Alpine Dam to Bon Tempe Dam Hike (January 5) Preview

(SHUTTLE HIKE --- NOTE EARLY START TIME - 9:15 A.M. --- TO ALLOW TIME TO CARPOOL.  CALL OR E-MAIL WENDY TO LET HER KNOW IF YOU ARE COMING)

We hike along a creek with lovely cascades and ferns. This is usually an interesting mushroom hike – in past years we've seen Toothed Jelly Fungus, Rosy Gomphidius, Cowboy's Handkerchief, and The Prince! The start is uphill with some stairs (but we’ll find lots to look at on the way), the end is level - and in between it’s up and down! We end up at the Bon Tempe Dam.  (Click here for a recap of the last time we did this hike on December 16, 2008).

Directions to trailhead:  Take the Fairfax-Bolinas Road. Turn in as you would to go to Lake Lagunitas. After the ranger station at Sky Oaks (but before Shaver Grade) there is an unpaved road to the right. Take this to Lake Bon Tempe and park.  MEET HERE AT 9:15 a.m. Porta potties are in the parking lot. (Click here for directions from the MMWD Web site).

From Bon Tempe we’ll carpool to the trailhead (near Alpine Dam). Do not pay the $8 day use fee (up $1 from 2009) at the Sky Oaks entrance kiosk if you plan to take people to the trailhead.  (The automated pay station accepts coins, $1, $5 and $10, but not $20 bills and Visa and Master Card credit cards ). We’ll need people who are not in a rush to take the driver’s back to their cars parked near Alpine Dam.

Carpool leaves St. Rita Church in Fairfax at 8:55 a.m.

Weather forecast:  As of Thursday, December 31, 2009, the National Weather Service forecast for this area on Tuesday, January 5th, was a for partly cloudy skies, a slight chance of showers, and a high near 59. (Click here for an updated forecast).

More on this hike: There is no comparable hike in the Martins' book, Hiking Marin, but we'll begin our hike just past the dam at Alpine Lake and head east on the Helen Markt Trail, eventually pick up one of the fire roads, and wind our way back to Bon Tempe Lake. (Click here to view, zoom in on, or print a map of the MWWD watershed lands).

Sign Up for Winter Meanders

The Winter session of Meandering in Marin is now listed on the College of Marin Community Education Web site.  The Meandering hikes are listed under "Marin Adventures" in the Course Listing section. (The hike schedule was not posted as of 12/22/09).

• Monday Meanders (Course # 15035 EC) run February 1 through March 22 (not class on February 15th, President's Day holiday)
• Tuesday Meanders (Course # 15036 EC) run February 2 through March 16.

Cost is $115.  Registration "officially" opens on Monday, January 4, 2010, but Dick Jordan was able to submit an on-line registration request on Tuesday, December 22, 2009.

Happy New Year from the Meandering in Marin on Tuesdays blog!

NEW! A Year of Meandering in Photos

We hiked over hill and dale in 2009, on Mount Tam, in the GGNRA, at Point Reyes, and elsewhere, as we meandered around Marin. Click here for 17 minute slide show set to Antonio Vivaldi's "Four Seasons" that recaptures our adventures during the past year.

Santa Delivers For Dick Jordan

Either Dick Jordan has been a very good boy indeed and has been rewarded by Santa, or all of his tweeting on Twitter and posting on Facebook during the last month has paid off.  Google "Dick Jordan" and his travel writing blog, Tales Told From The Road, comes up Numero Uno (at least for today) in the Google Search Results. The same thing happens if you Google titles for some of his blogs posts, such as "On Assignment in Hell" and "A Narrow Escape in London."

It's For The Birds (in April)

The Environment Action Committee of West Marin is planning a birding festival for April 23-25, 2010. Local birding experts such as Rich Stallcup, Jules Evens, and David Wimpfheimer are among those who will lead field trips and give talks. (Click here for more information. )

A Marin "Ag" Slideshow

Dick Jordan's wife, Cindy, works for the Marin Agricultural Land Trust.  He thought you'd enjoy this nifty little slideshow of scenes of Marin's farming community that was included in MALT's holiday card mailing to its members.

Another Fish Story

Today (Saturday, 12/19), the San Francisco Chronicle ran a front page story about the Coho salmon returning to spawn in Marin. Dick's friend, Megan, who helps run fish walks for SPAWN, gets quoted and her photo (well, her hands anyway) appear in the story. Click here to read all about it.

Still Shopping Til You're Dropping?

Inverness artist Kathleen Goodwin and photographer Richard Blair are offering discounts on their books.  Here's info from an e-mail Dick Jordan just received from them (with the above photo Richard shot after our recent snowfall):

"Happy holidays to you all.

"Here is an easy way to send a gift - call us and we can send our books to your recipients easily via UPS in time for Christmas. And we have great deals as well.

"We are offering Visions of Marin, our latest coffee table book on the wonders of Marin County for $25. In bookstores they are $39.95.

"We have about 50 returns left of California Trip from Borders with covers which are slightly scuffed (the inside is perfect) so we are making them available for $20. They are mostly surfer covers. They retailed for $50 when new! If you want a brand new one it's $39.95.

"Our Marin Landscape and Classic California calendars which retail for $12.99 we are selling now for half price ($ 6.50) plus shipping (Minimum order for shipping is four). That is the wholesale price! You can see what they look like at our web site.

"We are nearly out of Point Reyes Visions so no deal with those, but we are selling them for list price, $45(cloth) or $29.95(paperback).

"We can send purchases via UPS, which is safe and reliable or via the Post Office, cheaper but quite slow, or (for the fastest service) via Fed Ex. Your choice, as shipping is additional.

"We sign all books and will personalize them if you wish.

"Just call us at 415 663-1616."

Finding Fish At Last!

Our planned "Winterim 2008" fish-walk along Lagunitas Creek with Dick's friend and SPAWN volunteer, Megan Isadore, got "washed out."  No rain, no fish, last December.  But here's an excerpt from an e-mail Megan just wrote about find fish this year:

"The viewing is excellent these days, with lots of drama going on in the creek.  A new, fresher female has kicked out the "Coho Queen," the first female we all saw near the parking area at Leo Cronin, and is busily building her redd, accompanied today by a lovely fresh hooknose and a couple of jacks.  When new females build redds right on top of other females' redds, it's called "superimposition," (as well as unfortunate for female #1).  Further upstream, the redd begun last week is in fine shape, the female is still spry and enjoying the attentions of a couple of hooknoses and a couple of jacks, AND there is a new redd in the site of last week's digging, just upstream of the boulders with the I-bolts.  

"Our group stood under the only-slightly dripping canopy, observing a male/female pair on a redd, when what to our wondering eyes did appear, but three sleek river otters, cruising their way upstream, we thought in search of their favorite December meal!  The otters swam right by the pair, apparently not seeing them!  The two coho moved out of the way for less than a minute, and were back on the redd post-haste.  To say we were gobsmacked might be a slight exaggeration, but only slight.  A possible reason for their lack of interest in the fine fat coho was that they'd seen our group of 10 up on the bank, and may have been a little spooked. 

 

Otters are very shy of humans.  Or, perhaps they were the same otters that Julie, Camp Host at Samuel P. Taylor, had reported playing tug-of-war with a huge dead salmon that very morning in the park, and were not hungry.  We know the Lagunitas river otters are a fine, healthy and exciting medium-sized carnivore to have in our watershed.  Hurray for the otters!"

 

SPAWN is running tours on the weekends.  Click here for more information.  (San Francisco Chronicle Outdoor writer, Tom Stienstra, also wrote about the salmon walks in the Thursday, December 17 edition of the paper).

Happy Holidays From The Meandering on Tuesdays Blog!

Wishing You An Out of This World Holiday Season

And A Safe Return to Planet Earth 

For Our Next Hike on January 5, 2010

Lagunitas Hike Pictures and Videos Now On-Line

Click here to view all of the pictures taken during our December 8th "Final Exam" hike at Lake Lagunitias by Dick Jordan and Theresa Fisher.

The Tuesday Meanderers are now on YouTube!  Click here for a clip of us "Coot Watching" on the shore of Lake Lagunitas.  Silvia sings a song about soup, and then leads us in a "Twelve Days of Meandering" sing-along.

Baby, It Was Cold Outside (Lake Lagunitas, Dec. 8)

The sun was shining brightly when we left home for the trailhead, but it had disappeared behind a thick veil of clouds by the time we reached Lake Lagunitas, dashing any hope that temperatures during the hike and our post-hike "Final Exam" luncheon might top 50 degrees. It fact it was so cold that we skipped our usual pre-hike recap of our activities during the last week, just shouted out our names, and then hit the trail to get blood pumping into our limbs before frost-bite set in.

When we reached the dam, only a couple of Double-Crested Cormorants were hanging out on the logs floating on the lake, instead of the usual crowed of these birds air-drying their wide-spread wings. Presumably the rest of the flock had found a warm fire to gather about. No newts were bad news, too; apparently these slithering little guys decided to stay snug under logs rather than freeze their tails off in the cold morning air. A lone fisherman stood hunched over his pole along the lake, but any fish lurking under the water could well have been turned into frozen fish sticks by the chilly weather.

Mud puddles formed in depressions in the Lakeview Fire Road by the recent rain had frozen over. A smattering of snow still hung under the summit on the north side of Mount Tam, and coming down the Eldridge Grade we got a clear view across San Francisco Bay to snow-clad Mount Diablo. But the wind remained calm and the rain held off, so as long as we kept moving, it was a decent enough almost-to-Wintertime hike even though "Baby, It (Was) Cold Outside" as the song goes.

As usual for this time of year, mushrooms in many varieties were abundant along the trail and we found some especially large ones under the trees on the south side of the Lake View Fire Road. Too bad we couldn't have taken them back to the picnic area and made ourselves a giant mushroom omelet for lunch.  Birds weren't too abundant, although we saw Acorn Woodpeckers and Coots along the south side of the lake.

There were nearly twenty of us to participate in the "Final Exam", but we still couldn't manage to finish all of the food and drink we'd brought to share. Silvia sang a solo number as a tribute to Dick (who brought "Secret Santa Soup"), and then led us in our traditional "Twelve Days of Meandering" holiday sing-along.
(Click here to view photos that Dick Jordan and Theresa Fisher shot during the hike and post-hike luncheon).

Sky Trail to Bear Valley Hike (December 15) Update

As of Sunday evening, December 13th, the National Weather Service forecast for Tuesday's 7 mile hike along Inverness Ridge was not looking promising:  Rain. High near 55. Southeast wind between 14 and 16 mph, with gusts as high as 20 mph. Chance of precipitation is 80%.  Pray for weather karma.  (Click here for an updated forecast).

Beautiful Bahia (December 1st)

We couldn't have asked for better weather for our late Fall hike in the marshlands in the Bahia area of Novato.  No fog in the morning, and lots of warm sunshine in the afternoon.

As we did last year when we did this hike in mid-November, we parked at the end of the paved road and walked across the street to the home of Lee Skutch's friend, Marguerite, who keeps three dozen or so hummingbird feeders full of sugar water to attract the little guys (and gals).  Unfortunately, only a couple of these diminutive birds were on hand for us to see; the rest were probably out foraging elsewhere that morning.

Although it was slim pickings with the hummingbirds, it was a veritable feast for the eyes watching waterfowl swimming along between the edge of the Bahia shoreline and the Petaluma river to the east.  We saw Shovelers, Pintails, Ruddy Ducks, Mute Swans, and a host of other birds.   (Click here for Wendy's list of all of the creatures and plants we saw on this hike).
We spent about two hours working our way north, and then west, and then south along the edge of the marshlands until we reached our usual lunch spot near a large oak tree just off the fire road.  The ducks and shorebirds were fewer here, but the temperature had risen into the mid-60's and it was all we could do to make ourselves get up after our repast and hike back to the cars, instead of napping in the sun.

By 2 pm, high hazy clouds had formed in the sky above us, portending possible rain over the next few days.  But we could have cared less; our hike was done and we were dry and smiling.

(Click here for the rest of Dick Jordan's photos shot during this hike, some of which are in both color and black and white; they also play in the mini-slideshow window in the Meandering blog.  To see Theresa Fisher's photos in her separate on-line Flick album, click here).

Sky Trail to Bear Valley Hike (December 15) Preview

We return to Point Reyes National Seashore for the last year of 2009.  (We hiked this trail on January 20, 2009 when President Obama was being sworn into office, and again on May 24th.).  The trail is about 7.3 miles long (this is a shuttle hike, so please call or e-mail Wendy in advance if you plan to go, and note the earlier than usual meeting time at the trailhead).

Directions to trailhead:  We’ll meet at Bear Valley at 9:20 a.m. and carpool to Sky Trail.  When we get to Mt. Wittenberg we’ll go down Old Pine to the Bear Valley Trail. We’ll need some people who are not in a rush to drive people back to Sky Trail. Restrooms at Bear Valley, none at Sky Trail trailhead but some as we pass Coast Camp.  Carpool leaves St. Rita Church in Fairfax at 8:45 a.m.


Weather forecast: As of Thursday, December 20, the National Weather Service forecast for the hike was mostly cloudy and a chance of rain with a high near 52.  (Click here for an updated forecast).


More on this hike:  "G3 Sky Trailhead to Bear Valley" in the Martins' book, Hiking Marin, is a version of this hike although we usually go straight at Juntion #1 shown on their map and continue on to Sky Camp rather than take the detour up to Mt. Wittenberg (which we do on a separate loop hike from the Sky Trailhead) and then back down to the Sky Trail before continuing on to the Old Pine Trail, Divide Meadow (where we had lunch on November 24th), and on to Bear Valley.  (Click here for the Seashore's South District Hiking Map which shows these trails).  

The following Google Earth image gives a bird's eye view of where we'll be hiking:

Winterim 2009 Hike Descriptions Now On-Line

In case you've mislaid Wendy's e-mail with the 2009 "Winterim" (five pay $17-as-you-go-or-not-each week) hikes that run from December 15th (no hikes on 12/22 or 12/29) through January 26th, click here to view and print a complete list.  (There is also a link to the list on the Meandering blog)

KQED Web Site Features Stories and Videos on Angel Island

 San Francisco PBS station KQED has two interesting stories (with video) about Angel Island on its Web site:  1) A Quest piece on exploring the island (you'll see Silvia Lange, our Tuesday Meandering songstress and Angel Island docent in the first video clip on meeting the park's guides), and 2) a Pacific Link story about the Immigration Station.

State Park Closure Status in Marin

Back in October, the California State Parks Department announced major weekday closures of parks throughout the state, including at all of the parks in Marin.  As a result, Wendy changed the schedule for the second half of the Fall College of Marin hiking season.

Last week, Jean Mullen told Dick Jordan that the Bootjack parking lot on Mt. Tam seemed to be closed, but that Pantoll and the road up the mountain to Rock Spring and East Peak were open when she was on the mountain recently.  On November 22, San Francisco Chronicle Outdoor writer Tom Stienstra reported that the road up to East Peak indeed would not be closed on weekdays this winter.  And in another piece published on December 3 about what parks were really closed on weekdays, he wrote this about the parks in Marin:

"Angel Island State Park: State Parks originally announced there would be major restroom closures on weekdays. Instead, four restrooms are open daily, two at Ayala Cove and two at the U.S. Immigration Station. (415) 435-5390.

China Camp State Park: The gorgeous walk-in campground is open Friday and Saturday nights only, first-come, first-served, through March 25. Campsites are then available by reservation starting March 26 through ReserveAmerica.com. The China Camp Museum is open only on weekends. (415) 456-0766.

Mount Tamalpais State Park: In October, State Parks announced that the road to East Peak and the Bootjack parking area would be closed on weekdays. That was canceled and both areas are now open daily. Pantoll's great walk-in campsites are still open, first-come, first-served. (415) 388-2070.

Olompali State Park: One of the casualties. Open only on weekends, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., with a new $8 entrance fee. (415) 892-3383.

Samuel P. Taylor State Park: Camping was hiked to $35 per night, approaching low-cost hotel rates in rural areas and now the state park standard. But at least the campground is still open, first-come, first-served through March 25; for dates after that, reservations are available now at ReserveAmerica.com. (415) 488-9897.

Tomales Bay State Park: You may remember that in October, State Parks said Tomales Bay State Park would be open only on weekends and holidays. Nope. This park is open daily, 8 a.m. to sunset. (415) 669-1140."

In its December 3rd edition, the weekly West Marin Citizen reported that Tomales Bay and Samuel P. Taylor State Parks would remain open seven days a week with the National Park Service providing additional staffing.  The paper made this cryptic comment:  "No change is expected to the status of Mount Tamalpais State Park."

An October 26, 2009 news release on the California State Parks Web site detailed the planned closures, but there does not seem to be a subsequent news release announcing the changes listed in the December 3rd stories by Stienstra and the West Marin Citizen, and Dick found no specific information about the changes on the state park Web site for Mount Tam.

Dick hopes to learn more about the state of the State Parks when Roy Stearns, Deputy Director of Communications for the state parks department, addresses the January meeting of the Bay Area Travel Writers.

(Click here to learn what steps the California State Parks Foundation is taking to try to insure long-term funding for the parks).

"Final Exam" Hike at Lake Lagunitas (Dec. 8) Preview

We return to the MMWD watershed for our final hike of the Fall 2009 "2" session.  Here's what we'll be doing:  "We make a partial circle around the lake, looking for ring-neck ducks, mergansers, grebes and other birds, and then make a loop past Pilot Knob, returning on Southern Marin Line. We usually see newts and some interesting mushrooms on this hike. Bring your contribution to our gourmet feast, plus a plate, utensils, and a cup."  (Click here for a recap of our December 2008 "Final Exam" hike at this location).

Directions to trailhead: Take Sir Francis Drake Boulevard into Fairfax. Jog left and make an immediate right in front of the movie theater. The first left puts you on Bolinas Avenue. Follow this until you see the sign on your left for Lake Bon Tempe and Lake Lagunitas. Follow the road to the toll booth by Sky Oaks Ranger Station. (Click here for the MMWD map and directions). The continue past to toll booth until you reach the end of the room.

The day use fee is $7.  You can use $1, $5, or $10 bills and coins at the automated pay station, or a Visa or Mastercard. Annual entrance passes are normally $50 ($25 for those 62 and older), but after September 1st you can buy one for half of those prices and the pass will be valid through January 31, 2010.  (As Dick recalls, you pay the annual pass fee at the automated pay station, then have to either stop at the Sky Oaks Ranger Station on the way out and ask them to send your receipt to the main office in Corte Madera which will issue the pass and mail it to you, or you have to send or take the receipt to that office yourself).

Time: 30 minutes from College of Marin. Restrooms in parking lot.

Weather forecast: Although most of next week looks to be pretty wet, weather wise, we may be a little break on Tuesday.  As of Friday morning, the National Weather Service forecast for the hike was mostly cloudy with a chance of rain and a high near 55 . (Click here for an updated National Weather service forecast).

More on this hike:  Hike C16 (Lakeview FR to Pilot Knob) in the Martin's book, Hiking Marin, sets out a shorter hike than we'll be doing; instead of following the Pilot Knob trail back to the parking lot, we'll take a longer route back by continuing eastward and then looping back the west, picking up the Southern Marin Line Road (called the Filter Plant Road on the Martin's map). (Click here to view, zoom in on, and print a map of the MMWD watershed lands).

A Walk In The Park - Bear Valley (November 24)

The weather couldn't have been better for our final hike of November:  Bright and sunny, a little cool in the shade, but warm in the sun, from morning until afternoon, out in Bear Valley at Point Reyes National Seashore.

We left our packs in the cars at the outset, and then spent about an hour and a quarter hiking a measly 0.8 miles up and down the woodpecker trail ("F1 - Bear Valley Interpretive Trails" if you have the Martins' book, Hiking Marin).  We dilly dallied around because of the plethora of mushrooms sprouting everywhere along the trail thanks to the recent wet weather.  A giant Douglas Fir was full of holes punched out by Acorn Woodpeckers to stash their supply of nuts. We found a California slender salamander here, too.  After a brief stop at the Morgan Horse Farm to watch a Black Phoebe flit back and forth in search of bugs on the wing, we returned to the parking lot to retrieve our packs and begin the second part of the day's hiking.  (Click here for Wendy's list of all flora and fauna spotted during the day).

By about 11:15 a.m. we were on our way up the Bear Valley Trail headed for Divide Meadow where we planned to stop for lunch.  A slow, but steady stream of water was headed the other direction along the creek that parallels the trail.  A Downy Woopecker crawled around a tree above us.  Ferns thrived in the shady sections.  In a little over an hour we had climbed 250 feet to the meadow and plopped down to relax in the sunshine and quell our appetites. 

Before we retraced our steps downhill to the Bear Valley Visitor Center, Wendy recounted the history of the long-gone 35 room sportsmen's lodge built along the edge of the meadow by San Francisco's Pacific Union Club during the 1890's.  The planned golf course, tennis courts, and swimming pool never made it off the plans on onto the ground, but the lodge building stood until it was removed in 1950.

It was all downhill, literally, but not figuratively, during the 1.6 mile stroll back to the Bear Valley Visitor Center and our cars.  Clouds portending rain later in the week had begun to streak the sky which had been clear blue when we left two and half hours earlier.  Compared to some of our hikes (like Limantour Road to Bear Valley via Divide Meadow), this was really a walk in the park:  Just 4.0 miles total.  Hardly enough to burn off many calories before "reloading" two days later on Thanksgiving.

(Click here to view more of Dick Jordan's photos taken during this hike.  If you've misplaced the link to Theresa Fisher's separate on-line album of hike pictures, click here).

Bahia Open Space Hike (Dec. 1) Preview

This week we'll head north to the Novato area and do some birdwatching on a portion of the Marin County Open Space lands. Here's Wendy's description of this outing: "This is a wonderful birding area and the ducks and shore birds are all back in Marin! We can expect green-winged teal, northern shovelers, American avocets, yellowlegs, and more. I’ll bring a spotting scope, but bring binoculars if you have them. (If you don’t have any, I have extras you can share.)"  (Click here for a list of species that can be found in this area).

Directions to trailhead: Take Highway 101 and exit on Atherton Avenue in Novato. Go east, until Bugeia Lane splits left and Atherton goes right. Take Bugeia which becomes Bahia and park at the end of the street.

Driving time from College of Marin: 35 minutes. No restrooms.

Weather forecast: As of Tuesday evening, November 24, the weather forecast for this hike is sunny with a high near 62 (Click here for an updated National Weather Service forecast).

More on this hike: Hiking in this particular areas isn't covered by any of the trailguides which Dick Jordan has, but you can click here for the Marin County Open Space District's description of the Rush Creek area.
(Click here to view and print out a map of this area).

Dick Jordan's Travel Writing Blog

On the way back from today's hike at Bear Valley, Kathy expressed interest is seeing my "Official Travel Writer's" blog called "Tales Told from the Road."  If you'd like to see it, just click here.

Sky Oaks Hike (Nov. 17) Hike Photos Now On-Line

You can access Theresa Fisher's photos from Tuesday's Sky Oaks hike by clicking here.

Bear Valley Hike (November 24) Preview

Although we often hike out at Point Reyes National Seashore during the summer, this week we'll make a pre-Thanksgiving trip out to the park (perhaps during a little wild turkey hunting along the way in the San Geronimo Valley?).  Here' Wendy's description of the hike:  "Bear Valley is home to one of the largest acorn woodpecker colonies in California! We'll go to Kule Loklo to see the reconstructed Miwok Village, stop by the Morgan Horse Ranch, then take Woodpecker trail to Bear Valley Trail to walk where in the 1880s visitors could take an excursion by wagon 'for miles and miles through a tree canopied glen, banked with ferns.' Lunch at Divide Meadow."

Directions to trailhead:  Take Sir Francis Drake Boulevard west through and beyond Samuel P. Taylor State Park. Turn right at Olema and make an immediate left onto Bear Valley Road. From Bear Valley Road. turn left to the Visitor's Center. We'll hike out Bear Valley Trail and have lunch at Divide Meadow.

Time: 50 minutes from College of Marin. Restrooms at trailhead, portable en route.

Weather forecast:  As of Thursday, November 19, the forecast for Tuesday's hike was mostly sunny with a high near 63. Click here for an updated forecast from the National Weather Service).

More on this hike:  Hikes F1 (Bear Valley Interpretive Trails) and F2 (Bear Valley - Meadow - Horse Trails) in the Martins' book, Hiking Marin, and the Bear Valley Trail to Divide Meadow hike in Tracy Salcedo-Chourrre's Exploring Point Reyes National Seashore and Golden Gate National Recreation Area show the general area where we'll be hiking.  The Seashore's Bear Valley map shows the Kule Loklo and Woodpecker trails, and the park's South District Hiking map has the Bear Valley to Divide Meadow trail.

What's In Store, Weather-Wise, for This Winter?

Our October rains seem to foretell a wet winter, but it's been very dry since then.  How much rain will we get this year?  Will there be a big snowpack in the Sierra?  Is the drought over?  Check out Tom Stienstra's long-range winter forecast which appeared in the Sunday, November 15, San Francisco Chronicle.

Sky Oaks Hike (Nov. 17) Preview

This week we'll in the MMWD watershed near Fairfax. Here's Wendy's description of the hike:

"This loop starts out in oak/bay/madrone habitat, but we'll also see redwoods and some grassland. If we've gotten some rain we should see mushroom including sulfur tufts, jack-o-lanterns, grisettes, Zeller's boletes, and manzanita boletes."  (Click here to read about our last hike in this general area on October24,  2008).

Directions to trailhead: Take Sir Francis Drake Boulevard into Fairfax. Jog left and make an immediate right in front of the movie theater. The first left puts you on Bolinas Avenue. Follow this until you see the sign on your left for Lake Bon Tempe and Lake Lagunitas. Follow the road to the toll booth by Sky Oaks Ranger Station. (Click here for the MMWD map and directions).

The day use fee is $7.  You can use $1, $5, or $10 bills and coins at the automated pay station, or a Visa or Mastercard. Annual entrance passes are normally $50 ($25 for those 62 and older), but after September 1st you can buy one for half of those prices and the pass will be valid through January 31, 2010.  (As Dick recalls, you pay the annual pass fee at the automated pay station, then have to either stop at the Sky Oaks Ranger Station on the way out and ask them to send your receipt to the main office in Corte Madera which will issue the pass and mail it to you, or you have to send or take the receipt to that office yourself).

Time: 25 minutes from College of Marin. Portapotty in parking lot.

Weather forecast: As of Thursday, the weather forecast for this hike was partly cloudy with a high near 65 and a chance of showers. (Click here for an updated National Weather service forecast).

More on this hike: Hike C12 (Taylor-Concrete Pipe-Bullfrog Fire Road) in the Martins' book, Hiking Marin, shows the area where we will be hiking (our route may differ) in this part of the MMWD watershed.  (Click here to view and print the MMWD map of this area).

Muir Woods (Nov. 2) Hike Photos Now On-Line!

Theresa Fisher shot several photos during last week's hike in Muir Woods:  Click here to view them.

Indian Tree Open Space Hike (Nov. 10) Preview

This week we head north and east to the Novato area to hike in the Indian Tree Open Space Preserve.  Here's Wendy's hike description:  "We hike a pretty loop trail with mushrooms, views, and a grove of old redwoods that escaped logging.  If there have been late rains you may want to boots [Dick: make that "old" boots, or Goretex or waterproofed ones] or be prepared to rock hop a few streams."  (Click here to read the recap of our last hike in this area on February 3, 2009).

Directions: Take Highway 101 north. Exit at San Marin Drive and go west. San Marin becomes Sutro Avenue after if crosses Novato Boulevard. Turn right (west) onto Vineyard Road. The trail starts where the paved road turns into a dirt road. Time: 35 minutes from College of Marin. No restrooms at trailhead. (Carpoolers meet about 9:15-9:20 am at the Park & Ride lot on the east side of Highway 101 at Smith Ranch Road in the Terra Linda area north of the Marin Civic Center and downtown San Rafael).

Weather forecast: As of noon on Thursday, November  5, the National Weather Service forecast for Tuesday's hike was mostly cloudy with a slight chance of showers and a high near 63. (Click here for an updated National Weather Service forecast).

More on this hike: The Marin County Open Space District operates the preserve on a portion of this area (the North Marin Water District owns adjacent land) and its Web site provides a viewable/printable trail map and a list of the species of various critters we might encounter. Barry Spitz's book, Open Spaces (Marin County Open Space District, 2000) describes the area and contains a map similar to that found on the MCOSD Web site). The following hike ("E9 Deer Camp - Big Trees Trails) from the Martin's book, Hiking Marin, is probably much longer (7.2 miles) than the one we'll actually take, but shows the general area where we'll be hiking.

Correction to Nov. 3 Muir Woods Hike

We'll be hiking on the Dipsea (not "Dipsed") and Ben Johnson trails.

IMPORTANT REMINDER! LOCATION CHANGE FOR NOV. 3RD HIKE!!!

Just a reminder that our Tuesday, November 3rd hike has been changed from "Boojack to Mt. Theater" on Mt. Tam to "Dipsea to Ben Johnson Trails" in Muir Woods.

Directions to trailhead: From Highway 101 take the Stinson Beach exit, turn left (west) on Shoreline Highway, right on Panoramic Highway and left on Muir Woods Road. Meet at Muir Woods Parking Lot #2. Time: 35 minutes from College of Marin. Restrooms at trailhead. (Carpoolers can meet at the Greenbrae Park & Ride lot near the intersection of Sir Francis Drake Boulevard and Highway 101 at 9:10 am).

Weather forecast: As of Thursday, October 29, the National Weather Service forecast for Mill Valley on Tuesday, November 3rd, is sunny with a high near 73. (Click here for an updated forecast).

More on this hike: We'll hike up the Dipsea Trail, then descend back to the floor of Muir Woods on the Ben Johnson Trail. (Click here to view and download the park trail map). If you have Tracy Salcedo-Chourre's book, Exploring Point Reyes National Seashore and Golden Gate National Recreation Area, you'll see that she proposes hiking this route in the reverse direction (up the Ben Johnson, down the Dipsea) from our plan, but her book will at least give you an idea of what our hike will be like.

Muir Woods (Dipsea to Ben Johnson) Hike (Nov. 3) Preview

The state government taketh (Mt. Tam) away, but the federal government giveth (Muir Woods) to us for our next hike on Tuesday, November 3rd.  Here's Wendy's description of the hike: "Instead of racing up the Dipsea, we’ll stop to admire ancient redwoods, beautiful views, and hopefully some mushrooms."  (Click here to read the recap of our last hike on these trails on February 10, 2009).

Directions to trailhead: From Highway 101 take the Stinson Beach exit, turn left (west) on Shoreline Highway, right on Panoramic Highway and left on Muir Woods Road. Meet at Muir Woods Parking Lot #2. Time: 35 minutes from College of Marin. Restrooms at trailhead. (Carpoolers can meet at the Greenbrae Park & Ride lot near the intersection of Sir Francis Drake Boulevard and Highway 101 at 9:10 am).

Weather forecast: As of Thursday, October 29, the National Weather Service forecast for Mill Valley on Tuesday, November 3rd, is sunny with a high near 73. (Click here for an updated forecast).

More on this hike: We'll hike up the Dipsea Trail, then descend back to the floor of Muir Woods on the Ben Johnson Trail. (Click here to view and download the park trail map). If you have Tracy Salcedo-Chourre's book, Exploring Point Reyes National Seashore and Golden Gate National Recreation Area, you'll see that she proposes hiking this route in the reverse direction (up the Ben Johnson, down the Dipsea) from our plan, but her book will at least give you an idea of what our hike will be like.

NEW! Changes to the Meandering in Marin on Tuesdays Blog

The Meandering in Marin blog has a few new wrinkles:

• Upcoming Hike List: Go to the right hand column of the blog right under the mini-slideshow of photos from the last hike) to find a list all future hikes in the current session in date order (soonest to latest).  However, there is no longer a link from each hike on the list to the details for that hike.
• Details for All Hikes:  If you've mislaid your copy of the details for all of the hikes in the current session, just click on the link just below the Upcoming Hikes list on the blog, view, and print out another copy.  The revised schedule for Fall 2 (including the change in location for the November 3 and 10 hikes) is now on-line.  (If you happen to have an iPhone, or another "smartphone" that can store and read PDF files, you can put the detailed hike list on your phone.  For iPhones, get the Documents to Go program from the Apple App Store).
  

• E-mailed Hike Preview:  Dick will continue to e-mail you his usual hike preview a few days before each hike with a description of the outing, directions to the trailhead, link to the National Weather Service forecast for that Tuesday, etc.  

• Post-Hike Recaps:  An abbreviated post-hike recap will appear in the left-hand side of the blog.  Just click on "Read More" at the end of this short version to read the entire recap.  (The entire recap will continue to be e-mailed to you after each hike).

Don't forget to check out the right-hand column of the blog for links to other useful Web sites, archives of past blog posts, and the on-line albums of hike photos.

Up High Towards the Sky and Above the Bay (Tennessee Valley, Oct. 27)

Fifteen of us kicked off the Fall 2009 hiking series, Part Deux, on the last Tuesday in October with a hike high above Tennessee Valley.  After doing our usual recap of our activities and adventures during the past week, we set off on a mile and half steady climb up the Marincello Trail hitting an elevation of almost exactly 800' above sea-level.  Along the way we stopped to enjoy views back towards Mount Tam, east across Richardson Bay, and south down the coast past San Francisco, while Wendy filled us in the history of  Marincello, a new city planned, but never built, in the Marin Headlands. 

Tennessee Valley Hike Photos Now On-Line!

Photos from this week's hike above Tennessee Valley taken by Theresa Fisher and Dick Jordan are now on-line. 

You can view them in the mini-slideshow window on the Meandering blog, or by clicking here to go directly to the Picasa Web album of the latest hike photos.

NEW! Tuesday Hike Schedule Revised Due to State Park Closures

Wendy has revised the Tuesday Fall 2 hike schedule to take into account the weekday closures at California State Parks in Marin.  Here are the changes:

• November 3:  Hike the Dipsea and Ben John Trails in Muir Woods (replaces the Bootjack to Mt. Theater hike)
• November 10:  Hike the Indian Tree Open Space in Novato (replaces the China Camp State Park hike)

Click here to view and print a revised list of all Fall 2 Tuesday hikes.

Marincello Hike (October 27) Photos by Theresa Fisher

Click here for the link to Theresa Fisher's Facebook album of photos she took on yesterday's hike from Tennessee Valley up the Marincello Trail and back down Oakwood Valley.  (Dick Jordan will post these photos and some of his own on the blog later this week).

State Park Closures in Marin Annouced!

The Wednesday, October 28th issue of the Marin I-J says that all six of Marin's State Parks will be closed at least periodically because of the state's budget woes.  Some of these closures will impact our Meandering in Marin hikes.  

It looks like we'll need a new starting point or a "Plan B" hike for next Tuesday, November 3rd, when we planned to hike from Bootjack parking lot on Mt. Tam to West Point Inn and then on to the Mountain Theater, since the Bootjack parking lot will be closed.  Standby for an update on this outing.  The only other Fall 2 session hike that could be affected by the closures include the one at China Camp State Park (November 10).

Our Winter and Spring hikes on Mount Tam may be limited to areas below the Ridgecrest, since it looks like the state is closing road access to the top of the mountain on weekdays.  We usually hike in Olompali State Park during the Spring, but this year the park will be closed weekdays as will Tomales Bay State Park.

The closures will be in effect through the current fiscal year which ends June 30, 2010.

Route for Today's Marincello Hike

Dick's iPhone battery apparently died during today's hike, but if you click on this link, you can see the first 3.7 miles we covered (basically until we got to or near the flat area in Oakwood Valley). If you have Google Earth on your computer, you can download the hike and rotate and tilt the image.

Marincello Hike at EveryTrail

Map created by EveryTrail: Share and Plan your Trips

I-J Publishes Story on Hiking in Marin

Today's (Sunday, October 25) Marin IJ features a supplement entitled "Marin 101" with a story about eight local hikes.  Click here to read it on-line.

October 27 Tennessee Valley, GGNRA: Hike Preview

Last week's "Final Exam" hike took us from Tennessee Valley north towards Mill Valley, then west toward the ocean, before looping back to the start.

This week's loop hike will take us south from Tennessee Valley and features panoramic views of the Bay. You’ll appreciate the fact that it’s open space as you learn about Marincello, a city of 18,000 that was planned for this area! (See photo of a model of the Marincello development at the left).

We may see hawks like the Northern harrier, brush rabbits, and even a coyote.

Directions to trailhead:  Take the Stinson Beach exit from Highway101. Follow signs to Stinson Beach and Muir Woods, then turn left on Tennessee Valley Road and take it to the parking lot at the end.

Time: 40 minutes from College of Marin. Portables at trailhead. One section can be very muddy, so waterproof your hiking boots if we’ve had any rain!

Weather forecast:  As of Wednesday, October 21, the National Weather Service forecast for the area of our hike is sunny with a high near 65.  (Click here for an updated forecast).

More on this hike:  You won't find this hike described in either the Martins' book, Hiking Marin, or Tracy Salcedo-Chourre's Exploring Point Reyes Seashore and Golden Gate National Recreation Area.  Look instead at the GGNRA Marin Headlands trail map.  We'll head up the Marincello and Bobcat Trails, do a sharp turn and head down the Alta and Oakwood Valley Trails, then cross Tennessee Valley Road and walk west on the Rhubarb Trail until we get back to the parking lot.

Bikes On Bill's Trail in Devil's Gulch?

After returning home from Europe a dozen days ago, I've been catching up on e-mail, snail mail, newsletters, etc.  I see from Theresa Fisher's photos that when you hiked in Devil's Gulch two weeks ago you went up Bill's Trail and that Theresa wasn't able to find out any information about that route.

Tonight I picked up the September-October issue of the Marin Conservation League newsletter and found a story about MCL's battle with the State Parks over turning Bill's Trail into a multi-use (e.g., mountain bikes as well as hikers and horses) trail. (Click here to read it).

Greetings from Amsterdam

I'm now into day 28 of a 32 day trip to Europe.  Internet access has proved problematic at times, particularly being able to access the Meandering blog and the Google Group mailing list, which explains the delay in posting photos that Theresa Fisher has taken on recent Meandering hikes.

In addition, it hasn't been possible to easily send posts from my Europe trip blog to you, but if you are interested in reading that blog, just click here or go to http://rjcjeurope2009.blogspot.com/.   For the same reason, I haven't been able to put many trip photos on-line yet, but you can click here or go to http://picasaweb.google.com/PalmDriver/ContinentalDrift?authkey=Gv1sRgCI6o2ZGQ5uimWA&feat=directlink to see the photos that have been posted.

Hope you've had a good fall hiking in Marin. From the weather forecasts we're getting here in Holland, it looks like it has been warm back home.  I fly home Thursday and hope to join you for Part II of the Fall Meandering series.

Dick Heads to Europe for A Month

No posts to the Meandering blog recently and for another few weeks as Dick Jordan prepares to head to Europe and crisscross The Continent for a month.

Your choice:  Enjoy a respite from Dick's blog posts and watch "Survivor"  or your favorite "soap operas" on TV; check out Dick's Europe trip blog (http://rjcjeurope2009.blogspot.com/) whenever you're bored, or ask Dick to add you to the mailing list for his trip blog updates.

In the meantime, keep on Meandering in Marin!

Dallas Morning News Publishes Dick's Alaska Story

The Dallas Morning News, one of America's premier daily newspapers with an outstanding Sunday Travel section, published Dick's story "Glacial pace: Go with the floe and see what southeast Alaska has to offer" on August 16, 2009.

The story (not yet available on the newspaper's Web site) and three of Dick's photos took up an entire page of the paper's Travel section.

This is Dick's second story on glacier touring in Southeast Alaska.  His first story on this part of America appeared on Mother's Day in the San Francisco Chronicle.

Silvia Returns for Angel Island Hike

Silvia Lange has been hiking with Wendy for dog's years. But she's been playing Doggie Mama for the last three months and not been joining us for our weekly hikes, making only a cameo appearance with her Lab, Hettie, at our Spring "Final Exam" luncheon.

But this coming week, Silvia, who in her "spare time" is an Angel Island docent, returns to Meandering on Tuesday to help Wendy lead our outing on San Francisco Bay's biggest island.

Angel Island Hike (August 25) Preview

The Governator hasn't "terminated" Angel Island State Park (as yet), so we still have an opportunity to hike there in case the park is eventually closed. Here's Wendy's description of the outing: "We'll check out the outside of the new Immigration Station, but not do the tour, and then go to the top of Mt. Livermore, and take the 3:30 p.m. ferry back." Bring cash or check for the ferry ($13.50 round trip; no credit cards) and cash for the park entrance fee ($3.00). (Bring $17 in cash or check for Wendy, too!).

Directions to the trailhead: We'll take the 10 a.m. ferry from Tiburon to the island.

Allow time to park and don't miss the boat! (Although it's only 10-minute trip, the next ferry doesn't run until 11:00 a.m.). The ferry dock is at 21 Main Street. Parking gets more expensive the closer you get to the ferry. There is sometimes on-street free parking if you make a left on Mar West, the corner the library is on. Allow ten minutes to walk from there to the ferry.

Restrooms at ferry in Tiburon and on Angel Island. Carpool from Greenbrae Park and Ride at 9:15 a.m.

Weather forecast: As of Saturday, August 22nd, the National Weather Service forecast for Angel Island on Tuesday, August 25th was for patchy fog before 11 a.m. otherwise mostly sunny with a high near 65. (Click here for an updated forecast).

More information on this hike: The Martin's book, Hiking Marin, sets out two hikes on the island: "A12 North Ridge Trail to Mt. Livermore" and "A13 Angel Island Perimeter Trail."

Click here to go to the Angel Island State Park page on the California State Park's Web site. Click here for on-line information provided by the Angel Island Association.

You'll find a map of the island on page 4 of the state park brochure.

Here's a Google Earth bird's eye view of the island: