High Peaks Trail

That's My World

By now some of my readers, I'm sure are getting tired of Pinnacles. I promise, this will be the last post on the subject for the for quite a while.

This is the trail where you have the best chance of seeing condors. For spectacular views, some different wildflowers and condors you must go up there.

I love manzanita, its bark is so beautiful and where nature has pealed away the bark the contrast with the grey wood underneath is striking. Some people think they can improve on nature by carving their initials in the bark. I consider it obscene graffiti.

The drier climate up on the higher slopes gives a home to some different flowers.

At the condor gulch overlook there was a little stream with lots of shooting star and yellow monkey flower. The yellow monkey flower is found in wet areas while its cousin, the sticky monkey flower likes a drier environment.

Bush poppy was new to me

as was the Indian warrior. Clumps of these were growing in shady spots on dry north west facing slopes. They are quite striking.

The views high up on the trail are quite striking.

We had noticed many people coming down who had passed us on the way up. Farther up the trail we found out why. A sign said "steep narrow trail ahead" They weren't kidding.

Hubby is not fond of steep, narrow trails. The older he gets, the less he likes them. It was a good thing we didn't try it a day later. We did this on March 25, on March 26 he turned 74. Much too old, he said, for such a hike.

At the top were the condors and views to the west of the Salinas valley and the coastal mountains beyond which was the Pacific Ocean. There was a blanket of haze lying in the Salinas valley.

He who goes up, must come down.

We love to visit Pinnacles National Monument, but we had other places to see and so we left the next day. We will be back.

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