Out In The Open --- Muddy Hollow to Limantour Hike (July 22)

Wendy turned on her windshield wipers as we crested the Limantour Road under drippy, drizzly, fog filled skies on our way to the Muddy Hollow trailhead. Apparently the damp, gray weather kept the raptors grounded, since there were enough Brush Bunnies to make into an adult-sized fur coat and plenty of Quail to roast for a "Final Exam" luncheon scampering along the side of the road seemingly unconcerned about having a life-ending experience.

After leaving half the cars parked near Limantour Beach, we caravaned back to the Muddy Hollow Trailhead and began a slow, uphill climb on Muddy Hollow Road, past the site of an early ranch and through an area burned in the 1995 Inverness fire. Bishop Pines are now repopulating the area in a forest of even-sized trees, although the hillsides are still covered with grass and shrubs. The weather remained cool during most of the mile and a half leg up to the junction of Muddy Hollow Road and the Glenbrook Trail --- so much so that Bumblebees clung unmoving to the underside of thistles, napping until the sun began to warm the air enough for them to start gathering nectar and us to begin doffing a layer or two of clothing.

At the top of the long rise we veered west onto the Glenbrook Trail and spent the next hour and half or so meandering across the broad "mesas" that divide Limantour Estero, now and again dropping down into gullies filled with willows and shrubs and bunches of bright yellow American Goldfinches. Here we saw many Wood Nymphs fluttering by, and a few of us had the good fortune to spot the endangered Myrtle's Silverspot butterfly.

The fog began to burn away and with the rising temperatures, Northern Harriers began to patrol the skies with heads dipped downwards looking for all of those Brush Bunnies we'd seen earlier in the day. Crossing a small stream near the end of the hike, we encountered not one, but two of the elusive California Clapper Rails --- a rare treat.

About 2 pm we were back at the Limantour Beach parking lot. Several of us thought this hike we even longer than the previous week's jaunt down the Sky Trail to Bear Valley ---- apparently because we were out in the open and could see the trail far ahead of us rather than hiking through a forest. In truth, this walk was nearly two miles shorter at just over 5 miles (hiking back to the cars left at Muddy Hollow Road would have added another mile an a half, but we were smart enough to set up a car shuttle and give our feet a break).

Once the fog lifted, the skies were not clear-blue, but the wind was light and it was warm hiking, with temperatures probably in the mid-60's or higher. Back "Over the Hill" in East Marin it was in the 80's --- perfect weather for eating ice cream as three of us did, treating ourselves to a post-hike snack at "The Fairfax Scoop."