Bolinas Ridge-Randall Trail Shuttle Hike (6/3) Preview

This week we move south and east of Point Reyes National Seashore to take one of our hikes in the GGNRA. Slightly longer than usual at 6.8 miles, but lots of downhill.  (Click here for a recap of our hike in August of 2008).

CALL WENDY AT 457-3949 OR EMAIL bdreskin@comcast.net if you are coming!

Directions to trailhead: We’ll meet at 9:30 am on Route One at the bottom of Randall Trail which is about 3 miles north of Dogtown and about 3 miles south of Five Brooks. (The Point Reyes National Seashore says to allow 15 minutes for the drive from the Bear Valley Visitor Center, and that it is just under 6 miles from the intersection of Highway 1 and Sir Francis Drake at Olema south to the Randall trailhead).

Park in one of the large dirt pullouts on either side of the road. The Park Service notes that the sign for the Randall Trail is aligned parallel to Highway 1 on the east side of the road and can easily be missed).

From the Randall trailhead we’ll carpool up the Bolinas-Fairfax Road to Ridgecrest Boulevard and hike along Bolinas Ridge Fire Road and then down the Randall Trail to Highway 1.

Weather forecast: As of Thursday, May 29th, the National Weather Service forecast for the hike was mostly sunny, with a high near 65. (Click here for an updated forecast).

More on this hike:  None of Dick Jordan's hiking books describe this hike, but you can find the Fairfax-Bolinas Road, Bolinas Ridge Fire Road, and the Randall Trail in the bottom right-hand section of the Point Reyes National Seashore park map shown below.



Click here to view and print a copy of the map. Use the plus-sign button under the drop-down arrow button to enlarge the map for easier reading If you have Adobe Acrobat Reader on your computer you can print the document. Once you see the document on the "Google Docs" Web site, click on the "Actions" down arrow and then on "Download" to download the document to your computer).

MAY-JULY 2014 TUESDAY HIKE DETAILS NOW ONLINE!

In case you didn't receive or have mislaid Wendy's e-mail with the details on all of the May through July 2014 hikes, you can view and download a copy here.

You can also find a link to the list on the Upcoming Hikes page of the Meandering blog.

Wendy will e-mail information on August hikes at a later date.

Marin Headlands Tunnel To Be Closed Temporarily in June

The Marine Mammal Center advises that the Baker-Barry Tunnel and Bunker Road to McCullough Road in the Marin Headlands section of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area will be closed for surveys and studies in support of the upcoming tunnel preservation project scheduled for construction in 2015.

All motor vehicles and bicycles must use Conzelman Road to enter and exit the Headlands during the closure on the following dates and times:

• 9:00 am on Monday, June 2nd through 3:30 pm on Friday, June 6th
• 9:00 am on Monday, June 9nd through 3:30 pm pn Friday, June 13th

The tunnel will be open on the weekend between 3:30 pm, Friday, June 6th, until 9: 00 am, Monday, June 9th.

For more information, visit the GGNRA Website at http://www.nps.gov/goga/index.htm

Angel Island Hike (5/27) Preview

Angel Island State Park is the destination for our next summer hike.  Here's Wendy's description of the outing: "Late wildflowers, great views, and a fascinating history!"

We'll meet at the ferry dock is at 21 Main Street at 9:50 a.m..

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.).

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. (See map at left). Allow ten minutes to walk (click here to view and print Mapquest walking directions) from there to the ferry.

Directions to the ferry dock: We'll take the 10 a.m. ferry from Tiburon to the island. Bring cash or check (or use a major credit cards including Visa, Mastercard, or Discover, but not American Express) to pay for the ferry ($13.50 round trip, pay as you board, includes the $3.00 park entrance fee). (Bring $17 in cash or check for Wendy, too!)

Here is a map of parking lots (cash only, no credit or debit cards, accepted) and the ferry dock provided by the Angel Island Association and the ferry operator:

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

We'll take the last ferry of the day back at 3:30 p.m.

Weather forecast: As Friday, May 23rd, the National Weather Service forecast for Angel Island on Tuesday was sunny, with a high near 63. (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 Conservancy.

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

Click here to listen to a podcast about Angel Island. (It may take a while for the audio player to display in your Web browser.)

If you have a smartphone, you can get one of free CalParks mobile apps, available for Apple and Android mobile devices.

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

Tomales Bay SP Shell Beach Shuttle Hike (5/20) Preview

Something old and something new!

We’ll hike from (but not meet at) the same parking lot on Pierce Point Road that’s just before the turn to Heart’s Desire.  Last year there were ripe huckleberries! Wetland plants like Marsh Rosemary, Ledum and Jaumea should be in bloom.

THIS IS A SHUTTLE HIKE! CALL OR E-MAIL WENDY IF YOU'RE COMING!
Home: (415) 457-3949, E-mail: bdreskin@comcast.net.
 
Directions to the trailhead: Meet at the Shell Beach parking lot, not at the trailhead (we’ll carpool to it from the Shell Beach lot).

After you pass Inverness, take a right on Camino del Mar (there’s an inn on your left; it’s just where the road starts going uphill.) Follow it to the parking lot. (Click here for a MapQuest map for driving time and directions to this area from your location.)

No restrooms at trailhead; stop at the Bear Valley Visitors Center on the way if you need to powder your nose.

Meet at 9:00 am to carpool from St. Rita.

Weather forecast: As of Friday, May 16th, the National Weather Service forecast was mostly sunny, with a high near 61. Click here for an updated forecast.

More on this hike: "G15 Pierce Point Road to Shell Beach" in the Martins' book, Hiking Marin, shows the area in which we'll be hiking. The trails are also shown on page 4 of the Tomales Bay State Park brochure. The Google Earth image below shows Heart's Desire and Shell Beaches as seen from the east side of Tomales Bay. (Click on the image to open a larger version in your Web browser).

Dick Jordan's Gazpacho Soup Recipe

Here's the recipe for the Watermelon-Tomato Gazpacho soup that Dick Jordan served at this week's "Final Exam" post-hike lunch at Rock Spring.

Dick's Jordan's "Driving The Damned Road" to Air Next Week on MarinTV

Dick Jordan's second "a sense of place" TV "shorts," this one entitled "Driving 'The Damned Road' In Canada's Rocky Mountain National Parks," will be broadcast on MarinTV (Comcast cable channel 26 in central/southern Marin) on Wednesday, May 21st at 6:00 PM and again on Sunday, May 25th at 8:30 PM.

(Won't be around? Don't live in central/southern Marin? No problem. It will be available for viewing on YouTube on May 26th).

A third such project is "in production" and should air sometime in June.

Wolf Ridge Hike Photos Now Online!

Photos taken by Theresa Fisher during last week's Wolf Ridge hike are now online!

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

Rock Spring "Final Exam" Hike (5/13) Preview

As we do each year, we'll wrap up the Spring College of Marin hiking series with this Mount Tamalpais State Park hike. (Click here for a recap of our 2010 hike.  View photos from past hikes in the online album).

Here's Wendy's outline for the hike:  “Some years we've seen eight species of butterflies including a Brown Elfin, Western Tiger Swallowtail, and lots of Propertius Duskywings! We should see Coral Roots, Oakland Star Lilies, Mount Tamalpais Jewel Flowers, and Golden Banners on this mostly shady loop hike."

Bring a plate and utensils, and food to share for the Gourmet Final!"

Directions to trailhead: Go south on Highway 101 to the Stinson Beach/Highway 1 exit. Go west on Highway 1 and wind around a lot. At the top of the ridge, turn right onto Panoramic Highway and continue to the 4-way "crossroads." Take the middle road to Mt. Tamalpais. Continue along this road for 5-6 miles.

At the Pantoll Ranger Station the road divides. Take the upper road for about 1 mile. The road divides again. This is Rock Spring. Park here. (Click here for a MapQuest map showing the trailhead and giving driving time and directions from your location.)

Driving time from College of Marin 55 minutes.

Carpoolers can meet at Greenbrae Park & Ride lot at 9:10 a.m. (Click here for a MapQuest map showing the parking lot; click on #1 to get driving time and directions from your location.)

Outhouse at trailhead and mid-way.

Weather forecast: As of Saturday, May 10th, the National Weather Service forecast for the area around Rock Spring on Mt. Tam was sunny, with a high near 83. (Click here for an updated forecast).

More on this hike: The "B17 Simmons - Potrero - Arturo Trails" hike in the Martins' book, Hiking Marin, shows the trails that we'll be hiking on, although we'll probably follow a different route (Simmons to Benstein to Potrero Meadows to Laurel Dell and back up the Cataract Trail to Rock Spring). Page 6 of the state park brochure has a trail map that shows the area. The Google Earth image below shows were we'll be on the mountain. (Click on the photo to open a larger image in your Web browser).

Green Gulch Hike Photos Now Online!

Photos taken by Theresa Fisher during this week's Green Gulch hike are now online!

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