Mount Umunhum Ascent & History Tour! 8.2 miles, 2,440' TEG [Sierra Azul OSP]

Rise above our fractured history and visualize a better future from the heights of Mt Umunhum, "The Resting Place of Hummingbirds". Our ascent hike lets us experience the entire, gorgeous Mt. Umunhum Trail in 8 miles rather than the 16 miles round trip.

Contact the host with any questions — phone number in the comments!

Please join us for the full 8mi ascent. 8:00am, we park cars at the top and carpool back down to the trailhead.
Other options: 1) For a shorter hike (or if you run late) let me know, and meet in the lower parking lot by 8:30am.
2) Lazy history buffs can just meet us for the 1pm history tour at the top.

Meeting points
Upper Parking Lot (summit):
Google Maps Link or Apple Maps Link
Lower Parking Lot / trailhead (Wood Road Entrance):
Google Maps Link or Apple Maps Link

Schedule:
8am: Meet in the upper parking lot to help shuttle cars for the full 8mi ascent. We will carpool to the lower parking-lot / trailhead.

8:30am: Late arrivals and out-and-back gentle hikers, meet at the lower parking lot. Feel free to turn around when you have met your hiking goal, walking back to your car. There will be a question when you RSVP where you can choose this option.

1pm History Tour: What was it like working and living in the mysterious cubic building high on Mt Umunhum during the Cold War?
Facebook page
Open-space event page

Locate our trailhead parking: Please view your maps and get oriented well before departure. Our trailhead departs from the lower parking lot just East of Hicks Road -- you need to drive down the dirt road slightly before seeing the parking lot. This is the Woods Road Entrance parking lot.
(Important Note: You may see the smaller parking lot just West of Hicks Rd first — this is Jacques Ridge Parking Area. Continue across Hicks Road and down a bit to find the larger parking where we will gather for departure.)

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The Deets

Mt Umunhum Trail Map.
8.2 miles, 2,440' elevation (One way, carpool back down.)
Shorter out and back option.
There are no fees for entrance or parking, and there are no permits required.
Bring lunch, snacks and water!
Weather Forecast: Perfect crisp climbing weather, high 50s to mid 60s (F) all day! Bring light layers and windbreaker. Full forecast (peak or base).
Carpooling is encouraged!
Cell service is bad on the driver, but reappears near the summit. Pre-load any maps and directions!

KneeHab Hikes: Every knee is different, but for many of them, a steady climb is highly therapeutic. Join us to hear why I credit this particular hike with allowing me to avoid knee surgery, and rebuild
strength through exercise and diet.

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Cool Background Info:
Mt Umunhum is the fourth-highest peak in the Santa Cruz Mountains, at 3,486 feet, located in the Sierra Azul Preserve. Only eight miles of restitution gets you to the peak, or for a shorter four mile jaunt, turn back at Guadalupe Creek.

"With 26 miles of multiuse trails, serpentine grasslands, steep chaparral, dense stands of bay trees, shaded oak woodland forests, deep ravines and riparian corridors, Sierra Azul Preserve provides prime habitat for mountain lion, deer, bobcats, coyotes and many other species of animals."
Sierra Azul Preserve

Alltrails describes our route:
"The gorgeous Mt. Umunhum Trail passes through dense mixed chaparral scrub dominated by shrub species including chamise, big berry manzanita, birch leafed mountain mahogany, and poison oak. It passes through Knobcone Pine Woodland, and eventually enters the Coastal Woodlands habitat dominated by coast live oak, foothill pine, California bay, interspersed with Pacific madrone. The majority of the trail – approximately the upper 3.0 miles – is enjoyed under the cool canopy of these trees. Eventually the trail emerges near the top onto steep terrain dominated by cliffs and rocky outcrops including serpentine boulders. Due to the thin soil layer developed on the serpentine bedrock, a low moisture-holding capacity and a unique chemical composition, the serpentine areas support numerous endemic plant species, including rare flowering plants that continue to reveal themselves each spring."
URL:
https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/mount-umunhum

Legal Disclaimer: The organizers and hosts in this group are not professional guides, and each person who signs up for a trip/meetup/ or outing is responsible for his or her own safety and the safety of his or her guests and property. By signing up for this hike, or any other event organized by this group, you are acknowledging that you are aware and have made your guests aware of the risks, dangers and hazards associated with any social activity and freely accept and fully assume all such risks, dangers and hazards, and further agree to release and discharge the organizer, assistant organizers, event organizers and event hosts of this Meetup group from and against any and all liability arising from your and your guest's participation in the group activities. As always, this is a “Participate at your Own Risk” event.