Diablo

This afternoon my friend Jill and I spent the late afternoon at the peak of Mt. Diablo. We needed some "alone" time to talk about "life".....

Mt. Diablo - Winter 2009

The observatory on top of Diablo

We were not sure what to expect on our mini road trip because the sky was getting hazy when we left our homes at 3 pm. 



We have both lived near the base of the mountain for many years and when returning to Walnut Creek from a long trip, it is always a comforting site to see the mountain rising up from the growing suburbs.




But today "she" out did herself....

A spot of sunlight shining on the SF bay

The Golden Gate Bridge (center), Treasure Island (left) and the Farallon Islands (top left)

A sea shell in the stone blocks that built the observatory

A Sun Dog

Near sunset with the sun reflecting in the SF Bay & the Pacific Ocean in the background

View driving down Diablo looking toward the Delta

 

 

Some Mt. Diablo history....

Mount Diablo is sacred to many California Native American peoples and according to Miwok and Ohlone mythology it was the point of creation.

The panorama from Mt. Diablo is all the more impressive considering the mountain’s relatively short elevation 3,849 of feet. Two reasons for the views are the mountain rises very abruptly from its surroundings and the land surrounding the mountain is nearly flat.

From the summit on a clear day the Sierra Nevada, the Cascade Rage, Mount Lassen and Mt. Shasta may be seen.  Half dome in Yosemite, about 125 miles away, can be viewed with a telescope when the atmosphere is exceptionally clear. It does boast one of the largest viewsheds in the Western United States and it played a key role in California history. Countless peaks in the state are taller, but Mount Diablo has a remarkable visual prominence for a mountain of such modest elevation. Its highly recognizable form and looming presence over so much of the bay, delta, Central Valley and good viaibility from the Mother Lode, all key regions during the Gold Rush and early Statehood. This made it not just a well-known visual touchstone but one of the most important landmarks for mapping and navigation.
"In the end it will always come down to you. It is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves." - Sir Edmund Hillary