Alameda County High Point Trip Report

Discovery Peak

Date: January 25, 2004
Author: Robert Greene

Took the Ohlone Wilderness Trail from Del Valle Lake. It was actually quite a long hike - in beautiful perfect weather, though. The previous day's endless rain, clouds and fog were easily forgotten. I followed the trail to marker #32, and then followed the private road directly over to the high point. Numerous class-5 scaling of barbed wire fences ensued.

For those attempting this peak, if you turn directly toward the high point (visible by the antenna) after passing two old metal buildings on the right and what looks like an unmaintained cow stockade on the left, you'll run into a short (4-foot) metal gate which can easily be stepped over. About 50 feet after that, you'll intersect the road that leads to the high point. Or you can use my method, which was to continue to the 3755 BM, take pictures of the BM, and then turn directly toward the high point. This involves crossing two 5-foot tall barbed wire fences.

I saw the infamous Boulder Peak, but after reading Gordon MacLeod's in-depth analysis of the height of the two points, I feared not for needing to visit it. That was great since I'd gotten off to a typical calpine start (started hiking at 11am), so by the time I got to Discovery, I was only about 30 minutes from my absolute turn-around time.

Time to Discovery was slightly under 4 hours, time back was about 2.5 hours. Distance was 13.19 miles. Total ascent about 3,600 feet, thanks to the "fun" of William's Gulch (I unwisely attempted to circumvent that on the way in. Saved 300 feet of vertical loss, skipped most of the switchbacks on the other side, and spent about an hour elephanting through the woods). On the way back I stayed on the trail!