Palomarin Hike (8/2) Preview

We resume our summer hikes this coming week with another trip to Point Reyes National Seashore, this time beginning at the far southern end of the park at the Palomarin trailhead near Bolinas.

Here's Wendy's description of this outing: "This hike is not a loop, but has incredible ocean views making it well worth the drive! We should see Bee Plant, Seep-Spring Monkey Flower, Salmonberries as well as butterflies and dragonflies. Lunch at Bass Lake." (Click here for a recap of our July 2010 hike. Click here for an album of photos from that hike.)

Directions to the trailhead: Take Sir Francis Drake Boulevard west to Olema. Turn left (south) onto Highway 1. Pass Five Brooks and Dogtown, and take the unmarked right turn (on to Horseshoe Hill Road which merges with the Olema-Bolinas Road) towards the town of Bolinas. (If you find yourself going along the shore of Bolinas Lagoon, you've driven too far south and missed the turn.) Turn right on Mesa Road (which eventually becomes a dirt road) and follow it to the Palomarin trailhead parking lot.

Click here for a Google Map that shows the parking lot at the trailhead. Click on the teardrop icon to get driving directions and time from your location.

Carpool leaves St. Rita at 8:40 a.m.

If you're coming from southern Marin you may prefer to take Highway 1 north, turning left just past the end of the lagoon onto the unmarked road into the town of Bolinas, then right on to Mesa Road to get to the trailhead.

Toilets at the trailhead. If you can't wait, use the porta-potties at Five Brooks, a right turn off Highway 1 for those coming south from Olema. For those heading north from southern Marin, turn left off the highway into Muir Beach or at the ocean overlook just to the north.

Weather forecast:  As of Friday, July 29th, the National Weather Service forecast for the hike was  partly sunny, with a high near 67. (Click here for an updated forecast).

More on this hike: The "F17 Coast Trail to Wildcat Camp" hike in the Martin's book, Hiking Marin, is 11 miles long, but shows the route that we'll take up to Bass Lake, 2.7 miles from the trailhead. (The 8.5 mile "Alamere Falls and Double Point Overlook" hike in Tracy Salcedo-Chourre's Exploring Point Reyes National Seashore and Golden Gate National Recreation Area says the distance to the north shore of the lake is 2.9 miles, while the park's South District Hiking Map pegs it at 2.8 miles).  We’ll retrace our steps back to the trailhead after lunch so our total hiking distance will be around 5.5-6.0 miles.

"Wildlife Awakening" in Marin

Big marine mammals, big land mammals, and big cats.

You can see them all in three films to be shown on a single night: Sunday, August 7th.

It's part of the Sausalito Film Series at Cavallo Point in the Marin Headlands.

Click here for more information and to purchase tickets.

Dick Jordan's Cuba Documentary Screens in San Francisco

If you don't mind "hiking" into San Francisco, you'll be able to see Dick Jordan's feature-length documentary film, Cuba, Libre? screened in the Koret Auditorium of the Main Branch of the San Francisco Public Library at 6:00 p.m. on Thursday, August 4th.

Dick and some of the travel writers who appear in the film will be on hand after the screening to answer questions about the film and travel to Cuba.

Don't worry if you can't make it! Arrangements are being worked out for additional screenings in Marin later in 2016 and in January 2017.

Details For Remaining Summer 2016 Hikes

If you either didn't receive or mislaid Wendy's recent e-mail about the remaining hikes in July and August, click here to view and print out that information.

McCurdy Trail to Five Brooks Shuttle Hike (7/26) Preview

This one-way shuttle hike may not sound familiar because we haven't done it in some time.

We'll meet at Five Brooks and carpool from there to the bottom of the McCurdy trail which begins at milepost 18.17, north of Dogtown.

We’ll hike 5.5 miles back to Five Brooks on the Olema Valley trail. It's mostly level, with less than 500’ elevation gain.

We usually find butterflies (Acmon Blues, Mylitta Crescents and Satyr Commas) on this hike.

Since this is a SHUTTLE HIKE, CALL WENDY AT 457-3949 OR EMAIL bdreskin@comcast.net if you are coming!

Directions to trailhead: From north and central Marin, head out Sir Francis Drake Boulevard to Olema, where you'll turn left onto Highway 1. Drive south about 4 miles (6 minutes) and you'll see the sign on the right for Five Brooks. Turn right off the highway to reach the parking lot.

Click here for a Google Map that shows Five Brooks Ranch and click on the teardrop icon to get driving time and directions from your location. (We'll park in the lot by the Mill Pond, just before the ranch itself, as shown on the map).

Driving time is about 40 minutes from the College of Marin. Carpoolers can met at St. Rita's at 9:00 a.m.

(If you are coming from southern Marin, Five Brooks is about 55 minutes from Mill Valley and 30 minutes/18 miles north of Stinson Beach. It will be on your left as you head up Highway 1).

Pit toilets in parking lot at Five Brooks where we meet to carpool and end the hike.

More on this hike: Hike "F3 Olema Valley to Five Brooks" in the Martins' book, Hiking Marin, describes the route we'll take.

Weather forecast: As of Friday, July 22nd, the National Weather Service forecast for the hike was mostly sunny, with a high near 75. (Click here for an updated forecast.)

Early Registration For Fall 1 & 2 Hikes Opens on Monday, July 25th

In-person and phone-in early registration for Fall 1 and Fall 2 College of Marin Community Education classes, including the Fall 1 & 2 Meandering in Marin hikes, will open for current Gold Card members next Monday, July 25 and continue through next Thursday, July 28.

 College of Marin office hours for next week are:

• Monday, July 25: 9am-Noon, 1-4pm
• Tuesday, July 26: 9am-Noon, 1-4pm
• Wednesday, July 27: Closed in the morning. Open 1-4pm.
• Thursday, July 28: 9am-Noon, 1-4pm
• Friday, July 29: Closed (summer hours)

Please stop by one of the college's offices---Kentfield or Indian Valley Campus---to register with Dolly Bedi or Heather Peitz or call to register over the phone: 415-485-9305. 

Online registration, and registration for those who aren't ESCOM Gold Card members, begins Monday, August 1st.

Here is the information on the Meandering in Marin classes: 

• Fall 1 Tuesday Hikes
• Course No: 2269
• 7 Tuesdays, 9/6-10/18
• Cost: $140 (ESCOM members pay $120)
• Fall 2 Tuesday Hikes
• Course No: 2271
• 7 Tuesdays, 11/1-12/13
• Cost: $140 (ESCOM members pay $120)
• Fall 1 Monday Hikes
• Course No: 2268
• 7 Mondays, 9/12-10/24
• Cost: $140 (ESCOM members pay $120)
• Fall 2 Monday Hikes
• Course No: 2270
• 7 Mondays, 10/31-12/12
• Cost: $140 (ESCOM members pay $120) 

Visit www.marincommunityed.com to check out the entire Fall Community Education Class Schedule.

Angel Island Hike (7/19) Preview

Angel Island State Park is the destination for our next summer hike.  Here's Wendy's description of the outing: "Angel Island is often good for butterflies like Anise Swallowtails, Western Tiger Swallowtails, California Sisters, and Pipevine Swallowtails."

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 to pay for the ferry ($14.00 for Seniors, $15 for adults, round trip, pay as you board). (Bring $20 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 Conservancy:

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 Wednesday, July 13th, the National Weather Service forecast for Angel Island for Tuesday's hike was mostly sunny, with a high near 66. (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.)

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

Thinking About Hiking The Pacific Crest Trail?

If you're thinking about going "Wild" and following in the footsteps of author Cheryl Strayed to hike all or a portion of the Pacific Crest Trail, plan on attending a presentation about trekking that route that will be given from 7-8:30 p.m. on August 31st at the REI Corte Madera by Dick Jordan's travel writing colleague, Susan Alcorn and her husband, Ralph.

(Samanta Levang Flickr Photo)

If you can't make it on that date, or can't wait to find out how you, too, can conquer the PCT, the Alcorns will be at other REI stores on these dates:

• Tuesday, July 12. 7-8:30 PM. REI Berkeley.
• Wednesday, July 13. S.F. Library. 6:30-7:30 PM.
• Tuesday, July 19. 7-8:30 PM. REI Mountain View
• Wednesday, July 20. 7-8:30 PM. REI Concord
• Tuesday, July 26. 7-8:30 PM. REI Saratoga
• Tuesday, August 2. 7-8:30 PM. REI Fremont
• Wednesday, August 10. 7-8:30 PM. REI San Carlos
• Saturday, August 13. 9-10:30 AM. REI Dublin
• Tuesday, August 16. 7-8:30 PM. REI San Francisco

Although Strayed's book, "Wild," (and the movie of the same name) are the most recent PCT memoirs, Dick recommends reading Dan White's "The Cactus Eaters: How I Lost My Mind and Almost Found Myself on the Pacific Crest Trail" to help you decide if you are up to long-distance mountain and desert hiking, or just for entertainment. You can get the book from Marin County libraries.

Tomales Bay SP Shell Beach Shuttle Hike (7/12) 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).

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

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.)

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

Weather forecast: As of Tuesday, July 5th, the National Weather Service forecast was partly sunny, with a high near 65. 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).