I was mentally prepared to do Rose Peak, but was unable to get a permit and it doesn’t look like I will be able to anytime soon.  So, instead of settling for a shorter hike, I decided to hike Mt Um one more time since it’s just a few minutes away and add a whole other trail to it.  I started at the opposite end of Almaden Quicksilver Park, at the Hacienda trailhead.  This turned my hike into a 25 mile trek with an almost 5000ft elevation gain that took me just under 8 hours.  I wanted to take a side trail on my return to complete the 5000ft and since I was so close, make it a full marathon, but I hurt my ankle and had to hobble back to my car the last couple miles.

When I started it was in the mid to upper 50’s, but by the time I finished it had gotten into the 80’s. You can tell it’s warming up cause there are more bugs and definitely more snakes!  Saw 4 on this hike after seeing none on any of my previous hikes, including one gopher snake and two rattlesnakes less than twenty feet apart, just below the summit!  All of the snakes were on or right next to the trail, so definitely watch your surroundings.  Also a lot more people out today than my previous hikes.

The views were great, even though it was a little hazy.  You could see Mt. Tam to the north above a very foggy San Francisco, great view of Mount Diablo to the northeast and could make out Mount Sizer and the Blue Ridge to the southeast.

This was not as strenuous as Rose Peak would’ve been since the elevation gain isn’t as high, but adding the extra 5-7 miles makes it a good test.  If I can get a permit over the next couple weeks before it really heats up, I’ll try Rose Peak, otherwise will have to wait until the fall or winter when things cool off and I can hopefully get that elusive permit!  Until then, Mount Saint Helena is likely next, Mt. Tamalpais once they stop citing visitors!