SF Hiking Club Hikes led by Peter McCluskey

OCTOBER 5, 2003 SUNDAY: BARNABE MOUNTAIN

Meet: 9:00am under the Safeway sign at Market & Dolores. Depart 9:15. Rating: Moderate, 7 miles, 1500 feet elevation gain. This hike in Samuel P. Taylor State Park starts in a redwood forest along Devil's Gulch Creek. We climb slowly but steadily for 4 miles, mostly through woods dominated by California bay and maple, with a short side trip to a 40-foot waterfall. Then it opens up into grassy fields as we reach the ridge near the top of Barnabe Mountain, with nice views of Marin and Tomales Bay. We descend on a shorter, steeper trail which follows a grassy ridge much of the way. Bring: water, lunch, layered clothing. Canceled in event of light or heavy rain. Driving distance 31 miles round trip. Carpooling cost: $11.00 per car to be shared by the passengers (includes $5 tolls). Alternate meeting place: 10:00 at Devil's Gulch trailhead (on Sir Francis Drake Blvd, one mile past the main park entrance).

NOVEMBER 30, 2003 SUNDAY: ALVISO SLOUGH

Meet: 9:00am under the Safeway sign at Market & Dolores. Depart 9:15. Rating: Moderate, 9 miles, 0 feet elevation gain. As we cross the small town of Alviso to reach the trailhead, the scenery abruptly changes from modern San Jose office buildings to an old-fashioned maritime area that seems strangely out of place so near to the heart of Silicon Valley. We will hike 9 miles of trails on levees around a series of salt ponds and marshes between Alviso Slough and Coyote Creek. Expect to see many birds and a panoramic view of the south bay. Directions: Take 101 south to route 237 east to the Great America Parkway/Lafayette St exit. Turn left at the end of the exit ramp. The road will quickly curve to the east and end at a light. Turn left onto Gold Street and follow Gold a mile to where it ends. Turn left onto Elizabeth and go 2 blocks to the end. Turn right onto Hope, which ends in a parking lot for the trail. Bring: lunch, water, and a raincoat or windbreaker if there's a chance of rain or wind. Canceled in event of heavy rain. Driving distance 86 miles round trip. Carpooling cost: $17.00 per car to be shared by the passengers. Alternate meeting place: Trip leader will meet the group at the trailhead at 10am.

APRIL 11, 2004 SUNDAY: JOSEPH GRANT PARK

Meet: 8:30am under the Safeway sign at Market & Dolores. Depart 8:45. Rating: Moderate, 10 miles, 1200 feet elevation gain. Joseph D. Grant County Park is just east of San Jose, but feels quite isolated. We will hike a loop in the southeast part of the park, through open wildflower-filled meadows with many scattered trees. We'll pass several ponds, and have some good views of nearby Mt. Hamilton. Directions to the trailhead: from the intersection of 280 and 101 in San Jose, take 680 north 1 mile to the Alum Rock exit. Follow Alum Rock Ave 2.2 miles east. Turn right onto Mt. Hamilton Road and go 8 miles to the parking lot on the left (just before the road resumes its climb up Mt. Hamilton after the only flat section). Bring: water, lunch, sunscreen. Canceled in event of light or heavy rain. Driving distance 120 miles round trip. Carpooling cost: $28.00 per car to be shared by the passengers (includes $4 entrance fees). Alternate meeting place: Trip leader will meet the group at the trailhead at 10am. City hikers to meet at Safeway (Market and Dolores Sts. in front of Starbucks) @ 8:30AM to organize carpools. Depart @ 8:45AM.

MAY 29, 2004 SATURDAY: FEATHER FALLS

Meet: 8:15am under the Safeway sign at Market & Dolores. Depart 8:30. Rating: Moderate, 10 miles, 1000 feet elevation gain. Most of this hike is a loop through ordinary woods east of Oroville. So what makes it worth the long drive? A view of a 640 foot waterfall from a spectacular vantage point facing the top of the falls from the other side of a remarkably narrow canyon. If you're afraid of heights, you probably won't enjoy this hike. Note that we probably won't get back to the city til after dark. Bring: water, lunch (possibly a swimsuit and towel - I'm unsure about the opportunities for swimming upstream from the falls). Canceled in event of light or heavy rain. Driving distance 335 miles round trip. Carpooling cost: $72.00 per car to be shared by the passengers (includes $5 tolls). Alternate meeting place: contact leader.

JULY 7, 2004 WEDNESDAY: MILLBRAE SHORELINE

Meet: 5:00pm under the Safeway sign at Market & Dolores. Depart 5:15. Rating: Leisurely, 3 miles, 0 feet elevation gain. An easy stroll along the bay on a paved path. Leader will meet the group at the trailhead. Directions to the trailhead: take 101 south to the Millbrae Ave exit, go east to the end of Millbrae Ave, turn right onto Bayshore, then take the first left into the north end of the Marriott parking lot where you will find some free parking spots for the shoreline access. Canceled in event of heavy rain.

AUGUST 22, 2004 SATURDAY: TOMALES BAY STATE PARK

Meet: 9:00am under the Safeway sign at Market & Dolores. Depart 9:15. Rating: Moderate, 8 miles, 500 feet elevation gain. The Johnstone trail in Tomales Bay State Park starts at Hearts Desire Beach, passes Pebble Beach, then winds gently uphill through oak forests with lush ferns, up to a small ridge with more open pine woods with some nice views of Tomales Bay. Then we will descend again to Shell Beach for a leisurely lunch before returning the way we came. The beaches are sheltered from the prevailing winds, and the water is relatively warm, possibly warm enough to swim in. Bring: water, lunch, layered clothing, sunscreen, swimsuit, towel. Canceled in event of light or heavy rain. Driving distance 100 miles round trip. Carpooling cost: $31.00 per car to be shared by the passengers (includes $5 tolls and $6 entrance fees). Alternate meeting place: contact leader if you wish to meet at the trailhead

NOVEMBER 27, 2004 SATURDAY: PLEASANTON RIDGE

Meet: 8:30am under the Safeway sign at Market & Dolores. Depart 8:45. Rating: Strenuous, 16 miles, 2500 feet elevation gain. Pleasanton ridge overlooks the west side of Pleasanton and extends down to Sunol. We start up an oak-studded hillside, and after a mile of steady but gentle uphill, we reach an open, mostly flat ridge top. We then follow the ridge a ways, then drop down into the next valley, which we follow up to Turtle Pond. We then return along a similar set of trails that run alongside the trails we came up, passing a couple of small ponds. Directions to the trailhead: Take interstate 680 to the Sunol Blvd / Castlewood Drive exit (3 miles north of Sunol, 4 miles south of 580) and head west on Castlewood Drive. Go straight to the end of Castlewood (there is a fork where it looks like the main road curves off to the left - stay right there). At the end of Castlewood, turn left onto Foothill Road, and drive 1.5 miles south to an obvious parking lot on the right. Bring: lunch, water, sunscreen, layered clothing. Canceled in event of heavy rain. Driving distance 75 miles round trip. Carpooling cost: $18.00 per car to be shared by the passengers (includes $3 tolls). Alternate meeting place: Trip leader will meet the group at the trailhead at 9:30.

FEBRUARY 6, 2005 SUNDAY: MORGAN TERRITORY / DIABLO FOOTHILLS

Meet: 9:30am Dublin BART station (near the bus stop). Depart 9:45. Rating: Moderate, 10 miles, 1500 feet elevation gain. We will start from the Finley Road trailhead in Morgan Territory Regional Preserve, passing through horse ranches, then up mostly open green hillsides to a large ridge in the southeast corner of Mt. Diablo State Park. We will follow the ridge for more than a mile, with good views of Mt. Diablo, the delta and the Livermore valley. We then descend slowly to a pond and follow some wooded streams back. If the weather looks uncertain, check http://www.bayesianinvestor.com/tmp/nexthike.html for news. Bring: water, lunch, layered clothing. Canceled in event of light or heavy rain. Driving distance 20 miles round trip. Carpooling cost: $4.00 per car to be shared by the passengers.

MARCH 25, 2005 FRIDAY: DIABLO: BLACK POINT / OLOFSON RIDGE

Meet: 9:15am under the Safeway sign at Market & Dolores. Depart 9:30. Rating: Moderate, 8 miles, 2000 feet elevation gain. We hike a short way up Mitchell Canyon in the northwest corner of Mt. Diablo State Park, then take a steep trail up to the chaparral-covered summit of Black Point. Then we descend to a saddle from which we make 4 short out-and-back hikes (starting with Olofson Ridge, then through some large meadows on the west side of the ridge. Then we descend White Canyon and follow Mitchell Canyon back to the start. We will have good views to the north and west, and parts of the hike will have plentiful wildflowers. If the weather looks uncertain, check http://www.bayesianinvestor.com/tmp/nexthike.html for news. Bring: layered clothing, lunch, water, and sunscreen. Canceled in event of light or heavy rain. Driving distance 70 miles round trip. Carpooling cost: $20.00 per car to be shared by the passengers (includes $3 tolls and $3 entrance fees). Alternate meeting place: Contact leader if you want to meet at the trailhead or the Walnut Creek BART.

APRIL 16, 2005 SATURDAY: JOSEPH GRANT PARK - ANTLER POINT

Meet: 8:30am under the Safeway sign at Market & Dolores. Depart 8:45. Rating: Moderate, 10 miles, 1500 feet elevation gain. Joseph D. Grant County Park is just east of San Jose, but feels quite isolated. We will hike past Grant Lake, then up a thinly wooded hill to an open ridge with many wildflowers. We will follow the ridge to Antler Point for a good view of nearby Mt. Hamilton. Then we will descend to Deer Valley and follow it back to where it meets the ridge. Directions to the trailhead: from the intersection of 280 and 101 in San Jose, take 680 north 1 mile to the Alum Rock exit. Follow Alum Rock Ave 2.2 miles east. Turn right onto Mt. Hamilton Road and go 8 miles to the parking lot on the left (just before the road resumes its climb up Mt. Hamilton after the only flat section). Bring: Water, lunch, sunscreen. Canceled in event of light or heavy rain. Driving distance 120 miles round trip. Carpooling cost: $29.00 per car to be shared by the passengers (includes $5 entrance fees). Alternate meeting place: Trip leader will meet the group at the trailhead at 10am.

APRIL 17, 2005 SUNDAY: BASS LAKE AND BEACH WATERFALLS

Meet: 8:30am under the Safeway sign at Market & Dolores. Depart 8:45. Rating: Moderate, 8 miles, 700 feet elevation gain. This hike in Point Reyes National Seashore will start at the Palomarin trailhead and follow a fairly popular trail to Bass Lake. Shortly after leaving Bass Lake, we will take an unofficial trail down a ridge just south of Pelican Lake, and then descend to the beach near Double Point along a steep route that doesn't quite qualify as a trail. We will return along the somewhat rocky beach, passing a number of waterfalls. We will need to pass Abalone Point near the low tide at 1:30 to avoid getting our feet wet. The hike may be altered to stay on ordinary trails if the surf is unusually big. Bring: water, lunch, layered clothing, sturdy hiking boots will be important for the steep descent to the beach, and if it's warm enough to swim in Bass Lake you might want a towel and/or swimsuit. Canceled in event of heavy rain. Driving distance 70 miles round trip. Carpooling cost: $19.00 per car to be shared by the passengers (includes $5 tolls). Alternate meeting place: 9:50 at the Palomarin trailhead (email leader for directions)

MAY 15, 2005 SUNDAY: MT. DIABLO STATE PARK - OYSTER POINT

Meet: 9:30am Dublin BART (near the exit). Depart 9:45. Rating: Moderate, 11 miles, 1800 feet elevation gain. We will start from the Finley Road trailhead in Morgan Territory Regional Preserve, passing through horse ranches, then up a partly open hillside to a large ridge on the southern edge of Mt. Diablo State Park. We will get good views from one end of the ridge, then traverse the shady side of the ridge, then cross some wildflower-filled meadows and a stream to get to the more open Blackhawk Ridge. We do a one mile loop around the top of that ridge for more good views, and then retrace our steps. This is one of the shadiest trails in Mt. Diablo State Park, so it should be comfortable even if the weather is warmer than usual. Beware the Bay-to-Breakers traffic problems. Bring: Water, lunch, sunscreen. Canceled in event of heavy rain. Driving distance 20 miles round trip. Carpooling cost: $4.00 per car to be shared by the passengers.

NOVEMBER 6, 2005 SUNDAY: SANBORN AND CASTLE ROCK PARKS

Meet: 8:30am under the Safeway sign at Market & Dolores, form a casual car- pool and depart at 8:45. (Hike leader will not be present.) Rating: Moderate, 9 miles, 1400 feet elevation gain. We will start by hiking along Skyline ridge in Sanborn County Park through mixed forests with a bit of fall foliage to two large rocks (Summit Rock and Indian Rock) that we will scramble up to look out through the treetops for nice views of the San Jose area. Then we cross Skyline Blvd to Castle Rock State Park, ascend to Castle Rock, and make a short side trip on an unofficial trail to several rock outcroppings used by rockclimbers. We descend to Castle Rock Falls (80 feet tall), climb to Goat Rock for some views toward the ocean, and return to our trailhead via the Ridge Trail and the Loughry Woods Trail. Directions to the trailhead: Take 280 or 101 south to 85. Take 85 south to the Saratoga Ave. exit. Turn right and follow Saratoga Ave. southwest to Saratoga. Continue straight as it becomes route 9 west and go to Skyline Blvd (route 35), at the top of the ridge. Turn left onto Skyline and drive southeast for slightly over one mile. Turn left onto a dirt parking lot. Bring: lunch, water, and sturdy boots if you want to climb on the rocks. Canceled in event of heavy rain. Driving distance 120 miles round trip. Carpooling cost: $30.00 per car to be shared by all persons in the car, including the driver. Alternate meeting place: Trip leader will meet the group at the trailhead at 10:15. Bring a copy of this description for driving instructions.

NOVEMBER 27, 2005 SUNDAY: BOLINAS RIDGE

Meet: 9:00am under the Safeway sign at Market & Dolores. Depart 9:15. Rating: Moderate, 12 miles, 1000 feet elevation gain. This hike starts where Sir Francis Drake Blvd crosses Bolinas ridge. We follow the ridge south through open meadows with occasional rock outcroppings and views of Tomales Bay and a pond or two. We will briefly pass through a redwood forest near the far point of the hike - the intersection with the Randall trail. Then we return the way we came. The hike may be shortened if it rains. Bring: water, lunch, layered clothing. Canceled in event of heavy rain. Driving distance 70 miles round trip. Carpooling cost: $23.00 per car to be shared by all persons in the car, including the driver (includes $5 tolls). Alternate meeting place: 10:20 at the trailhead. Take Sir Francis Drake past Samuel P. Taylor Park and when the road goes up a fairly steep hill the trailhead is on your left as the road turns right nearing the crest.

DECEMBER 24, 2005 SATURDAY: EL CORTE DE MADERA OPEN SPACE PRESERVE

Meet: 9:00am under the Safeway sign at Market & Dolores, form a casual carpool. (Hike leader will not be present.). Depart 9:15. Rating: Moderate, 11 miles, 1800 feet elevation gain. We will do a loop hike through a forest to a sandstone formation decorated with what the geologists call tafoni. Directions to trailhead: Take 280 Freeway south to highway 92 west to Skyline Blvd, Route 35. go 8.5 miles south of route 92 to the Skeggs Point parking lot on the left. It's illegal to turn left into the lot, so go past it and find a safe place to turn around. If the weather looks uncertain, check http: //www.bayesianinvestor.com/tmp/nexthike.html for news. Bring: lunch, water, warm clothing. Canceled in event of heavy rain. Driving distance 70 miles round trip. Carpooling cost: $18.00 per car to be shared by all persons in the car, including the driver. Alternate meeting place: Trip leader will meet the group at 10:10 at the trailhead.

JANUARY 8, 2006 SUNDAY: WILDER RANCH

Meet: 8:45am under the Safeway sign at Market & Dolores, form a casual carpool. (Hike leader will not be present.). Depart 9:00. Rating: Moderate, 10 miles, 800 feet elevation gain. Wilder Ranch State Park, just west of Santa Cruz, has some of the most spectacular ocean cliffs in this area. The surf hitting the cliffs can surge upward 50 feet or more. The hike will start out along the flat area between the tops of the cliffs and farmland at a very leisurely pace. We will probably have lunch on a secluded beach. Then we will head up and return via small hills with green meadows, occasional woods, and great views. Directions to the trailhead: take route 1 south about 32 miles past Pescadero (or if coming through Santa Cruz, go west 2 miles past Western Drive) to the main entrance (on the ocean side of the road), go 0.1 mile, pay at the kiosk, and park in the large lot shortly after that. If the weather looks uncertain, check http://www.bayesianinvestor.com/tmp/ nexthike.html for news. Bring: Water, lunch, sunscreen, layered clothing. Canceled in event of light or heavy rain. Driving distance 150 miles round trip. Carpooling cost: $44.00 per car to be shared by all persons in the car, including the driver (includes $6 entrance fees). Alternate meeting place: Trip leader will meet the group at the trailhead at 10:30.

FEBRUARY 19, 2006 SUNDAY: MT. DIABLO SUMMIT TO CURRY POINT

Meet: 8:30am under the Safeway sign at Market & Dolores. Depart 8:45. Rating: Moderate, 10 miles, 1000' elevation gain, 3,000' descent. This hike combines some of the best views from a high rocky peak with a variety of chaparral, green meadows, ponds, and a forested stream. We will start with a short stroll up to the visitor's center at the summit of Mt. Diablo, then do a short loop around the summit (where we should see some Brewer's Rock Cress in flower). We then make a long descent down the south slope of the mountain to Frog Pond. We will go off-trail briefly to have lunch in the meadow by Hidden Pond, then pick up a trail again at Chase Pond, then descend into Curry Canyon, then ascend to Curry Point. We will have left cars at Curry Point which we will use to shuttle drivers back to the cars they left near the summit. Bring: Water, lunch, sunscreen, layered clothing. Canceled in event of light or heavy rain. Driving distance 90 miles round trip. Carpooling cost: $32.00 per car to be shared by all persons in the car, including the driver (includes $3 tolls and $6 entrance fees). Alternate meeting place: Contact hike leader

APRIL 8, 2006 SATURDAY: SUNOL REGIONAL PARK: LITTLE YOSEMITE, VISTA GRANDE, AND FLAG HILL

Meet: 9:00am under the Safeway sign at Market & Dolores, form a casual car pool and depart at 9:15. (Hike leader will not be present.) Rating: Moderate, 9 miles, 2100 feet elevation gain. The Lupines and Poppies should be flowering profusely. We will start up the Little Yosemite valley to see some small waterfalls on Alameda Creek, then climb steeply up Cerro Este Road past some ponds to a lunch spot with good views on Vista Grande ridge. Then over to Flag Hill followed by a steep descent. Directions to trailhead: Take 580 east to 680 south. Exit on Calaveras Road in Sunol, turn left, and follow Calaveras about 4 miles south. Turn left on Geary Road. Meet in front of the vistors center which is on the left just after the entrance kiosk. If the weather looks uncertain, check http://www. bayesianinvestor.com/tmp/nexthike.html for news. Bring: water, lunch, layered clothing. Trails could be muddy so wear sturdy boots or shoes. Canceled in event of light or heavy rain. Driving distance 80 miles round trip. Carpooling cost: $28.00 per car to be shared by all persons in the car, including the driver (includes $3 tolls and $5 entrance fees). Trip leader will meet the group at the trailhead at 10:00.

APRIL 30, 2006 SUNDAY: JASPER RIDGE BIOLOGICAL PRESERVE

Meet: 10:30am at the preserve (directions and carpool info given when you sign up). Depart 10:45. Rating: Leisurely, 5 miles, 500 feet elevation gain. Reservations are required: contact Peter (preferably by email) to reserve a spot. The trip is limited to 15 participants. Join our local docent John as he takes you through nine distinct ecological communities at Stanford University's Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve (http://jasper1.stanford.edu). We will see serpentine grasslands in bloom, a lake, and some redwoods. This hike will be done in conjunction with Rainbow Recreation. A $5 per person donation is expected. Bring: water, lunch, sunscreen. Driving distance 60 miles round trip. Carpooling cost: $15.00 per car to be shared by all persons in the car, including the driver.

MAY 6, 2006 SATURDAY: MURIETTA FALLS

Meet: 8:30am under the Safeway sign at Market & Dolores. Depart 8:45. Rating: Strenuous, 14 miles, 4000 feet elevation gain. This strenuous hike near Livermore to a 100 foot waterfall is one of the most scenic hikes in the area. We will see a wide variety of flowers, including white globe lilies, some large meadows of goldfields, and maybe a patch of blazing stars. We'll have nice views out to Mt. Diablo and the central valley. Hikers who can't quite handle the full hike may enjoy waiting for the group by a beautiful pond atop the highest ridge, but that will still require a hike of 10.7 miles with an elevation gain of 3500 feet. Each hiker needs to buy a $2 Ohlone wilderness permit/map. Beware that we probably won't return to the city until after 7pm. The hike will be altered to a much easier route if the forecast high for Livermore exceeds 82 degrees. Bring: at least 2 quarts of water, lunch, sunscreen, possibly a swimsuit and towel to use when we return to the cars. Canceled in event of light or heavy rain. Driving distance 120 miles round trip. Carpooling cost: $39.00 per car to be shared by all persons in the car, including the driver (includes $3 tolls and $6 entrance fees). Alternate meeting place: Contact trip leader if you wish to meet at the trailhead or the Dublin BART.

MAY 29, 2006 MONDAY: MT. DIABLO: PINE CANYON, ROCK CITY AND WALL POINT RIDGE

Meet: 9:00am under the Safeway sign at Market & Dolores. Depart 9:15. Rating: Moderate, 12 miles, 2500 feet elevation gain. This hike includes some meadows, some open oak forests, some rock outcroppings used by rock climbers, and some chaparral-covered ridges with good views. From the Macedo Ranch trailhead we go down the Little Yosemite trail, then follow Pine Creek up to it's source, follow ridges to Rock City and Fossil Ridge, then return via Wall Point Ridge. There should be quite a few flowers, including some Fairy Lanterns. If the weather is unusually warm, the route will be altered to be about 10 miles and 2000 feet of elevation gain, so that most of the uphill stretches will have some shade. Bring: lunch, at least 2 quarts of water, and sunscreen. Canceled in event of heavy rain. Driving distance 60 miles round trip. Carpooling cost: $21.00 per car to be shared by all persons in the car, including the driver (includes $3 tolls and $3 entrance fees). Alternate meeting place: Macedo Ranch Trailhead at 10:15. Take 680 south from Walnut Creek (or north from Danville) to the Stone Valley exit. Go east 2+ miles on Stone Valley to Green Valley Road (stop sign). Turn left onto Green Valley Road and continue until it ends in a parking lot (about 1 mile).

NOVEMBER 19, 2006 SUNDAY: SKYLINE RIDGE TO STEVENS CREEK

Meet: 8:45am under the Safeway sign at Market & Dolores, form a casual car pool. (Hike leader will not be present.). Depart 9:00. Rating: Moderate, 9 miles, 1500 feet elevation gain. This hike will feature a variety of woods (with some colorful fall foliage), open meadows, and a Christmas tree farm. We will start in Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve, pass Horseshoe Lake, follow the Ridge Trail on a relatively flat part of Skyline ridge into Long Ridge Open Space Preserve, then descend on the Grizzly Flat Trail in Upper Stevens Creek County Park to Stevens Creek. We'll have lunch at the creek, and then follow the Stevens Creek valley uphill through Monte Bello Open Space Preserve to the ridge. Directions to trailhead: Take 280 south to Page Mill Road in Palo Alto. Take Page Mill southwest to Skyline Blvd. Turn left onto Skyline Blvd., go 0.9 miles and turn right into Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve. Go right again, then straight 0.2 miles to the parking lot. If the weather looks uncertain, check http://www.bayesianinvestor.com/tmp/nexthike.html for news. Bring: water, lunch, layered clothing. Canceled in event of light or heavy rain. Driving distance 95 miles round trip. Carpooling cost: $24.00 per car to be shared by all persons in the car, including the driver. Alternate meeting place: Trip leader will meet the group at the trailhead at 10:15.

NOVEMBER 26, 2006 SUNDAY: CHALK MOUNTAIN TO WADDELL BEACH

Meet: 8:45am under the Safeway sign at Market & Dolores, form a casual car pool. (Hike leader will not be present.). Depart 9:00. Rating: Moderate, 9 miles, 1800 feet elevation gain. This is a one-way hike from the eastern (Cascade Ranch) part of Ano Nuevo to the Waddell Beach trailhead in Big Basin. We meet at Waddell Beach and shuttle cars to the Whitehouse Road trailhead in Ano Nuevo. The hike starts with a steep climb through dense redwoods (at least half of our elevation gain will come in the first mile) to a pair of vista points with good views of the shoreline. Then we climb out of the redwoods to a long stretch of exposed ridges with views of much of Big Basin, the ocean, and south to Monterey. Then we descend steeply to some farms along Waddell Creek, and end at the beach. Directions to trailhead: Take 280 south to 92 west to 1 south. Continue about 15 miles past Pescadero Road. Look for the signs for Big Basin or Waddell Beach. A major landmark to look for is a section of high bare cliffs which come right down to the highway. The Park entrance & parking area is on the left side of the highway just beyond the cliffs. If the weather looks uncertain, check http://www.bayesianinvestor.com/tmp/nexthike.html for news. Bring: water, lunch, layered clothing. Canceled in event of heavy rain. Driving distance 120 miles round trip. Carpooling cost: $30.00 per car to be shared by all persons in the car, including the driver. Alternate meeting place: Trip leader will meet the group at the Waddell Beach trailhead at 10:30.

DECEMBER 24, 2006 SUNDAY: HUDDART COUNTY PARK

Meet: 9:00am under the Safeway sign at Market & Dolores, form a casual car pool. (Hike leader will not be present.). Depart 9:15. Rating: Moderate, 11 miles, 2000 feet elevation gain. We will start at a little known trailhead outside the park which is quite close to highway 280. The hike will be mostly through oak and redwood forests, but we will also see a meadow, horse ranches, a little chaparral, and picnic areas with well maintained lawns. We will do a long but not steep climb to skyline ridge and cross over for a short loop through the eastern corner of Purisima Creek Open Space Preserve, then return to Huddart and descend mostly on different trails. Directions to the trailhead: take 280 south past route 92 to the Edgewood Road exit. Turn right and drive a short distance to the end of Edgewood Road. Turn left onto Canada Road. Drive 2.2 miles, and turn right onto Runnymede Road shortly after a freeway underpass. Go 0.7 mile on Runnymede and park on the left side of the road just before a sharp left turn. If the weather looks uncertain, check http://www.bayesianinvestor.com/tmp/ nexthike.html for news. Bring: water, lunch, warm clothing. Canceled in event of heavy rain. Driving distance 48 miles round trip. Carpooling cost: $12.00 per car to be shared by all persons in the car, including the driver. Alternate meeting place: Trip leader will meet the group at the trailhead at 10:00.

FEBRUARY 4, 2007 SUNDAY: STINSON BEACH TO CATARACT CREEK, O'ROURKE BENCH

Meet: 9:00am under the Safeway sign at Market & Dolores. Depart 9:15. Rating: Strenuous, 11 miles, 2800 feet elevation gain. We start from a little known trailhead on the north end of the town of Stinson Beach, climb an exhausting 1500 feet in the first mile and a half on the Willow Camp Fire Trail with good views of the coast. We cross Ridgecrest road and descend past Laurel Dell to see the waterfalls on Cataract Creek, then follow the creek up to the Rock Spring trailhead. We then hike westward near or on the top of the ridge with views of the coast and the bay, interspersed with scattered woods, on the O'Rourke Bench trail, an unofficial trail, then the Coastal trail. Our big descent is via the rarely used McKennan trail, which has a mixture of meadows and areas where bushes have grown enough to obscure the trail, ending near Bolinas Lagoon. The last mile is up a small hill to our trailhead. Parts of the route are subject to change. Depending on the weather and mood, we may add a few short side trips (for a total length of 10 to 12 miles if the weather is ok), or if the weather is bad we may shorten the hike to as little as 6 miles and 1800 feet of elevation gain. If the weather looks uncertain, check http://www.bayesianinvestor.com/tmp/ nexthike.html for news. Bring: water, lunch, layered clothing (expect to feel more change from warm to cold than on most hikes); long pants suggested due to brush on the McKennan trail. Canceled in event of heavy rain. Driving distance 44 miles round trip. Carpooling cost: $16.00 per car to be shared by all persons in the car, including the driver (includes $5 tolls). Alternate meeting place: contact leader. Parking is limited at the somewhat hard to find trailhead, but it would be easy to meet someone at the main intersection in Stinson Beach if I know who to look for.

MARCH 11, 2007 SUNDAY: ALUM ROCK PARK

Meet: 8:30am under the Safeway sign at Market & Dolores, form a casual car pool. (Hike leader will not be present.). Depart 8:45. Note: Daylight Savings Time!! Rating: Moderate, 8 miles, 1600 feet elevation gain. Alum Rock Park in east San Jose used to be a medium sized neighborhood park known mainly for the remains of what was a nationally-known health spa with mineral springs from 1890 to 1932. Then in 2002 the Boccardo trail opened, turning the park into a good place to hike and adding some excellent views of the San Jose valley from the top of a grassy hill. Most of the hike will be on open south-facing slopes that are rather warm when it's sunny. We'll see a pepper tree, and maybe an almond tree in flower. After descending back to Penitencia Creek, we'll hike upstream a short ways to see the mineral springs and remnants of the spa. Directions to trailhead: From the intersection of 101 and 280 in San Jose, take 680 north to the Berryessa Road exit. Go east on Berryessa for 1.2 miles. Turn right on Piedmont Road. Go 0.45 miles to Penitencia Creek Road. Turn left on Penitencia Creek Road. Go slightly less than 1 mile and park at a large roadside turnout where the road curves strongly left. (If you reach the park entrance gate, you've gone too far). If the weather looks uncertain, check http://www.bayesianinvestor.com/tmp /nexthike.html for news. Bring: water, lunch, layered clothing, sunscreen. Canceled in event of light or heavy rain. Driving distance 110 miles round trip. Carpooling cost: $28.00 per car to be shared by all persons in the car, including the driver. Alternate meeting place: Trip leader will meet the group at the trailhead at 10:00.

APRIL 1, 2007 SUNDAY: WHITE HILL / CASCADE FALLS

Meet: 9:00am under the Safeway sign at Market & Dolores. Depart 9:15. Rating: Moderate, 10 miles, 2000 feet elevation gain. This hike just west of Fairfax includes one of the most scenic loops in the north bay. Until recently parking problems made it somewhat hard to reach, but a new trail has now made it convenient. We start by climbing up to a ridge that leads us up to the top of White Hill, with good views east to Mt. Diablo and west almost to Tomales Bay. We then do a substantial downhill stretch starting with an exposed ridge that drops off very steeply on both sides, then reach some gentler descents through chaparral covered slopes, until we reach Cascade Creek near the bottom of Cascade Canyon. We follow the creek up through dense woods to Cascade Falls (about 15 feet high), then follow an unmaintained trail further upstream to a smaller falls called the Ink Well (with a pool that might be nice to swim in if it's unusually warm). We then climb up to a ridge to and retrace 2 miles of trail to return to the trailhead. There should be good wildflowers along parts of the hike. Well behaved leashed dogs are welcome. Bring: water, lunch, layered clothing. Possibly a swimsuit and/or towel if it's warm. Canceled in event of heavy rain. Driving distance 50 miles round trip. Carpooling cost: $18.00 per car to be shared by all persons in the car, including the driver (includes $5 tolls). Alternate meeting place: contact the leader if you wish to meet at the Fairfax parkade at 10:00

APRIL 15, 2007 SUNDAY: CALERO COUNTY PARK

Meet: 9:00am under the Safeway sign at Market & Dolores, form a casual car pool. (Hike leader will not be present.). Depart 9:15. Rating: Moderate, 8 miles, 1400 feet elevation gain. Calero County Park, just south of San Jose, has many open meadows which will have a wide variety of flowers in bloom, including some found mainly on serpentine soils. We will hike over several rolling hills with scattered oaks, stopping above a pond for lunch. We will have occasional views of the San Jose valley and of Calero Reservoir. Directions to the trailhead: Take 101 or 280 south to route 85. Follow route 85 south past route 17 to the Almaden Expressway. Take Almaden south until it ends. Turn right, then after a few hundred feet turn left onto McKean Rd. Follow McKean for about 4 miles. About a half mile after the end of the reservoir and the intersection with Bailey Avenue, turn right at the sign for Calero Park. Go less than a quarter of a mile and park in the large grassy lot on the right. If the weather looks uncertain, check http://www.bayesianinvestor.com/tmp/nexthike.html for news. Bring: Water, lunch, sunscreen, hat. Canceled in event of light or heavy rain. Driving distance 140 miles round trip. Carpooling cost: $35.00 per car to be shared by all persons in the car, including the driver. Alternate meeting place: Trip leader will meet the group at the trailhead at 10:

MAY 19, 2007 SATURDAY: MORGAN TERRITORY: WHIPSNAKE AND CLYMA TRAILS

Meet: 9:00am under the Safeway sign at Market & Dolores. Depart 9:15. Rating: Moderate, 10 miles, 1500 feet elevation gain. Morgan Territory Regional Preserve is located on a ridge southeast of Mt. Diablo, and has a mixture of woods and grassy slopes. Some of this hike will be on trails the club has done many times, but we will also make a side trip on the Whipsnake trail to some ponds in the southeast corner of the preserve, and most of our uphill will be on the Clyma Trail (opened in 2005), which provides enough shade to make the climb tolerable in warm weather, but also provides better views from its summit than the traditional trails. We will see a fair number of wildflowers (including some Fairy Lanterns) in the shady parts of the hike even if dry weather limits them on the sunnier trails. The hike will be shortened if the weather is hot. Even if the group does the full hike, there will be a shortcut near the end that will allow lazy hikers to skip 2 miles and 500 feet of elevation gain. Well behaved leashed dogs are welcome. Bring: Water, lunch, sunscreen, hat. Canceled in event of light or heavy rain. Driving distance 90 miles round trip. Carpooling cost: $27.00 per car to be shared by all persons in the car, including the driver (includes $4 tolls). Alternate meeting place: East bay hikers may meet us at the trailhead at 10:20AM. Take interstate 580 east to the North Livermore Ave. exit. Turn left onto North Livermore Ave. After going north about 4 miles, the road makes a sharp left turn. About 1/3 mile after this turn, make a right turn onto Morgan Territory Road. Go about five miles on this road (and 1/3 mile past the highest elevation) to a large parking lot on the right. The road is quite narrow and not very straight for the last 5 miles (but well paved and scenic), so allow 15 minutes for that section.

JULY 15, 2007 SUNDAY: TUBBS ISLAND

Meet: 9:00am under the Safeway sign at Market & Dolores. Depart 9:15. Rating: Leisurely, 8 miles, 0 feet elevation gain. This hike in San Pablo Bay National Wildlife Refuge will be mostly on levees along salt marshes and along the bay. We should see a fair number of birds and some modest wildflowers. Bring: Water, lunch, sunscreen, hat. Canceled in event of light or heavy rain. Driving distance 80 miles round trip. Carpooling cost: $25.00 per car to be shared by all persons in the car, including the driver (includes $5 tolls). Alternate meeting place: North bay hikers can meet at the trailhead at 10:00. See http://www.bahiker.com/northbayhikes/tubbs.html for directions.

SEPTEMBER 16, 2007 SUNDAY: CANDELABRA REDWOOD TRAIL / ANO NUEVO SHORELINE

Meet: 9:00am under the Safeway sign at Market & Dolores, form a casual car pool. (Hike leader will not be present.). Depart 9:15. Rating: Moderate, 9 miles, 1200 feet elevation gain. We will do two separate short hikes. Our first hike will start from Gazos Creek and climb the newly opened Candelabra Redwood Trail, which will take us to a ridge in Butano State Park. Along the way we will see the large, unusually shaped Candelabra Redwood Tree. If the weather is cool, we will continue along the ridgetop. After returning to Gazos Creek, will drive a short distance to the north half of Ano Nuevo State Reserve to hike over some small sand dunes to some sandy beaches and the rocky Franklin Point (with views of Pigeon Point). If the weather is warm, most of the hike will be along the shore. Our total distance will be 7-9 miles (2-7 miles in the Butano area, and 1-5 miles in Ano Nuevo) and 900 to 1700 feet of elevation gain. Directions to first trailhead: take route 1 south 23.7 miles past the intersection with route 92 in Half Moon Bay. Turn left onto Gazos Creek Road and drive 2.9 miles and park in a turnout on the right that's about 15 feet long and extends 20 feet from the road. This will be about 0.2 miles past the poorly marked trailhead (I'm unsure whether parking is allowed at the trailhead). Do not follow the signs for Butano from Gazos Creek Road or route 1. Bring: Water, lunch, sunscreen, hat, maybe a towel if it's not too windy. Canceled in event of heavy rain. Driving distance 100 miles round trip. Carpooling cost: $25.00 per car to be shared by all persons in the car, including the driver. Alternate meeting place: Trip leader will meet the group at the trailhead at 10:20.

SEPTEMBER 30, 2007 SUNDAY: BAY TRAIL LOOP AROUND REDWOOD SHORES

Meet: 10:00am under the Safeway sign at Market & Dolores, form a casual car pool. (Hike leader will not be present.). Depart 10:15. Rating: Leisurely, 8 miles, 0 feet elevation gain. This hike starts near the San Carlos Airport and follows levees along salt marshes and residential neighborhoods for much of its length. In the middle we will go inland along a long lagoon. Near the end we reach Oracle's main buildings, and head inland past office buildings to cross the neck of the peninsula to return to our starting point. We should see many birds, some cultivated flowers, and a view of the bay out to San Mateo bridge. Well behaved dogs are welcome. Directions to the trailhead: take 101 south to the Holly St. exit, go east on Redwood Shores Pkwy. After about a mile, turn right on Bridge Pkwy. Bridge Pkwy ends soon,at which point turn right on Tiller Lane. Continue until you reach a dead end and park along the street. Bring: Water, lunch, sunscreen, hat. Canceled in event ofheavy rain. Driving distance 48 miles round trip. Carpooling cost: $12.00 per car to be sharedby all persons in the car, including the driver. Alternate meeting place: Trip leader will meet the group at the trailhead at 10:45.

NOVEMBER 25, 2007 SUNDAY: PICCHETTI RANCH TO BLACK MOUNTAIN AND STEVENS CREEK

Meet: 8:15am under the Safeway sign at Market & Dolores, form a casual car pool. (Hike leader will not be present.). Depart 8:30. Rating: Strenuous, 15 miles, 2500 feet elevation gain. This long but mostly gentle hike is almost a loop, with a brief car shuttle between the two ends. We meet at the winery in the Picchetti Ranch Open Space Preserve. Drivers will shuttle cars, while the rest can admire some Calla Lilies, and maybe a peacock near the winery. We start by hiking steadily uphill on Montebello Road for 4 miles of paved road with a few cars, with frequent views of Santa Clara valley, passing vineyards, expensive homes, and some colorful maple trees. The road turns into a hiking trail as we reach flatter parts of the ridge top with open meadows and a few scattered oak trees, with a little more uphill to the summit of Black Mountain, where we should be able to see down Pescadero Creek valley to a glimpse of the ocean. We then descend a steep mile on chaparral covered slopes to Stevens Creek. We follow the creek (and the San Andreas fault) downhill through increasingly dense woods (with many colorful maples). The trail eventually becomes a paved road with some redwoods and a few small rural homes. Alas, there is no parking near where the roads at the either the beginning or end meet the trails, so nearly half of the hike will be on paved roads. The road at the beginning is scenic enough to be worth hiking, but the last mile or two will seem a bit tedious. If we keep a brisk pace, we will return to our starting point in time for a little wine tasting at the Picchetti winery. Directions to the trailhead: take 280 south to Foothill Expressway. Turn right (south) onto Foothill. Continue about 3 miles (it will become Stevens Canyon Road). It will follow the side of Stevens Creek reservoir for a while. Shortly after passing a quarry on the right, turn right onto Montebello Road, follow it a half mile, turn left into the Picchetti Ranch entrance and park in the lot. If the weather looks uncertain, check http://www.bayesianinvestor.com/tmp/nexthike.html for news. Bring: Water, lunch, layered clothing. Canceled in event of light or heavy rain. Driving distance 100 miles round trip. Carpooling cost: $25.00 per car to be shared by all persons in the car, including the driver. Alternate meeting place: Trip leader will meet the group at the trailhead at 9:30

DECEMBER 30, 2007 SUNDAY: UVAS CANYON TO THE TOP OF LOMA PRIETA

Meet: 8:30am under the Safeway sign at Market & Dolores, form a casual car pool. (Hike leader will not be present.). Depart 8:45. Rating: Strenuous, 13 miles, 3200 feet elevation gain. Note that parts of this hike will be on private roads with no trespassing signs, but I've seen a number of reports of people hiking it with no reports of problems. Loma Prieta is the highest point in the Santa Cruz mountain range (3791 feet). We will start in Uvas Canyon County Park, in a forest with occasional redwoods, but we will quickly climb to partly exposed ridges, with increasingly good views of the Gilroy valley, then Monterrey Bay, Salinas valley, Big Basin, and finally Mt. Umunhum and Silicon Valley. The actual summit is slightly less scenic than the route up due to antennae that grow like weeds there. We return by retracing our path. Much of our route will be on south facing slopes that will be warm in normal weather, but could be cold under some conditions. Half of the elevation gain will be in the first two miles. Directions to the trailhead: Take 101 or 280 south to route 85. Follow route 85 south past route 17 to the Almaden Expressway. Take Almaden south until it ends. Turn right, then after a few hundred feet turn left onto McKean Rd. Follow McKean for about 10 miles. (McKean Road becomes Uvas Road). Turn right onto Croy Road. Follow Croy 4.4 miles to the park entrance (go slowly through the odd town of Sveadal) and park in the first lot on the right. The parking permit machine sometimes accepts dollar bills, but credit cards seem to work more reliably. If the summit is in the clouds, the hike may be shortened and altered to visit the waterfalls in Uvas Canyon. If the weather looks uncertain, check http://www.bayesianinvestor.com/tmp/nexthike.html for news. Bring: Water, lunch, hat, layered clothing. Canceled in event of heavy rain. Driving distance 160 miles round trip. Carpooling cost: $46.00 per car to be shared by all persons in the car, including the driver (includes $6 entrance fees). Alternate meeting place: Trip leader will meet the group at the trailhead at 10:00.

JANUARY 20, 2008 SUNDAY: TOMALES WATERFALLS - THE UNKNOWN COAST

Meet: 10:30am TBA - Must Reserve Slot. Depart 10:45. Rating: Challenging, 7 miles, 100 feet elevation gain. Please read carefully before RSVPing. Limited to 12 people. You must sign up by Jan 14 if the hike goes as planned (but note that cold winds, high surf, dense fog or light rain may cause the hike to be altered to a more ordinary hike to Dawn Falls near Mt. Tam, in which case it will be open to everyone - check http://www.bayesianinvestor.com/tmp/nexthike.html to see if this is the case). This hike will be mostly easy, but a few short stretches of unusual terrain will make it unsuitable for a number of hikers who are not sure footed. Difficulties will include a small section of rocky shoreline that is slippery due to seaweed, and even though we will have one of the lowest tides of the year, it is likely that we will wade through a tidal pool that might be a foot deep. Other unusual features of the terrain will include passing through a keyhole (at most 3 feet tall and 1.5 feet wide), an arch, and a short cave. Beware that if you are injured, rescue will be unusually difficult. We will start with a short stroll to either Abbotts Lagoon or Marshall Beach. Then we will drive to the Kehoe Beach trailhead, and walk a mile at a leisurely pace to the north end of that beach. Then we will wait a bit for the tide to drop, then we will start an out and back trek (2 miles round trip) that makes this trip unusual. In spite of the short distance, this section is hard enough that we will feel a bit rushed to finish it within the two hour window that the tide allows. Our rewards will include a waterfall that is like Alamere falls but higher, and depending on recent rainfall probably two or three other falls, and a spectacular view of Elephant Rock with waves crashing through an arch on its side. Email RSVPs preferred. When RSVPing, please indicate what kind of experience you have with unusual rocky terrain. Bring: Water, lunch, layered clothing, footwear appropriate for rocky terrain, extra footwear for the ride home (hiking shoes may get wet.) Canceled in event of heavy rain. Driving distance 120 miles round trip. Carpooling cost: $35.00 per car to be shared by all persons in the car, including the driver (includes $5 tolls).

MARCH 8, 2008 SATURDAY: PACHECO VALLE / BIG ROCK RIDGE

Meet: 9:00am under the Safeway sign at Market & Dolores. Depart 9:15. Rating: Strenuous, 9 miles, 2800 feet elevation gain. This hike near San Rafael and Novato features waterfalls, some partly forested hillsides with a short section of steep unofficial trail and a short section that's not on a trail, and some exposed ridges with good views. We start in Pacheco Valle Open Space Preserve, following Pacheco Creek up to a pair of 20 foot waterfalls. We continue up past the end of the trail until we reach a ridge. We follow fire roads up ridges to the high point of Big Rock Ridge in Lucas Valley Open Space Preserve. We retrace part of our route down Big Rock Ridge, then follow Queenstone Fire Road down a ridge through Marinwood Community Services District. We will have a 4 mile car shuttle between the start and end points. Hikers who don't want to do the full hike can wait at any part of Big Rock Ridge, avoiding as much as half the distance and elevation gain. In light rain the hike may be shortened in this manner. Note that the terrain near the waterfalls will be somewhat harder than officially maintained trails are, and rain might make it slippery. We will see a moderate number of wildflowers. Well behaved dogs are welcome. Bring: water, lunch, layered clothing. Canceled in event of heavy rain. Driving distance 44 miles round trip. Carpooling cost: $16.00 per car to be shared by all persons in the car, including the driver (includes $5 tolls). Alternate meeting place: 10:00 on Queenstone Drive in Marinwood (follow Miller Creek Rd almost a mile west from the Marinwood exit of 101, Queenstone will be on the right).

MARCH 16, 2008 SUNDAY: MAGUIRE PEAKS AT SUNOL REGIONAL PARK

Meet: 9:00am under the Safeway sign at Market & Dolores, form a casual car pool and depart at 9:15. (Hike leader will not be present.). Depart 9:15. Rating: Strenuous, 11 miles, 2500 feet elevation gain. Unlike the standard club trip to Maguire Peaks, half of this hike will be on unofficial trails, some of which are little known and not maintained. We start by climbing Flag Hill, then descend and traverse around the western slopes of the park on an unnamed path. We will climb a steep path to the summit of the western Maguire Peak for some excellent views. The first half of our return trip will retrace our steps, but instead of returning to Flag Hill we will descend and traverse along the southwest side of the hill. We will have a mixture of meadows and woods, and should see a modest number of flowers. Directions to trailhead: Take 580 east to 680 south. Exit on Calaveras Road in Sunol, turn left, and follow Calaveras about 4 miles south. Turn left on Geary Road. Meet in front of the visitors center which is on the left just after the entrance kiosk. If the weather looks uncertain, check http://www.bayesianinvestor.com/tmp/nexthike.html for news. Bring: water, lunch, layered clothing. Be prepared for some mud if it has rained within the past week. Canceled in event of light or heavy rain. Driving distance 90 miles round trip. Carpooling cost: $32.00 per car to be shared by all persons in the car, including the driver (includes $4 tolls and $5 entrance fees). Alternate meeting place: Trip leader will meet the group at the trailhead at 10:10.

MAY 4, 2008 SUNDAY: RUSSIAN RIDGE

Meet: 8:45am under the Safeway sign at Market & Dolores, form a casual car pool. (Hike leader will not be present.). Depart 9:00. Rating: Moderate, 10 miles, 1500 feet elevation gain. Russian Ridge has excellent wildflowers in mid to late spring even in dry years. We will start by visiting Alpine Pond in neighboring Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve, then follow the ridge to the high points of Russian Ridge for some good views, then descend into a more wooded area. Much of the uphill will be near the end of the hike, but a good deal of that will be in the shade. Directions to trailhead: Take 280 south to Page Mill Road in Palo Alto. Take Page Mill southwest (right) to Skyline Blvd. Continue straight onto Alpine Road for a short way, then turn right into the parking lot. Bring: water, lunch, layered clothing, sunscreen. Canceled in event of light or heavy rain. Driving distance 95 miles round trip. Carpooling cost: $24.00 per car to be shared by all persons in the car, including the driver. Alternate meeting place: Trip leader will meet the group at the trailhead at 10:15.

JUNE 8, 2008 SUNDAY: HENRY COWELL REDWOODS, SAND HILLS, SWIMMING HOLES

Meet: 9:00am under the Safeway sign at Market & Dolores, form a casual car pool. (Hike leader will not be present.). Depart 9:15. Rating: Moderate, 9 miles, 1400 feet elevation gain. WARNING: this hike involves river crossings at three places, with moving water that is likely to be one to two feet deep at the deepest spot. This hike is on the edge of Santa Cruz, but the swimming holes we'll visit seem fairly isolated because the awkward river crossings keep most people away. We'll take a long lunch break on a sandy beach with a swimming hole in the San Lorenzo river (with somewhat cold and not too clean water). We will visit sand hills with some plants that we don't see often in this area (such as Ponderosa and Knobcone Pines, and the rare Bonny Doon Manzanita). One hilltop has a viewing platform from which we may see Loma Prieta Mountain, and the Monterrey peninsula. There may still be a few Azaleas blooming along the river. We will also see some unusual old growth redwoods. Our pace will be slower than a typical hike for this club, so don't expect to get back to the trailhead until after 4pm. Directions to the trailhead: take route 17 south from San Jose to the Sims Rd exit. Follow Sims Rd west to its end, turn right onto Graham Hill Rd. Go 1/4 mile, and turn left into the park. Go a short distance and park along the side of the road. Bring: at least 2 quarts of water, lunch, sunscreen, hat, towel (to sit on at the sandy lunch spot), a swimsuit if you're modest, footwear that you are willing to get wet (note that the river bottom will have some rocks, so going barefoot will be uncomfortable).. Canceled in event of heavy rain. Driving distance 145 miles round trip. Carpooling cost: $36.00 per car to be shared by all persons in the car, including the driver. Alternate meeting place: Trip leader will meet the group at the trailhead at 10:45.

SEPTEMBER 14, 2008 SUNDAY: BAY TRAIL - MILLBRAE TO SAN MATEO

Meet: 9:30am under the Safeway sign at Market & Dolores, form a casual car pool. (Hike leader will not be present.). Depart 9:45. Rating: Moderate, 10 miles, 200 feet elevation gain. This hike will mostly stay on paved bike paths that follow the shoreline. We will pass several hotels with cultivated flowers, several small parks, a yacht club, and a beach that often has windsurfers. Well behaved dogs are welcome. We will have a car shuttle from one end of the hike to a spot near the middle, so part of the hike will be out and back, part will be one-way. There will be several chances for people who don't want to hike the full distance to skip parts of it. Directions to the trailhead: take 101 south to the 3rd Avenue exit. Go east on 3rd Avenue for about one mile. Turn left into Seal Point Park (the first left after a stop light at Ryder Park), and park a short distance to the left of the entrance. Bring: Water, lunch, sunscreen, hat. Canceled in event of heavy rain. Driving distance 48 miles round trip. Carpooling cost: $17.00 per car to be shared by all persons in the car, including the driver. Alternate meeting place: Trip leader will meet the group at the trailhead at 10:15.

NOVEMBER 9, 2008 SUNDAY: SWEENEY RIDGE AND MORI POINT

Meet: 9:00am under the Safeway sign at Market & Dolores. Depart 9:15. Rating: Moderate, 10 miles, 2000 feet elevation gain. This hike takes us along a ridge with panoramic views, to the site where the Portola Expedition first viewed the San Francisco Bay. We descend to roads in Pacifica and to Pacifica State Beach. We'll explore the beach a bit, then follow a bike path near the shore until we reach a side trail which takes us to the top of a cliff overlooking Mori Point. We return up the short but steep Mori Ridge trail. Well behaved dogs are welcome. Bring: water, lunch, layered clothing (important if windy!). Canceled in event of light or heavy rain. Driving distance 28 miles round trip. Carpooling cost: $10.00 per car to be shared by all persons in the car, including the driver. Alternate meeting place: at the trailhead at 9:45. From the South Bay, take 280N and exit at the Skyline/Pacifica/Highway off ramp. Continue north through 2 traffic signals. At the 3rd signal, turn left on to College Drive, which will take you through a residential area and dead-ends at the campus. Meet at Parking Lot 4 near the soccer field.

JANUARY 10, 2009 SATURDAY: POINT REYES/SECRET BEACH SUNSET HIKE

Meet: 11:00am under the Safeway sign at Market & Dolores. Depart 11:15. Rating: Moderate, 9 miles, 500 feet elevation gain. We'll hike the Laguna Trail from the Youth Hostel, then along the Coast Trail to Sculptured Beach. Then we will walk along the beach to Secret Beach, which is only accessible at very low tides. We will pass through arches, see a small cave, a small waterfall or two, and an amphitheater with vertical walls. Most of the terrain will be very easy, but there are two spots where some hikers may be uncomfortable. One is a small cliff about 6 feet high, with a sandy beach below. The other is a short stretch of flat rocks that might be somewhat slippery due to a bit of seaweed. Almost any hiker should be able to handle these, possibly needing a little help from other hikers. We will return along the beach and then a different part of the Coast Trail. The last part of the hike will be at dusk and after sunset, bring a headlamp or flashlight (although the full moon may provide enough light if the weather is good). >From the intersection of Rt. 1 and Sir Francis Drake Blvd. in Olema, proceed north on Rt. 1 for 150 yards; turn left onto Bear Valley Road; drive to Limantour Road; turn left, drive about 6 miles to the Hostel, turn left, drive to the Laguna trailhead down the road, on the right. Bring: Warm clothes, snacks, water, flashlights. Canceled in event of light or heavy rain. Driving distance 90 miles round trip. Carpooling cost: $38.00 per car to be shared by all persons in the car, including the driver (includes $6 tolls). Alternate meeting place: Laguna Trailhead parking area @ 12:45. Please let the leader know if you plan to meet there.

FEBRUARY 7, 2009 SATURDAY: WILDCAT BEACH/WATERFALLS

Meet: 10:00am under the Safeway sign at Market & Dolores. Depart 10:15. Rating: Strenuous, 14 miles, 1500 feet elevation gain. WARNING: READ CAREFULLY- this hike contains difficult terrain. You must be prepared to get wet. Some hikers are likely to turn back near Arch Rock, or if the weather is cold, not be allowed on the hike. You must be able to maintain a steady pace of 2.25 miles per hour (slightly faster than the club's normal speed) with few stops. You must be willing to retrace the route from the rocks just south of Arch Rock back to the trailhead on your own in case you are unable to do the full hike.Hikers who want to avoid the cave and take the longer route with easierterrain on their own should contact the leader in advance. We will visit a waterfall or two on Kelham Beach just north of Arch Rock, then pass under the arch at Arch Rock. It is likely that your feet will get wet crossing the stream that flows under the arch. Shortly past Arch Rock we will pass through Miller Cave. At the entrance to this cave is a section about 6 feet long where we will carefully climb along the nearly vertical side of the cave. This requires some rudimentary rock-climbing skills, as you will rely on a few small footholds and handholds. If you fall here, you will have a brief swim in a cold tidal pool. The rest of the cave is easy. After leaving the cave there will be another rocky section about 100 feet long where careful footing is required. Some of the rock may be slippery, but it isn't nearly as steep or difficult as the cave entrance. We then have 1.5 miles of relatively easy (although sometimes rocky) beach to Wildcat Camp. We will pass at least one waterfall, and if it has rained recently two more waterfalls which appear to be the tallest in the bay area. We return to the Bear Valley Visitor Center via easy trails, probably finishing after dark. There is a slight chance that poor weather will cause the route to be altered to skip Miller's cave and Kelham Beach, which will lengthen the hike to 17 miles and 2300 feet elevation gain and avoid the difficult terrain. Check http://www.bayesianinvestor.com/tmp/nexthike.html for news a day or two before the hike for updates on whether we'll take the alternate route and on whether people without clothing that stays warm when wet will be turned away. Bring: water, lunch, flashlight, clothes that will keep you warm if wet (e.g. wool), boots appropriate for rocky terrain, extra set of dry clothes for the ride home. Canceled in event of heavy rain. Driving distance 80 miles round trip. Carpooling cost: $34.00 per car to be shared by all persons in the car, including the driver (includes $6 tolls). Alternate meeting place: 11:30 at the Bear Valley Visitors Center. Notify the leader if you plan to meet there.

APRIL 5, 2009 SUNDAY: LAS TRAMPAS - NORTHEAST LOOP

Meet: 9:00am under the Safeway sign at Market & Dolores. Depart 9:15. Rating: Moderate, 9 miles, 2400 feet elevation gain. A trail in Las Trampas opened within the past few years at the north end of the park creates a loop with at wide variety of terrain. We will have woods, pastures, ponds, steep chaparral covered ridges, and good views of Mt. Diablo from Las Trampas Peak. We'll see many wildflowers, possibly including Dutchman's Pipe. Well behaved dogs welcome. Bring: layered clothing, lunch, water, and sunscreen. Canceled in event of light or heavy rain. Driving distance 80 miles round trip. Carpooling cost: $32.00 per car to be shared by all persons in the car, including the driver (includes $4 tolls). Alternate meeting place: meet 10:15 at the trailhead: from 680 south in Danville exit Crow Canyon Rd west; drive 1.3 miles to Bollinger Canyon Rd, then turn right; drive 4.5 miles to the end of the road, and turn left into Las Trampas parking lot (past the stables and Little Hills Picnic Ranch). Alternatively, from 580 East take Crow Canyon Road in Casro Valley to Bollinger Canyon Road and left to the end as above.

MAY 10, 2009 SUNDAY: SKYLINE TO THE VALLEY

Meet: 9:00am under the Safeway sign at Market & Dolores, form a casual car pool. (Hike leader will not be present.). Depart 9:15. Rating: Moderate, 12 miles, 900 feet elevation gain. This one way hike will start on Skyline ridge (we will car shuttle to the trailhead) and will go gently downhill most of the way, ending near sea level in Palo Alto. We will be in woods about half the time. We'll have many meadows with a fair number of wildflowers and some views of the bay. We'll also pass two small lakes and a few redwoods. We'll pass through 5 parks: Skyline Ridge, Monte Bello, Los Trancos, Foothills and Arastradero. Bring: water, lunch, sunscreen. Canceled in event of light or heavy rain. Driving distance 95 miles round trip. Carpooling cost: $33.00 per car to be shared by all persons in the car, including the driver. Alternate meeting place: Trip leader will meet the group at the Park-and-Ride at the Page Mill exit of route 280 at 10:00.

AUGUST 30, 2009 SUNDAY: SAN GERONIMO RIDGE AND LAGUNITAS CREEK

Meet: 8:30am under the Safeway sign at Market & Dolores. Depart 8:45. Rating: Moderate, 10 miles, 1500 feet elevation gain. This one way hike with a car shuttle that has some good views from the top of San Geronimo Ridge, plenty of redwoods along San Geronimo and Lagunitas Creeks, and a swimming hole (possibly crowded). We start in Gary Giacomini Preserve, pass through the Marin Municipal Water District by the dam on Kent Lake, and end by following a paved bike path along Lagunitas Creek through Samuel P Taylor Park. Bring: water, lunch, hat, sunscreen, swimsuit and towel. Canceled in event of heavy rain. Driving distance 66 miles round trip. Carpooling cost: $8.00 per passenger. (includes $6 tolls). Alternate meeting place: 9:30 at the intersection of San Geronimo Valley Drive and Redwood Canyon Drive in Woodacre.

OCTOBER 11, 2009 SUNDAY: SAMUEL P TAYLOR PARK AND BOLINAS RIDGE

Meet: 9:00am under the Safeway sign at Market & Dolores. Depart 9:15. Rating: Strenuous, 12 miles, 2200 feet elevation gain. This hike consists of two loops covering both sides of Bolinas ridge, extending almost to route 1. Parts will be on unofficial, unmaintained trails. Some other parts will be on a paved bike path along Lagunitas Creek. We will have good views from the ridge and from the meadows on the far side of the ridge, and some wooded sections (including Redwoods and maybe a bit of fall foliage). Near the end there will be an opportunity to swim in Lagunitas Creek if the weather is warm. Bring: water, lunch, layered clothing, swimsuit and towel if it's warm. Canceled in event of light or heavy rain. Driving distance 66 miles round trip. Carpooling cost: $7.00 per passenger. (includes $6 tolls). Alternate meeting place: 10:15 at Devil's Gulch trailhead (on Sir Francis Drake Blvd, one mile past the main park entrance).

OCTOBER 31, 2009 SATURDAY: SAN GREGORIO TO PESCADERO MARSH

Meet: 10:30am under the Safeway sign at Market & Dolores. Depart 10:45. Rating: Moderate, 10 miles, 100 feet elevation gain. Note that this hike location is tentative and may be changed depending on the weather. The hike will be mostly along beaches, with some impressive cliffs, small caves, and an arch. At the far end we will briefly explore Pescadero Marsh. We start at a clothing-optional beach, and there will be two other mile long stretches of beach that are sufficiently deserted to be clothing optional. Most of the hike is sandy enough to be comfortably done barefoot, but you should bring footwear appropriate for a short section of bedrock and for the marsh. The hike will start with a leisurely lunch as we wait for the tide to recede enough. Two miles into the hike we will reach a section that requires a somewhat low tide, and we will keep a relatively fast pace from then in order to finish by sunset. We will return the way we came, with several opportunities for those who don't want to do the full hike to wait for the group to return or to walk up to the road and wait for us to drive to where you stop. If the weather is too cold for the beach to be pleasant or the surf too high, the hike may be altered to a more ordinary hike in Fremont Older (Cupertino). Check http://www.bayesianinvestor.com/tmp/nexthike.html for news a day or two before the hike for updates about the location. Bring: water, lunch, towel, sunscreen, appropriate footwear. Canceled in event of heavy rain. Driving distance 80 miles round trip. Carpooling cost: $11.00 per passenger. (includes entrance fees). Alternate meeting place: 11:45 at San Gregorio (not the state beach; use the poorly marked driveway a hundred feet north of the route 84 intersection). Notify the leader if you plan to meet there.

DECEMBER 6, 2009 SUNDAY: DAWN FALLS

Meet: 9:00am under the Safeway sign at Market & Dolores. Depart 9:15. Rating: Moderate, 10 miles, 1800 feet elevation gain. This one way hike with a shuttle will start in Kentfield and end in Corte Madera. We will go partway up the side of Mt. Tam for some good views, then descend into a redwood forest in Baltimore Canyon to see a 30 foot waterfall, then traverse the south side of King Mountain, ending on paved roads and a bike path through Larkspur to Corte Madera. Bring: water, lunch, layered clothing. Event will occur rain or shine, though in heavy rain it may be shortened. Driving distance 40 miles round trip. Carpooling cost: $5.00 per passenger. (includes $6 tolls). Alternate meeting place: 9:45 at the intersection of Montecito Drive and Tamalpais Drive (on the north side of Tamalpais Drive) in Corte Madera.

FEBRUARY 28, 2010 SUNDAY: BLACKSTONE CANYON AND RUBICON FALLS

Meet: 9:00am under the Safeway sign at Market & Dolores. Depart 9:15. Rating: Moderate, 7 miles, 2000 feet elevation gain. This hike near Lucas Valley features waterfalls, some partly forested hill- sides with a steep off-trail section, and exposed ridges with good views. We start up Blackstone Canyon, following a creek with some small waterfalls. We continue up past the end of the trail until we reach a ridge. After a short distance on Big Rock Ridge we descend steeply toward Lucas Valley Estates, with a stop at Rubicon Falls. The last few miles of the hike stay near the edge of a residential area. Note that the terrain in Blackstone Canyon will be somewhat harder than officially maintained trails are, and rain might make it slippery. We will see a moderate number of wildflowers. Well behaved dogs are welcome. Bring: water, lunch, layered clothing. Canceled in event of heavy rain. Driving distance 46 miles round trip. Carpooling cost: $6.00 per passenger. (includes $6 tolls). Alternate meeting place: 10:00 on Queenstone Drive in Marinwood (follow Miller Creek Rd almost a mile west from the Marinwood exit of 101, Queenstone will be on the right).

APRIL 17-18, 2010 SATURDAY TO SUNDAY: PANOCHE HILLS, MERCEY HOT SPRINGS

Meet: 8:00am to be arranged. Depart 8:15. Rating: Strenuous, 12 miles, 3500 feet elevation gain. RSVP and advance payment are required. Camping costs $27 per person. I have reserved two campsites which should fit at least 15 people. Cabins are also available. Mercey Hot Springs is a small resort in the Panoche Valley, surrounded by grassy hills that are inhabited only by cattle. The wildflowers are reportedly excellent. Though only 13 miles from route 5, it feels as isolated as central Nevada. Some of the hot tubs (bath tubs) are clothing optional (but not the fancier warm pool). The hikes will probably be clothing optional most of the way. Saturday's hike will be something like 12 miles and 3000 to 3600 feet of elevation gain, to the top of a ridge that is one of the nearest places with a few trees, and should have great views. Sunday's hike will be easier unless everyone is ambitious (we'll probably head out with no planned destination and turn back when we feel ready). We will occasionally find dirt roads used by cattle ranchers that go the direction we want, but mostly we will just head out through the grass with only a rough plan for our route. I expect we will need to climb under/over a few barbed wire fences. I have only done small parts of the hike, but we should usually be able to see miles in most directions, so there's no risk of getting lost. Rain in Panoche valley will probably cancel the trip, but it could easily be dry there even if it rains in San Francisco. Bring: food and water for both days (the water available there tastes odd), swimsuit, towel, camping/hiking gear. Canceled in event of heavy rain. Driving distance 302 miles round trip. Carpooling cost: $27.00 per passenger. (includes $4 tolls).

JUNE 6, 2010 SUNDAY: AZALEA HILL

Meet: 9:00am under the Safeway sign at Market & Dolores. Depart 9:15. Rating: Moderate, 8 miles, 1200 feet elevation gain. We will hike on a mix of official and unofficial trails starting up Pine Mountain Fire Road, down Happersberger Point, the shores of Alpine Lake, and up the back side of Azalea Hill. Parts will have steep downhill and much poison oak. We'll see some nice flowers, including the rare Tamalpais Jewelflower, some azaleas, chapparal pea, and yellow mariposa lilies. Bring: water, lunch, sunscreen, hat. Canceled in event of light or heavy rain. Driving distance 52 miles round trip. Carpooling cost: $6.00 per passenger. (includes $6 tolls). Alternate meeting place: 10:15 at Azalea Hill on Fairfax-Bolinas Rd. about 4 miles past Fairfax. Look for parking area on the left side.

AUGUST 8, 2010 SUNDAY: SAN BRUNO MOUNTAIN AND SIGN HILL

Meet: 10:00am under the Safeway sign at Market & Dolores. Depart 10:15. Rating: Strenuous, 11 miles, 2500 feet elevation gain. We'll visit San Bruno Mountain starting from a little-known park on the south side of the ridge, taking a steep unofficial trail up to the main ridge, where we'll see either good views or be in the clouds. We'll descend the north side of the ridge to have lunch at the main entrance, do an easy loop on the far side of the main entrance, and return via a route similar to the way we came. We'll see some flowers (probably including Lady's-tresses orchids), and possibly some ripe blackberries. We'll visit the sign for which Sign Hill is named. Bring: water, lunch, layered clothing (important if windy!). Canceled in event of heavy rain. Driving distance 22 miles round trip. Carpooling cost: $2.00 per passenger.. Alternate meeting place: 10:45 at the trailhead - the north end of Poplar Ave in South San Francisco

SEPTEMBER 26, 2010 SUNDAY: LITTLE BASIN

Meet: 8:15am under the Safeway sign at Market & Dolores. Depart 8:30. Rating: Strenuous, 12 miles, 2700 feet elevation gain. Little Basin is a new addition to Big Basin State Park. It has some redwood forests, but also has some rocky peaks, with some rock outcroppings that are a challenge to climb. We start from Big Basin headquarters, climb Buzzards Roost, then Eagle Rock (the highest point in the park), where we should get good views of Monterey, Mt Hamilton, and Montara Mountain. Our return route takes us by a campground with children's play areas. Bring: lunch, water, and sturdy boots if you want to climb on the rocks. Canceled in event of light or heavy rain. Driving distance 140 miles round trip. Carpooling cost: $15.00 per passenger. (includes $10 entrance fees). Alternate meeting place: 10:15 AM at the Big Basin Headquarters (21600 Big Basin Way, Boulder Creek, CA 95006). Please let the hike leader know if you plan to do so.

Last updated 2010-10-15.