Second time's the charm

Trail View
From the trailhead, Lower Oat Hill Mine Trail does almost nothing but ascend.
User: Austin Explorer - 1/28/2018

Location: Oat Hill Mine Trail

Rating: 4stars
Difficulty: 4stars  Solitude: 3stars
Miles Hiked: 10.11 Miles  Elapsed Time: 5 hours, 59 minutes

Comments:

During our first attempt at this trail we had to turn back earlier than expected due to some unexpected heat and blisters on Coppertone's feet.  This time around we tackled the trail a bit earlier in the year and had some extra tape for Coppertone's heels, just in case.

We didn't bite off more than we could chew, but we probably still bit off more than we should have at this point.  For a number of reasons we were a bit out of trail shape and a 10 mile hike might not have been the best choice.  But we were determined to get from the trailhead along Highway 29 to the Holms Place junction.  We would not be denied!

There was a great deal of maintenance on the trail that has recently been done.  A large number of tree limbs and even entire trees that had been trimmed back from the trail.  In some cases the limbs and brush was piled up along the trail's edge.

We saw a number of crows and turkey vultures from the trail and even a single woodpecker in a tree.  But strangely, we don't recall seeing, or hearing, any other birds during the entire hike.  Once we came to realize this it was a bit spooky.  We were never able to really come up with an explanation for it.



Log Photos
Trail View
Napa Valley
The goal
Coppertone on the trail
Rock Formations
Northern Napa Valley
Rounding the top
Headed down
Lower view
Recommended Item
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