A hike nearby
About an hour from here, near Lake Berryessa, sits Stebbins Reserve-Cold Canyon, a research site used by UC Davis.
On Friday, we hiked the Cold Canyon- Blue Ridge Loop, which is about 5 miles and features a fast and furious elevation change of 1200 feet made possible by large steps cut into the trail and slow steep summit climbs. The hike begins in dense forest and ascends to a high chapparal landscape peppered with rocky outcroppings and views of Lake Berryessa. We couldn’t have picked a better day for the hike. Starting out with sweatshirts and fleeces, we quickly shed extra layers as we scrambled up the trail. Once we broke through the tree canopy, the sun was shining and mild temperatures greeted us for our hike along the ridge line. If it had been foggy, our views would have been seriously compromised. If it had been more moist, the rocks would have been too slippery to negotiate. If it had been hotter, the ridge would have been far less enjoyable. I posted a set of pictures to my flickr account. See them here.
