Topo and GPS tracks from today's ~24 mile ~20 hour outing. Took the Santa Lucia trail on the portion from the trailhead (lower left) to JSP. JSP to Pinyon was mostly following old roads and firebreaks that were in various stages of being reclaimed by the wilderness.
Last comment 05/07/2007.

Got a 1am start after driving down from Mountain View and did the full ascent of JSP by headlamp. (See here for daylight pics of this section of trail). Cool and very windy overnight, but a near full moon that was bright enough to see by when I wasn't under tree cover.
Last comment 05/08/2007.

Over the top of JSP and about midway to the dip into Bear Canyon before the sun started rising in to the east. I managed to find the old road in the dark (with some GPS help) but took an unplanned detour off the side of the ridge down into the original route of the roadbed.

A little before 6am and now bright enough to take pictures. In the dark, I had missed the side route around one of the minor highpoints and unnecessarily climbed over it.

Looking back up at Junipero Serra at sunrise from about midway along the ridge.

The chaparral gradually got worse along the second half of the ridge and forward progress now involved plowing through the undergrowth. Pinyon and Bear now visible on the horizen.

The sun poked above the ridge just as I began the descent into bear canyon

The north slope of the ridge as it descends to a saddle linking it with Bear Mountain is one of the most evil pieces of real estate I've ever traversed. I remembered much of the route from my first trip to Bear Mtn, but the there really is no way down that doesn't involve a good deal of crawling.

An oasis in the storm. The old road switchbacks down the slope and is in suprisingly good condition in places. In most sections, however, the only sign that a road once existed is a level grade amidst the overgrowth.