Ups And Downs: Bootjack Loop On Mount Tam (Feb. 9)

Despite an adverse weather forecast, the clouds began to part when we left the parking lot at Bootjack and began our mile long uphill climb to the Mountain Theater.  Along the way we saw the first of many streams rushing down the mountain thanks to copious precipitation over the last few weeks.  Abundant lichens, moss, and funghi reminded us that it is still mid-winter even on the south-facing slopes of Tam.

About an hour after starting out we gathered on the "stage" of the theater to discuss which musical play performed here was our favorite.  Then we walked across the stone seats built years ago and headed east down the Rock Springs Trail towards the West Point Inn.  Along this section of the trail we had sweeping views across the Marin Headlands to San Francisco and the East Bay, and south along the coast towards Pacifica. 

The wind began to blow strong and cold as we sat at the picnic tables on the porch of the West Point Inn and most of us wolfed down our lunch, then bought a hot drink from the Inn and sat on the front steps, out of the wind, and in the sun.

Clouds began to gather as we trooped a half-mile down the Nora Trail and then began a traverse back to Bootjack along the Matt Davis Trail.  Manzanita and Huckleberry were blooming, and Indian Paintbrush and Indian Warrior pushed their red and crimson stalks up from the soil.  A light, misty drizzle came and went, producing only the tiny amounts of water compared to that flowing down the mountain.

Ambling along at an average speed of 1.6 mph, we covered the 4.4 miles in about 4.5 hours, finishing the hike about half hour behind schedule.  Here's a profile of the hike and a Google Earth image that shows our route.  (Click here to view photos taken by Theresa Fisher and Dick Jordan during the hike).