Lake Bon Tempe, Rocky Ridge (1/30/18)

Here's Wendy's description of the hike: "After we cross the dam we have about an hour of uphill walking, but we’ll take it slowly admiring the sweeping views of the lakes and checking out the early wildflowers. Lunch by the lake."

Directions to trailhead: Take Sir Francis Drake Boulevard into Fairfax. Turn onto Pacheco and then make an immediate right on Center. (This puts you on the street that parallels SF Drake but is on the other side of the parkade.) Make the first left onto Bolinas Ave. Follow the Bolinas-Fairfax Rd for about 1 mile. When you  see the sign on your left for Lake Bon Tempe and Lake Lagunitas, turn left onto Sky Oaks Blvd.

Follow the road to the Sky Oaks Ranger Station. Pull over and park on the right and pay the $8 day-use fee (unless you own an MMWD 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.

Then continue driving toward Lake Lagunitas. When you reach the right turn marked Lake Bon Tempe, turn right onto a dirt road that takes you to the parking lot below the dam. 

Click here for a Google Maps map that shows the trailhead at the Bon Tempe dam.  Click on the teardrop icon to get directions and driving times from your location.

Portables at trailhead. Time: 25 minutes from COM.

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

Weather forecast: As of Wednesday, the National Weather Service forecast for the day of the hike was party sunny with a high near 58. (Click here for an updated National Weather service forecast.)

HIKE CANCELLED - NO HIKE ON JANUARY 23, 2018

Since Wendy's husband, Bill, will have a hip replacement on Monday, January 22, 2018, there will be no hike on either Monday or Tuesday, January 22 or 23, 2018.

The College of Marin Meandering class begins Tuesday, January 30, 2018 at Lake Bon Tempe.

Pine Mt./Elliott Preserve Hike (1/16/2018) Preview

SHUTTLE HIKE - NOTE EARLY STARTING, LATE ENDING TIME   CALL WENDY AT 415-457-3949 or send her an e-mail her at bdreskin@comcast.net if you are coming!
We'll continue the new year with this annual "Winterim" hike.   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.  Little Carson Falls is a detour which is steep in parts and can be slippery if it rains. We may or may not go to the falls depending on the group's decision. Due to a lack of good places to stop on the Repack fire road, lunch will be early (around 11:30) or late (around 1). (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 two people to meet at the end of Cascade Drive in Fairfax at 9:20 a.m. (Click here for a Google Maps map with that location and click on the teardrop icon to get directions to it.) 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 Sir Frances Drake Blvd to Fairfax. Turn left at the first gas station and make an immediate right in front of the movie theater. Turn right on Bolinas Ave. Drive 2.6 miles to pass the Meadow Club and continue on for 1.3 miles until the top of the ridge. Park in the large gravel parking lot on the left side of the road. If you start going downhill and see Lake Alpine, you've gone too far. (Click here for a Google Maps map with that location and click on the teardrop icon  to get directions to it.)

Weather forecast: The weather forecast for Tuesday is a chance of rain. Mostly cloudy, with a high near 58. Click here for an updated forecast for the day of the hike.. Note that unlike College of Marin sessions hikes, rain can cancel "Winterim" outings. So on the morning of the hike, check your e-mail before you leave home to see if Wendy has cancelled the hike. She'll phone those who don't have e-mail.

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 instead of Elliott Preserve) on the District's Website, or click here for a map of this area)

Reminder - Hike on Monday Jan 8, 2018, no hike Tuesday Jan 9, 2018

Until the Winter College of Marin series of hikes begin, Wendy will be running a series of by-the-week one-way shuttle hikes. UNLIKE CLASSES THROUGH COM, RAIN CANCELS!  $22/class. Wendy says: "Please email or call to let me know if you will be there since these are shuttle hikes, and also so I can let you know if there is a rain cancellation.  In case of questionable weather, look for an email around 7 AM."

Following are the January Winterim hikes remaining.

January 8 - Lake Alpine

January 9 - NO HIKE

January 15 - NO HIKE

January 16 - Pine Mountain/Elliott Preserve

January 22 - Sky Oaks to Deer Park

January 23 - Sky Oaks to Deer Park "Final Exam" 

JANUARY 8  LAKE ALPINE

SHUTTLE HIKE

     We hike along a creek with lovely cascades and ferns.  This is usually an interesting mushroom hike as well. 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.  We may get back late (about 3 PM) so this is not a good hike for you if you have to be back at 1:45. 

     Take the Fairfax-Bolinas Rd. 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. We’ll carpool to the trailhead. Do not pay if you plan to take people to the trailhead.  We’ll need people who are not in a rush to take the drivers back to their cars.

      Portables are in the parking lot for Lake Bon Tempe.

Registration opens today for Winter 2018 Meandering in Marin - also Hiking Schedule

Remember COM winter registration opens January 2. 

WINTER QUARTER 2018

TUESDAY  MEANDERING IN MARIN 

JANUARY 30 LAKE BON TEMPE, ROCKY RIDGE

       After we cross the dam we have about an hour of uphill walking, but we’ll take it slowly admiring the sweeping views of the lakes and checking out the early wildflowers. Lunch by the lake

      As you enter Fairfax on Sir Francis Drake Blvd. jog left on Pacheco when you see the movie theater and make an immediate right.  This puts you on the street that parallels SF Drake but is on the other side of the parkade. Make the first left which is Bolinas Ave. Follow the Bolinas-Fairfax Rd. for about 1 mile. Turn left onto Sky Oaks Rd. Pass the kiosk and pull in to the parking area on the right where you pay. Then make a right on the unpaved road to Bon Tempe and park in the lot below the dam.

FEBRUARY 6   SKY TRAIL, POINT REYES 

      This loop has spectacular views of the estero and the ocean!  This could be a good mushroom hike! Lunch on Mt. Wittenberg. Level and downhill after lunch.  

     Take Sir Francis Drake Blvd. west to Olema.  Turn right on Rt.1, then make an immediate left onto Bear Valley Rd. Continue past the road to Park Headquarters (stop here if you need a restroom) and go left on Limantour Rd. Trailhead is 3.3 miles from

this turn. The parking lot is on your left. 

     50 minutes from College of Marin.  No restrooms at trailhead. We’ll pass some at Sky Camp about 10:30.

FEBRUARY 13 BLITHEDALE CANYON LOOP. MILL VALLEY

     A loop with great views of Mt. Tamalpais!  Early wildflowers and probably a 9 fern day!  My favorite Star Lily patch in all Marin!

     Take East Blithedale exit from 101. Where you cross Throckmorton it becomes West Blithedale. Go .9 miles and look for parking at Marsh and West Blithedale on both the left and the right sides of the street.

     Time: 30 minutes from COM.  No restrooms at trailhead.

FEBRUARY 20  STEEP RAVINE –DIPSEA  

     On this favorite early spring hike we should see Giant Wake Robin, Redwood Evergreen Violets, Star Lilies, Smith’s Fairy Bells, Fetid Adder’s Tongue and Calypso Orchids! We’ll go up Steep Ravine since some of us find the ladder is easier to go up than down.  Lunch at Pantoll.

     NOTE: You cannot reach Steep Ravine from the south as of this writing. 

Highway 1 (State Route 1) is closed between Muir Beach and Stinson Beach due to storm damage. Access to Steep Ravine is allowed past the barricades on the north (Stinson Beach) side of the closure. 
From Highway 101, take Highway 1 north to Panoramic Highway back to Highway 1 in Stinson Beach. Go left at the T intersection onto southbound Highway 1 and Steep Ravine will be on your right after the barricades. 
If you are coming from the north on Highway 1 simply continue south on Highway 1 through Stinson Beach and Steep Ravine will be on your right after the barricades. The barricades are near the intersection and will have a sign reading "Local Traffic Only" - you can go around them to proceed to Steep Ravine. 

 There is parking is on the east side. 

FEBRUARY 27   AUDUBON CANYON RANCH

     Lucky us!  We have permission to hike in Audubon Canyon Ranch!  This is beautiful habitat, not usually open to the public. 

     Take Sir Francis Drake Blvd. to Olema. Turn south (left) on Highway 1 and follow for about 10 miles to Bolinas Lagoon. Preserve will be on the left approximately 1 mile further. The entrance will be closed with a gate.  Go south of the entrance and go in the exit.  Or from Highway 101  take the Stinson Beach exit. Follow approximately 12 miles to Stinson Beach. Continue 3 1/2 miles north to the parking lot exit just before the preserve gate on right hand side of the highway. If you don't know where it is, you may have to drive to the official entrance and turn around.

      Time: 1 hour from College of Marin.  Restrooms at trailhead.

MARCH 6  DEER PARK TO LAKE PHOENIX

     This is a scenic hike with lunch at Phoenix Lake. We should see Red Larkspur, Gypsum Spring Beauty, Baby Blue Eyes, and Ground Iris.  Maybe we'll hear the first  Orange-Crowned Warblers of the season singing their spring song!

     Go west on Sir Francis Drake Blvd. to Fairfax.  As you enter Fairfax, turn left at the gas station, and make an immediate right in front of the movie theater.  This puts you on Broadway.  Make the first left onto Bolinas Ave.  Just after it veers left, turn left on Porteous Ave.  Follow it to the parking lot at Deer Park. 

     15 minutes from College of Marin.  Restrooms at trailhead

MARCH 13   FINAL EXAM   BON TEMPE LAKE

       We’ll do the hike we missed in December because of the slide.  This could be the week for our first Acmon blue butterfly!

       Remember to bring your contribution to our gourmet feast, a plate, cup, and utensils.

       As you enter Fairfax on Sir Francis Drake Blvd. jog left when you see the movie theater and make an immediate right.  This puts you on the street that parallels SF Drake but is on the other side of the parkade. Make the first left which is Bolinas Ave. Follow the Bolinas-Fairfax Rd. for about 1 mile. Turn left onto Sky Oaks Rd. Pass the kiosk and pull in to the parking area on the right where you pay. Follow the paved road on to Lake Lagunitas. We’ll have lunch at the picnic area at Lake Lagunitas so you don’t need to carry the food for the potluck.

             Time: 30 minutes from College of Marin. Restrooms at trailhead, portables en route.