Wilder Rear Entry

We will meet in the large dirt parking lot described above (no permit required), which is on the right if headed uphill. It's only about 2 miles uphill of the Hwy 1/Hwy9 traffic light and is just passed the spot where the train tracks cross Hwy 9. We will enter Pogonip from Henry Cowell and cross UCSC's Upper Campus until we pop-out in the meadow on Empire Grade. Once we cross the street we are entering Wilder from the rear. We will hike to the rest-stop we have used before. The one with several picnic tables. After we rest there we will return the same way. In the future we can get a bit more creative. This group moves at a brisk pace and we will climb to Empire Grade twice, although not from Sea Level. I estimate 15 miles and 2000 feet, but we won't know for sure until someone hikes it with GPS ( not me. ) :-) I hiked it today (Easter ) in 4 hours without a rest stop so 4.5 hours with a rest stop is accurate.