2022.6.4. Teneriffe by bus

Trail Head Direct bus resumes this year on weekends from Memorial Day weekend till Sept 11th. Mt Teneriffe (via the waterfall) is my default training hike when the bus is available. Took the first bus out (7:45am by the SPL central library). With the gas price surging, more people are taking the bus. By the time the bus arrived (of coures it was late), there were only 2 seats available. I took the last seat. The I-5 south ramp was closed, apparently no one knew about it. Everyone on the bus helped the driver reroute. One last hiker got on at Eastgate highway pass.

The waterfall was in full force. One small section before had a lot of water on trail. After the waterfall, a lot less people. I was passed by 6 people who were so fast, and they disappeared in minutes. The last 2-300' had snow. I need snow to refill my water bottle. From the waterfall to the summit took me 1.5 hours, 10 minute faster than last June. Early lunch break on the top (11:18-38). A bit cloudy, so the view is so so. But it is nice to see Dixie which I explorered last summer.

Took the same way down. Like the last time, I lost the trail in the snow for a bit. I used microspikes on the way down for a bit. I was aiming for the first return bus at 2:05pm at Mt. Si's TH (because of an event at 3pm). Met L. from my Ruby hike a month ago. He came on bus too. I went down fast, and slipped once in the snow (no harm), once below the waterfall, wedged between 2 trees (otherise would fall further). Twisted some muscle. Took a few minutes to stand straight. The "Teneriffe Falls Connector" trail is as faint as I remembered. Once on the proper trail, it was easy going for my now-stiff lower-back.

Back at the trailhead at 2:04. There's a big sign "board the bus here". I hesitated a bit, but decided to walk to the road side bus stop where I took the bus last year. That's a good decision. However, either I missed the bus, or it never came. My phone has signal, so canceled my 3pm ticket. I waited till 2:55. Good that I brought a book (in fact 2 books, one to return, but the library's book drop is closed when the library is close: isn't this ridiculous?). A South African girl came to ask if I had a power bank. No. Then she asked me if I used Instagram? No. I asked her if she can give me a phone# to call. Don't remember. I started a new browser window, and gave her my phone. She complained that she would not hike again, and messaged her friends on Instagram to pick her up. She's an exchange student in Vegas (what school is in Vegas?), here for a vacation. The bus was half full. Picked up a few more at Little Si's TH. Back in town by 4pm.