Discovery Peak is the high point of Alameda County, and fairly remote for a Bay Area peak. Access is from Del Valle Regional Park, in Livermore. The weather for the Saturday I had chosen to hike in was for scattered showers, getting better as the day went on. When I got to the park, the weather was overcast, but dry. I parked at the end of the lot at the trailhead, and started up the hill.
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| Parking lot and the start of the trail. |
Almost immediately the trail starts climbing up to the top of Rocky Ridge. This first section is wide fire road type trail. About a mile from the trailhead is a board with a sign-in sheet. If you don't have a permit for the Ohlone Wilderness Trail you are not allowed past this point. I signed in and continued my trek up. The trail climbs up past a spring and backcountry camp, very steeply in places. I was making good time, but the sky was getting more overcast as I ascended. The trail is very well marked, and the permit is printed on a map. They make it hard to get lost.
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| On the way up, looking towards Livermore. |
There is a short flat section on the top of Rocky Ridge, then the trail descends very steeply down to Williams Gulch. This was a very pretty section, especially with the stream flowing and everything bright green.
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| Beautiful Williams Gulch. |
After managing to cross the stream without getting my feet wet I began the climb up the other side. After a few hundred vertical feet it started to sprinkle on me. This was expected, so I continued up. After a few minutes the rain got harder, so I stopped to put on my rain coat, and grab and energy bar. As I climbed, the rain stayed steady and the wind got faster, making it a cold hike.
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| One cold and wet hiker. |
I have not been out hiking in the rain since last winter, and I discovered that my rain coat wet out almost immediately, and didn't keep all of the water out. I was hiking fast enough I was able to stay warm, but my hands got cold. At the top of the hill the trail levels out and follows the tops of ridges. I stayed on the Ohlone Wilderness Trail to junction 32. Here I turned off onto a spur that led to the summit.
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| Just below the summit of Discovery Peak. |
This was also the point where the rain turned to snow. This was very cold. At the summit I stood on the highest rock for a few seconds, not enjoying my time as the highest person in Alameda County, then quickly hiked down to somewhere more sheltered to set up. There are some old containers at Rose Flat, just below the summit, and I stepped into one to put on all the clothes and jackets I had.
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| Shelter! |
Before stepping out again, a quick check of the map showed that they were on the edge of the activation zone, so I decided to strap my pole to the door and sit inside for the activation. My fingers were very cold, and I had some trouble with fine motor skills, but I got up the antenna and got on the air. Since I had stopped moving, I started cooling down even more, so I didn't waste any time and jumped onto 30 meters.
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| Some rocks on the way down. |
I had decided to let RBNHole spot me, so I don't know if there is any cell service on top. After a few CQs a pileup developed, and I quickly worked everyone. I had trouble writing, but my CW sending was fine. Different muscle groups. I was still very cold, so I packed up and started back without trying any other bands. The rain had started to let up at this point, and after a mile or so I began to warm up.
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| Rainbow, very low in the sky. |
I passed a number of other hikers and groups heading up the hill to some of the backcountry camps that are scattered around the area. By the time I got the the descent back to Williams Gulch I had warmed up enough to take off some layers. The climb back up to Rocky Ridge was very steep, and to make it worse it started raining as I got to the top. Luckily it was a short shower, and I continued my descent to the parking lot.
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| There was a lot of poison oak on the side of the trail. |
The rain had made the trail very slippery in some sections, but I managed not to fall. Back at the car I got as much mud as I could out of my boots, then headed back home for a warm shower.
Trailhead: Del Valle Regional Park. Park in the lot near the Rocky Ridge Visitor Center and Sailor Camp Trail.
Website: SOTA Site.
Ohlone Trail.
Del Valle Park
Maps: AA6XA SOTA Hikes map.
Route: Take the Ohlone Wilderness Trail to junction 32. Turn left here and follow the road to the summit.
Red Tape: Permit required for Ohlone Wilderness Trail. I was able to buy it at the kiosk when I entered Del Valle Park.
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