are on the wrong road until you reach a closed gate and you need to backtrack miles (adding to a already long hike).