Length: 7.2 miles
Elevation gain: ~1,800'
Thoughts: A grueling climb for the first 0.9 mile, followed by a steady but more manageable uphill hike to the top of Black Mountain and Skyline Ridge
In the course of my research over the past few weeks trying to find the more difficult/steeper trails in the Bay Area, I came across one at a park I frequent all the time. Yet I have never heard of this trail, most likely because the it doesn't originate anywhere near the park's entrance and main parking lots. Instead it originates at a tiny, almost unmarked parking lot off a private road in a residential neighborhood in Los Altos several miles away. But after reading about it, I knew that I'd be saving this one for my last training hike in the bay area.
Black Mountain Trail is one of the most difficult of the many routes that climb Skyline Ridge, and at 9.7 miles and 2,420 ft. of elevation gain its one of the more challenging hikes on the peninsula. The first 0.9 mile on Rhus Ridge Trail was quite steep - almost 800' of elevation gain in just that first stretch alone. But after Rhus Ridge intersects with the Black Mountain Trail, it becomes a single track with a more moderate, although continuous, uphill grade. There are not a lot of great views on this hike short of the top, but it does wind through some pretty wooded areas:
Unfortunately, I had to cut this hike short due to both time and weather - darkness was approaching and a storm was moving in. From what I have read, the last mile of this hike is about as steep as the first mile, and from the descriptions online I think I turned around right about the point where it starts to climb sharply again. So unfortunately I missed the views from Black Mountain at the top, but I've already been up there before (see my post from Day 10), plus it gives me something to go back for on another day when I can fit the entire hike in.
So this was my final training hike before leaving for Aspen! I can't believe how quickly the last few weeks have gone. I'll have a chance for one, maybe two more hikes in Aspen in between skiing, and I'm really hoping to focus on getting some elevation gain when I'm there, especially at the high altitude. But overall I'm feeling great, and feel like I'm ready for the NZ trip. Can't wait!
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