Summit and North Peak Trail, Mt. Diablo

After looking at Brazen's new 50k course map, I was sucked into wanting to find out what the tip of North Peak was all about. Brian has told me before about the 46% grade, loose gravel, insane ascent/decent it holds. We were both intrigued to know if the 50k will climb that last little bit to the peak, and if so.....do most runners know what they are in for?? Is there extra race insurance this year? Or an extra long liability waiver? I don't have an answer about whether or not they do go up that bit, it does look to be so on the course map....either way, I did it, and I have pictures.
This first batch is Summit Trail to North Peak Trail, and North Peak Trail to North Peak Rd-

Summit Trail-this is the small stretch from the lower parking lot down to the road where you turn onto North Peak Trail.

view from Summit Trail

North Peak Trail stretching out.

Lots of flowers!

View from North Peak Trail

First glimpse of North Peak, and the climb up that awaits.(not the very visible trail to the right, but rather the one on the far left heading up the ridge.)

 View of North Peak Rd from North Peak Trail.

 For reference in later pictures, if you follow the trail up the ridge, near the top it ducks behind the rocks. Behind those rocks is the wall of a climb that is a 46% grade.

 North Peak Trail is in excellent shape right now. Very runnable, not too loose or squirrely.

 A fun little bit of downhill on North Peak Trail.

 The view behind you of the summit.

I've done North Peak Trail a number of times on my way to Bald Ridge, in both directions. It's in great shape right now, maybe the best I've seen it. The flowers everywhere are a bonus. I love this little stretch of trail, and am excited to see it'll be used in a Brazen run.

I'm doing the climb up North Peak in a separate post to break up all the pictures...it'll be up in a few minutes.