11:eleven Photography

This past weekend, we did some weekend warrior shit. Breaking away from our cushy 9-5 weekday routine, we drove down to the Stinson Beach area to hike a trail that claims 6.5 miles, but somehow always ends up closer to 7.5 or 8.

Last time, I was unaware. My wife said 6.5 and I believed her. It almost lead to divorce, but we managed to reconcile afterwards, over a well-deserved beer. This time, I knew exactly what we were getting into and was a willing participant instead of some trail hostage.

I think you can find the trail on All Trails, the Dipsea/Steep Ravine Trail. And I assure you the “Steep Ravine” portion is exactly that. The trail is steep enough that they put stairs in. Endless stairs. So many stairs. So. Many. Stairs. At one point, we heard a fellow hiker up ahead of us vacating the contents of their stomach, for what I can only imagine was an attempt to make themselves lighter so they could continue the climb. 

But the climb is so worth it. At the top of the climb, you come around the side of the mountain to some amazing views of the coast and the bay. You can see the tops of the tallest buildings in San Francisco. And if you’re as lucky as we were, you can rest and enjoy a snack in the company of a raven.

It’s all downhill from here.

Is what you want to hear, but it’s not the truth. There’s a little bit more of a gentle uphill to get to the sweet, sweet downhill. The downhill is where we found ourselves wandering through massive redwoods older than time itslef. I won’t ruin all the surprises, some things need to be experienced in person. I will leave you with this last bit of advice. Stretch first, stretch after. Drink lots of water, but maybe wait until you reach the top of the stairs.

Cheers to go hikes, enjoying nature, and happy trails!

Follow up note for photographers. I did have a mirrorless with me, but for fun opted to only use my DJI Osmo Pocket 3 for the hike. I used a black mist filter on it just for kicks.