~ by Hoyt Nelson ~
Great views of Lexington Reservoir to the West at the start and a sweeping view of the Santa Clara Valley to the East at the top. There will still be monkey flowers, Scotch broom and remnants from the vineyards that supplied sacramental wine for the Novitiate in Los Gatos many years ago.
Take Hwy 17 South just past Los Gatos and go R at Bear Creek Road so you can double back on the other side of 17 on Alma Bridge Road across the spillway. If no room there, you may need to pay for a parking lot on the R where boaters put in. We meet there at 10 AM where the hike begins just a few feet further on the left up the hill.
I have done this hike 3 or 4 times, but can’t find any my pix, so I attached a few from bahiker.com. This is a good source of hiking information in the Bay Area for your future reference. It’s a little over 3 miles round trip on a semi-loop dirt trail with about 650 ft. of elevation change. We should be done by noon. Not much shade, so bring a hat, drinks, and layer your clothing. Also bring camera, sturdy footwear and snacks. There is no water , but bathroom facilities are in the parking lot. There’s lots of spots for lunch nearby after the hike, or you can bring your own.
Contact stjosephshill@ niseiskiclub.org to sign up and get more information.
