Return to Atalaya

The warm weather continues (though they're talking snow tonight); yesterday was to be partly cloudy, but mid-50s.

Back to Atalaya, this time to the peak.

We started out around 12:30, the intermittent clouds working in our favor, as it warmed up pretty quickly once we were moving. There are little spots here and there that get no sun, and so still have ice.



We headed to the point where we turned around last time, and pressed on.



There's a sign at that point that indicates the mountain is two miles. That may be true — and anecdotal evidence indicates that it is — but it's a strenuous two miles at that point. The total elevation change from the parking lot where we started to the peak (9121') is 1781' and most of it takes place in that last two miles. It was slow going; we made the summit around 3:00.

It was windy up there, and cold with the sun pretty well clouded over. We had our sandwiches and waited for the clouds to pass.




"The long distance runner is paid by the snap of a
white thread across his chest.
You are paid by the picture at your feet."


(click photo to open larger version)


About 20 minutes up there, then we headed down.



Quicker going downhill, but it still got us to our car around 5:30, just as the sun was setting.

The total round-trip distance is 7 miles. From the mountain, showing where we started:



And the trailhead, showing our destination:



-=-=-=-=-=-

Many folks with dogs out on the trail, clearly a favorite spot for the local canine population. In the parking lot, a woman on her cell phone, impatiently to her excited dog: "_______, get a grip!"