Mission Peak 2009

At 2517 feet (767m), Mission Peak is one of the tallest peaks in the eastern hills of Silicon Valley. It's close proximity makes it a perfect evening peak hike after work. With an elevation gain of 2400 feet in 2.8 miles it offers excellent aerobic exercise. My current personal record to the top is 53 minutes and 9 seconds (staying on the trail with no shortcuts), and 48 minutes with shortcuts. From the top you can see the other high peaks of the Bay Area: Mt. Diablo, Mt. Hamilton, and Mt. Tamalpais. On clear winter days, you can even see the Sierra Nevada mountain range 100 miles to the east. San Francisco is also visible from the top.

I hike Mission Peak one to three times a week. When preparing for challenging high-altitude hikes, I usually load up my backpack for additional exercise. Mid-day hikes during the summer can be very hot, so evening hikes is usually a better choice (unless you are training for hot desert hikes).

In this album, you will find a small selection of pictures from some of my many hikes to Mission Peak.