Only a day after I had decided to give up on the Diablo Range for the season,
I was back in Livermore Valley only a few miles from where I'd had a
not-so-great time picking stickers out of my clothing while sweating under a
hot sun. The weather had made an about-face, with temps dropping 15 degrees to
a much more pleasant 70F which, combined with a cool wind, made the low-lying
hills south of Mt. Diablo fun again.
Tassajara Ridge
While perusing the area for summits I hadn't been to, I came across this one
lying in Open Space - no trespassing required. The Tassajara Ridge Trail runs
for four miles, from the along Windemere
Pkwy to the
south. The area has seen significant suburban sprawl over the past 20 years,
but a thousand-acre section of hills, once part of the Windemere Ranch, were
set aside as the Hidden Valley Open Space as part of an agreement between the
local governing agencies and the developers. The dry hills are almost entirely
grass-covered with only a handful of oaks scattered about. Even the north sides
are entirely devoid of chaparral, a grazing paradise when the hills the are
green (grazing rights were retained in the agreement with the previous owner).
I followed the (an old ranch road) for three miles
to
of the ridge, a fairly pleasant hike with a few dips along the way, the trail
never very steep. There are at least three spur trails along the way labeled as
"Overlook" to minor points. The highpoint has no such spur trail and requires
a short stretch of cross-country through tall grass to reach the top. I went
up the north side where the grass was slightly less brown and the stickers
slightly less ripe for release (I would still be pulling them out of my socks
later). The distance to the summit can be cut in half by starting at one of the
three
along Longleaf Circle where encroaches
closest to the trail. It was going to be an easy day, so I went with the longer
approach from the south.
A herd of cattle in
just west of the ridge were being rounded up by
on an ATV, riding around the periphery to get them to the pens
below. The cows took exception to this, lowing loudly and frequently, but
otherwise moving off in the direction they were expected. The only other mammals
I saw on the hike were a single coyote near the start, a lone rabbit, dozens of
ground squirrels and .
I spent just over two hours on the
leisurely outing. This was pretty much all the hiking for the day as the other
two summits were nearly drive-ups.
Boon Hill
This is a minor, named summit in an upscale neighborhood on the east side of
Danville. The undeveloped highpoint is found on a parcel of private property
with an impressive home at . A
crowns the top, surrounded by tall grass. A is found just
to the north across a fence. in the long driveway at the
entrance, I made a hurried visit to
the top to take a few pictures before retreating. There was a security camera
mounted on a tree right where I parked, my license plate clearly visible. I may
get another letter from a lawyer once the tape is reviewed...
Castle Hill
Located above the gated community of Rossmoor south of Walnut Creek, Castle
Hill is a short hike from the hilltop homes that surround it. Getting access
to the streets isn't so easy. They let the Google Streetview Car into the
community that makes it
look like anyone could drive in there if you
didn't know there was a manned gate. So there was some surprise when I turned
on Rossmoor Pkwy and saw the gate ahead. I say "some" surprise because I
suddenly realized I had tried this same effort only six months earlier and was
rejected at the gate. As I pulled up I asked if I would be able to drive in to
the golf course as a visitor. "Only if you're a member," was the polite
response. Unable to come up with a better story, I
was told I could turn around just past the gate where a left turn connects with
the outbound lane. As I pulled forward I noticed a handful of cars behind me
that would occupy the attendant briefly. Would they notice if I just kept going?
Figuring the worst that would happen is that I'd be escorted out, I continued
past the turnaround point and was soon out of sight. I felt somewhat like a
criminal but knew it was pretty silly. I really can't stand gated communities
and the need for people to sequester themselves inside. I drove to the top of
the hill at the end of Grey Eagle Dr and parked in the
there. A leads higher to the
(a large water tank) that provides water pressure to the community. The
highpoint is found just , a grassy knoll surrounded by
oak trees that effectively block . The easy stroll took me
12min at a leisurely pace. I escaped back out
to the real world without being accosted and returned to San Jose.