Final Exam (March 16) Photos Now Online!

Click here to see photos shot by Walter Drucker, Theresa Fisher, and Dick Jordan on our March 16th hike around Bon Tempe Lake.

"Final Exam" Fun (Bon Tempe-Lagunitas March 16)

For the second straight week we had a fine weather day for our end of Winter "Final Exam" hike.  Another Tuesday hiking group we met in the parking lot made us feel slothful:  They were headed up, up up to the East Peak of Mount Tam, and then down, down, downhill to the parking lot at Lagunitas Lake.

We, on the other hand, were planning to just mosey along the north shore of Bon Tempe Lake, and then mosey on back to our cars and stuff our faces over our usual Enough-To-Feed-An-Army post-hike lunch.

When we've done this hike in the past we've started off in a northwesterly direction from the parking lot and then bushwhacked our way across meadows and through the trees to reach the access road.  This time the CCC had done trail clearing and put a new sign marking the "Alex Forman Trail" (which Dick does not find on any of the maps or trail guidebooks he has) that route.  Wendy found a flat millipede hiding under a log along this trail.

By 10:45 a.m. we were meandering along the aptly named Sunnyside Trail close to the lakeshore.  Along the way we encountered a couple of Smarter-Than-Us guys sitting by the lake fishing and enjoying the fine weather.  Ground Iris and Pinchusion Sanicle were among the flowers we spotted and Bee Flies and am Acmon Blue butterfly flew by us. Oaks dotted the hillsides to the north. Forty-five minutes later we had reached Bon Tempe dam and found a raft of cormorants in their usual wing-drying spot on a log boom in front of the dam.

As we began our loop back to the parking lot we continued  to hear the the rat-a-tat-tat of a Pileated Woodpecker hanging out unseen in the forest about the Shadyside Trail. Turret spiders had built their burrows along this section of the trail. About halfway back we got a good view of Common Mergansers swimming along just off-shore.  By 2:00 p.m. we were lounging in the shade under the trees next to the creek scarfing up our "Final Exam" meal.

In order to earn our calories we hiked a little over four miles.  (The Google Earth Image below shows our route).

But the elevation loss and gain on this hike was pretty modest as shown by the profile below.

Indian Valley Open Space Hike (3/30) Preview

Two loops combine to make an interesting hike.  We have seen 9 species of butterflies other years!  Last year we heard the first orange crowned warbler, pacific slop flycatcher, warbling vireo, and Wilson's warbler on this hike!  (Click here for a recap of last year's hike).

Directions to trailhead: Take Highway 101 to the Ignacio Boulevard exit. Go west and follow Ignacio Boulevard into the Indian Valley College campus. Our hike starts from parking lot #7 by the athletic field. (Click here for to view and print a map of the campus). Bring a dozen quarters to get a ticket from the parking machines ($3/day ). 25 minutes from College of Marin. Restrooms at trailhead. (Carpoolers can meet at Smith Ranch Park & Ride lot around 9:15-20 am).

Weather forecast: As of Saturday, March 27, the National Weather Service forecast for Novato on Tuesday, March 30 was mostly cloudy with a 50 percent chance of rain and a high near 59. (Click here for an updated forecast).

More on this hike: Two hikes in the Martin's book, Hiking Marin, cover the area that we'll traverse: "E6 Indian Valley FR - Waterfall Trail" and "E7 Schwindt - Wildcat Trails". You can also view and print the map and species list for the Marin County Open Space District's Indian Valley preserve. (For another hike description and more photos of the IVC Open Space, check out this page on the "Bay Area Hiker" Web site). The Google Earth photo below shows this area. (Click on the photo to open a larger image in your Web browser).

Discounted Ferry Ride for Silvia's Celebration of Life on Sunday

In case you did not already receive this information from Wendy, if you are taking the 10 a.m. ferry from Tiburon to Angel Island can get a $3 discount on the usual fare ($13.50/adults round-trip, includes state park fee, cash or checks only, pay as you board; click here for more information including directions and where to park) by telling the ferry ticket seller that you are attending the Celebration of Silvia Lange's Life.

The event will start just after 11 a.m. to allow time for the San Francisco ferry to arrive.  We will probably be in the picnic area behind the Visitor's Center. There will be refreshments around 12 noon and a hike about 1 p.m.  For those who don't want to hike, we hope to have videos/DVDs of Silvia to play at the Visitor's Center.