Final Exam (March 16) Photos Now Online!

Click here to see photos shot by Walter Drucker, Theresa Fisher, and Dick Jordan on our March 16th hike around Bon Tempe Lake.

"Final Exam" Fun (Bon Tempe-Lagunitas March 16)

For the second straight week we had a fine weather day for our end of Winter "Final Exam" hike.  Another Tuesday hiking group we met in the parking lot made us feel slothful:  They were headed up, up up to the East Peak of Mount Tam, and then down, down, downhill to the parking lot at Lagunitas Lake.

We, on the other hand, were planning to just mosey along the north shore of Bon Tempe Lake, and then mosey on back to our cars and stuff our faces over our usual Enough-To-Feed-An-Army post-hike lunch.

When we've done this hike in the past we've started off in a northwesterly direction from the parking lot and then bushwhacked our way across meadows and through the trees to reach the access road.  This time the CCC had done trail clearing and put a new sign marking the "Alex Forman Trail" (which Dick does not find on any of the maps or trail guidebooks he has) that route.  Wendy found a flat millipede hiding under a log along this trail.

By 10:45 a.m. we were meandering along the aptly named Sunnyside Trail close to the lakeshore.  Along the way we encountered a couple of Smarter-Than-Us guys sitting by the lake fishing and enjoying the fine weather.  Ground Iris and Pinchusion Sanicle were among the flowers we spotted and Bee Flies and am Acmon Blue butterfly flew by us. Oaks dotted the hillsides to the north. Forty-five minutes later we had reached Bon Tempe dam and found a raft of cormorants in their usual wing-drying spot on a log boom in front of the dam.

As we began our loop back to the parking lot we continued  to hear the the rat-a-tat-tat of a Pileated Woodpecker hanging out unseen in the forest about the Shadyside Trail. Turret spiders had built their burrows along this section of the trail. About halfway back we got a good view of Common Mergansers swimming along just off-shore.  By 2:00 p.m. we were lounging in the shade under the trees next to the creek scarfing up our "Final Exam" meal.

In order to earn our calories we hiked a little over four miles.  (The Google Earth Image below shows our route).

But the elevation loss and gain on this hike was pretty modest as shown by the profile below.

Indian Valley Open Space Hike (3/30) Preview

Two loops combine to make an interesting hike.  We have seen 9 species of butterflies other years!  Last year we heard the first orange crowned warbler, pacific slop flycatcher, warbling vireo, and Wilson's warbler on this hike!  (Click here for a recap of last year's hike).

Directions to trailhead: Take Highway 101 to the Ignacio Boulevard exit. Go west and follow Ignacio Boulevard into the Indian Valley College campus. Our hike starts from parking lot #7 by the athletic field. (Click here for to view and print a map of the campus). Bring a dozen quarters to get a ticket from the parking machines ($3/day ). 25 minutes from College of Marin. Restrooms at trailhead. (Carpoolers can meet at Smith Ranch Park & Ride lot around 9:15-20 am).

Weather forecast: As of Saturday, March 27, the National Weather Service forecast for Novato on Tuesday, March 30 was mostly cloudy with a 50 percent chance of rain and a high near 59. (Click here for an updated forecast).

More on this hike: Two hikes in the Martin's book, Hiking Marin, cover the area that we'll traverse: "E6 Indian Valley FR - Waterfall Trail" and "E7 Schwindt - Wildcat Trails". You can also view and print the map and species list for the Marin County Open Space District's Indian Valley preserve. (For another hike description and more photos of the IVC Open Space, check out this page on the "Bay Area Hiker" Web site). The Google Earth photo below shows this area. (Click on the photo to open a larger image in your Web browser).

Discounted Ferry Ride for Silvia's Celebration of Life on Sunday

In case you did not already receive this information from Wendy, if you are taking the 10 a.m. ferry from Tiburon to Angel Island can get a $3 discount on the usual fare ($13.50/adults round-trip, includes state park fee, cash or checks only, pay as you board; click here for more information including directions and where to park) by telling the ferry ticket seller that you are attending the Celebration of Silvia Lange's Life.

The event will start just after 11 a.m. to allow time for the San Francisco ferry to arrive.  We will probably be in the picnic area behind the Visitor's Center. There will be refreshments around 12 noon and a hike about 1 p.m.  For those who don't want to hike, we hope to have videos/DVDs of Silvia to play at the Visitor's Center.

Spring Hikes Begin on March 30; Schedule Now On-Line

Just a reminder:  No Tuesday hike next week on March 23rd. The next hike will be Tuesday, March 30th at the Indian Valley College Open Space.  (Click here to view and print an updated, corrected hike schedule for March 30 - May 18).

CCI Names Puppy In Honor of Silvia

Silvia worked as a puppy raiser for Canine Companions for Independence. CCI has named one of the latest puppies to join the program "Lang" in honor of her work.  (Photo at left of "Lang" at age five weeks).

Food For Celebration of Silvia's Life

Wendy reminds those Meandering in Marin hikers that plan on coming to the Celebration of Silvia's life on Sunday to please bring a dessert to share that doesn't require a plate, spoon or fork.  About 125 people are expected to come.

Spring Is Springing (Blithedale Canyon, March 9)

Spring weather promoted twice as many of us to come out to hike this day as the previous week when rain showers pelted the half dozen who joined Wendy for the Deer Park to Phoenix Lake outing.  While some high clouds began to fill the skies overhead, no rain fell on our uphill-downhill parade.

We walked up the pavement on West Blithedale Avenue from where we had parked, then climbed about three-quarters of a mile up the H-Line Fire Road passing by a graffiti-festooned big green water tank.  Then we corkscrewed our way down to the Southern Marin Line Road and walked a level mile or so, passing numerous dogs and their owners, until we almost reached the end of Crown Road coming up from the College of Marin through Kent Woodlands.  We saw a Bewick's Wren, Dock Beetles, and a Western Fence lizard along this stretch of the trail.

The easy part of the hike ended and we wound our way back uphill on the narrow Hoo-Koo-E Trail until we reached the Corte Madera Ridge Fire Road and plopped down in the sunshine to enjoy lunch with a view across San Francisco Bay to Mount Diablo.  Earl The Pup joined us for the hike, but skipped lunch (apparently he was dieting that day).

Wildflowers were abloom.  Douglas Iris, Star Lily, Letid Adder's Tongue, and Mission Bells were among those we saw during the hike.  Big Leaf Maples were leafing out.  (Click here to see photos from the hike).

We traveled just over five miles (see the Google Earth image below).

The uphill segments all come before lunch.

It was literally all downhill after our repast.

Celebration of the Life of Sivia Lange: Sunday, March 21

In case you did not receive Wendy's March 6th e-mail or have misplaced it, here is the information about the Celebration of Silvia's Life this Sunday, March 21, at Angel Island:
 

People from Marin take the 10 a.m. ferry from Tiburon ($13.50/adults round-trip, includes state park fee, cash or checks only, pay as you board; click here for more information including directions and where to park), and people from San Francisco take the 10:35 a.m. Blue & Gold Fleet ferry from Pier 41 ($15/adults round-trip, Seniors 65 and over ride free, tickets can be purchased on-line and redeemable at the Self-Service Kiosk at Pier 39, the PIER 39 Box Office, or the Bay Crossings Store at the San Francisco Ferry Building.; click here for more information).

The event will start just after 11 a.m. to allow time for the San Francisco ferry to arrive.  We will probably be in the picnic area behind the Visitor's Center. There will be refreshments around 12 noon and a hike about 1 p.m.  For those who don't want to hike, we hope to have videos/DVDs of Silvia to play at the Visitor's Center.

We still need a good voice to lead the singing and someone who can make film the event for people who cannot attend.

Bon Tempe & Lagunitas Lakes "Final Exam" Hike (3/16) Preview

This is a lovely, level lakeside loop! Remember to bring your contribution to our gourmet feast, a plate, cup, and utensils.  (Click here for a recap of the hike we did on March 17, 2009).

Directions to trailhead:  As you enter Fairfax on Sir Francis Drake Boulevard jog left when you see the movie theater and make an immediate right. This puts you on the street that parallels Sir Francis Drake, but is on the other side of the Parkade.

Make the first left which is Bolinas Avenue. Follow the Bolinas-Fairfax Road for about 1 mile. Turn left onto Sky Oaks Road. You’ll need to pay at the kiosk ($8/day; or purchase a pass for $60 for Marin residents, $30 for seniors 62 and older, good through next January; pay with $1, $5 and $10 bills or Visa or Mastercard.  $20 bills are NOT accepted by the pay station.

Follow the paved road on to Lake Lagunitas. We’ll have lunch at the picnic area at Lake Lagunitas so you don’t need to carry the food for the potluck.

Time: 30 minutes from College of Marin. Restrooms at trailhead, portables en route. (Carpoolers can meet at St. Rita's around 9:15-9:20 am).

Weather forecast:  As of Sunday, March 14, the National Weather Service forecast for the hike was mostly sunny with a high near 64 and west northwest wind between 3 and 11 mph.

More on this hike: Hike "C13 Bon Tempe Lake Trail" in the Martins' book, Hiking Marin, shows the general area where we will be hiking. However, we'll start and end at trail junction #2 on their map, rather than at Bon Tempe dam. (Click here for an MMWD map that shows this area). The Google Earth image below shows both lakes in a view looking back towards Fairfax. (Click on the photo to open a larger image in your Web browser).

MALT Event: Temple Grandin Comes to Point Reyes Station (April 18)

Dr. Temple Grandin
Food & Farming on the Urban Edge Lecture  

Sunday, April 18, 3:00 PM, West Marin School, Point Reyes Station

Best-selling author and animal welfare advocate Dr. Temple Grandin designs livestock handling facilities and is a Professor of Animal Science at Colorado State University. Her books include Animals in Translation, Humane Livestock Handling, and Animals Make Us Human. She identifies the core emotional needs of animals and explains how to fulfill them for dogs and cats, horses, farm animals, and zoo animals. Whether it’s creating a healthy environment for dogs or keeping pigs from being bored, Dr. Grandin teaches us to challenge assumptions about animal contentment and honor our bond with our fellow creatures. Co-sponsored by Matrix Parent Network and Point Reyes Books.

COST: $10 MALT members/$15 non-members

Pre-registration is required.  Click here to register and pay on-line.  TICKETS ARE SELLING OUT FAST!

TIME: 3:00 P.M. Please arrive on time.

WHERE TO MEET: West Marin School, 11550 State Route1, ¼ mile north of Point Reyes Station (map)

Almost Spring (Deer Park to Phoenix Lake)

Soaked through clothing to the skin.  Hair plastered against heads.  Raindrops running in rivulets down cheeks, cascading off noses like Olympic ski jumpers flying into the air on the "Big Hill" at Whistler, and dripping off chins onto the ground.  That's what it was like when we met at Deer Park to begin on hike.  Fortunately, the six of us who joined Wendy were nice and dry in our rain duds; it was the "Thirty-Something" women who had just finished running over hill and dale that looked like half-drowned rats that had just jumped off a sinking ship.  While we stood around chatting about our activities during the last week, the rainfall slowed more and more, and by the time we were on the Deer Park Fire Road it had ceased altogether. 

Wendy found a large mushroom on this initial section of the trail reminding us that it was still Winter, while blooming Milkmaids and Hound's Tongue heralded the onset of Spring, "officially" three weeks away. 

At 10:30 we turned south on to the Six Points Trail. Water droplets continued to drip off the tree branches overhanging the trail, forcing us to keep our rainhats on and parka hoods up for a time.  Muddy water roared down the creek and we spotted Scarlet and Golden Waxy caps growing along the trail.

We climbed the steep incline to Six Points where we took a break, doffed some of our outer layers, and drank some water. Theresa made a "picture postcard" of Dick using his iPhone's camera and the strong cell phone signal let him send it on to his wife stuck behind her desk at work.

Clouds continued to boil up around Bald Hill and Mount Tam, releasing brief downpours from time to time as we headed down the Yolanda Trail to Phoenix Lake.  Rock Lettuce grew on outcroppings on the uphill side of the trail.  Lupine and Shooting Stars were among the wildflowers we saw on this section of the trail.  (Click here to see photos from the hike).

Just before 12:30 we passed the ranch manager's home on the former Porteous Ranch and plopped down near the lake to eat lunch.  Two male Mallards duked it out over the right to court a lone female.  Neil kept dry under an umbrella when the occasional shower tried to damped our meal.

Last year when we did this hike there was evidence that MMWD had recently taken steps to stabilize the steep banks on the west side of the Shaver Grade.  This year we could see that those steps were working, channeling water down into the creek on the east side and reducing erosion. A multitude of earthworms appreciated the work; it let them cross the road without being swept back into the downhill stream.

About an hour after leaving Phoenix Lake we ascended over 350 feet in elevation, passed the Five Corners trail junction, and started the All-Downhill-From-Here return to Deer Park.  We saw Red-Shouldered Hawks soaring over the hills as we hiked down the Junction Trail, then found a millipede resting its many weary feet at Oak Tree Junction.  A quarter hour later we were back at our cars and resting our own feet.

(Theresa Fisher's GPS shows that we hiked about 6 miles in a little over four hours.  Here's the Google Earth map that shows our route and the vertical profile showing the "ups and downs" of the hike).

Ed Wayburn, Protector of Parks, Dies at Age 103

Former Sierra Club President Edgar Wayburn of San Francisco, a prime mover in the establishment of the Point Reyes National Seashore and Golden Gate National Recreation Area, passed away on Friday, March 5th at age 103.  Dick Jordan (who met Ed on several occasions) learned of his death from their mutual friend, Amy Meyer, who helped Ed and the late Congressman Phil Burton of San Francisco give birth to the GGNRA.  (Amy is the author of the book New Guardians For The Golden Gate which chronicles the park's history; Dick gets a brief mention in the book for his work with Ed and Amy's citizen group, People For A Golden Gate National Recreation Area).

Rembering Silvia Lange: March 21st on Angel Island

As you know from Wendy's e-mail of Monday, March 1st, a Celebration of The Life of Silvia Lange will be held at Angel Island State Park on Sunday, March 21st. (Details, including the exact time, will follow).

In the meantime, Wendy asked Dick Jordan to pass along this tribute to Silvia which Michael Colbruno posted to the "Lives of The Dead:  Mountain View Cemetery in Oakland" blog.

Blithedale Canyon Loop in Mill Valley Hike (3/9) Preview

A loop with great views of Mt. Tamalpais! We should see the beautiful mist maidens, mission bells, and huckleberry and tree poppies in bloom. Probably a 9 fern day!

Directions to trailhead: Take East Blithedale exit from Highway 101. Where you cross Throckmorton it becomes West Blithedale. Go 0.9 miles and look for parking at Marsh Drive and West Blithedale on both the left and the right sides of the street. (Click here for a map and driving directions). Time: 30 minutes from COM. (Carpoolers can meet at the Greenbrae Parking & Ride lot around 9:15-9:20 am). No restrooms at trailhead. 

Weather forecast:  As of Friday, March 5th, the National Weather Service forecast for Tuesday's hike was partly sunny with a high near 57.  (Click here for an updated forecast).

More on this hike: Hike "B1 Blithedale Ridge - Corte Madera Trails" in the Martins' book, Hiking Marin, shows the area we will be hiking in although our route may differ slightly from the one they set out for their hike. (This area is also shown on the map of the Marin County Open Space District's Baltimore Canyon Preserve and Blithedale Summit Preserve).   

This Google Earth image shows Marsh Drive and West Blithedale Avenue in Mill Valley where we'll meet to start our hike. We'll head up to the ridge at the top of the picture (which looks east over Corte Madera and Larkspur to the Richmond-San Rafael Bridge), hike along it, then double back to our starting point. (Click on the photo to open a larger image in your Web browser).

MALT Spring Hikes & Tours Begin on March 26

The Marin Agricultural Land Trust will kick off its annual Hikes & Tours program on March 26th at the Artisan Cheese Festival in Petaluma and a "Wildflowers & Vineyards" walk the next day.

Events through mid-June are now posted on MALT's Web site; click here for more information.