saturday 7/31

Got up on Saturday looking for redemption on Blodgett Peak. Slept in a little but still got to the Open Space parking lot early enough to get a spot and headed up. It was real muggy due to all the rain the night before but I settled in heading up the trail before the real climbing starts.

I reached the mouth of the valley and then headed straight up the trail determined not to leave it early and end up in the boulder fields like last week. I passed a group coming down on the other side of the creek and continued up. Not long after I reached a rock wall at least 12 feet high and I was closed in for the most part. I pulled out my phone to try to figure out where I was. I had reached the "extra credit" waterfall feature and could not go anywhere past this point.


I backtracked down the drainage and finally spotted what looked like some trail across the creek. I managed to get over there and I still think I was a little high, but finally stumbled across a rock cairn. Must be trail! I scrambled up the scree slope and was passed by another dude so I figured I was still on the route. I reached the top of the ridge, jogged through the flat before beginning another steep climb to the top of the saddle. Trail was pretty worn here and nicely marked with cairns. I threw stones on a few to make them a little more conspicuous where I had trouble finding them. Eventually I reached the saddle and it was just another 1/4mi or so to the summit. Once on the summit, it was well worth it. Got some awesome views of the clouds dancing around above the city below my feet. Snapped a couple pics and then settled in for the treacherous descent back down the mountain.