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.