Carson Falls, MMWD Watershed 2/5/19

This hike is 300' up and 400' down each way on this out-and-back hike. There are loose rocks on Pine Mountain fire road so you might want to bring your poles. 
The trail climbs a little over 300’ in the first mile to Oat Hill Road . This hike takes us through chaparral to the beautiful falls on Pine Mountain where we'll have lunch.



  

  


















Directions:
As you enter Fairfax on Sir Francis Drake Boulevard jog left on Pacheco when you see the movie theater. Make an immediate right which puts you on Broadway which is the street that parallels Sir Francis Drake but is on the other side of the parkade. Make the first left onto Bolinas Ave. Follow the Bolinas-Fairfax Rd. for about 4 miles to a dirt parking lot on your left.

Click here for a Google map that shows the parking area. Click on the teardrop icon to get driving directions and times from your location.

Click here for a map of the Marin Municipal Water District 

Photos of Pine Mountain Road 

Pine Mountain Road

 Full photo album — 19 February 2011

Photos of Carson Falls Trail

Carson Falls Trail

Carpoolers should meet at St. Rita Church in Fairfax at 9:15 a.m.

Weather forecast: As of Thursday, January 31st, the National Weather Service forecast for the hike was sunny with a high near 48. (Click here for an updated forecast).

 Click here for an article about the Carson Falls hike.

More on this hike:  Hike "C9  - Carson Falls and Oat Hill FR" in the Martin's book, Hiking Marin,  sets out two hikes. (Click here to view, zoom in on, and print a map of the MMWD watershed lands).

Bootjack Mount Tamalpais 1/29/19

Welcome to Wendy's Tuesday class for Winter 2019. The first hike is a loop 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. About 700' change in elevation round trip."

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 lots. Fee parking area is $8 for regular, $7 seniors. Bring exact change.

Click here for a Google Maps map that shows the Bootjack parking lot. Click on the teardrop icon 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. Restrooms at trailhead.

Carpoolers can meet at the Greenbrae Parking & Ride lot at 9:00 a.m. (Click here for a Google Maps map showing the parking lot on Drakes Landing Road; click on the teardrop icon to get driving time and directions from your location.)

Weather forecast: As of Saturday, January 26th, the National Weather Service forecast was mostly sunny with a high near 54. (Click here for an updated forecast.)

Pine Mt./Elliott Nature Preserve Shuttle Hike 1/22/19

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 sunny with a high near 58. Click here for an updated forecast for the day of the hike.. Note that unlike College of Marin 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)

Sky Oaks to Deer Park Shuttle Hike (1/15/19) Preview

This hike has some short uphill stretches, but much of it is downhill or fairly level. Maybe we’ll see the first milkmaids of the season! (Click here for a recap of the hike we did in October of 2009).
20 minutes from the College of Marin to Deer Park School. Carpool from St. Rita Church in Fairfax at 9:25 a.m.

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 Google Maps map showing the location of Deer Park School; click on the teardrop icon 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. 

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

Weather forecast:  As of Friday, January 11th, the National Weather Service forecast for the day of the hike was rain, and cloudy with a high near 57. Click here for an updated forecast for the day of the hike..

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.

SKY TRAIL TO BEAR VALLEY SHUTTLE HIKE 1/8/19

We return to Point Reyes National Seashore.

This is a shuttle hike, so CALL WENDY AT 415-457-3949 or 415-517-0488 or send her an e-mail her at bdreskin@comcast.net if you are coming! 

Note the earlier than usual meeting time at Bear Valley.

Directions to trailhead: We’ll meet at Bear Valley at 9:20 a.m. and carpool to Sky Trail. (Click here for a Google Maps map that shows the Bear Valley Vistor Center; park in the lot next to the restrooms by the Earthquake trail. Click on the teardrop icon to get driving directions and time from your location.)

(If you are running late, you drive directly to the Sky Trail trailhed. Click here for a Google Maps map showing the trailhead location; click on the teardrop icon to get driving directions and estimated travel time from your location).  

When we get to Mt. Wittenberg, we'll go down Old Pine. We’ll need some people who are not in a rush to drive people back to Sky Trail after we reach the Bear Valley Visitor Center and parking lot.

NOTE: Part of this trail can get really wet/puddly if it has rained recently, so use appropriate footgear.

Restrooms at Bear Valley, none at Sky Trail trailhead, but some as we pass Coast Camp.

Carpool leaves St. Rita Church in Fairfax at 8:45 a.m.

Weather forecast: As of Friday, January 4th, the National Weather Service forecast for the hike was a chance of showers. Cloudy with high near 54 and breezy. (Click here for an updated forecast).

More on this hike:  "G3 Sky Trailhead to Bear Valley" in the Martins' book, Hiking Marin, is a version of this hike although we usually go straight at Junction #1 shown on their map and continue on to Sky Camp rather than take the detour up to Mt. Wittenberg (which we do on a separate loop hike from the Sky Trail trailhead) and then back down to the Sky Trail before continuing on to the Old Pine Trail, Divide Meadow and on to Bear Valley.  (Click here for the Seashore's South District Hiking Map which shows these trails).

The following Google Earth image gives a bird's eye view of where we'll be hiking: