Mount Vision

Mount Vision
3.2 miles
1.5 hours
Start: Top of Perth Road, Inverness
End: Top of Perth Road, Inverness
Includes: Perth Road, Inverness Watershed, Mount Vision

Hike 50
November 24, 2013

I parked at the top of Perth Road in Inverness, CA and headed through the gate to the nameless trail. At the fork I turned right and took the first trail to the left. This brought me on the ascent to Mount Vision.

The trail pushes through Bishop Pine forest embellished with Madrone's distinctive pumpkin-colored limbs.

My boy and I spent many an hour peeling the crackly bark when he was a toddler. I still can't resist picking a piece or two and stroking the warm, smooth bark underneath.

As I neared the top, Tomales Bay stretched in the distance.

There was also a view of familiar Elephant Mountain to the east.

Deep green forest against cool blue bay evoked memories of hiking in Italian Switzerland. I felt nostalgic for my youth and my friend Marianne who took a picture of me there when I was nineteen wearing a red camisole, blue shorts and long blonde hair, my head tossed back while playing a badminton racket like a guitar. Marianne died last week. Part of my youth went with her.

I slipped through the gate at the top and stood on Mount Vision Road for a moment before turning around to head back down. On the way down I ran into my friend Melinda's grandson. I've know him since he was in fifth grade. Now here he was riding his mountain bike on a visit home from college in Colorado and giving me good advice on how I can help my seven-year old figure out how to make his own video games.

Time marches on and so do I. My year is soon up and I have a few long hikes left to do.

I am happy to remember this homey little hike after going far and wide through the Point Reyes National Seashore.