Potato Chip Rock. A steep two-mile climb to an impressive overlook. Parking on 67 near the fire station, my friend and I gathered our things and set out. We walked alongside other hikers, excited to see the famed Potato Chip Rock. Nearing the entrance, we paused to take a couple of photos then started up. The trail was wide and marked with patches of flowers along the sides. We walked under the shade of several trees cooled by the morning air and light mist. Soon reaching the paved trail, our uphill hike began. Pausing to catch our breath along the way, we chatted with other hikers and took photos of the rolling fog above. Occasionally seeing birds and lizards along the path. As the morning passed, the fog began to clear along with the cooling mist. The sun broke through just as we neared the top of Mt Woodson, revealing a beautiful landscape below. Pushing through the last couple of switchbacks, we finally reached our destination. Hanging over nothing but empty air, the thin curved rock aptly named Potato Chip Rock had a long line of hikers waiting to test their courage. One at a time, people inched their way onto the ledge posing for the perfect photo before quickly coming back to the safety of the solid ground. After taking a couple of photos ourselves, we started back down the mountain as the air grew warmer. Now in clear view of the afternoon sun, we made a faster pace down, looking forward to lunch.
Tired, sunburnt, and sore, we reached our car feeling triumphant. Soon after, we treated ourselves to deli sandwiches and an impressive amount of electrolyte water. Relaxing, I was glad to have enjoyed a good day outdoors.
