Yesterday was a rest day so I decided to take a drive up Mt Umunhum to enjoy the spectacular view of San Jose. I've been up there numerous times before on my bike, but not yet this year.
As I parked at the padlocked gate (as high up as you can drive--about 2328' elevation), I noticed two park rangers walking back toward their vehicles from Bald Mountain. When they arrived at the tiny parking area where I was, I struck up a conversation about the trail to Lexington Reservoir and how realistic it would be for me to mountain bike to it from here. (I fear mountain lions.) To my surprise, they acknowledged that there are indeed lions around, but the greater danger would be surprising a marijuana grower up there, not lions. In 2005, a Fish and Game Warden was shot, and a marijuana grower killed, in a marijuana raid on Mt. Um. In 2006, about 47,000 plants were destroyed in Santa Clara county, and double that were destroyed the year before. With each plant worth about $4,000 and Mexican drug cartel involvement suspected, it's not surprising that guns are involved.
It's disturbing picture. But, like the ranger said, great white sharks are out there but you still swim in the ocean. Why? Because the overall risk is small compared to the benefit. So, I like hiking and biking in the Sierra Azul Open Preserve and I will continue to do so, mountain lions and pot-farmers notwithstanding. I will, however, heed the rangers' wise parting advice: (a) hike with others; (b) stay on the trails.
For more information check out this article: http://www.motherjones.com/politics/2009/07/high-sierras.
[Photo: The building on Mt. Umunhum once had an early warning radar dish rotating on top of it before Almaden Air Force Station closed in 1980. Click to enlarge.]
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