Blithedale Canyon Loop Hike (Feb 5) Preview

This week we head to the the eastern side of Southern Marin near Mill Valley.

Here's Wendy's description of the hike:  "A loop with great views of Mt. Tamalpais! We should see the beautiful Mist Maidens, Mission Bells, and huckleberry and Star Lillies in bloom. Probably a 9 fern day!"
(Click here to read a re-cap of our 2010 hike.  View the online album of photos taken on past hikes on these trails).

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 at 9:10 a.m. No restrooms at trailhead. 

Weather forecast:  As of Wednesday, January 30, the National Weather Service forecast for Tuesday's hike was a chance of rain. Partly sunny, with a high near 59.  (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 maps 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).

Buying a MMWD Mt. Tam Watershed Pass

We Meanderers usually hike as a group in the MMWD Mt. Tam Watershed area four to five times a year. At the $8 daily parking fee, that costs us $32-$40.

Many of qualify for MMWD's $30 Senior Vehicle Annual Pass (age 62 or older) and would save money buying it instead of paying each time we enter the watershed via Sky Oaks Road off Fairfax-Bolinas Road. The Senior Pass is an even better bargain if you hike in the watershed on your own in addition to doing those Meandering outings.

Younger Marin residents pay $60 for a Vehicle Annual Pass, The Out of County Resident Annual Pass runs $100.00.

The new MMWD watershed pass hangs from your car's rear view mirror. 

To buy a pass, fill out MMWD's Parking Pass Form and mail it with your check to MMMD Parking Pass, 220 Nellen Ave., Corte Madera, CA 94925.

You can also take the completed form to the MMWD office at the address (or fill out the form when you get there) and pay with check, cash, or credit card. You can also buy the form online.

Bootjack Hike (1/29) Preview

We kickoff the Winter 2013 College of Marin hiking series on the re-opened Bootjack Trail on Mount Tamalpais.

The hike description is simple: "A mostly shady trail opens up to an incredible vista at a sunny (we hope!) lunch spot overlooking the ocean! We'll take Bootjack Trail to Van Wyk Meadow, TCC Trail to the Dipsea Trail, and the Old Mine Trail back."

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.  

As you drive up the mountain, look for the Bootjack picnic area and parking lot ($8/car, if you don't have a state park pass) on your right. 

If you get to Pantoll at the crest of Panoramic Highway, you've gone too far and need to turn around and drive back down the mountain. (Click here for a map of Mt. Tam that you can view and print out). 

50 minutes from the College of Marin. Carpoolers can meet at the Greenbrae Park & Ride lot at 9:00 am. Restrooms at trailhead.

Weather forecast: As of Wednesday, January 23rd, the National Weather Service forecast was a slight chance of showers, but mostly sunny, with a high near 4. (Click here for an updated forecast.)

More on this hike: Hike "B11 TCC -Alpine Trails" in the Martin's book, Hiking Marin, shows the area where we'll be hiking.

San Geronimo Ridge Hike (1/22) Preview

Our "Winterim" hikes end this week with a trek along San Geronimo Ridge from Woodacre westward to Shafter Bridge just east of Samuel P. Taylor State Park. We will pass through a pygmy Sargaent cypress area, grasslands, and redwood habitat.

There are muddy spots if it has rained, so wear hiking boots and waterproof them.


There is an elevation gain of about 600.’

This is a shuttle hike, so CALL WENDY AT 457-3949 or send her an e-mail her at bdreskin@comcast.net if you are coming!

Directions to meeting point:  Meet 0.2 miles past the Shafter Bridge (and Cronin Fish Viewing Area parking lot) in Samuel P. Taylor State Park. There is some parking along the road here. We'll leave some cars and carpool to Conifer Way in Woodacre.   

No restrooms at trailhead. Carpool from St. Rita Church in Fairfax at 9:20 a.m.

Directions to trailhead from meeting point:  For those who will drive to the trailhead from the meeting point, here are directions to Conifer Way: Go east on Sir Francis Drake Boulevard. Turn right on Railroad Avenue.

Set your odometer when you turn right on Carson Road. At the 0.6 mile mark you will see a sign saying "Ivy" that makes you think the name of the street as changed. Go right and you will still be on Carson.

Go 0.2 miles to the junction of Carson and Conifer Way. (There is another junction of Carson and Conifer which you will pass and ignore.)

Higher-clearance cars that can drive on an "unmaintained road" without bottoming-out can turn left on Conifer Way and go to the top to park. Others with low clearance (like the Prius!) park at Carson and Conifer and we'll walk up.

Weather forecast:  As of Thursday, January 17, the National Weather Service forecast for the hike was sunny with a high near 59. (Click here for an updated forecast).

More on this hike:  On this outing we'll be hiking through the County of Marin's Gary Giacomini Open Space Preserve. After starting up the Conifer Fire Road, we'll head west along the San Geronimo Ridge Fire Road. (Click here for the MCOS District map which shows these trails). Barry Spitz' book, Open Spaces: Lands of the Marin County Open Space District, discusses this area.

The following Google Earth image shows the area we'll be hiking through; click on it to open a larger image in your Web browser:

Alpine Dam to Bon Tempe Dam Hike (1/15) Preview

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 our January 2010 hike). We sometimes get back late on this hike. If you must be back at 1:45 pm it's safer to skip this one.

This is a shuttle hike, so CALL WENDY AT 457-3949 or send her an e-mail her at bdreskin@comcast.net if you are coming! 


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 at the Sky Oaks entrance kiosk if you plan to take people to the trailhead. (You can use $1, $5, or $10 bills and coins at the automated pay station, or a Visa or Mastercard.

Annual MMWD watershed entrance passes for Marin residents are normally $60 ($30 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, 2013.  (You can pay the annual pass fee at the automated pay station.  Keep one part of the receipt which is a temporary pass good for two weeks, then: 1) stop at the Sky Oaks Ranger Station on the way out and ask them to send the other half of your receipt to the main office in Corte Madera which will issue the permanent pass and mail it to you, or 2) send or take the receipt to the main office yourself).

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 Wednesday, January 9th, the National Weather Service forecast for this area during the hike was sunny, with a high near 53. (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).

Winter 2013 Hike List Now Online!

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

While we still have three more hikes (January 8, 15, and 22) left on our "Winterim 2012-2013" schedule, the details for the Winter 2013 College of Marin hike series which begins January 29th are now online.

You'll find the list of the remaining Winterim hikes and the Winter 2013 Hikes, plus links to the details for each series, on the "Upcoming Hikes" page of the Meandering in Marin on Tuesdays blog.

You can also go directly to the detailed information for each hike series by clicking on these links:

• Winterim Hikes (through January 22nd)
• Winter 2013 College of Marin Hikes (January 29 - March 12)

Pine Mt./Elliott Preserve Hike (1/8) Preview

SHUTTLE HIKE - NOTE EARLY STARTING, LATE ENDING TIME

 
CALL WENDY AT 457-3949 or send her an e-mail her at bdreskin@comcast.net if you are coming!
 
This one-way shuttle hike starts in oak/bay/madrone woodland, passes through chaparral, then heads down to a valley with a stream, passing some serpentine rock areas. We'll check out birds and mushrooms as we go.  (Click here for the recap of our hike in this area in January of 2009. There are a few photos from a past hike in this area in one our online albums.)


Directions to trailhead: We need some people to meet at the end of Cascade Drive in Fairfax at 9:20 a.m. If you have time pressure after class go there as well, since the car shuttle won’t get us back to the trailhead until a little after 2:00 pm. Wendy will drive those drivers to the start of the hike.

Others should meet at the trailhead by taking the Bolinas-Fairfax Road past the Meadow Club (golf course) and up to the crest of the hill. Park in the parking lot across from the Pine Mountain Fire Road. It is a large dirt parking lot on your left, and the fire road is on the right. If you start going downhill and can see Lake Alpine, you’ve gone too far.  There may be a porta-potty at the trailhead.

Carpool to the trailhead (not the end of Cascade Drive) will leave from St. Rita's at 9:25 a.m. (Wendy won't be at St. Rita's she is going early to drive to the end of Cascade Drive).

Weather forecast: As of Wednesday, January 2nd, the National Weather Service forecast for Fairfax on the day of the hike was mostly sunny, with a high near 56. (Click here for an updated forecast).

More on this hike: We'll be hiking on both MMWD watershed lands (click here for a map that you can view, zoom in on or print) and those of the Marin County Open Space District (click here for a description of the preserve (now called Cascade Canyon Open Space Preserve insttead of Elliott Preserve) on the District's Website, or click here for a map of this area).

College of Marin Winter 2013 Hike Registration Opens!

Registration for the Winter 2013 College of Marin hikes opens on Wednesday, January 2nd.

Here are the details for the Tuesday hikes:

Tuesday Winter 2013 Meandering in Marin  15099

7 Tuesdays, 9:45am–1:45pm

Jan. 29-Mar. 12

Fee $119

CRN# 15099 EC