Topo of today's route from China Camp. My original plan was to head down to the Church Creek trailhead and then head up to Pine Valley on the Church Creek trail. I ended up getting a late start and modded my plans over the course of the day. This was my 5th year in a row that I did a Thanksgiving Day outing to Pine Valley (check the backcountry page for prior years reports)

The Pine Valley trailhead at China Camp. There were a couple of cars at the trailhead and I would end up running into all of their owners over the course of the day. Betsy MacGowan (whom I had cooresponed with on numerous occacions but never before met) was just heading out for an overnight up near the Black Cone/Pine Ridge junction.

I continued down Tassajara Road on foot and was soon treated to a nice view across the Church Creek Divide to South Ventana Cone (and behind it Ventana Double Cone)

Passing the trailhead for the route to Black Butte. An old VW microbus (complete w/ Greatful Dead stickers) passed me near hear on its way down toward the Zen Center.

Tassajara Road passed beneath the Black Bute summit as it decended steeply into the Church Creek watershed. I was making decent time, but I'd be feeling the results of the downhill pounding in my legs for the next few days.

Heard a crashing below and spotted this deer in the canyon below the road.

Looking down into the Church Creek watershed. I was almost down to the trail junction when the VW microbus approached on its return trip. I was getting worried about the time, so I decided to hitch a ride back to China Camp rather than climb the Church Creek trail. The owners of the bus had been in search of hot springs and were on a lengthy cross country road trip. I was reasonably impressed that the VW was able to navigate that section of the road.

Back to the Pine Ridge trailhead. There were a pair of Pine Valley bound backpackers departing and I stopped to chat for a bit. Would run into them later in the day at Jack's cabin.

Up and over the initial ridge and heading off towards the Church Creek Divide. Trail was still in very good shape.