Hike: Stebbins Cold Canyon Reserve, Winters, CA

I decided to hike the Blue Ridge Trail once again, but this time I went with two of my former students; Ruby and Christianah.  I wanted to take them on a challenging yet beautiful hike.  Because of time constraints, I decided to take them to Cold Canyon instead of hiking in the Foothills.  

We left West Sacras towards Winters at around 10:45am.  We got there at around 11:45am, and hit the trail.  The day was cloudy and rain was expected, but we didn't care.  Hiking the trail surrounded by nature is a wonderful feeling.  When we got to the area with the steep stairs, the girls knew that the trail was no joke.  Around this area, I came across one of my former students from UC, Davis.  I told him that it was great to see more Xicanos in the wilderness.  Once we got to the ridge, the girls got to experience the beautiful view of Lake Berryessa.  About half way down the ridge, there is a beautiful spot where we sat to eat some snacks. (That's were we took the picture of our shoes.)  We sat and had a conversation that ranged from personal life to academics.  By this point, it was raining, but we didn't mind it at all.  The rain just added to our outdoor experience.  

Hike: Stebbins Cold Canyon Reserve, Winters, CA

This is the 18th trail in the book by Steven L. Evans. The Cold Canyon-Blue Ridge Loop Trail is 4.9 miles and it took me 2.5 hours to complete. The trail is rated 5/5 for difficulty, and it climbs to 1200 to the top of Blue Ridge. The climb is the most difficult part of this hike, but once on the ridge the breathtaking views of Lake Berryessa make the hike worth it. On your way up to the ridge, you will encounter a series of steep steps/stairs that are probably the most rigorous section of the hike along with maneuvering rocks and boulders on the ridge. I did this hike alone and had time to reflect, which in the busy city life is hard to do. There were a good number of hikers on the trail, but there was a good amount of distance in between that I didn't see them until I reached the ridge. I met two Chicanas from Dixon (Daniela and Jessica) on the ridge and talked to them for a few minutes and found out that we know some people in common (Dixon is a small town) through my work with Dixon High School and the Dixon Migrant Center. It was great to see Raza in the wilderness! After the ridge, the loop descends to an easier trail with no steps/stairs. On this side of the loop, I saw young families on their way to the ridge which is much easier and child friendly. I really enjoyed this trail!

Directions from Sacramento: