Club Information

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Club History

Fall 1997 Calendar

• Time: 7:00pm
• Place: Dining room of the Becthel International Center

A tentative agenda for the meeting is:

1. Organize potluck food.
2. Opening speach by the outgoing president.
3. Vote on new constitution.
4. Election of new officers.
5. Trip planning for the fall quarter.

The meeting will as usual be held at the Bechtel Int'l Center, Stanford University.

New prospective "members" (we have currently no fees or formal membership) are welcome to come and learn about the club.

• Length of hike: 9 miles
• Meet: 8:30 am at the Bechtel Center, Stanford
• Driving: < 1 hr each way

I checked the tide schedule: low tides correspond to sunrise and sunset on Sunday, so the tidal pools at the Marine Reserve are best left for another day.

Bring: sunscreen, warm clothes, lunch, $ for dinner, the usual. Plenty of restaurants to choose from on the coast for dinner afterwards.

Meet at Stanford to carpool at 8:30AM (Tim)
Leaves from San Pedro Valley Park visitor center at 9:30AM (Rosy)

Highway One to Linda Mar Blvd. Head east on Linda Mar Blvd. until it deadends at Oddstead Blvd. Turn right on Oddstead, go about 100 feet and turn left into the park entrance at Rosita Road. Entrance fees are $3.00 per car.

If it's sunny, avoid Hwy 92, instead take 280N to 1S or 101N to 380N to 280N to 1S---not so sunny: 280N or 101N to 92W to 1N

Meet: 9:00am at Bechtel I-Center, Stanford or
      9:45am at Ohlone College, Parking lot H, Fremont
Distance: 11 miles
Elevation gain: 2200 feet

On this hike we will climb two scenic peaks in the East Bay.
Expect great views of the South Bay if the smog isn't too bad.
This is a strenuous hike with more than 2000 feet uphill
(and downhill of course).

We start at Ohlone College in Fremont and follow
the Peak Trail up to Mission Peak (2517 ft). Then we try
to find the trail that goes south to Monument Peak, which is
slightly higher at 2594 ft. Then we head back to Ohlone
College again. We have to take mostly the same trails on
the return trip. The trails (and fire roads) we will follow
on this hike are open to to both hikers and bikers.

Please note that the hike "leader" has never done this hike
before so there is a small chance we might end up on a
different trail than planned.

Bring lots of water/liquids (at least 2 liters) since
the terrain is open with no trees so it can be fairly hot,
even in October. As usual, also bring food for lunch.

  Directions to Ohlone College:

  from Stanford, take Willow Rd to Dumbarton Bridge. Continue straight
  on DeCoto through Union City to Mission Blvd (238). Go south on Mission
  past 680 and Mission San Jose to Ohlone College (on the left).
  The second exit on your left leads to Parking Lot H on your left.
  You will need 4 quarters for parking.

  Alternative route if Dumbarton is jammed: 101 south to 237 east
  to 880 north, exit on Mission Blvd. Follow Mission for 3.5 miles
  and Ohlone College is on your right. You're supposed to
  cross 680 once but not twice!

Meet: 9:00am at Bechtel I-Center, Stanford or
      10:00am at Higgins-Purisma Parking
Distance: 11 (or 9) miles
Elevation gain: 1600 feet

This hike will go through the Purisma Creek and Hawkins Ridge area, which is
just south of Half Moon Bay. The trail ascends steeply up a valley shaded by
redwoods, passes herb gardens, and emerges into an exposed ridge. We will
zig-zag along the ridge line, drop down into the Purisma Creek valley, and
then make a second 800-foot climb up the Grabtown Gulch loop. (Otherwise the
hike is too short. If weather or weakness demand, we can short-cut this 
leg, making it a < 9 mile trip.)

We might stop at the beach (brr!) and/or one of the fine restaurants along
the coast on the way home.

Getting There:

The parking at the trailhead is very minimal; the official capacity is ten
cars, and unofficially you can't possibly pack more than twelve. Please
either meet us at Stanford or volunteer to arrange carpools from Half Moon
Bay.

From Half Moon Bay and points north, take 101 south for about 1 mile. Turn
left on Higgins-Purisma Road. Park at the end of the road, about 3.5 miles.

From San Gregorio and points south, take 101 north. Turn right on Purisma
Creek Road, the first major turn after Tunitas Creek Road. Purisma Creek
Road merges into Higgins-Purisma. Park at the end of the road.

Length of hike: 7 miles
Elevation gain: 600 ft.
Meet:           8:30 am at the Bechtel Center, Stanford,
                or at 10am at Big Basin Park HQ.
Driving time:   1 h 15 min (each way)

Hike description:

Big Basin Redwoods State Park, located about 23 miles north-west of the city
of Santa Cruz, is California's oldest state park. Most of the hike
will be in the redwood forest.

Come welcome back our ex-President Mike Bitsko from
his 6 week trip through England and Wales.
This time we will NOT do the usual loop to Berry Creek Falls,
but instead hike a much shorter loop which takes us by the
Sempervirens Falls and up Slippery Rock. 

Optional detour to Boulder Creek for beer and/or food 
after the hike.

Trip "leader": Mike Bitsko, (408) 457-8633.

SATURDAY NOVEMBER 8: SAN FRANCISCO
----------------------------------

Distance:       About 9-12 miles
---------

Elevation gain: Flat
---------------  
                
Trip "leader": Jarek Baryeka 


Departure:      9:00 a.m. (be on time or chase us to SF :) at the Bechtel 
----------      Center, Stanford (if you live significantly north of Stanford 
                please contact the trip "leader" for an alternate 10 a.m. 
                meeting place in the city)

Driving time:   about 50 minutes each way
-------------

Other:          - Some siesta and beach gear (frisbee, chocolate, etc :) may be
------            useful
                - In the absence of Martin, I will need to singlehandedly
                  assume the responsibility for the food quality control
                - Bring some money for carpool, city bus and for the 
                  optional dinner in the city
                - In the San Francisco area it is always a good idea to have 
                  some warm clothes but I hope that the weather will be
                  nice

Description:
------------

We are going to hike long the bay and the ocean (staring at fort Mason
and then through Marina, Presidio [including Golden Gate and Fort Point],
beaches, Sutro baths ruins & the Cliff House, more beaches, and then
return through Golden Gate Park, the ex hippie area and Van Ness back to
the starting point. We may take a city bus if people get tired 
prematurely :)

Leader: Jarek

Length of hike: ~10 miles
Elevation gain: 1500 feet (fairly strenuous)
Meet: *1:00* pm at the Bechtel Center, Stanford
Driving: approx. 2 hours each way

We will go to Pinnacles National Monument, the remains of an ancient
volcano 2 hours drive south of Palo Alto. Our about 10 mile hike
will take us up, around, and over the pinnacles as well as through
some small caves. Half the hike will be after sunset, but if
the sky is clear there should be plenty of moonlight.
Everybody must bring a flashlight (and batteries) for the caves!
This time we will start and end at the visitor's center,
giving us the chance to go through both sets of caves
if they are open.

Trails may be wet and slippery through the caves so wear
sturdy shoes or boots. Bring some food, drinks,
and warm clothes (it can get chilly after dark).  Also bring money
for parking and optional meal in Hollister on the way home.
We will return to Stanford late, probably around midnight
or even later if you stop for coffee/food in Hollister.

Full moon is really on Friday, so on Saturday there is
a time gap between sunset at 5pm and moonrise at 6:24.
During this time it will be very dark! Depending
on our progress, we'll have to walk in the dark for
a while (with flashlights) or we'll sit at the top
and wait for moonrise.

Bring warm clothes since it gets quite cold this time
of year after dark. Louis recommends you also
bring a chance of underwear so you can change at
the top of the Pinnacles before you get cold.
Also bring rain gear in case it starts raining
during the hike.

This hike will be cancelled if it rains Saturday.
If the forecast is bad on Friday, the hike may
be cancelled already then (check the web page).

Meet: 8:30am at Bechtel I-Center, Stanford or
      10:15am at the Bear Valley Visitor Center
Driving time: almost 2 hours each way 
Distance: 12 miles
Elevation gain: 1400 feet

The Woodward Valley Loop includes beautiful forest and spectacular coastal
hiking. We will begin from Bear Valley Trail climbing Mt. Wittenberg (1407
ft), one of the peaks in the "Rim of the Bay" progressive Hike (the other
peaks are Mount Diablo, Mission Peak, Mount St. Helena, Mount Tamalpais, and
Pinnacles).  From the top of Mt. Wittenberg we will take the Sky Trail to
Woodward Valley, one of the lushest, greenest trails in the park. We will
follow this all the way down to Coast Trail, where you'll enjoy open ocean
views as we head south to Bear Valley. Beach access is possible along the way
(Sculptured Beach and Kelham Beach). Finally, we will follow Bear Valley Trail
back to Bear Valley Visitor Center, a gentle grade  through beautiful
buckeyes, oaks, and Douglas Firs. 

Optional dinner after the hike in San Francisco.

Please note that the trip "leader" has not done this trip before, but the
trails are well marked so that should not be a problem. 

Location: Monte Bello Open Space Preserve on Page Mill Road just a few miles
above (west of) Palo Alto
Driving time: 20 minutes
Length of hike: 7-10 miles depending on group ambition
Elevation gain: 500 feet
Meet: 10:00 a.m. at the Bechtel Center, Stanford

We will hike along creekside trails and through grassy hillsides to Black
Mountain, elevation 2,800 feet, overlooking the cities of Palo Alto, Los
Altos, Los Altos Hills, and Cupertino.  The hike is moderate and would be
outright easy except for 500 feet of switchbacks that lead to the top of Black
Mountain.

True to its name, Monte Bello, Italian for "beautiful mountain" is one of the
most dramatic vistas in the Bay Area and we are likely to see local wildlife
such as hawks, turkey vultures, deer and maybe even a bobcat or coyote.

This area is geologically noteworthy because of the San Andreas Fault, which
has created many features we can observe along our hike including sag ponds,
offset fences, and (oh yeah) big mountains.  Some reading on the geology of
the area will be available for those who are interested.

Now to practical matters, this hike will be cancelled if it is raining Sunday
morning.  Prepare for muddy trails and light rain--bring sturdy hiking boots,
a light rain coat, and, as usual, a sweatshirt or sweater for cold weather. 
Bring plenty of water, a snack to enjoy at the top of Black Mountain, and
money if we choose to gather for food (and beer) after the hike.

Leader: Tiffany <

Time: Sat. 8:30am at the Bechtel I-Center, Stanford
Driving time: 1h 15' (each way) 
Distance: 10-12 miles 
Elevation gain: 2000+ feet!

Henry Coe the second largest state park in California, with
89,000 acres and 200 miles of trails. We will start at the 
park headquarters and do a loop hike on the Pacheco Route,
the Middle Ridge Trail, and the Northern Heights Route.

Henry Coe is very hilly, so there will be lots of ups
and downs. The lowest point is at 1200 feet (Poverty Flat)
and the highest at around 3000 ft. 

NOTE: This hike will be cancelled if it is raining.
If the forecast is bad on Friday we will send email
cancelling the trip then.

Welcome to the last trip before Christmas: to the "Thicket of the Devil"!

Location: East of Walnut Creek
Driving time: 2 hours each way
Length of hike: 10 miles
Elevation gain: 3000 feet
Meet: 8:00 a.m. at the Bechtel Center, Stanford

Comments:
---------
-Wear hiking boots, no sneakers! In winter and early spring, roads at lower
elevation may be muddy. There may be snow on the summit. 
-The hike is rather short around 8-10 miles. However, the elevation gain is
about 3000 feet.
-The trip leader will (probably) not meet at Bechtel. Erik Boman will organize
the car pooling.
-Optional Dinner on the way home.

Driving Directions
------------------
Cross Dumbarton Bridge (HWY 84 E), Take I 880 N (Nimitz FWY) for 10 miles,
take I 238 E for 3 miles , take I 580 N for 7 miles, take HWY 13 N (Warren
FWY) for 5 miles, take HWY 24 E for 10 miles to Walnut Creek and take the
exit onto Ygnacia Valley Road. Turn right on Walnut Avenue, enter the park
at the North Gate. Follow North Gate Road to the park Headquarters and turn
left onto the summit road and follow it to the Diablo Valley Overlook and
Juniper Campground. We park at the far end of Juniper Camp loop road. There
is a parking area just at the point where the road begins its turn at the
far end of the loop. Facilities in campground.

Description of the hike
-----------------------
We start at Juniper Camp ground. Deer Flat Road runs an essentially level
course for 0.4 miles to warm us up until its junction with Burma Road. At 3
miles, we turn into Meridian Ridge Road and follow it all the way down into
Donner Canyon. We climb out of the Canyon on Middle Trail, maybe with a
little detour on Falls Trail (100 feet water falls in winter). After a
short, but steep climb on Prospectors Gap Road, we reach the North Peak
Trail and follow it through Devil's Pulpit and Devil's Elbow to the
Summit. From there, weather permitting, you'll see the second largest
landmass visible from a point on the surface of the earth. The best viewing
is often on the day after a winter storm. Then, you can look to the west,
beyond the Golden Gate Bridge, to the Farallon Islands; south-east to the
James Lick Observatory on Mount Hamilton at 4,213 feet elevation; south to
Mount Loma Prieta in the Santa Cruz Mountains at 3,791 feet elevation,
north to Mount Saint Helena in the Coast Range at 4,344 feet elevation, and
still farther north to Mount Lassen in the Cascades at 10,466 feet. North
and east of Mount Diablo the San Joaquin and Sacramento Rivers meet to form
the twisting waterways of the Delta. To the east beyond California's great
central valley, the crest of the Sierra Nevada seems to float in space.

The following is a description of the summit loop, a short fire
interpretative trail we may do depending on how we feel by then. A must for
both the casual visitor and the nature student, this nature trail is best
negotiated with the help of a trail guide available in the Summit
Visitor Center. The incomparable views of the California landscape far
below are enhanced by the framing foreground of the unusual trail side
vegetation, with fine flower displays in spring and early summer. Of
primary interest are the various stages of vegetative recovery following
the great fire of 1977. Spectacular rock outcrops of ancient Franciscan
Complex rocks abound. The trail was built by the California
Conservation Corps; the first one third is paved and is wheelchair
accessible up to the Ransome Point overlook, a good place to spot distant
landmarks from comfortable benches. Standard Oil placed a 10 million
candle power navigation beacon upon the summit in 1928.

The last mile follows a nicely graded, intimate trail built by the Youth
Conservation Corps just before the 1977 fire. Switchbacks (avoid slippery
shortcuts) facilitate the decent to the dark oak-laurel forest, a survivor
of many a fire, via Moses Rock Ridge. If we are not tired we can enjoy
interesting rock outcrops supporting a variety of stunted, tundra-like
plants and fine views through the silvery branches of fire-scarred
chaparral. Wonderful for photography.

See http://www.mdia.org/ for a virtual hike, stories and articles, and maps
on Mount Diablo.

"Leader": Louis Perrochon    (650) 725-3321

New Year's Day, Jan 1st 1998: Big Basin Redwoods State Park

Length of hike: ~11 miles (possibly shorter)
Elevation gain: ~500 ft.
Meet:           8:00 am at the Bechtel Center, Stanford, or
                9:30 am at Big Basin HQ
Driving time:   1 h 15 min (each way)

Hike description:

Come be the first visitors at Big Basin in 1998!
Big Basin Redwoods State Park, located about 23 miles north-west of the 
city of Santa Cruz, is California's oldest state park.  

Most likely we will hike to the Berry Creek Falls,
but the leader can be talked into doing a shorter hike
if the group requests so.
The classic waterfall hike will take us along the Sunset Trail, 
out to the Berry Creek Falls, then back along the Skyline to the Sea Trail.
This hike is of moderate difficulty.

Mike, the trip leader, will not go to Stanford first but
meet the group at Big Basin. The carpool from Stanford
is therefore this time a "no host" carpool, which means
that the people who show up will have to organize
themselves. Bring a road map. Suggested route: 280 south
to 85 and exit onto Sunnyvale-Saratoga Road. In Saratoga,
take Hwy 9 up to Skyline where you cross Hwy 35 and continue
down on the other side. Follow signs to Big Basin (you have 
to take a road to the right a few(?) miles after the 9/35
intersection).

Since we expect few people on this hike, it would be
very helpful if you let Mike know a day or two in advance
if you plan to come.

Trip "leader": Mike Bitsko, (408) 457-8633.