Home / Mojave Preserve and Desert bikepacking trips / 2008: Bikepacking in Henry Coe State Park / Day 4: Hike from Paradise Lake up Rooster Comb Trail and Orestimba Creek Road to Robison Creek and back 44
A very hot afternoon, over 100 degrees. My original plan is to hike up Robison Mountain, but by the time I realize that I've missed the trail, I'm getting low on water and tired from the heat. So I skip the extra hill hike. 14.3 hiking miles.
- Drinking hot morning coffee in the hot morning tent
I woke up chilly around dawn, and once earlier than that due to a critter rummaging around my tent, but now that the sun is shining, it's hot in here and I'm sweating. I tried relaxing with my coffee outside, but there are too many flies at this time of morning. Breakfast is the usual two cups of coffee (iced would be better), granola, almonds, and apricots. Plus an instant electrolyte-replacement drink. And lots of water. I would like a bowl of miso soup too, but the idea of consuming even more hot liquid is simply not inviting. - No backcountry trip is complete without a photo or two of a morning cat hole
The earth here is so dry and hard that it's difficult to dig a good hole. - Morning in the hot sun at Paradise Lake, Henry Coe State Park
I'm leaving now on today's hike and it already feels almost as hot as yesterday afternoon. - My first stop is the dam at Paradise Lake to pump some water
There's a lot of algae in places, but it's easy to avoid. There are also a number of yellowjackets that I don't want to sting me, since I'm allergic to them. I filter six litres of water for the day. The water tastes a bit musty, but it's cool, so very refreshing. Just pumping all this water is making me sweat! - I walk up the short steep road from Paradise Lake
There's just enough loose gravel on this road to make it slippery, when combined with the steep grade. It probably has better traction earlier in the year when it's not so dry. - I walk a mile down Red Creek Road through the vinegar weed to Orestimba Creek Road, backtracking yesterday's route
The thousands of pale-purple flowers here on these plants are apparently very attractive to the hundreds of bees buzzing around here. - At Orestimba Creek Road, I begin the hike toward the Rooster Comb, the grey, rocky mass on top of the distant hill to the right
This is new territory for me; I haven't been on Orestimba Creek Road any closer to the Rooster Comb than this. The walk up the creek gravel is as hot as expected. - After 0.6 mile, I reach the Rooster Comb Trail and I've already drank 1.5 litres of water
On a bicycle, Orestimba Creek Road dead-ends here. The Rooster Comb Trail is inside a Wilderness boundary (no mechanized travel allowed), and travelling straight ahead on Orestimba Creek Road would trespass on private property outside the Park. - Rooster Comb Trail rises slowly up grasslands with occasional oaks
The heat of the day is kicking in and all the dry, yellow grass smells like it's being gently roasted by the sun. Because it is. - A little further, Rooster Comb Trail passes below the Rooster Comb itself (the rocky ridge)
This trail doesn't climb all the way up to the Rooster Comb Summit, but there's a spur further on that does. - View from Rooster Comb Trail of the privately owned ranch down below and the Orestimba Creek Road passing through it
From what I can tell, the primary purpose of Rooster Comb Trail is to connect two Park-owned segments of Orestimba Creek Road that are separated from each other by the private property below. - Rooster Comb Trail rides a ledge through a bit of chamise and a few oaks
I wasn't expecting such nice vistas along this trail since it's only about 250 feet above Orestimba Creek. - The narrow trail ducks into a woodsy area
This forest isn't thick enough to provide much shade, which would be welcome right now because the temperature has risen well into the 90s. - A few hollyleaf cherry bushes live along this part of Rooster Comb Trail
The cherries aren't ripe yet, unfortunately... - I pass a marker indicating that the trail continues straightahead (which seems obvious to me)
What I don't realize is that I'm at a junction with a faint trail. Turning left up the steep hill here leads to the Rooster Comb Summit (that's marked on the side of the post that I'm not looking at). The other thing I don't realize is that I'm looking at Robison Mountain, my alleged destination. I should be looking at my map, but I'm too consumed by hiking bliss. - Rooster Comb Trail meanders through another open area and crosses a small dry creek
The gentle grade and numerous switchbacks of Rooster Comb Trail suggest that this trail was built in recent decades. Modern trail design often incorporates these features as a way of minimizing erosion. - I walk through another area of small oaks that doesn't offer as much shade as one might expect
I unwrap a Clif bar here, but it pops out of the package and falls to the ground. I figure I'll pick it up and blow off the dust, but I then notice that it fell onto some dried animal excrement. So I leave it for the wildlife... - The Rooster Comb Trail comes to an end as it dips down to rejoin Orestimba Creek Road beyond the non-Park private property
I should be looking at my map because I'm standing near the unsigned start of the trail that I wanted to follow up Robison Mountain. Instead, I continue ahead, enjoying the afternoon heat and curious about what lies ahead on Orestimba Creek Road. - Hiking a segment of Orestimba Creek Road that I've never been on before, everything feels familiar again
Narrow ranch road running through a yellow, green and blue landscape with tall hills all around: quite typical of Henry Coe State Park. One thing that's different here compared to many areas of the park is that this road is obviously well-used, since it serves the private ranch nearby. Still, I don't see any people anywhere. - A number of ceanothus bushes dot the flat landscape just north of the private ranch
The specimen to the right is a large one. Ceanothus seem to grow mostly on hillsides, so it's interesting to see them in a flat area like this. - A couple more ceanothus bushes in the same area along Orestimba Creek Road, Henry Coe State Park
This is one California native plant that I really like, and I have four of them of different varieties growing, and doing well so far, on my flat property in downtown San Jose. - Oh look, another balloon!
This time it's not the whole balloon, just the minimal remnants of a few that had been tied together. - Orestimba Creek Road rises a bit above the canyon, which becomes rather narrow after a while
I keep wondering why I haven't seen any signs on the left indicating trails; I know there are a couple of trails that climb the hills somewhere along here. - The steep road ahead doesn't look right, so I take a long break on a big rock near here and get out my map
I really need a water-and-Clif-bar break because it's over 100 degrees out here and I've hardly stopped during the 6.8 miles so far. It turns out that I'm just above dry Robison Creek near the eastern Park boundary, and overshot the Robison Mountain Trail by almost 2.5 miles. While I'm out here, a short walk down Robison Creek would be nice.... but it's time to turn back since I've already consumed four of the six litres of water that I started with. And there's little hope for finding more. Besides, the heat is starting to get to me, whether I want to admit it or not. - I begin backtracking and look for Murphy Trail along the way, an alternate route up to Robison Mountain
I don't see Murphy Trail, nor a sign for it, but I could probably just walk straight up the ridge to the top of the mountain. However, with my water and energy reserves evaporating, it's probably better not to. - For safety reasons, I give up on the idea of hiking up Robison Mountain and continue backtracking along Orestimba Creek Road
This hike is still really enjoyable, but it's always disappointing for a hiker to not reach a foreseen destination. Then again, that leaves a goal to reach during the next trip! - I start back up the Rooster Comb Trail to the right to avoid the private property on Orestimba Creek Road ahead
In this view from the north, Rooster Comb Trail winds partway up the hill straight ahead and then drops back down to the left. Rooster Comb Summit sits at the top of that hill. - Just before entering this wooded area, I make a note of where it seems the Robison Mountain Trail should be
I see neither a sign nor the trail, but the map makes the location clear. Perhaps the junction was erased by last year's brush fire. - A downed pine tree lays across a switchback on the Rooster Comb Trail
Another victim of last year's brush fire. - I reach the Rooster Comb Summit Trail and decide to walk up it a quarter mile
I'm getting a bit tired from the heat, low on water, and I still have 3.5 miles before I make it back to Paradise Lake. But this short side trip should be scenic. - A quarter mile climb up a little hill
This appears to be an old fire road that has grown in over the years. - From here, I can clearly see the trail up the Robison Mountain ridge line whose beginning I didn't see down below
It does look like it would be an awesome trail to hike, maybe on my next visit. Or maybe tomorrow? - I stop at the first summit on the trail and take in the views of the ranch below and the quiet hills
I reflect on the fact that I haven't seen another person since I entered Henry Coe three days ago. My cell phone doesn't work up here. - I'm overheating, so I take a break in some shade and enjoy the breeze up on this hill
The breeze is hotter than it is cool, but it sure feels good on a still day when it's around 100 degrees. I suck back more water, which is hot now, and eat another Clif bar for more energy (I hope). - After my break, I drop back down to the Rooster Comb Trail, the sign for which is the white post at the centre-right
To avoid backtracking the rest of today's route, I consider climbing all the way up to the real Rooster Comb Summit and descending cross-country down a steep hill to get back to Paradise Lake. That route would be shorter, steeper and more dramatic, but I'm feeling more tired than adventurous right now. - I experience more great views on the return trip down Rooster Comb Trail to Orestimba Creek
It's amazing how Henry Coe State Park presents itself as green and lush in certain views, despite the summer aridity. - Back on Orestimba Creek Road, I take a moment to explore the fenced entrance to the privately owned ranch
"& SON" was added to the "Roostercomb Ranch" sign after it was created... - The gravel of dry-in-summer Orestimba Creek radiates heat on a 100-degree day like concrete does in a big city
This area always makes me sweat! I take a break under trees at the junction of Red Creek Road, knowing that the final mile across shadeless Paradise Flat will make me wilt. - While walking the mile up Red Creek toward Paradise Lake, it occurs to me that something here has changed since last year...
It's not apparent at first glance, but the brush fire here a year ago demolished a ceanothus grove that provided a bit of shade on the road. The small green plants are probably post-fire shrub regrowth. - Arriving back at Paradise Lake, a pretty sight, home again for the night
If I had taken the cross-country route instead to get back here from Rooster Comb Summit, I would be arriving down the big yellow hill ahead, on the other side of the lake. - The tent is intact; I always wonder how many curious animals visit it during my absence
One thing I've noticed since arriving here a few minutes ago is that it's a bit hotter down here. I guess this gulley retains heat in the same way that the floor of Death Valley does. - I peel the outer layer off the tent to expose as much screen as possible and take a break inside away from the flies
After 14 miles walking in the heat, it feels good to relax in the hot tent and enjoy the sound of the birds. Occasional jets overhead (Paradise Lake is under a flight path) remind me that I'm close to civilization, even though there's apparently nobody around for miles. - Upon hearing some noises outside, I discover a lone wild pig moseying around the Paradise Lake dam
I find this unusual because I have never come across a solitary wild pig. - I'm boiling water for my backpacking meal tonight at dusk; usually I wait until after dark for some unknown reason
Tonight's meal is Backpacker's Pantry Jamaican BBQ Chicken, which is pretty good, but I remember it being better for some reason. Perhaps the heat has killed my taste buds, despite my desire and need for calories. More `groups` of ducks (if that's what they are) return to Paradise Lake tonight with the whistle of pre-explosion fireworks and I'm amused again. After dark, I keep hearing coyote yips and howls. It sounds like they are in different hillside locations and calling to each other across the little valley here. Crickets hum and I write notes about today's hike, which is the longest I've ever hiked in this kind of heat.