TIDE POOLING WITH WENDY ON JUNE 4, 2019, NO FEE

TIDE POOLING WITH WENDY ON JUNE 4, 2019, NO FEE 

Just a brief reminder that there is NO HIKE, instead call or email Wendy if you'd like to join her for a 6 a.m. tide pooling adventure.

Our next hike will be a Shuttle Hike on JUNE 11,  BOLINAS RIDGE  TO SAMUEL P. TAYLOR    

(Brendon Landis Flickr Photo)

Muddy Hollow Trailhead, Pt Reyes 5/28/19

Here's Wendy's description of our upcoming hike: " Great views and, we hope, some birds including American Goldfinches and Northern Harriers.  Some years we see tule elk with calves."  

 (Note: this hike is longer than we usually do (about 7 miles), so sometimes we make it back on time but sometimes we get back late).



Directions to the trailhead: Take Sir Francis Drake Boulevard west to Olema. Turn right on Route 1, then make an immediate left onto Bear Valley Road.

Continue past Park Headquarters (turn in if you need a restroom, there are none at the trailhead) and go left on Limantour Road.

When you see a paved road to the Hostel on the left, turn right on the dirt road to Muddy Hollow parking lot.

Click here for a map showing the trailhead. Click on the teardrop icon to get driving times and directions from your location.

Carpool from St. Rita at 8:55 am.

Weather forecast: As of Friday, May 24th, the National Weather Service forecast for this area was mostly sunny with a high near 62. (Click here for an updated forecast).

More on this hike: The Martins' book, Hiking Marin, was lasted updated in 2006, so it does not show the current trail which now only loops back to the Muddy Hollow Trailhead and no longer has an offshoot that goes to the Limantour Beach parking lot as shown on the Martins’ map. But their hike "G8 Muddy Hollow Rd - Estero Trail" does show the area where we'll be hiking.

However, the Point Reyes National Seashore's North District Hiking Map includes the new loop trail and pegs the distance at exactly 7.0 miles. The following Google Earth image shows the area (click on it to open a larger picture in your Web browser).

2019 Tuesday Summer Hikes with Wendy 5/28 - 7/23/19

Wendy has scheduled the following:

TUESDAY HIKES SUMMER 2019

Please email at least a day ahead if you plan to hike. Hikes with less than 8 may get cancelled.

MAY 28  MUDDY HOLLOW TRAILHEAD, POINT REYES 

     Great views and, we hope, some birds including American Goldfinches and Northern Harriers.  Some years we see tule elk with calves.  Note: this hike is longer than we usually do (about 7 miles).

     Take Sir Francis Drake Blvd. west to Olema.  Turn right on Rt.1, then make an immediate left onto Bear Valley Rd. Continue past Park Headquarters (turn in if you need a restroom) and go left on Limantour Rd.  When you see a paved road to the Hostel on the left, turn right on the dirt road to Muddy Hollow parking lot.

     No portable at trailhead.  Carpool from St. Rita Church in Fairfax at 9.

JUNE 4  Anyone crazy enough to join me for tidepooling at 6 AM?  No fee.

JUNE 11  BOLINAS RIDGE  TO SAMUEL P. TAYLOR SHUTTLE HIKE                     

    Uphill to start, but then downhill and level!  Meet at Samuel P. Taylor AT 9:30.  We’ll carpool to the Bolinas Ridge trailhead and hike back down.  We could hear meadowlarks singing, and see Lorquin’s admirals and western tiger swallowtails and find pipevine swallowtail caterpillars.    

     Restrooms at Samuel P. Taylor, none at trailhead. Carpool from St. Rita at 9:10.

JUNE 18  Anyone crazy enough to join me for tidepooling at 6 AM?

JUNE 25  ANGEL ISLAND STATE PARK

     Flowers, great views, and a fascinating history from when Juan Manuel de Ayala sailed the San Carlos into San Francisco Bay in 1775, through Angel Island's years as a quarantine station, and its years as Fort McDowell during World War II and a Nike missile base during the Cold War. 

      Take the Tiburon Blvd. exit from 101.  Follow it to downtown Tiburon. The ferry is at 21 Main St. We'll take the 10 AM ferry over. Allow time to park and don't miss the boat!   There is free parking on Mar West. (Turn left at the library.) Note: Parking lots closest to the ferry cost more.  If you can't find street parking, park in the farthest lot for the best rate.

     We'll go to the top of Mt. Livermore, eat lunch there, and take the 3:20 ferry back. Bring $14 cash for ferry and park entrance. $15 if you are not a senior. No credit cards.      Restrooms at ferry in Tiburon and on Angel Island. Carpool from Greenbrae Park and Ride at 9:10. 

JULY 2  BULL POINT

     A beautiful but soggy (in places) walk timed to see the Coast Lily blooming at its only site in Marin!  Other endangered flowers we’ve seen other years include the Swamp Harebell, Large-Flowered Linanthus, and Point Reyes Checkerbloom.  We may also see Yellow-Eyed Grass, Tinker's Penny, White-Flowered Bog Orchid, and Hooker’s Evening Primrose. Some off trail walking but very little elevation gain.

        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 (don't turn in) and go left when you hit Sir Francis Drake again.  Go through Inverness.  Go left at the "Y" and pass MCI and RCA stations.  The Bull Point parking lot will be on your         left. 

     No restrooms at trailhead, so stop at Bear Valley.  Carpool from St. Rita’s Church in Fairfax at 8:50.

JULY 9   PALOMARIN, POINT REYES NATIONAL SEASHORE

     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, and Salmonberries as well as butterflies and dragonflies. Lunch at Bass Lake.

     Take Sir Francis Drake Blvd. west to Olema. Turn left (south) on Rt. 1.  Pass Five Brooks and Dogtown, and take the unmarked right turn towards the town of Bolinas. (If you find yourself going along the shore of Bolinas Lagoon, you've just missed the turn.)  Turn right on Mesa Rd. and follow it to the Palomarin trailhead parking lot. This is a long dirt road so don't wash your car the day before!  If you're coming from south Marin you may prefer to take Rt. 1 north, turning left just past the end of the lagoon onto the unmarked road into the town of Bolinas. 

     Carpool from St. Rita at 8:40. Note: Dirt road so don’t wash your car on the weekend if you plan to drive.

JULY 16      BOLINAS RIDGE DOWN RANDALL TRAIL

     Slightly longer than usual at 7.4 miles, but lots of downhill.  Ripe huckleberries to snack on along the way!

      We’ll meet at 9:20 on Route One at the bottom of Randall Trail. From Route One and Sir Francis Drake Blvd, go 8.3 miles south to the Randall Trailhead. You will pass Five Brooks on your right and go about three more miles. Park in one of the large dirt pullouts on either side of the road.  If you are traveling north on Route 1, it's about 3 miles north of Dogtown.  Then we’ll carpool up the Bolinas-Fairfax Road to Ridgecrest Blvd. and hike along Bolinas Ridge Fire Rd. and come down Randall Trail. 

     Carpool leaves St. Rita at 8:40.

JULY 23  TOMALES BAY STATE PARK  FINAL EXAM

     We’ll take the Johnson/Jepson Loop.  We sometimes see the endangered California Harebells and this is the only hike where we always see Deer Ferns. One of the most scenic picnic tables in Marin for our Final Exam!

     Take Sir Francis Drake Blvd. Turn right at Olema and make an immediate left onto Bear Valley Rd.  Continue until you pick up SF Drake again. Go through Inverness.  Where the road veers left to Drake's Beach and the lighthouse, go straight.  This puts you

on Pierce Point Rd.  Just BEFORE the right turn that takes you down to Heart's Desire Beach there is a dirt parking lot on the right. If you don't know it you may need to go to the road to Heart's Desire and then turn around.  We'll take the Jepson/Johnson loop.

     Outhouse en route and at restrooms at lunch spot. Bring food to share for our gourmet final exam!  Remember to pack a plate and utensils.  Carpool from St. Rita at 8:55.

NOTE: If there is interest I'll schedule some hikes for August.  COM starts August 27

Rock Spring, Mount Tamalpais 5/21/19

This is a classic hike on Mount Tamalpais. Wendy wrote a Marin Independent Journal article about this hike.  Click here to see Wendy's article. Wendy writes that "we could see coral roots (a native orchid), meadow rue, and golden banners on this mostly shady loop hike".

Here's a brief description of the hike: Classic sites on Mt. Tamalpais popular in the heyday of hiking - Potrero Meadow Barth's Retreat and Rifle Camp. Learn about the Down and Outers Club and who Barth was!

REMEMBER TO BRING PLATE, UTENSILS, AND SOMETHING TO SHARE FOR THE GOURMET FINAL EXAM! (Let’s think green and try to cut down on paper and plastic throw-aways as much as possible). We’ll leave the food in the cars and eat when we get back, but bring your water bottle.

Directions to trailhead: Go south on Highway 101 to the Mill Valley Exit, East Blithdale. Turn left on Camino Alto (use the left turn only lane). Turn right on Miller Ave. Turn left on Montford. (The 2AM Club is the landmark.) Turn right on Molino. There is a yellow dividing line on the road so if in doubt "follow the yellow line road".  Moline becomes Edgewood, which becomes Sequoia Valley Road. At the large intersection at the top, turn right onto Panoramic Highway. At the intersection for the Pantoll Ranger Station, the road divides. Turn right onto Pantoll and keep heading uphill for about one mile. You'll come to an intersection with Ridgecrest Blvd. You'll be facing a dirt parking lot which is Rock Spring. Park here. (Click here for a map showing the parking area at the trailhead.   Click on the teardrop icon or click on "Directions" on the left-hand side of the screen to get  driving time and directions from your location.)

Driving time from College of Marin - 55 minutes.

Carpoolers can meet at the Greenbrae Park and Ride lot at 9:10 a.m. (Click here for a map showing the parking lot on Drakes Landing Road; right click on the teardrop icon to get driving time and directions from your location.)

There is an outhouse at the trailhead and mid-way.

Weather forecast: As of Thursday, May 16th, the National Weather Service forecast for the area around Rock Spring on Mt. Tam was a mostly cloudy with a chance of rain and a high near 55. (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.

Here's the hike profile and route we'll follow.

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).

Kent Pump Road 5.14/19

Here's Wendy's description of this outing: "While I know we all like loops, I was so excited about osprey nests when I took this hike that I decided to add it to our itinerary. Kent Lake is the largest of the MMWD reservoirs. The first Osprey nest was found at Kent Lake in 1967 when ospreys had been so decimated by DDT it was a big deal to see one. The first bald eagle nested there in 2008. In 2017 there were about eighteen active nests. We’ll hike as far as the first few nests."

Directions to trailhead: 

Take the Fairfax-Bolinas Road to the Alpine Dam. Parking is limited, so carpool if possible. Park when you see the dam ahead (first choice), or cross the dam and turn around so you can park on the other side and walk back across the dam. Click here for a Google Map showing Alpine Dam

Time: 35 minutes from College of Marin. 
No restrooms at trailhead.

Note from Wendy:

Parking is very limited, so if you have room in your car, please meet at the Parkade in Fairfax to carpool at 9:15.  Unless you are driving via Route 1, everyone will have to pass through Fairfax. The Parkade Project is complete and there is parking available. Click here for a Parkade Project update.

Click here for a Waze Map showing the location of the Parkade.

Weather forecast: As of Thursday, May 9th, the National Weather Service forecast for this hike was partly sunny with a high near 59. Click here for an updated forecast.

A Marin Independent Journal article describes the area where we'll be looking for osprey nests . Click here for the Marin IJ article about ospreys

West Ridgecrest 5/7/19

Today we explore a section of the  Coastal Trail with views of Stinson Beach and Bolinas Lagoon. This hike is not a loop.

When Ridgecrest Boulevard opened as a toll road in the 1920s it was proclaimed California’s “Most Scenic Drive.” It’s even better hiking!

Click here for the recap of our 2010 hike.

Directions to trailhead:  THERE ARE THREE WAYS TO REACH THE TRAILHEAD:

1. From Central Marin: Take the Fairfax-Bolinas Road from Fairfax to Ridgecrest Boulevard. Park at the junction with the Fairfax-Bolinas Road. (About 1 hour driving time from the College of Marin; carpoolers can meet at St. Rita’s at 9:00 am).
2. From Southern Marin: 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. Turn left at Rock Springs onto Ridgecrest Boulevard. Park on left at junction with the Fairfax-Bolinas Road.  (Driving time from College of Marin about 1 hour).
3. From Novato:  Take the Fairfax-Bolinas Road out of Fairfax (about 1 hour and 17 minutes), or go through Tam Valley (about 1 hour and 6 minutes), or go to Point Reyes Station and head south on Highway 1 until you reach the right-hand turn to Bolinas but turn left there instead and head uphill to the junction of Ridgecrest Boulevard and the Fairfax Bolinas Road (about 1 hour and 14 minutes).

(Click here for a MapQuest which shows the trailhead as #1 and which can provide you with driving directions and time from your location.)

Restrooms:

1. No restrooms at trailhead. 
2. If you are coming through Fairfax, take a detour left off the Bolinas-Fairfax Road before it heads uphill and use the restrooms at Deer Park School. 
3. If you are going through Tam Valley, you can use the restrooms at Bootjack or Pantoll, or the porta-porty at Rock Spring. 
4. Driving through Point Reyes Station toward Bolinas, use the public restrooms on Mesa Road in Point Reyes Station or the port-potty at Five Brooks between Olema and Bolinas.

Weather forecast: As of Thursday, May 2nd, the National Weather Service forecast for the time of the hike was mostly sunny with a high near 62. (Click here for an updated forecast).

More on this hike:  This hike isn’t mentioned in any of my trail guides, but we’ll be hiking south on the Coastal Trail which parallels Ridgecrest Boulevard until we reach the junction with the McKennan Gulch Trail (which heads downhill to Bolinas Lagoon) and then we will retrace our steps back north.

(Click here and go to page 6 of the Mt. Tam State Park brochure for the park map; click on the percentage magnification box at the top of the page and increase to about 125%-150% to get a good view of the trail which runs just west of the road).



Here's the hike profile.

This Google Earth image provides a bird's eye view of the route we'll take.