Stage, to Sunset, to Castle Rock Trail- Today's Adventure

 So as this title suggests, this is out of Castle Rock Park. Stage rd, to Sunset Trail, to Castle Rock Trail.  Though a "short" run of 4.6 miles, it has 1201 ft of elevation gain...so yeah, it wasn't "easy", but it was fun!

Heading up Sunset Trail, if you've run Brazen's Diablo Challenge 10k or 13.1, you may recognize this.

This is actually a pic of the leaves on Stage Rd (trail) in the bottom of the valley heading out to Sunset Trail.

A wave of rock on Sunset Trail.

So I finally found the trail that runs along the top of the rocks of Castle Rock. It's a fun little trail....if you stay on it!

Castle Rock Trail was a blast, lots of ups and downs and ducking through tunnels of scrub.

I remembered that on the map, Castle Rock Trail just stops, so I had eyes out for a trail that headed down to the valley, which I did find and take...and then it stopped at the top edge of this.......

This was the only way down that I saw at the time. This was half way down it.  I started sliding down the rock, but found out immediately that I could not stop myself.  Once I stopped sliding I was just laying on my back glued to the rock, I knew if I moved I'd start sliding again. I wiggled over to the dirt next to the bushes so I could grab a hold of something to stop from sliding. I stayed here for a minute or two working up the courage to let myself slide down the rest of the way.

This is looking down the rest of the way, yes it was that steep, and yep, I realize how stupid this was! Looking down from the top I could see steps carved into the rock, and thought if I slid down to one I'd catch myself...but that is not how it worked, and I thoroughly scared myself!

 

Aside from some dirty clothes and a small bit of rock rash, I did make it out safe and sound! I'm heading back up on Sunday morning, when Brian and I will find a proper way to come down this trail!

I'm putting more pics on the pic site, here.