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.

More from the Trail, and a Little From Life

Myles and Brian just after his award ceremony last week.

I'm calling the valley in the below pictures the "wild white bush and amazing clouds valley".

And this was "Drive in Movie" night at school with box cars. The movie was Big Hero 6, which is another Disney movie that makes parents and kids cry. It has some doozy sad parts.

This was the student of the month breakfast.

 Allen of NTL pointed out that the Diablo 50k course is new this year. If any 50k runners are looking at this, this would be your early outbound miles on Briones to Diablo Trail.

 Below is a hillside of ground squirrels.

 This is taken from Little Yosemite Trail looking back over to China Wall, which, again...the 50k course runs right past China Wall.

 It really is too early in the year for sock lines, but they have arrived.

 I got a new pack, this was my first outing with it...it'll take a few more outings to figure out how to fit my chest into this thing.  It seems way shorter than my older Nathan pack, but has 2 straps across the front...so I'm working out where to comfortably place them. In this pic I just unhooked the top one as I wasn't happy with it.

 This shot never gets old. If you know what your looking at, you can see the summit, Eagle Peak, and Bald Ridge.

 The purple bush has bloomed. I get excited when I see it every year.

 The next two are me spotting where Waterfall Trail Loop breaks off the main trail, it comes out the end of that obvious switchback toward the bottom left of the picture, and heads back into that valley.

 Here's a farther away look. Can you see it??

 Rarely do I see folks mid week up here. Almost like spotting a bobcat.....but not quite.

 

 Random yard shot. We made some changes to the garden bed, and got everything planted this past weekend.

 This was from today's run out of Mitchel Canyon, less than .10 from the parking lot. This makes 3 this year. This one also wagged it's tail, which always makes me want to call them like a dog...but I refrain. I also refrain from saying "Here kitty, kitty".  If your wondering how big they are...since even though I keep trying, I can't get a side by side shot of one with my leg : ) they are bigger than you may think. Like a small Lab, or the size of a small, less hairy Lassie dog.