Tomales Bay SP Shell Beach Shuttle Hike (8/19) 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).

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.)

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

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

Weather forecast: As of Thursday, August 14th, the National Weather Service forecast was Patchy fog before 11am. Otherwise, partly sunny, with a high near 67. 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).

AUGUST 12 - NO HIKE

Just a reminder that there is no hike next week on Tuesday, August 12th.

Our next outing with be on Tuesday, August 19th when we do the Shell Beach hike at Tomales Bay State Park.

Update on COM Hike Registration

The new College of Marin Community Education Website is now up and running so you can register for Fall 1 and Fall 2 hikes (and other classes) online.

Your old COM Community Ed "My Portal" username and password won't work. You will have to set up a new Profile with a new username and password, but Dick Jordan found that process quite easy.

(If you've registered for Community Ed programs online in the past, you may receive an e-mail from COM giving you a username based on your e-mail address and a temporary password. If you didn't receive such an e-mail, just set up a new Profile and create a username and password.)

If you "browse" for classes you'll find the Meandering in Marin hikes listed under "Emeritus College"/"Home & Nature"/"Marin Adventures."

You can also find our hikes by typing "Meandering in Marin" in the search box near the top right-hand side of the Website.

Note that the course number system has changed. Fall 1 Tuesday hike "Class ID" is 66 (not "CRN 85200 as was the case under the old numbering system) and Fall 2 "Class ID" is 68.

If you pay $15/year to join the "Emeritus College" you'll get a discount on the class registration fees.

You add each class to a "Cart" and then click on "Checkout" (when you'll be prompted to join the Emeritus College). The checkout process seems much faster than under the old system.

You'll receive an e-mail confirmation of class registration, a separate receipt for fee payments, an another e-mail confirming creation of your new Profile.

The new COM Community Ed Website will look familiar to you if you've taken classes through the Tamalpais Unified High School District Community Education program (MarinLearn.com).

College of Marin Hike Registration Delayed to Tuesday, August 5

According to the College of Marin Community Education Website, registration for Fall 2014 courses (including our hikes) will NOT open today, Monday, August 4th as originally scheduled.

Registration is now supposed to begin tomorrow, Tuesday, August 5th because the College has set up a new Community Ed Website, marincommunityed.com.