Day 7: A short day hike from Pacheco Camp up Pacheco Creek, then returning via Pacheco Ridge; about six miles round-trip.
There are a lot of interesting possibilities for a day hike or mountain bike ride from centrally located Pacheco Camp, especially since this is my first visit to this corner of the Park.
It's another hot day of course. I choose a simple route that goes up Pacheco Creek canyon to reach 2000 feet, then climbs steeply up to Pacheco Ridge on the Canteen Trail for 3/4 mile, and returns via a two-mile walk along Pacheco Ridge (high point at about 2400 feet). The final descent down Coit Road to Pacheco Camp at 1689 feet is about 3/4 mile long.
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Date: September 01, 2007, 13h03
Size: 26 items
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An old outbuilding along Pacheco Creek Trail not too far from Pacheco Camp.
I slept in nicely this morning, partly because of the excellent shade from the huge oak tree. I begin walking up Pacheco Creek Trail in the hot sun around 13h.
Date: September 01, 2007, 13h03
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Half a mile up Pacheco Creek Trail, the singletrack Rose Dam Trail veers off and rises eventually to Hoover Lake.
I haven't been up to Hoover Lake yet. It was on the list of possible routes for today's little hike, but it didn't make the short list this time around.
Date: September 01, 2007, 13h07
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Gnarled oak on Pacheco Creek Trail at a (dry) creek crossing.
This tree looks like it may have had a hard life.
Date: September 01, 2007, 13h10
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Almost two miles up Pacheco Creek Trail, I see the sign ahead for the trail to Rose Spring.
Perhaps I'll go see what Rose Spring looks like. I don't need any water in addition to what I'm carrying, but the trail is only 0.2 miles long, according to my map.
Date: September 01, 2007, 13h36
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The trail to Rose Spring obviously doesn't get a whole lot of use.
Compared to some of the less-travelled trails in Coe Park, this one is fairly well-defined.
Date: September 01, 2007, 13h37
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Looking for Rose Spring, it should be here somewhere.
The double tire tracks of the trail end, and I follow the faint-in-places trail that continues along the dry creek bed.
Date: September 01, 2007, 13h51
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The dry creek bed near Rose Spring.
I'm not sure if I walked too far, or not far enough, but I haven't seen Rose Spring. Maybe I'm too busy watching out for poison oak and rattlesnakes and missed it.
Date: September 01, 2007, 13h55
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Further up Pacheco Creek Trail, a grader parked alongside the trail bakes in the hot sun, with nobody inside.
It's Saturday today, so I guess the operator doesn't work on weekends and only got this far yesterday afternoon.
Date: September 01, 2007, 14h15
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A yellow-flowered buckwheat-like plant.
There are so few flowers blooming at this hot time of year that even small flowers like these can be noticeable.
Date: September 01, 2007, 14h23
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