Pinnacles National Monument

Last weekend, we gathered up a bunch of random friends and took a trip to Pinnacles National Monument.  Our trip planner, Mari, cancelled at the last minute to take care of a little boy whose mother was giving birth.  But we are resourceful and managed to handle the trip on our own.  We got to the ranger station and chose a 6 mile hike that took us thru a cave, by a little lake and up into the high peaks where the California condors nest.  It was a beautiful day - as you can see from the blue skies.

The terrain was very different then the normal Sierra hikes we take.  It looked like Arizona in places.  The hike was delightful until we took the trail that was labled as "narrow and steep" on the map.  I tried to get the group to take another route because I have a known fear of heights.  But they assured me that the government printed the maps and had to be wrong about the warning!  They were WRONG!  We got going on the trail and it was hair raising scary!!!  I just kept my head down and put one foot in front of the other but I did do a lot of whining and swearing!  Next time we will take a different route!

Lunch break at the top

Papa Chubbuck

G and Auntie Deb at the start of the hike