Santa Teresa Hills ^2x P300
Trench Hill ^2x
Coyote Peak ^3x P500 NN

With a continuing heat wave over much of the area, I decided to get up early for a morning hike before things got too warm. I had no plan when I went to bed the night before, and forged none during my sleep. I got up somewhat groggy around 5:30a and pulled up the PB app, looking for something appropriate. I saw a red dot in Santa Teresa County Park on the south side of town for a small bump called Trench Peak. Michael Toffey had a 7mi track that took in all three summits in the park which I quickly adopted. I didn't bother with breakfast or the usual coffee, deciding instead to get started as soon as I could manage. Only later did I realize I had been to Trench Hill back in 2017 - it just never got recorded on the PB site. No matter, I had an enjoyable morning hiking about the park, mostly with the place to myself. I had been on about half of the trails I traveled, though I recognized almost none of them - chalk it up to getting older with failing memory. My route roughly followed Michael's track, though I didn't use the several cross-country portions he'd incorporated. He had done his hike in February when the hills are green and cross-country travel more pleasant. In July, the hills are green, the grasses high, loaded up with thistles and stickers. I stuck to the park trails (and a section of use trail) for the entire outing, save for the necessary bit of off-trail to reach the Santa Teresa Hills HP which is just outside the park boundary. There's almost no shade on the entire route, not something to enjoy midday during the summer. I spent 2hr45min on the 7mi effort with 1,600ft of gain. I was done before 9:30a, happy that it hadn't yet warmed up enough to be uncomfortable.

Author:

Is this a correction?