Dick Jordan's Cuba Documentary February Screenings

Save the dates!

Dick Jordan's Cuba, Libre? travel documentary will have two screenings at Marin County locations in February that will be open to the public:

• Saturday, February 13th, 6:30 pm, at the Community Media Center of Marin, 819 "A" Street in San Rafael.
• Friday, February 19th, 7:00 pm, at the Sausalito Public Library, 420 Litho Street in Sausalito.

Blithedale Canyon Loop Hike (2/2) 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! Early wildflowers and 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 MapQuest map that shows the parking area near the trailhead. Click on #1 to get driving time and directions from your location.

Time: 30 minutes from the College of Marin.

Carpoolers can meet at the Greenbrae Parking & Ride lot at 9:10 a.m.

 No restrooms at trailhead. 

Weather forecast:  As of Tuesday, January 26th, the National Weather Service forecast for the hike was a chance of showers, partly sunny, with a high near 54. (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).

Here's the route we will follow.

Here's the hike profile.

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).

Muir Woods Trail Widening Riles "Locals"

While problems associated with parking at Muir Woods may have been resolved, a plan by the National Park Service to widen and improve the trails leading into the monument from the west has riled local residents.

You can read more about it in today's San Francisco Chronicle.

Bootjack Hike (1/26) Preview

We kickoff the Winter 2016 College of Marin hiking series on the 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."

Click here for photos taken on past hikes along these trails.

This map shows the route we'll follow.

Here's the hike's profile showing the elevation changes.

 (Click on the Map or Profile to View a Larger Image)

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.

Click here for a MapQuest map that shows the Bootjack parking lot. Click on #1 to get driving directions and times from your location.

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 20th, the National Weather Service forecast was Partly sunny, with a high near 48. (Click here for an updated forecast.)

Good News, Bad News, Weather-Wise

There's good weather news, and bad weather news.

The good news is that the MMWD "Water Watch" Web page reports that as of yesterday both rainfall and reservoir storage were 106% of annual average for the date.

The bad news is that the forecast for tomorrow's final exam hike isn't looking too good.

Mountain Bike Trail Access Program on MARINTV

(CMCM Photo)

The Community Media Center of Marin which operates San Rafael's public access television station, MarinTV, is collaborating with the Marin-IJ on a new Public Affairs Program hosted by the newspaper's political writer, Dick Spotswood.

The first edition of "IJ Forums" will address the issue of opening more trails to mountain bike access.

Guests taking opposing views on this hot topic are Linda Novy (FootPeople) and Vernon Huffman (Access4Bikes).

You can watch it on "live" Channel 26 Comcast and Channel 99 AT&T on these dates/times:

• Saturday, January 16 - 5:30 p.m.
• Monday, January 25 - 7:30 p.m.
• Saturday, January 30 - 5:30 p.m.

However, that show is already up on the on CMCM's YouTube Channel so you can watch it now regardless of whether you are a Comcast or AT&T U-verse cable subscriber.

You can read more about the "IJ Forum's" program series in today's I-J.

Sky Oaks to Deer Park “Final Exam” (1/19) Preview

This hike has some short uphill stretches, but much of it is downhill or fairly level. Maybe we’ll see the first new leaves on the Buckeye trees! We oftren get our first Hound's Tongue and Douglas Iris on this hike. (Click here for a recap of the hike we did in October of 2009).

Remember to bring plate, utensils, cups, and a delicious dish to share at the post-hike luncheon.

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:  Meet at Deer Park School to carpool. Take Bolinas Avenue in Fairfax, turn left on Porteous. (If you see the sign for Deer Park Villa you’ve gone a bit too far on Bolinas Avenue, so turn around, head back toward town, and turn right on Porteous.)

Go to the parking lot at the end of Porteous. (Click here for a MapQuest map showing the location of Deer Park School; click on #1 to get driving directions and estimated driving time from your location.)

Shuttle drivers will take us to the parking area just beyond the Sky Oaks entrance and leave their cars there. They'll leave their food in the cars we'll leave behind at Deer Park School.
 
If you are going to shuttle hikers from Deer Park to Sky Oaks, use one of the two automated pay station machines at the parking area to pay the $8 day use fee unless have an MMWD Watershed pass.
 
You can use a credit card, $1, $5, or $10 bills (but not coins or $20 bills) at the automated pay station.

Annual watershed area parking passes for Marin residents are $60 ($30 for those 62 and older). You can buy them online or at the MMWD main office in Corte Madera.

20 minutes from the College of Marin to Deer Park School. Carpool from St. Rita Church in Fairfax at 9:25 a.m.

Restrooms at Deer Park and portable (hopefully) at Sky Oaks, and porta-potty en route. 

Weather forecast:  As of Wednesday, January 13, the National Weather Service forecast for the hike was a chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 53.  (Click here for an updated forecast).

More on this hike:  The Martins' book, Hiking Marin, does not have a hike that matches this one.  But their hikes "C 12 Taylor-Concrete Pipe-Bullfrog FR" and "C7 Deer Park FR-Canyon-Six Points" shows the the general area where we will be hiking as does the MMWD watershed trail map.

Dick Jordan's "Cuba, Libre" Airs Next Week

Dick Jordan's 56-minute documentary film, Cuba, Libre, will premiere on MarinTV (Comcast Channel 26) at 6:00 p.m. on Wednesday, January 20, 2016. It will be re-broadcast at 3:30 p.m. on Sunday, January 24, 2016.

MarinTV calls it "a beautiful documentary" and put it at the top of the program highlights e-mail that it sends out each month.

(Jaume Escofet Flickr Photo)

The full documentary won't be "public" on YouTube until this coming Monday, but you can watch it now by clicking on this link.

The film is divided into two, almost equal parts. "Voices of The Past" uses archival film footage from the 1930s through the 1960s to show what it was like to travel there prior to the Castro-led revolution, and then the downward spiral in U.S.-Cuba relations during the three years after Castro came to power.
 
"Voices of The Present," the second half of the film, features interviews Dick filmed of five travel writers who have visited the island, and more recent still photos and video.

Alpine Dam to Bon Tempe Dam Hike (1/12) 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). Note the early start time (9:15 am). Carpool leaves St. Rita Church in Fairfax at 8:55 a.m. 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 at the lot near the foot of the dam.  

Click here for a MapQuest map that shows the parking lot at Bon Tempe Dam. Click on #1 to get driving times and directions from your location.

MEET HERE AT 9:15 a.m. Porta potties are in the parking lot. From here we’ll carpool to the trailhead (near Alpine Dam).

We’ll need people who are not in a rush to take the driver’s back to their cars parked near Alpine Dam.

Do not pay the day use fee at the Sky Oaks entrance if you plan to take people to the trailhead.

If you are going to leave your car in the lot by Bon Tempe Dam, stop at the two automated pay station machines which are now at the parking area on the right just beyond the entrance station and pay the $8 day use fee unless have an MMWD Watershed pass.
 
You can use a credit card, $1, $5, or $10 bills (but not coins or $20 bills) at the automated pay station.

Annual watershed area parking passes for Marin residents are $60 ($30 for those 62 and older). You can buy them online or at the MMWD main office in Corte Madera. 

Weather forecast:  As of Wednesday, January 6th, the National Weather Service forecast for this area during the hike was a slight chance of showers, Mostly cloudy, 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).