Hiking at Pinnacles National Park

By popular demand, I am leading another hike and cave visit at Pinnacles National Park.

The caves are usually open only for about one week in March and one week in October, and the Bear Gulch Cave is fully open, so this is the time to go visit!

http://www.nps.gov/pinn/index.htm

Date: March 26, Saturday.

Forecast: Sunny, 70 degrees.

Carpool: 10:15 a.m. at the VTA Park N Ride parking lot on Cottle Road directly across the south bound exit of Highway 85. (Take Highway 85 south bound Cottle Road exit, don't turn left, don't turn right, go straight across the road, you will be in the Park N Ride parking lot.)

(Let me know if you would like to carpool with me from Chase Bank in Saratoga.)

Carpool cost: $15 per person, including park entrance fee, assuming 4 people per car.

Or meet: 12:15 p.m. at the East Entrance Bear Gulch Area parking lot close to the restrooms. (Note: My ETA at the trail head is an estimated time. I can't predict traffic and carpool delays. The smart thing to do is to call me with your hands free system while you are on the way to find out my ETA at that time.)

Directions: Please always read and follow my directions!.. Your GPS will most likely misguide you!

Take Hwy 101 south through the city of Gilroy to Hwy 25 south. On Hwy 25. Go through the town of Hollister and continue about 30 miles to Hwy 146. Turn right on Hwy 146. Turn left into the Pinnacles Campground to check in at the Pinnacles Visitor Center. From the campground, the Bear Gulch Area is 3.5 miles further into the park along Hwy 146.

GPS coordinates: 36.493545, -121.146646

Hike distance: About 9 miles.

Difficulty: Moderate to strenuous. About a 7 on a scale of 10.

Elevation gain: About 1,500 feet.

Duration: About 6 hours. (It will be an all-day event, you will be back in San Jose well after 7:00 p.m.)

Attractions: Pitch black caves, awesome rock formations, panoramic view... and hopefully sunset over the mountains.

Bring: Water, lunch and a small flash light, but no ultra bright flash lights or lanterns please... let's keep the dark cave dark for the dramatic effect.

Wear: Layered clothing including a wind-stopper jacket, it usually gets windy at the top.

Also bring a talk-about if you have one, set it to Channel 2-22. No cell signal inside Pinnacles.

Lost? Late? Call: 408-390-0722.

Larry.