The front side trail tread conditions are showing some stress from the all the bike traffic, but on the plus side they keep the chaparral from taking over.
Despite the drought, water is flowing in Santa Cruz creek and there still is, to my utter amazement, a fishery. Decent sized landlocked steelhead and some fry, hanging on. My selfie illustrates the necessities needed to protect skin and sanity from sun, wind, and gnats, the latter ever present from early morning till early evening. This is great trail to prep for the Sierra, having a long steep and steady climb up to the Saddle, then another equally long "40 mile" stretch into the Santa Cruz drainage.
