Mountain Home to West Point Inn Hike (11/6) Preview

We haven't done this loop hike from Mountain Home up to West Point Inn (bring some cash if you want coffee, lemonade, hot chocolate or other snacks) for so long that it's not previously been covered in the Meandering blog.

Directions to trailhead: Take the Stinson Beach/Highway 1 exit off Highway 101. Go west through Tam Valley and up onto the ridge. Turn right onto Panoramic Highway and follow signs to Mt. Tamalpais. Drive about 4 miles. When you reach Mountain Home Inn on your right, park in the parking lot across the road on your left.

50 minutes from College of Marin. Carpoolers can meet at the Greenbrae Park & Ride lot at 9:00 am.  Outhouse at trail head, restrooms at West Point Inn lunch stop.

Weather forecast: As of Wednesday, October 31, the National Weather Service forecast for the hike was sunny, with a high near 83. (Click here for an updated forecast.)

More on this hike:  Hike "B10 "Old RR Grade to West Point Inn" in the Martin's book, Hiking Marin, shows the area where we’ll be hiking, although the route we take may differ. The trails are also shown on the Mount Tamalpais map and the Mount Tamalpais State Park brochure. 

East Peak Mt. Tam Hike (10/30) Preview

This week we once again hike in Mount Tamalpais State Park.

This lovely loop takes up be California torreya trees with their nutmeg-like nuts, past scenic Inspiration Point, to beautiful Colier Spring where we lunch under the redwoods. We'll take Northside Trail to International Trail after lunch.

Directions to trailhead:  Take the Stinson Beach/Highway 1 exit off Highway 101. Go west through Tam Valley and up onto the ridge.

Turn right onto Panoramic Highway and follow signs to Mt. Tamalpais. Keep going up the mountain, and when you get to Pantoll at the crest of Panoramic Highway (beyond Bootjack, where our hike to the Mountain Theater began), turn to the right and head uphill.

When you top out on this road, turn right and keep going until the road ends at the East Peak parking lot. (Parking costs $8/day unless you have a park pass). (Click here for a map of Mt. Tam that you can view and print out).

1 hour from College of Marin.  Carpoolers can meet at the Greenbrae Parking & Ride lot at 8:55 am. Restrooms at trailhead.

Weather forecast: As of Thursday, October 25, the National Weather forecast for the hike was a slight chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 73.  (Click here for an updated forecast).

More on this hike:  Hike B21 (Northside - Colier – Lakeview Trails) in the Martins’ book, Hiking Marin, shows the trails we’ll be taking.  You can also view and the trails on page five of the Mount Tamalpais State Park brochure.

"Rebels With A Cause" Save Marin's Landscape

Earlier this month, Punkie, Debbie, Dick Jordan and his wife, attended a screening of Rebels With A Cause at the Rafael theater.

This new documentary by filmmakers Nancy Kelly and Kenji Yamamoto, tells the story of how a cast of "local heroes" preserved tens of thousands of acres of land along the coast north and south of San Francisco in wilderness, parks, open space, and agricultural lands, instead of standing idly by while it was turned into  paved-over suburbia.

The cinematography is brilliant, and the movie is a great tribute to those who devoted their time and energy to saving many of the places where we hike each week.

You can read a review of the movie on Dick's Website, Tales Told From The Road.

Funds still must be raised to pay for the film’s production costs already incurred, its promotion, marketing, and its distribution and airing on public televisions stations. Nancy Dobbs, President of KCRB Public Television says that:

“Among other things we would like to re-grant grants to PBS stations to encourage them to find their own local current Rebels and feature them in a short form program on the station.  We want stations to walk outside and look around.”

You can help bring this brilliant documentary to the “small screen” by sending your tax deductible contribution by check, payable to: KRCB Public Television (Re: Rebels With A Cause Fund). Mail your donation to:

KRCB Public Television
Nancy Dobbs, President
5850 Labath Avenue
Rohnert Park California 94928

Send Nancy an e-mail to let her know “My check’s in the mail!”

Tennessee Valley Hike Photos Now Online!

Photos taken by Theresa Fisher during last week's China Camp State Park hike are now online!

View them on the Meandering blog or click here for the on-line album.

NO HIKE - 10/23/12

Just a reminder that there is no hike next Tuesday, October 23rd.

The Fall 2 series of hikes begins on October 30 with East Peak, Mt. Tamalpais State Park.

Chilled Pumpkin Soup Recipe

Click here for the recipe from Epicurious.com for the Chilled Pumpkin Soup that Dick Jordan served up at today's "Final Exam" luncheon at Tennessee Valley.

There's no cooking required. Just put all of the ingredients into a large bowl, stir well until it's the consistency and flavor that you like, and then refrigerate.

Dick added a bit more molasses, orange and apple juice, and less whole milk and pumpkin pie spice, than the recipe calls for. He didn't add more milk the day after refrigerating the soup.

Tennessee Valley "Final Exam" Hike (10/1) Preview

Per Wendy, "this loop [around Tennessee Valley] features panoramic views of the Bay. We often see raptors here including Northern Harriers, American Kestrels, White-Tailed Kites, Red-Shouldered Hawks and Red-Tailed Hawks. When we're lucky we see bobcats!

REMEMBER TO BRING PLATE, UTENSILS, AND SOMETHING TO SHARE FOR THE GOURMET FINAL EXAM! (Let’s think green and try to cut down on paper and plastic throw-aways as much as possible). We’ll leave the food in the cars and eat when we get back, but bring your water bottle."  (Click here for a recap of our October 2008 hike. Here's an album of photos from past hikes in this area.).

Directions to trailhead: Take the Stinson Beach exit from Highway 101. 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.

40 minutes from College of Marin. Carpoolers can meet at the Greenbrae Park & Ride lot 9:15 am. Portable toilets at the trailhead.

Weather forecast: As of Thursday, October 11, the National Weather Service forecast for the hike was mostly sunny, with a high near 74.  (Click here for an updated forecast)..

More information on this hike: Hike A8 Miwok – Coyote Ridge – Coastal Trails in the Martin's book, Hiking Marin, shows our route from Tennessee Valley towards Mill Valley, westward to ocean views, then back east to the parking lot.

China Camp Hike Photos Now Online!

Photos taken by Theresa Fisher during this week's China Camp State Park hike are now online!

View them on the Meandering blog or click here for the on-line album.

Bootjack to West Point Inn Hike Photos Now Online!

Photos taken by Theresa Fisher during this week's Bootjack to West Point Inn hike are now online!

View them on the Meandering blog or click here for the on-line album.

China Camp State Park Hike (10/9) Preview

This week we hike on the eastern edge of Marin along San Francisco Bay, this time venturing into China Camp State Park. (Click here to read about our November 2008 hike or here for photos from past hikes in this area.)
 
Here's Wendy's description of the outing:
"Learn about wetland habitats and some of the endangered animals that live there like the tiny salt marsh harvest mouse. This area is also of historical interest as the site of a once thriving Chinese shrimp fishing village." (Click here to view and print out the park brochure and map).

Directions to trailhead: Take the San Pedro Road exit from Highway 101 and go east for three miles. PASS the sign that says China Camp State Park and go about 3/4 mile further on San Pedro Road to Miwok Meadows (sign on your right). Park along the road, not inside of the park entrance as Wendy's list of hikes directs.

Time: 30 minutes from College of Marin. No restrooms at trailhead, but you can turn in at the China Camp sign and go past the toll booth (you don't need to pay), past the day use parking area, to the campground parking area.

Weather forecast: As of Friday, October 5, the weather forecast for the hike was a slight chance of showers. Partly sunny, with a high near 67. (Click here for an updated forecast).

More on this hike: Hike “D14 Bay View Trail – Miwok Fire Trail" in the Martins' book, Hiking Marin shows the general area where we will be hiking although our route may vary from this one they describe.

Update on California State Parks

Here's the latest word on the status of California's State Parks system from the California State Parks Foundation newsletter:

"An important line in the sand got drawn for state parks last month when Governor Brown signed two bills into law, Assembly Bill (AB) 1478 (Blumenfield) and Assembly Bill (AB) 1589 (Huffman). Both bills have measures that will help California’s ailing state parks system.

"AB 1478 appropriates the recently-identified $20.5 million in State Park and Recreation Fund funding to the California Department of Parks and Recreation (DPR) to keep parks open that had previously been slated for closure. The bill also contains new qualifications for appointing members to the nine-member State Park and Recreation Commission. The changes to the Commission are intended to improve its ability and capacity to provide oversight of DPR and foster a more meaningful connection between the public, park stakeholders, and DPR. AB 1478 also establishes a two-year moratorium on closing state parks, in Fiscal Year 12-13 and FY13-14.