Took some time off on a Wednesday afternoon. I thought we'd have a nice, cool ride in the woods. When I left work in San Jose, it was 79 degrees; when I got to the ranch in Boulder Creek, it was 97!!
Good thing Big Basin was a lot cooler, tucked under the trees on the coastal ridge. We didn't get on the trail until around 4:30 and I intended just to walk on a new (to us) trail for an hour and then turn around.
We started off on Gazos Creek Fire Road and in 15 minutes, turned off onto the Middle Ridge Trail (also a fire road), heading north.
Good thing Big Basin was a lot cooler, tucked under the trees on the coastal ridge. We didn't get on the trail until around 4:30 and I intended just to walk on a new (to us) trail for an hour and then turn around.
We started off on Gazos Creek Fire Road and in 15 minutes, turned off onto the Middle Ridge Trail (also a fire road), heading north.
Middle Ridge Trail
This colorful trunk belongs to a madrone tree
This is an open area between one forest and the next. There's a viewpoint just off the trail where you can see the ocean, which by the way, was covered with fog.
The view point is elevation 1685 ft.
The trail went over solid rock
Heading back into the forest
You can't differentiate from this photo the difference between the high clouds and the low thick band of fog lying on top of the ocean.
Another "ocean view" photo where you can't differentiate the fog from the high clouds.
Still riding north - we have come about 2 miles from park headquarters - the trail intersects with the Meteor Trail (no horses).
Standing in the same spot, this is looking to the east.
Standing in the same spot, this is looking to the southeast.
This is another mile from the intersection with the Meteor Trail. This spot is the intersection with the Hollow Tree Trail, also no horses.
At the intersection of the Hollow Tree Trail, there's a gate. It is about 5:30 now, and this is our turn-around point.
This has been a lovely trail and someday we'll come back and continue past the gate.
Up on this ridge, the ocean sends us a stiff breeze, making the trees dance. It is probably 75 degrees - just gorgeous weather.
Looking northeast
Looking east
Looking southeast
Bella was cooling off nicely in the wind, and happy to be hand-walked as I picked spots to take pictures.
She was looking over the edge of the trail down into the steep canyon when a huge gust of wind pushed us from behind and spooked her. She came rushing back to me for comfort and security -- it was so funny!
Three miles back to the trailer from this point, mostly all downhill.
Back into the (red)woods
Redwoods standing on either side of the trail like giant doors to an infinite cathedral
Going from the forest back into the light of an open ridge
Intersection with the Meteor Trail
It was about 6:00. Little did we know that in a little more than an hour the ridge to the south of us would be the site of a wildfire.
As I'm preparing this webpage, the wildfire is called the Lockheed Fire and is 2 days old and has burned 2800 acres of wilderness with no damage to structures and no injuries. It's a tragedy for these mountains and the creatures living there.
Pretty sure this is another southwest view
From the look of these trees, there may have been a wildfire here in the recent past.
This was the path up to the 1675 ft ocean overview
This is a southwest view - the direction we were headed back.
Bella wanted to get down to the business of getting back, so after photographing this madrone along the trail, stuck the camera in the saddle bag and we took off ...