I started the day in Davis, leaving around 8 in the morning and battling some fairly thick fog as I headed down Interstate-80 toward Fairfield. From here, I took some scenic local roads (Cherry Glen Road to Pleasants Valley Road) to the base of Mix Canyon Road, all told about 7 miles from the freeway. The area is still fairly rural but nice homes dot the area. The sign for Mix Canyon Road wasn't very obvious and I almost drove past it.

Mix Canyon Road serves as the obvious access for Mt. Vaca and some nearby peaks, which all have radio towers and transmission facilities on them. Due to the need for easy access for the various workers, the road is well-maintained and paved nearly to the top, making for an easy hike that can be done any time of the year. I followed Mix Canyon Road past some nice homes, then as it narrowed and started gaining up the canyon. In many places the road is barely a lane and a half wide, with blind corners, so I took it at about 15-20 mph. As the road gains, it continues to pass isolated homes. The flora changes from large trees to scrubby chapparal higher up, and the views get better, too. From the bottom the entire drive up Mix Canyon Road is just under 5 miles but it gains about 2,500 feet. Parts are very steep - I would guess about 10-15% grade, which is steep for a road. I came upon the end of the pavement at a Y-junction and a large clearing, where I parked.

The hike to Mt. Vaca's top takes the left fork of the Y-junction, which is usually gated to vehicles although the gate was open when I showed up. I did pass a worker in the area, but I didn't want to chance having the gate shut behind me if I drove in. So I walked it. The "trail" is just a service road to the top, just under a mile one-way with about 250 feet of gain. Numerous facilites line the road. The summit, as it is, is gained following a spur road past a shut gate toward a fairly big tower. As I made this final short hike, the clouds and fog really began to come in and unfortunately I had no views at the top- just steely gray from the fog. The true summit has long since been bulldozed and carted off. The current highest point appears to be a mound of dirt between the two facilities on the top, just outside the fencing. I basically stepped here and there and returned to my truck. Round trip time about 45 minutes.

The rest of the day was spent attacking the Sonoma County highpoint, Cobb Mountain, with access from Lake County, about 80 miles of driving from Mt. Vaca. I made the summit of Cobb Mountain just fine amid fog and stiff winds, but finding the highpoint of Sonoma County, which is just a bump on a ridge emanating west from the summit, was difficult in the thick fog. I made 3 tries but each time got confounded and had to turn back. With daylight dwindling and the weather deteriorating, I accepted defeat and hiked back to my truck (I succeeded in May, 2003).