The first warmup hike...and near disaster (June 8th)

My plans for getting in shape for Half-Dome were pretty simple:

1) Start running and working out more than I had been for the past year
2) Decrease my wine consumption (bummer)
3) Lose some weight (dependent of course on #1 and #2)
4) Start hiking, in early June, increasing my distance, elevation gain, and degree of difficulty SLOWLY.

I was doing fine with the first three steps the last few months, especially once I joined in on the Global Corporate Challenge at work - a team based event where you record your activity each day with a Fitbit type device, and attempt to beat your targets for 100 days (which coincides nicely with the August 1st schedule for the climb). I have been hitting the treadmill at work four times a week, avoiding the elevator at work, playing tennis, and taking long walks - I actually do feel more fit after the past month of increased activity, although this may be wishful thinking. And #3 has been rough sledding - dinner is just not the same with a glass of sparkling....water.

So here it is, early June, and I needed to start hiking. Yes! I had to take a vacation day (use it or lose it), so planned my first warmup at Pinnacles National Park, which graduated from a National Monument a few years ago. I last visited the park quite a few years ago, and remembered a relatively easy hike up a switch-back trail - four miles or so round-trip, with a 1700' gain. Nothing serious, a good warmup to get my legs used to going uphill again.

I hit the road early, and since I was going against the flood of traffic, cruised down 101 to the Hollister exit quickly. The rest of the trip down to the park was great - cool, foggy, and nice scenery to boot. There are a lot of new vineyards on Route 25 (I did not stop to sample.....not on my new diet). The park was not quite open yet when I arrived - no rangers at the entrance, and I did not have a map (I am definitely out of practice), but I did manage to make the right turns, and wound up more or less where I wanted to be. There was a park volunteer heading towards a trail head, so I asked for some advice on which trail to take, and he pointed me towards the High Peaks Trail - said it was a nice loop trail, which goes up to the rim and eventually heads back towards the parking lot. SGTM.

Off I went - my new REI pack with a camelback bladder (no more stopping to pull out water bottles), a couple of PB&J sandwiches from work, sunglasses, hiking sticks - ready for anything.

The first few miles were great  beautiful scenery - I had to stop once in a while to take a few photos.

Once you hit the High Peaks trail, the climb is a bit more difficult but not too bad...and the scenery is quite spectacular. The rock formations are quite unique - great for climbing if you are into that sort of thing (not me anymore).

Aside from doubling back once when I thought I had missed a cut-off, the hike was pleasant, not too difficult, and devoid of people - a rarity in the bay area. Apparently, word has not gotten out yet about this little treasure of a park. I eventually determined I was still on the right trail, and it started turning off in the direction back to the east entrance (there is a west entrance ). After another mile, the trail abruptly ends at a rock face - I looked up and noticed steps cut into the rock, with a railing along the side. I had heard about this, but did not realize this was the only way to continue down the trail.

What the heck. The holes were fairly well spaced, and the railing sturdy enough. Seemed safe even for a klutz like me. The trail continues up, over, down, up and eventually down again through the pinnacles for quite a ways - it's safe, but not for anyone prone to acrophobia. And don't try it in the rain. Or at night.

The rest of the trip down was uneventful - there are a few side trails to take, one climbing up to another pinnacle (nice place for a PB&J break), and then a long stretch of switch backs. When the trail levels out near the bottom, there are quite a few rock walls for climbers..it's easy to get distracted, and look up at the rocks instead of the trail. I have a history of being easily distracted, which can be a moderately dangerous habit if you are a rock climber. In this case, I missed a step down on the trail and fell hard on my knee. On a rock. Many bad words were uttered (this is a PG rated blog).

After rolling around in the dirt for a while, the pain subsided enough to get back on my feet and limp back to the car. I assessed the damage which was not too bad (scrapes and bruises), and some nice couple gave me a bag ice which really helped. Aside from the pain from the knee, everything else seemed to be OK - it was a lot longer hike than I was planning on, well over 7 miles, with a lot more elevation gain and loss. All in all though, a good start. Except for the distraction/falling thing. I'll have to work on that before Half Dome. Not a good place to be distracted.

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