Bay Bound
They say if you want to touch the sky, you hike Mt. Tamalpais.
We picked a hot day, of course we did. The kind of heat that sticks to your skin before you’ve even left the parking lot. But as we climbed higher, weaving our way up those famously windy roads (hello, car sickness), the air shifted. The heat gave way to a breeze that danced just above the clouds. It was like stepping into a different realm- less earth, more heaven.
Standing at 2,500 feet, it’s one of the Bay Area’s most iconic peaks, often called the “Sleeping Lady” because of its silhouette. Long before our sneakers hit the trail, this land belonged to the Coast Miwok people. You can feel that history in the stillness between trees and the hush of wind through chaparral.
By the time we reached the trailhead, I was still feeling a little queasy from the drive (those switchbacks don’t mess around), but the views snapped everything back into perspective. Endless ridgelines. The Pacific shimmering in the distance. Clouds tucked beneath us like soft blankets. It felt like we were walking in a place that had one foot on Earth and the other somewhere divine.
The hike itself wasn’t too tough, just enough incline to make you earn the view but not enough to steal your breath. Nature, in all its quiet brilliance, reminded us why we chase these moments. Why we drive those winding roads even when our stomachs protest.
Because sometimes, being high above the clouds isn’t just about elevation- it’s about clarity. And Mt. Tam gave us both.
Mai Household Mayhem 