Error Correction - Registration begins May 14, 2018

Registration opens at 9 AM on Monday, May 14, 2018 - not May 7th.

Thanks to Barbara for catching the error.

HIKES BETWEEN SPRING AND SUMMER SESSIONS

Wendy's Summer Schedule is as follows:

Monday, May 21, the Muddy Hollow Loop.  

     

Wendy says:
This is a lovely loop with views of Limantour Estero. We often see Tule Elk on this hike (sometimes even calves!), and there is a chance of the endangered Myrtle’s Silverspot butterfly. 

     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. Turn right for the parking lot at Muddy Hollow. (Youth Hostel is to the left.) Carpool leaves St. Rita at 8:55. Note: this hike is longer than a usual meander, about 7 miles, so we could get back late. (Some years we've been on time and some years as much as an hour late.) 

Tuesday, May 22  Angel Island 

We'll take the 10 AM ferry over. Allow time to park and don't miss the boat! We'll go to the top of Mt. Livermore and take the 3:30 ferry which arrives back in Tiburon about 3:45. Angel Island is often good for butterflies like Anise Swallowtails, Western Tiger Swallowtails, California Sisters, and Pipevine Swallowtails. Bring $15.00 ($14 for seniors) in cash for ferry and park entrance. NOTE LATE ENDING TIME!

     
Restrooms at ferry in Tiburon and on Angel Island. Carpool from Greenbrae Park and Ride at 9:10.

Natalie will be in touch to see if people want to hike on May 29, June 4 and June 5.  Wendy will be getting ready for the safari. 

SUMMER SESSION INFO

Over the summer Monday Meanders will be through College of Marin.  The summer session is 6 weeks long, from June 11 to July 16.  Wendy will be doing June 11, July 9 and July 16.  Natalie Clark will be doing the other three weeks while Wendy is leading the safari in Tanzania.  

Registration is on Monday, May 7.  Wendy says that for this spring session the Monday class filled up at 9:07 a.m. so it's best to register early.

Class Information:

Course/Class Number: 9395b/3388

Staff Phone: 415-485-9305

Wendy will be doing private Tuesday hikes when she is in town. Natalie will be offering some private Tuesday hikes while Wendy is away.  These will be by the hike so you don't need to sign up for a session. 

KENT PUMP ROAD (5/8/2018)

Here's Wendy's description of this outing: "While I know we all like loops, I was so excited about osprey nests last spring 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 for 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.  

https://www.waze.com/directions/united-states/fairfax/fairfax-parkade/155582844.1555893975.3485720.html

Weather forecast: As of Thursday, May 3rd, the National Weather Service forecast for this hike was mostly sunny with a high near 75. (Click here for an updated forecast).

WOLFE RIDGE, GGNRA (5/1/18)

Here's Wendy's description of this annual Spring outing: "Wildflowers and views! 'First of spring' flowers for this hike usually include Cobweb Thistle and Bee Plant, and we sometimes see the amazing Fairy Moth hanging out by Oceanspray."  (Click here for a recap of our 2010 hike.  

Directions to trailhead: From Highway 101 southbound, take the last exit before the Golden Gate Bridge. Turn right, go under the freeway, and get in the left turn lane to go through the one way tunnel with the 5 minute traffic light. Follw the road down past the Marine Mammal Center.

Park at the end of the road. (Rodeo Beach will be on the other side of the road). (Click here for a Google Map for driving directions and times from your location.)

Time: 40 minutes from the College of Marin.

Carpoolers can meet at Greenbrae Park & Ride lot at 9:15 a.m. (Click here for a MapQuest map showing the parking lot; click on #1 to get driving time and directions from your location.)

Restrooms at trailhead. 

Weather forecast: As of Thursday, April 21st, the National Weather Service forecast for this year’s hike was sunny, with a high near 63. (Click here for an updated forecast).

More on this hike: Hike "A5 Coastal - Wolf Ridge - Miwok Trails" in the Martins' book, Hiking Marin, shows our route for this 5 mile-plus hike with a 1,000' elevation gain, as does the "Coastal-Miwok Loop" hike in Tracy Salcedo-Chourre's book, Exploring Point Reyes National Seashore and Golden Gate National Recreation Area. (Hill 88, our probable lunch spot, is 960' above sea level with lovely views on a clear day).

Here's the hike's elevation profile.

 This is the route that we'll follow.

The Google Earth photo below shows the area. (Click on it to open a larger image in your Web browser).



If you have time after the hike, stop by The Marine Mammal Center, just uphill from Rodeo Lagoon and a short distance east of the parking lot where we met for the hike.

There you are likely to see Northern Elephant Seals like the ones we saw being released at the Lifeboat Station in Point Reyes National Seashore when we hiked to Chimney Rock, California Seal Lions, Northern and Guadalupe Fur Seals, and Pacific Harbor Seals.

 (Click here for a "Patient" list.)

There should be a docent-led tour at 3:00 p.m. Click here for more information about docent tours