Children of the Mountain

The kids and I headed for the creeks yesterday. I had been wanting to get them out there since the creek filled up, but it's either been too wet or too cold. Yesterday was probably (positively!) too cold, but I'm almost out of winter break days to take advantage of, so yesterday was the day! Here's what it looks like in map form, so you have an idea of what they did -



So, if you are from around here, or run on Diablo, this is out Stage, up Little Yosemite to the Briones to Diablo trail, then down Wall to Dusty, which takes you back down to Stage, which we followed back out. My thinking was the kids would hit 2 of the crossings, but then have a break and warm up climbing up Little Yosemite, get some sun up on the fire road, then a long downhill and some fun in the bigger creek take over section and the bigger crossing at the spill way (Pine Meadow). In other words, they'd get some fun in the creeks with out just going straight out and back, hitting them all twice (22 crossings)...didnt' want to totally freeze them and have to drag out 3 popsicles!

There were 15 creek crossings, one creek take over of the trail, and lots and lots of mud! Here's what it looked like in pictures -

About .5 mile from the car, you have these rocks on the side o the trail.

 

Heading up Little Yosemite. They are looking at a waterfall, hard to get a good picture of it, but there is one on the photo site.

Still going up Yosemite, you can see the tops of the Castle Rock rocks in the background.

The top of Yosemite has been destroyed by the cows, it's been made to be single-hoof wide, and deep, at least a foot deep.

This is Wall (above Macedo Ranch, before it hangs a right and heads up), the kids were happy to get some downhill!

Now on Dusty, still running down hill. They were actually pretending I was the queen from Alice in Wonderland. If you were on the MT and heard someone yelling "whose been painting my roses red?", and "off with their heads"....it was me.

Back down on Stage.  The kids were hesitant to get down in the creek, they were pretty sure it was not the trail and I was lost.

They had fun racing leaf boats down the creek/trail.

I took a chance here....told them to stay in the water...I was betting that the running water had less sticky mud in it then the mud field you see. It sounded like suction each step they took. Myles did end up loosing a shoe, but not in this section. Those who ran Brazens' Diablo 10k or 13.1 will notice in the distance the trail we came down to connect back to Stage. Trail looks a lot different now!

 The kids, despite being cold, had a great time! I had them wear shorts because I figured wet pants stuck to their legs would have been worse. We may have hit 50 for a high yesterday, but in the valley where the creek is, it was very cold. We've been waking up in the 20's (cold for CA), and there was still ice on the  ground in places. I did not hear one complaint the entire hike, though. Myles even pointed out that he had not complained because he was having fun, and that this should be a winter break tradition.  He's really come along way. I love having kids old enough and strong enough to do a hike like this and enjoy it as much as I do!
Back at the car, we cranked the heat up and headed straight to Safeway for hot cocoa and hot soup. Except for Myles....who wanted ice-cream : )

There's more pictures here.