Sun, Jun 25 2017 - West Palisades of the Hooch from Akers Trailhead - driving from Cinco just after AOC Social (View Original Event Details) Trip Leader(s): Charlie Cottingham Participants: Charlie Cottingham, Gayle M., Joyce T., Beth S, Melissa M, Greg Walling, Robin Walling, Carla Bell, Gary Babiarz

We nine had a good time together yesterday evening just after our AOC June Social.  We caravaned from Cinco about 1-1/2 miles eastward and hiked about 5 miles in this scenic West Palisades unit of the CRNRA that's just inside I-285.
We began by descending from the Akers trailhead down to the river, where as usual on a summer weekend lots of thrill-seekers were leaping off the famous "Jumping Rock" about 20' into the river below.  Along the same riverside trail we nice views of the "Devil's Racecourse" rapids and several beautiful wooded islands.  We continued the hike by walking the rugged main trail southward and then on to the river by "light bushwhacking" down a gently sloping high wooded ridge. En route we found amazing examples of what the native Americans called "blood rock" - whitish quartz rock with crimson "intrusions."  Our view of the colorful sunset was also gorgeous from this ridge, at about 9:00 PM.
We concluded the event by hiking back to the vehicles via the paved Bob Callan Trail and the convenient Akers Mill Rd sidewalk.  Along the way we had a nice view of a Great Blue Heron - also a pretty crescent moon setting just above the sun.
Special "kudos" to Gayle and Joyce who both had already hiked 12 miles on Sunday morning and for whom this was their 4th AOC event of the day!  - posted by Charlie on Mon June 26th