Classes finished last week until the start of the spring semester, so I now have Mondays off!

Hurrah!

I celebrated by heading out for a hike with the Midweek Hikers Meetup group, for a hike posted as 7.7 miles and 1000ft elevation…..

Lies.

Although, this was not entirely intentional. Seasonal trail closures are in effect in Almaden due to the wet and muddy conditions, and so the original route via Randol trail had to be changed.

Starting at the Mockingbird Hill Lane Entrance, we took Virl O. Norton Trail > Hacienda Trail > Capehorn Pass Trail > Mine Hill Trail > Mine Hill Trail > Mine Hill Trail > Mine Hill Trail > Mine Hill Trail > there and back again on the San Cristobal Mine Trail to have a look at the San Cristobal Mine shaft tunnel

You can walk a short way into the tunnel, then it is blocked off for safety, but you can see a little way inside:

We then continued back on Mine Hill Trail > Mine Hill Trail > Prospect #3 Trail > Prospect #3 Trail > New Almaden Trail > there and back again on the Buena Vista Trail to the Buena Vista Shaft > New Almaden Trail > New Almaden Trail back to Mockingbird Hill Lane.

Our usual spot for a view across to Mount Umunhum was somewhat obscured by the rainy weather!

Actually a good day for a hike! There was intermittent drizzle, but not fully raining.