Wide Winter Vistas

I'm writing this during one of our strong winter storms. Just beyond my window, sheets of rain are bringing us precious water we need so much. The storms, when they come, are often forceful and dramatic and can clear the air for days to come.

When I can, right after the storms pass, I like to head to the summits of some of the highest peaks in the Bay Area to enjoy the wide vistas that open up in the crisp and well-scrubbed atmosphere.

A twisting road corkscrews its way to the top of Mt. Hamilton above San Jose. After I soak up the scenery there, I also like to see what's going on inside the historic Lick Observatory, the first year-round mountain top observatory in the world. Then, I like to cruise down the backside of Mt. Hamilton, drive through the remote San Antonio Valley, grab a burger at The Junction and re-enter modern civilization near Livermore.

I also love traveling to the highest reaches of Mt. Tamalpais in Marin County. Mt. Tam has long been a favorite destination for Bay Area residents. A century ago, a steam train up and a gravity train down carried passengers by the thousands every year to and from the mountain's summit. Although the trains have been gone for almost 80 years, we can now drive, hike, run and bike to the peak and the vistas after storms are as grand as ever.

But the best of the best is probably Mt. Diablo. Its exposure is legendary. The world falls away from Mt. Diablo in every direction. When the clouds are gone, the light is strong and the sky clears, you can peer into Yosemite Valley and see nearly the full range of the snow-capped Sierra Nevada all the way north towards the southern Cascades and Mt. Shasta. The Central Valley, the Delta and virtually the entire East Bay gather at your feet.

We live in a diverse and beautiful region, and from our highest peaks we can almost see it all.

For more information about travel in the West, visit Doug McConnell's site, www.OpenRoad.tv.

Posted at 07:09 PM in Doug McConnell’s OpenRoad.TV Tips | Permalink