Mission Peak

- Day hike up past the summit of Mission Peak.

TIPS

• Try to get to a trailhead as early as possible. If you are not an early riser, just know that you will have to battle crowds for parking. If you do get a late start, consider timing your arrival to when some hikers may be finishing so you can grab their spot.
• Wear comfortable trail shoes (like tennis shoes/ sneakers).
• Be prepared to see cows. They are sometimes near or on the trail.
• Bring lots of water! I bring two liters for me (or me and Pepper).
• Bring layers, too. Sometimes it starts cold and chilly and warms up as you climb to the top. Other mornings I start in the warm, sheltered sun and then get up top and it's windy and cold.
• If you haven't gone all the way to the summit, you have to do it once. And just deal with the crowd and waiting your turn for the iconic photo with the sighting pole. Just know it is a bit of a short scramble over rocks to the pole itself.

THE HIKE

Crowds on the summit of Mission Peak

Snow capped hills to the east

Grazing cows along the grassy slopes

Traffic leading up to the summit

View of the bay

Hills on the trail to Mission Peak

Pepper and me on the summit in a prior trip, April 2021

Mission Peak, November 2022

Pepper and me on the summit in November 2022

View towards the top

Enjoying being outside

Highlights

• Saw many, many people on this cold but clear day.
• Views of the snow capped peaks to the east were breathtaking.
• Much more open and less crowded once past the summit.
• Plenty of cows.

RECAP

• Location: Mission Peak, Mission Peak Regional Preserve.
• Date: March 2022.
• Stats: 9 total mileage with 2,000+ ft elevation gain
• Why I chose this trip: I actually thought it was going to be overcast and less crowded...I was happy that we had summited in a prior trip so was fine bypassing the very top.

Route map
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Trailhead

It's a classic!