San Carlos Adventures, Friendship & Fun

Join me for a full moon hike to the top of Mission Peak. This will be the final full moon of the summer! Please read the event description below for full details on where to meet, what to bring, and information on parking. I've also included some interesting facts about where the name "Sturgeon Moon" originated from.

Origins & Interesting Facts About The Sturgeon Moon
The full Moon of August is traditionally called the “Sturgeon Moon.”
The full Moon names used by The Old Farmer’s Almanac have different origins, including Native American, Colonial American, and European sources. Traditionally, each full Moon name was applied to the entire lunar month in which it occurred, not solely to the full Moon.

The name Sturgeon Moon comes from the giant lake sturgeon of the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain; this native freshwater fish was readily caught during this part of summer and an important food staple for Native Americans who lived in the region. At one time, the lake sturgeon was quite abundant in late summer, though they are rarer today.

These prehistoric-looking fish have been traced back to around 136 million years ago, and many people call them “living fossils.”

• Females require around 20 years to start reproducing, and they can reproduce only every 4 years. However, they can live up to 150 years!
• Today, there are about 29 species worldwide, including the lake sturgeon found in the Great Lakes. They have evolved in size from the size of a bass to a monster sturgeon as big as a Volkswagen.
• The lake sturgeon is quite rare today, due to intense overfishing in the 19th century, pollution, and damage to their habitat.

Meeting spot:
We will start our hike from the Ohlone College trailhead where there is a water source (however there is no water beyond this point). Parking is free on Mission Blvd or $4 at the Ohlone College parking garage. I recommend just parking in the garage & saving yourself the extra steps. We will meet at the trailhead (across the street from the parking garage) at 7:00 PM and start hiking promptly at 7:15 pm.
Moonrise is at 9:18 PM. We'll remain for the moonrise (until about 9:30), and then hike back down to the parking garage with plan to be back by 11 PM.

Hike Description:
Moderate 7.3 mile hike with about 2100 feet elevation gain. Gradual but relentless uphill mostly along a dirt road through pastureland. Rocky, single track trail on final approach to the summit. You need to be physically fit for this hike.

To bring: Warm clothing including jacket and gloves, winter hat, 2 liters water, good hiking shoes, a flashlight or a headlamp, snacks/food (fuel), trekking poles optional but helpful for the final approach and descent. Binoculars. Dress warmly. Dogs are permitted but keep in mind there is no water source and the trail near the top is steep and rocky.
Feel free to DM me with any questions or post in the comment section and I will respond. Please keep RSVP's updated out of respect to your host(s) for Meetup events. Hope to see you there!
David