My girlfriend and I started out around 11am. The weather was perfect, and even though it became overcast later in the afternoon, there was no wind or rain at any point. After all the rain over the last few months, it felt great to finally tackle the first peak of the year.

The rugged beauty of the landscape was striking. I grew up hiking the White Mountains of NH and have summitted some peaks in Yosemite, but this place is far different from anything I had experienced. Even the trees looked like they were making a statement about how dissimilar to the evergreens and maples I had always known.

When we were close to the top of Eagle Rock, we heard the sound of people howling. Both of turned to ask each other “what the $&@% is that?” After coming up over the crest we saw a small group of people having a picnic and blasting opera. This instantly boosted our morale, and our fellow hikers offered an invitation to join them. We traded stories, are food together, and listened to triumphant music as we took in the amazing view.

We then parted ways as the two of us headed for the summit of Mt Diablo. The scenery became even more breathtaking with each passing mile. Sweeping landscapes dotted with civilization here and there. There was even a little snow at the top, although nothing at all worrisome.

The odd part was getting to the top. We were immediately greeted with a parking lot and hundreds of tourists who had driven to the top. The feeling of accomplishment is certainly undermined when after hiking for hours through challenging terrain the first thing you see is a person step out of their and say “would you look at that view?” Still worth it, just weird.

We made the final summit a short stay and made our way back down. The descending trail was more of a winding dirt road, instilling a feeling of casual ease. We were still on the trail after the sun went down, so I’m very thankful that I brought headlamps just in case. The sounds of owls hooting and the nearby creek made us feel comfortable in otherwise eerie dark.

I am also feeling grateful for the time of year we made this trip. The constant rain has left the mountain a vibrant green, and the weather was not too hot or too cold. And, as I learned the next day, the peak in September/October becomes overrun with mating tarantulas. So February was a great time to make this journey.