Created 13-Jun-26
Overcast morning after a kiss of rain, we drive up Page Mill Road and start hiking. The trail winds down and up, mostly up, traversing hillsides covered in dense exotic annual European grasses. Native species find refuge right along the trail. California Poppies are the first noticeable natives: closed in the cool overcast, later ones opening as the sky opens to sunshine. Insects of course frequent flowers. Eventually, fluffy clouds supplant the universal overcast; summer fog rolls over Skyline. As we climb, we notice we are above Skyline Boulevard, above the Christmas tree farm. Butterflies flit. Ixchel disturbs a large lizard resting on the trail; it scurries down into its chaparral maze.
Dropping our packs at the empty campsite, we proceed to the highest peak of Black Mountain, home to a forest of antennae. (The power line up to the peak follows a strangely convoluted path: why not just straight? Perhaps, straight wires leading to radio antennae might interfere?)
Coyote precedes us on the summit road, leisurely sniffing items of interest. Spotted Towhee sings his discordant song from a berry bush as we walk back down.
Before dinner we climb up a knob near camp for a spectacular view of the Peninsula. After dinner, hot chocolate in hand, we visit again to witness sunset. And again, before breakfast, I climb up at dawn, polaroid lens in hand to cut through polarized dawn light. These views are featured in a separate gallery.
Returning to camp from the dawn visit, I pause to share a minute with a puzzled deer, dancing to me with shyness, curiosity, and indecision. Another separate gallery.
The hike out repeats the sequence of grassland ocean and riparian oasis. On a different route, we pass a wetland guarded by a Blue-belly Lizard. A dragonfly poses.
Nice easy campout, nice country, wonderful company.
Dropping our packs at the empty campsite, we proceed to the highest peak of Black Mountain, home to a forest of antennae. (The power line up to the peak follows a strangely convoluted path: why not just straight? Perhaps, straight wires leading to radio antennae might interfere?)
Coyote precedes us on the summit road, leisurely sniffing items of interest. Spotted Towhee sings his discordant song from a berry bush as we walk back down.
Before dinner we climb up a knob near camp for a spectacular view of the Peninsula. After dinner, hot chocolate in hand, we visit again to witness sunset. And again, before breakfast, I climb up at dawn, polaroid lens in hand to cut through polarized dawn light. These views are featured in a separate gallery.
Returning to camp from the dawn visit, I pause to share a minute with a puzzled deer, dancing to me with shyness, curiosity, and indecision. Another separate gallery.
The hike out repeats the sequence of grassland ocean and riparian oasis. On a different route, we pass a wetland guarded by a Blue-belly Lizard. A dragonfly poses.
Nice easy campout, nice country, wonderful company.
Interspecies Encounter: Dancing Deer
Visitors 4
34 photos
Created 13-Jun-26
Modified 13-Jun-26
View From The Top
Visitors 11
31 photos
Created 13-Jun-26
Modified 13-Jun-26
Coyote, Birds, Lizards, Insects and Flowers: Overnight on Black Mountain
Visitors 2
38 photos
Created 13-Jun-26
Modified 13-Jun-26
Dan Quinn