"Final Exam" Hike at Lake Lagunitas (Dec. 8) Preview

We return to the MMWD watershed for our final hike of the Fall 2009 "2" session.  Here's what we'll be doing:  "We make a partial circle around the lake, looking for ring-neck ducks, mergansers, grebes and other birds, and then make a loop past Pilot Knob, returning on Southern Marin Line. We usually see newts and some interesting mushrooms on this hike. Bring your contribution to our gourmet feast, plus a plate, utensils, and a cup."  (Click here for a recap of our December 2008 "Final Exam" hike at this location).

Directions to trailhead: Take Sir Francis Drake Boulevard into Fairfax. Jog left and make an immediate right in front of the movie theater. The first left puts you on Bolinas Avenue. Follow this until you see the sign on your left for Lake Bon Tempe and Lake Lagunitas. Follow the road to the toll booth by Sky Oaks Ranger Station. (Click here for the MMWD map and directions). The continue past to toll booth until you reach the end of the room.

The day use fee is $7.  You can use $1, $5, or $10 bills and coins at the automated pay station, or a Visa or Mastercard. Annual entrance passes are normally $50 ($25 for those 62 and older), but after September 1st you can buy one for half of those prices and the pass will be valid through January 31, 2010.  (As Dick recalls, you pay the annual pass fee at the automated pay station, then have to either stop at the Sky Oaks Ranger Station on the way out and ask them to send your receipt to the main office in Corte Madera which will issue the pass and mail it to you, or you have to send or take the receipt to that office yourself).

Time: 30 minutes from College of Marin. Restrooms in parking lot.

Weather forecast: Although most of next week looks to be pretty wet, weather wise, we may be a little break on Tuesday.  As of Friday morning, the National Weather Service forecast for the hike was mostly cloudy with a chance of rain and a high near 55 . (Click here for an updated National Weather service forecast).

More on this hike:  Hike C16 (Lakeview FR to Pilot Knob) in the Martin's book, Hiking Marin, sets out a shorter hike than we'll be doing; instead of following the Pilot Knob trail back to the parking lot, we'll take a longer route back by continuing eastward and then looping back the west, picking up the Southern Marin Line Road (called the Filter Plant Road on the Martin's map). (Click here to view, zoom in on, and print a map of the MMWD watershed lands).

A Walk In The Park - Bear Valley (November 24)

The weather couldn't have been better for our final hike of November:  Bright and sunny, a little cool in the shade, but warm in the sun, from morning until afternoon, out in Bear Valley at Point Reyes National Seashore.

We left our packs in the cars at the outset, and then spent about an hour and a quarter hiking a measly 0.8 miles up and down the woodpecker trail ("F1 - Bear Valley Interpretive Trails" if you have the Martins' book, Hiking Marin).  We dilly dallied around because of the plethora of mushrooms sprouting everywhere along the trail thanks to the recent wet weather.  A giant Douglas Fir was full of holes punched out by Acorn Woodpeckers to stash their supply of nuts. We found a California slender salamander here, too.  After a brief stop at the Morgan Horse Farm to watch a Black Phoebe flit back and forth in search of bugs on the wing, we returned to the parking lot to retrieve our packs and begin the second part of the day's hiking.  (Click here for Wendy's list of all flora and fauna spotted during the day).

By about 11:15 a.m. we were on our way up the Bear Valley Trail headed for Divide Meadow where we planned to stop for lunch.  A slow, but steady stream of water was headed the other direction along the creek that parallels the trail.  A Downy Woopecker crawled around a tree above us.  Ferns thrived in the shady sections.  In a little over an hour we had climbed 250 feet to the meadow and plopped down to relax in the sunshine and quell our appetites. 

Before we retraced our steps downhill to the Bear Valley Visitor Center, Wendy recounted the history of the long-gone 35 room sportsmen's lodge built along the edge of the meadow by San Francisco's Pacific Union Club during the 1890's.  The planned golf course, tennis courts, and swimming pool never made it off the plans on onto the ground, but the lodge building stood until it was removed in 1950.

It was all downhill, literally, but not figuratively, during the 1.6 mile stroll back to the Bear Valley Visitor Center and our cars.  Clouds portending rain later in the week had begun to streak the sky which had been clear blue when we left two and half hours earlier.  Compared to some of our hikes (like Limantour Road to Bear Valley via Divide Meadow), this was really a walk in the park:  Just 4.0 miles total.  Hardly enough to burn off many calories before "reloading" two days later on Thanksgiving.

(Click here to view more of Dick Jordan's photos taken during this hike.  If you've misplaced the link to Theresa Fisher's separate on-line album of hike pictures, click here).

Bahia Open Space Hike (Dec. 1) Preview

This week we'll head north to the Novato area and do some birdwatching on a portion of the Marin County Open Space lands. Here's Wendy's description of this outing: "This is a wonderful birding area and the ducks and shore birds are all back in Marin! We can expect green-winged teal, northern shovelers, American avocets, yellowlegs, and more. I’ll bring a spotting scope, but bring binoculars if you have them. (If you don’t have any, I have extras you can share.)"  (Click here for a list of species that can be found in this area).

Directions to trailhead: Take Highway 101 and exit on Atherton Avenue in Novato. Go east, until Bugeia Lane splits left and Atherton goes right. Take Bugeia which becomes Bahia and park at the end of the street.

Driving time from College of Marin: 35 minutes. No restrooms.

Weather forecast: As of Tuesday evening, November 24, the weather forecast for this hike is sunny with a high near 62 (Click here for an updated National Weather Service forecast).

More on this hike: Hiking in this particular areas isn't covered by any of the trailguides which Dick Jordan has, but you can click here for the Marin County Open Space District's description of the Rush Creek area.
(Click here to view and print out a map of this area).

Dick Jordan's Travel Writing Blog

On the way back from today's hike at Bear Valley, Kathy expressed interest is seeing my "Official Travel Writer's" blog called "Tales Told from the Road."  If you'd like to see it, just click here.