Discover the San Francisco Bay Area through its summits. The Nifty Ninety represent ninety publicly accessible high points across the region. From coastal ridge lines to inland high points, quiet neighborhood hills to iconic mountains, each summit offers a new way to see the place we call home.

How It Started

I’ve lived in the San Francisco Bay Area for over two decades. But in 2023, I gave myself a challenge: to summit all 90 peaks on the Sierra Club’s Nifty Ninety list in just one year. What began as a personal goal turned into a journey that transformed the way I saw my home—its parks, its peaks, its quieter corners.

This page features links to my own write-ups for each hike—personal notes, photos, and tips—to help you plan your own adventure.

NINETY PEAKS — Now Available

My guidebook offers a detailed, region-by-region look at all 90 summits. Each chapter offers options for how to reach it — whether on foot, by bike, or by car — along with route planning and tips, and to help you explore more deeply.

Whether you’re a seasoned hiker or just looking to discover more of the region, this book will help you connect with the Bay Area one peak at a time.

Explore the book

Start Your Own Ninety Peak Adventure

Whether you aim to summit all ninety peaks in a year—like we tried to do—or take your time exploring them over a lifetime, this challenge is a great way to discover new parks, towns, and views. Use the book as your guide or browse the peaks right here to begin your journey.

Latest Update

On June 9, 2024, we completed hikes to Schlieper Rock and Rose Peak, our 87th and 88th Nifty Ninety peak, respectively. The journey that started 18 months ago was almost near its end. While we didn’t finish the challenge in one year as we originally set out do to, it was still quite the accomplishment, considering we only had weekends or holidays to tackle the summits. Now we only have two more peaks to go: Berryessa Peak and Pine Mountain. Unfortunately, both are out of reach for the time being. A landslide has washed away a portion of the trail to Berryessa Peak and the trail to Pine Mountain still remains closed as a result of severe fire damage. Not sure when we’ll get to finish off our list, but hopefully, it won’t be too far off in the future.

Below you’ll find links to my hike write-ups for each of the 90 peaks. Use them for inspiration, route ideas, or just to see what each one is like. Directory is organized from tallest to shortest peak by region.

Peak Directory

Want to track your progress?

Download the printable checklist or grab the book for detailed directions.

Our Nifty Ninety Posts

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  87 & 88. Schlieper Rock and Rose Peak, Ohlone Wilderness
  A two-night outing in the Ohlone Wilderness to bag Schlieper Rock and Rose Peak.
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  Hiking the Five Nifty Nineties of Henry Coe State Park
  No other park in the Bay Area has as many Nifty Ninety peaks as Henry Coe State Park, the largest state park in Northern California.
• 
  86. Mount Sizer, Henry Coe State Park
  This weekend we reached the top of Mount Sizer, our fifth and final peak inside Henry Coe State Park. It was the hardest of all the Henry Coe Nifty Nineties.
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  85. Chalk Mountain, Big Basin Redwoods State Park
  We tackled the 20-mile round trip hike to Chalk Mountain on e-bikes.
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  84. Vasquez Peak, Henry Coe State Park
  While the hike to Vasquez Peak in Henry Coe State Park can be done in a day, we decided to make a backpacking trip out of it.
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  83. Burra Burra Peak, Henry Coe State Park
  The Dowdy Ranch entrance of Henry Coe State Park is the closest entrance to use for a short hike to Burra Burra Peak.