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Spring 2002-03 CalendarApr 1(Tues): Spring Quarter Potluck!! Apr 4-6: Winter Car Camping (Chris, Paul) Apr 5(Sat): Grand Loop, Castle Rock State Park (Matt) Apr 11-14: Death Valley In Bloom (Bill) (FULL) (*) Apr 12 (Sat): Big Basin Waterfall (Vicky) (POSTPONED to April 26) Apr 13 (Sun): Oyster Picking (Paul) (CANCELLED) Apr 13 (Sun): Dipsea Trail (Girish) Apr 19 (Sat): Henry Coe (Giles) Apr 19 (Sat): Big Basin Waterfall (Vicky) Apr 19-20: Big Sur Backpacking (Heather) (*) Apr 26(Sat): Murietta Falls & Wildflower hike (Girish) Apr 26-27: Tamales Bay Kayak Camping (Erik) (*) May 3(Sat): Point Reyes (Sundeep) (POSTPONED to May 10) May 4(Sun): Mt. Diablo (Craig) May 3-4: Sierra Backpacking (Henri) (*) May 3-4: Andrew Molera Car Camping/Photography (Doug) (*) May 10 (Sat): Biking trip (Jan) (*) May 10-11 Beginner Backpacking (Giles and Bill) (*) May 10-11 Marin Headlands Beginner backpacking (*) (Paul) May 11 (Sun): Sunol to Rose Peak (Arturo) May 11 (Sun): Jasper Ridge Hike (Ted) (*) May 16-18: Biking Around Tahoe (Erhhung) (*) May 18(Sun): Henry Coe Wildflower Walk and Hike (Johnny) May 23-26: Southern Yosemite Backpacking (Arturo) (*) June 7(Sat): Leader's Choice (Tatjana) June 7-8: Siera fishing/hotsprings/photography (Alfred) (*) June 7-8: May Lake / Mt. Hoffman (Henri) (*) June 14-15 Gourmet Kayak Camping (Bill & Erik) (*) June 14(Sat): Garapatta & Carmel [ Hiking, Beach & Nightlife ] (Girish)) June 21(Sat): San Francisco: Northeastern Neighborhoods/Waterfront Hike, Jun. 21 (Sat.) June 22(Sun): Purisima Creek Redwoods (Sameer) June 24(Tues): Summer Quarter Potluck!! June 28(Sat): Scharffen Berger Chocolate Tour (*) (Kim) July 18-20: Tuolumne Meadows (Matt)(*) No advance reservations are needed for any of the trips with the exception of the ones marked with (*). A few weeks before those trips, we will post instructions on how to sign up. Apr 1(Tues): Spring Quarter Potluck!!Meet other outdoor enthusiasts and help plan our activities for the Fall Quarter by attending our meeting and potluck dinner on Tuesday, April 1 at 7:00 PM in the dining room at the Bechtel International Center. Please try to be on time, and bring some food item or beverage to share. The tentative agenda for this meeting is as follows:
If you would like to lead a hike, or some other activity, but can't come to the meeting, please send Craig your ideas by email before the meeting at cfoster01__no_spam__yahoo.com. Also, please email Craig if you would like additional agenda items to be considered for the meeting. New prospective "members" are welcome to come and learn about the club. For more information, including directions to Bechtel, see our web pages at http://www.stanford.edu/group/outing/. Apr 5(Sat): Grand Loop, Castle Rock State Park (Matt)
From the junction of highway 9 and 35, drive south on 35 for about 2 miles where you will see the main park entrance on your right. Meet at the main parking area. For those meeting at Bechtel, I'll bring extra maps with directions. Castle Rock State Park is one of my personal favorites, featuring unique and beautiful sandstone formations and caves, a 100 foot waterfall, travertine springs, beautiful spring wildflowers and manzanita and madrone, and many sweeping panoramic views. Near the end we can stop at Summit Rock, giving a great view of the entire Silicon Valley! (binoculars would be recommended) This is a fairly strenuous hike (12.5 mi), but there are many places to stop and rest and enjoy the views. You can even practice your bouldering skills on the many rock outcroppings (Goat Rock and Castle Rock are magnificent). If some people are not up for all 12.5 miles, there is a shorter loop of about 7 miles where you can break off in the middle - just make sure you coordinate with your driver! Starting from the main entrance, the first thing we'll see is magnificent Castle Rock just about 1/4 mile from the entrance. Then we'll visit Castle Rock falls and Goat Rock as we hike along the Ridge trail. An overlook provides a sweeping panoramic view. A short side trail takes you to the base of the falls if you are interested. Continuing along the Ridge trail, we'll hit Castle Rock trail camp where you can use restrooms / fill water bottles. Then it's on the Travertine springs trail up to the Saratoga Toll Road trail where we visit the travertine springs. Next we go up to Saratoga Gap through the less visited but beautiful northern part of the park. Finally it's along the skyline trail with gorgeous views of the bay area, where we can visit Summit Rock and Indian Rock on the way back to the park entrance. We should be done a little before dinnertime - it appears to be a tradition for people to gather for dinner afterward (I'm still a bit new to the club). I'm sure there are many nice places in Saratoga (any suggestions?) Visit the park's web page: http://www.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=538
Trip "Leader" Matt Apr 4-6: Winter Car Camping At Sequoia (Chris, Paul)
Winter camping often brings along with it the notion of large backpacks stuffed full with warm gear, a huge sleeping bag (for which too many water fowl gave up their beloved coats), being cramped in a tent with strangers counting the hours till sunrise, eating dehydrated food that is barely warm enough, freezing your tail (and who knows what other body parts) off and basically little little fun. But hey! This is where this will be different. As a group of us proved to the contrary on the slopes of an extinct volcano in N. California last year, you can have a blast winter camping if you pick the right place, have great company and of course, have a huge ass truck to haul your living room there for you. We are repeating the trip this year to Sequoia National Park. Would be car camping at Lodgepole campgroup at about 7000 ft in the snow. Optional activites would include day hikes to the giant trees or to some of the thawing waterfalls. Else, we expect to sit and chill by the fire, sip some Bailey's,grill some steak and maybe, just maybe, if I get around to it, I'll show you how to build a snow kitchen. Here's what you need to know. Temps expected to be 10-35F on Sat and Sun so cold weather camping gear a must. Other car camping gear such as lounge chairs, bbq grills, giant gas stoves, tarps, gas lamps and camp tables are very much welcomed. Interested? Want to try snow camping without the hassle of a backpack and also join in on some crazy fun? Read further. Please reply ASAP and let us know if you are interested to come along. We will need the following information :
Once we get a list together by late Wed or Thur, I'll send out more info. Also, we may choose to leave on Sat morning instead if it is snowing Fri so that we do not have to drive through snow late at night. And finally, if you are still not convinced to come along, here is a link to some pics from the last trip ... http://www.ofoto.com/I.jsp?m=8665282203.83584343803&n=133811503 Paul Chan / Chris Jacobs Apr 11-14: Death Valley In Bloom (Bill) (FULL) (*)Death Valley is one of the most diverse landscapes on Earth. From the lowest point in the western hemisphere to 11,000 ft, snow-covered Telescope peak; from nearly 1 kilometer wide Ubehebe crater to the Eureka Sand Dunes, the tallest in North America, its scale is breathtaking. And when the desert is in bloom, it is that much more so. This trip requires taking a Friday and Monday off of work (for those that work), but it is worth it! We will be leaving Thursday after work and will return Monday night. We will be car camping and doing several easy to moderate day hikes. (with some opportunities for more adventure for those that desire). BRIEF ITINERARYThursday evening, April 10th We will drive the first leg of the trip to Death Dalley, camping near Bakersfield, CA Friday, April 11th We will finish the drive to Death Valley, stopping for a short hike to Darwin Falls, a spring-fed waterfall in the middle of the desert and other sites along the way to our campsite near Furnace Creek. Saturday, April 12th We will go from the lowest point in the Western Hemisphere (Badwater) to the top of 9000+ ft. Wildrose peak. On the way to Wildrose peak, we will pass giant charcoal kilns built in the late 1800s. The hike to the top of Wildrose peak is 4.2 mines one-way with an elevation gain of 2200 ft. That night we will camp at the nearby Wildrose campground. Sunday, April 13th We will stop at Mosaic Canyon to take in the geology on a very short hike before pressing on to the Race Track, where one can see the tracks of large stones that were blown along the expansive flat playa. Finally, we will stop at the "singing" Eureka sand dunes and climb to the top of the highest (600+ ft) dune for a great view. Monday, April 14th We will drive back, taking a different route on the eastern side of the Sierras for a very different view of the Sierras. We will stop to see Mono lake before it disappears and driving by South Lake Tahoe. COST I will be renting SUVs for the group since there is a lot of driving and 4-wheel drive will be required. The rentals will cost ~$60 per person (based on 5 people per car). Camp sites will be ~$10 per person. Also plan on the shared cost of food and gas. SIGN-UP The trip will be limited to 10 people. All emails received by Thursday, March 27th will have an equal chance of getting in, with preference given to recent trip leaders. If you would like to sign up, please email me the following information by March 27th. 1. Name: 2. Email: 3. Phone Numbers: 4. Are you willing drive part of the time: 5. Can you bring a tent: 6. If so, how many does it sleep: 7. Can you bring a stove: FOR MORE INFORMATION Pictues of Death Valley
www.terragalleria.com/parks/np.death-valley.html Apr 12 (Sat): Big Basin Waterfall (Vicky) (POSTPONED to APRIL 19, 2003)
The route I plan to do is Skyline to the Sea Trail - Berry Creek Falls Trail - Sunset Trail. I have always wanted to do it as it passes through three waterfalls: Berry Creek Falls, Silver Falls and Golden Falls. The water level should be good and there may be wild flowers as well. The hike could be a bit (~2 miles) shorter and easier if we go back the same way (Skyline to the Sea) from the falls, but I personally prefer a loop. On rain policy - since the hike will be in a forest, a little rain actually may make the whole scenary prettier. I feel like going if it is not really raining Saturday morning and the forecast does not suggest continuous downpour. The current forecast is against us. If it changes to something milder, the hike will be on (at least I will show up at Bechtel). Otherwise, the hike will be postponed to next Saturday. (I will answer emails and return voice-mails Saturday morning, if you want to confirm.) Bring:
For driving directions to Big Basin Headquarter, go to http://www.bigbasin.org/travelbasicsmain.html Trip "leader": Vicky Wong (vicwong__no_spam__stanford.edu, 650-725-8811) Apr 13 (Sun): Oyster Picking (Paul)More details will be posted in the week prior to the event. Apr 13 (Sun): Dipsea Trail (Girish)
The critics agree, this is the must hike event of the year! For Marin hikers, completing the Dipsea Trail is a rite of passage, an experience that offers a glimpse into both heaven and hell in a single morning. California HikingThe Dipsea is the most famous trail in the bay area, and, because of the foot race held on it annually, even has a worldwide reputation. Few trails anywhere pack as much beauty, ruggedness, variety, and history into so short a distance.Tamalpais TrailsDon't be scared off by the "hell" part, there is much more heaven in this hike than hell. The bad part is the (in)famous steps up out of Mill Valley at the beginning of the hike. After that we will be rewarded with beautiful views of the city, Muir woods, and descending into Stinson beach. We will be eating lunch in Stinson beach, and relaxing on the sand. You will be able to buy food there.For the return trip, I expect that some people will take the bus most of the way back from Stinson beach ($1.50). If you're thinking of doing the round trip hike, please bring a flashlight/headlamp in case we spend too much time relaxing on the beach and end up hiking after dark. For folks hiking back, we will return via Steep Ravine trail to Pantoll and then get back onto Dipsea trail and Muirwoods via the beautiful redwood trees laced Ben Johnson trail and back to Mill Valley. Directions to start:Exit US101 onto California Highway 1 (toward Stinson Beach) at about 4 miles north of the Golden Gate Bridge. Proceed west-bound on Highway 1 for about 0.6 miles from the exit to the traffic light at Tam Junction. Don?t turn left at the light (which would have you stay on Highway 1.) Bear right, and the road becomes four lanes and the name changes to Miller Ave. Follow Miller Ave. for about 2.5 miles to Throckmorton in the heart of Mill Valley. Note: just after crossing Sunnyside, you?ll come to a stop sign that looks like the end of the street. Turn right here and go about a half block (it?s still Miller Ave). The next intersection is Throckmorton. Turn left on Throckmorton and go about three blocks to Old Mill Park. The park is on your left.Very useful URL to check out ( WHAT TO EXPECT ) http://www.durt.org/runs/dipsea.html Trip "leader": Girish ( girconfused__no_spam__yahoo.com ) Apr 19-20: Sykes Hot Springs Backpacking (Heather) (*)
The Sykes Hot Springs are in Big Sur South of Monterey. We will hike in along the Big Sur River on the Pine Ridge Trail. The goal is to relax in the hot springs at the end of the 10 miles. However that might be a bit challenging, because I forgot that it would be Easter weekend when I planned this trip. So this might not be a peaceful, serene hike and we?re likely to be bumping to quite a few people on the trial... but that?s the price you pay to soak in hot water after 10 miles with pack on. So my plan to beat the crowd and find parking is to hit the trail fairly early, like 8am. I know it?s early, but hey you can sleep in late next weekend. We can stay at my friend?s house near Monterey on Friday night (intersection of 156 and 101), maybe eat pizza, watch a movie, and sort out who?s carrying the stoves and H20 filters and other common items. Then Saturday morning pack into two cars to make the short trek to the trailhead (it should just under an hour drive from his house to the trailhead). The other option is you can meet us at the trailhead at 8am sharp. Hopefully we will camp at Skyes, but if it is full we can hike 2 more miles to the next camp. Next morning after breakfast hike out. If we have enough time on Sunday afternoon, we can check out the beautiful Pfeiffer Beach only miles away from the trail. We should be back in the Bay Area by Sunday evening. You'll need overnight gear: sleeping bag and pad, warm clothes, and food. We can share tents (or go without a tent as I will!), stoves and water filters. Interested? Send me your replies to the following questions. I'll let you know if you made the trip by Sunday, 4/13.
Heather Apr 19 (Sat): Henry Coe (Giles)
Spring is the time to visit Henry Coe for wildflowers, views and maybe even a dip at China Hole. I plan to take the China Hole and Middle Ridge loop with an extention onto to Flat Frog trail. The trail takes us through the Madrone Soda Springs resort and to China Hole, where it is possible to swim, weather agreeing. We continue to poverty flat and hike up middle ridge for views and wildflowers, then onto pine ridge via Frog Lake on our way back to the headquarters. This is a fairly demanding hike - bring
Driving directions:From 101 at Morgan Hill (15miles south of San Jose) take the East Donne Ave exit and turn left. The road climbs into the hils for around 3 miles. At the top of the first ridge, turn right at the Y intersection (there is a sign - 10 miles to Henry Coe). From here the road follows Anderson Resevoir and turns into a windy mountain road which takes to you to park headquarters. Comments and questions to Giles (gilesh__no_spam__stat.stanford.edu). Apr 26(Sat): Murietta Falls & Wildflower hike (Girish)
Plenty of wildflowers are in bloom in the East Bay and it has been raining this week. So it is a doubly special moment to go to Murietta Falls. For all the folks wanting to train for longer backpacking trips this summer should use this as a good training hike. ( Extract from Aditya's posting )
( Extract from an earlier Lothar's posting ) BRING:
Ohlone Regional Wilderness is one of the Bay Area's special places. No public roads lead through it or even near it. You have to hike to reach its boundary ... To be more specific, you have to hike uphill. In the same vein, Murietta Falls is one of the Bay Area's most special waterfalls. That's partly because it's much taller than other local falls and partly because it's hard enough to reach that most people never make the trip. The difficulty doesn't just lie in the trail's many steep ups and downs, its sunny exposure, and its 12 mile long roundtrip distance. The real difficulty is that the waterfall has an extremely short season and must be seen immediately following a period of rain. (from "101 hikes in the Bay Area"). Carpooling will be organized from
The hike will start at 10:15am from the Lichen Bark Picnic Area. Driving Directions:From Interstate 580 in Livermore, take the North Livermore Avenue exit and turn right (south). Drive south through the town of Livermore for 3.5 miles (North Livermore Avenue becomes Tesla Road) Turn right on Mines Road. Drive 3.5 miles on Mines to its junction with Del Valle Road. Continue straight at the fork, now on Del Valle Road. Drive 3.2 miles to the entrance kiosk at Del Valle Regional Park. Purchase a wilderness permit at the entrance kiosk, then continue 3/4 miles to the dam and cross it. Turn right and drive a half mile to the Lichen Bark Picnic Area. Take the trail signed as Ohlone Trail. This will be a strenuous hike, with 4400 feet elev. change. It will take about 7 hours.If you have questions, feel free to email me. I cannot assure you you will get a timely email. However, all emails will be answered by 7 AM the morning of the hike. Trip Leader : Girish ( luvz2hyke__no_spam__yahoo.com ) Apr 26-27: Tamales Bay Kayak Camping (Erik) (*)
Sign ups for the Tomales Bay Kayak trip are open. On Saturday morning we will head early to Tamal Saka kayak rentals in Marshal on the edge of Tomales Bay, and get our kayaks. After setting up camp and having lunch, we will do some combination of more kayaking and/or swimming in the bay. That evening we will have a campfire (we bring in our own wood), and have a fun social dinner. The next morning we will do some more exploring, and leave the campsite to be back at Tamal Saka by noon. We may then do some sighseeing or a short hike in the area, and stop by for an optional dinner. Park Description: Tomales Bay State Park is attached to Point Reyes National Seashore. From the Tamal Saka website: "Lined with remote beaches, lagoons and brushy hillsides, the glassy and protected waters of Tomales Bay are a kayaking paradise. As the largest unspoiled coastal embayment on the coast of California, the Bay is a haul-out and pupping site for harbor seals and home to 45 species of fish, a variety of rare ducks and 25,000 wintering loons, grebes, cormorants, geese and other open-water birds. The Bay's nutrient and clean water serves as a major spawning ground for Pacific herring and an ideal environment for crab, cod, perch and halibut. Rare plant habitats dominate the Bay's landscape and you might hear the distant cries of tule elk wandering the forested ridges as your kayak glides across the Bay."
** READ INSTRUCTIONS ON WHAT TO BRING AND EXPECT Equipment:Tamal Saka will be providing: life vest, spray skirt, wetsuits (for those in sit-on-tops) You should also bring: Windbreaker, sunscreen, sunglasses, hat, water, artificial fabrics, clothes & shoes you can get wet (tevas, booties, etc.) Bring at least one extra set of clothes to change into in case you get wet. Optional: binoculars, wood for fire Use small bags (not large backpacks) as items need to be stowed in/on the kayak. Plenty or garbage bags to double bag all your stuff and thus keep it dry. Food: Breakfast and dinner will be handled socially. (i.e. some folks will do dinner, others breakfast). Final list will be sent w/ confirmations. Let me know if you have a preference. Everyone should bring 2 lunches and snacks. Water: 4-6 liters of water as there is probably only sea water at the campsite. (in 1 gallon containers or smaller. The larger ones do not fit well in the kayak)Normal camping equipment (stoves, tents, etc.) How to sign up:To sign up send a message by Saturday, April 19th to trip leader (email below). As I need put down a deposit for the kayaks, if you need one send me either a check (262 Hawthorne, Palo Alto 94301) or via paypal (no credit card as they charge $) If you do not get a spot, I will not cash, but return payment. Please include in the message the following information:
Trip "leader": May 3(Sat): Point Reyes (Sundeep) (POSTPONED to May 10)
DirectionsTo get to Bear Valley Visitor Center from Stanford, take the Golden Gate Bridge and continue on 101. From 101, take the Sir Francis Drake Blvd exit and continue west on Sir Francis Drake to Olema (about 20 miles). To get to the visitor center, turn right in Olema onto Route 1 and then make an almost immediate left onto Bear Valley Road, and continue on Bear Valley Road for less than half a mile.DescriptionThe hike will start at Bear Valley Visitor Center. We will take the Mt. Wittenberg Trail all the way upto, well, Mt. Wittenberg (elev. 1407 ft). All the elevation gain is in this part, which is the first 2.2 miles of the hike. We will take our lunch break here and replenish ourselves while enjoying some nice views. It is recommeded that you bring your lunch, unless you have exceptional hunting/gathering skills.From here, we will take the Sky Trail all the way down to Coastal Trail (4.2 mi), at which point we would have come down to sea level. From here on the elevation changes would be minimal. We would follow the Coastal Trail to the junction with Bear Valley Trail (0.5 mi). Here we would take the trail that leads to Arch Rock (0.2 miles each way). The beach access here is not the easiest, but hey, we are an outing club, not the ... ok, I don't want to offend anybody. We will have our second break here. Then we will take the Bear Valley trail (4.0 miles) back to the Visitor Center. The whole hike will take us through a variety of flora - Douglas fir and Oak forests, meadows, coastal vegetation etc. On the Bear Valley Trail you may also get the chance to get up, close and personal with some deer. Here is the route (marked in green) on the trail map of the southern section of Pt. Reyes: http://home.attbi.com/~snkabraham/misc/ptreyes_sochike.JPG . Overall the hike should take about 6 hrs, with the breaks. I expect to start the hike around 11:30 am and be back at the Visitor Center parking lot before 6 pm. There will be an optional dinner at San Francisco afterwards. Make sure that you carpool with like minded (dinner/non-dinner) people. Any questions, contact Sundeep Abraham. email: snkabraham__no_spam__yahoo.com . Ph: 650-799-0989. May 2-4: Hetch Hetchy Backpacking Trip (Henri) (*)
It's spring. It's time to open the backpacking season with a trip to Yosemite. And what better place to explore than Hetch Hetchy!! It's beautiful and it is one of the few places in the Sierras that is snow free this time of the year. We will skirt the northern edge of the Hetch Hetchy reservoir with beautiful views of the reservoir and three stunning waterfalls along the way: Tuealala, Wapama and Rancheria falls. With all the snow melt, the falls will be spectacular. The trail is mostly flat with a total elevation gain of only 1300 ft. The plan is to leave on Friday evening and camp at Hodgdon Meadow campground in Yosemite (just after the Big Oak Flat entrance station). We have a reservation for one campsite for six people, so please sign up early to reserve a spot. To sign up, please respond to tjiong__no_spam__stanfordalumni.org with the following information:
For more information on Hetch Hetchy, check out: http://www.nps.gov/yose/wilderness/hetchyplan.htm Trip "leader": Henri Tjiong (650) 387-4542 May 4(Sun): Mt. Diablo (Craig)
DirectionsTake 101 N to Willow Road to 84 East Cross the Dumbarton Bridge to 880 Follow 880 N to 238 E to 580 E to 680 N Take the Diablo Road exit and head E At a stop sign, turn left onto Mount Diablo Scenic Blvd. Go through the entrance station and park Juniper Campground/Laurel Picnic AreaOptional Dinner Afterward DescriptionWell, I'm not crazy enough to do the 4 peaks of Diablo, but I'll do 3 of them. With the extended rainy season this year, I think it will be a good time to see the wildflowers on Mount Diablo, and the air should be pretty clear for Diablo's famed expansive views (the amount of land area visible from the summit of Mount Diablo is supposedly second only to Kilamanjaro).The hike should be pretty intense and there are some steep parts, but because of two side trips we'll be taking, less in-shape hikers could rest along the way, and cover as little as 6 miles (you will still get in almost all the elevation change). We'll follow the Deer Flat Road to the Meridian Ridge Trail. We'll take a left onto the Eagle Peak trail for our first detour and maybe have lunch there. After we return, we will follow the Bald Ridge Trail (beautiful flowers if the time of year is right) up to the North Peak Road, which is the steepest part of the day. We'll take this up to (surprise) the North Peak of Mount Diablo. We'll backtrack down and take the North Peak Trail to (okay this is a little harder to explain) the South Summit. We follow the Juniper Trail back to the picnic area. We'll have an optional dinner afterwards in Berkeley/Oakland. We'll discuss the relative merits of Zachary's, Cactus, and Breads of India. Questions: contact Craig, trip "leader" at 497-3314 or cfoster01__no_spam__yahoo.com May 3-4: Andrew Molera Car Camping/Photography (Doug) (*)
Come join me on a combination car camping and photography trip to Andrew Molera State Park, a coastal park at the northern part of Big Sur. Extend your photography skills while enjoying the seaside park. We'll day hike and camp and hopefully be inspired with some fantastic photographs. By camping we'll be there to have a great sunset and a sunrise to make your photographs great. We'll leave early Saturday and arrive at the park late morning. There will be a 1/3 mile walk in to the campground where we will set-up camp with four people per campsite. So be prepared to carry all your camping equipment. At sometime within the next 30 days after our trip we'll have a mid-week get-together to share our photographs. Please respond by Wednesday evening if you want to go. I'll conduct a quick lottery if the response is greater than 14 people and respond to everyone by end of day Wednesday whether they have made the trip or not. People who can drive, people who have tents, and previous trip leaders have priority. Previous camping experience and personal camping gear is required. Please answer the following questionnaire and reply to me at dougbeasley__no_spam__yahoo.com . ### Rain Cancels/Postpones Trip ###
Thanks, Doug dougbeasley__no_spam__yahoo.com May 10 (Sat): Mt. Tamalpais Mountain Biking Trip (Jan) (*)
Bike Racks neededIf you decide not to participate, but are willing to lend a bike rack to someone to use on his car, please let the trip leader know (email below). Your service will be very much appreciated. Thanks a lot!DirectionsMill Valley is located north of Sausalito, which is north of San Francisco over the Golden Gate Bridge. Since this is a sign-up trip, printed directions will be provided to the drivers at Bechtel, when we leave. People who go separately, please contact trip leader. Also, Yahoo! Maps knows the location of "W Blithedale Ave, Mill Valley, CA".DescriptionWe will start in Mill Valley at the end of W Blithedale Ave and take the Old Railroad Grade to the East Peak of Mt. Tamalpais (a 6-mile, 2280-foot, 1.5-hour climb). After a rest and a brief lunch surrounded by breathtaking views, we will take E Ridgecrest Blvd and Pantoll Rd down to Pantoll Station, from where we will follow the Deer Park Fire Rd for a bit until meeting the southeast extension of the Costal Trail, which we will take with its wonderful views of the coast all the way down to the ocean, two miles north of Muir Beach. From Muir Beach we will return to Mill Valley via Muir Woods Rd (easy 800-foot climb), which becomes Sequoia Valley Rd on the downhill section.Optional dinner in San Francisco on our way back to Stanford. Since this is one of the Stanford Outing Club's rare bike trips, emphasis lies on offering it to a broad class of members, and we will go slowly enough for everybody to follow. (More ambitious riders can wait on the top of Mt. Tam.) However, I would like to draw your attention to the fact that it will be a 15- to 20-mile bike ride with a 1.5-hour climb at the beginning. (This is roughly comparable to biking Alpine Rd up to Skyline (Hwy 35) between Stanford and the ocean.) EquipmentBike: Mountain bike (or hybrid) in reasonable condition, a spare tube fitting your tires. One person should also bring an air pump for both valve types (someone please volunteer).Person: Helmet! A lot of water: 1 liter minimum, better 2 (the better trained you are the less liquid you will need). Lunch to eat on Mt. Tam. Sunscreen as needed. Biking Rules in park: Biking only on fire roads (not on single-track trails), speed limit 24 kph (15 mph). Rangers may check speed by radar. Fines are up to $250! How to sign upTo sign up, send a message to trip leader (email below) by Wednesday, May 7, but earlier if possible. If you can transport your bike yourself, you can in principle also just show up on Saturday for the ride, however, for the benefit of the others, those who can transport other people's bikes are in fact encouraged to sign up as early as possible.The number of participants is only limited by how many people with bikes we can get there. There is not upper cap. Let bewildered hikers have a great day by letting them witness the rare natural phenomenon of the Stanford Outing Peloton sweeping past their dusty faces! Please include the following information, when you sign up:
Trip "leader": Jan jank(at)stanford.edu (replace (at) with __no_spam__) May 10-11 Beginner Backpacking (Giles and Bill) (*)
Spring is a lovely time in Henry Coe park and an excellent time to start getting backpacking experience. If you haven't been backpacking before (or haven't been much) this will be a fun, not-too-demanding trip designed to give you a chance to be out in the woods at night. Henry Coe does not have reserved backcountry sites, but the planned destination is the China Hole campsite, about 5 miles into the park, right next to the swimming hole of the same name (and in a glorious field of lupines two weeks ago). We will meet at the Bechtel center at 9am Saturday morning and drive to the park headquarters. From here, we will hike in, set up camp and spend the afternoon swimming, exploring surrounding canyons and ridges or just lying out in the sun. There should be ample time to produce something on the more gourmet side of a backpacking dinner. Sunday morning we will break camp and hike out again, possibly by a different route. Since this is a beginners trip, we will not require everyone to have all their own gear. Instead, we will hold a brief clinic on Thursday night to discuss what you need to bring and how to pack. We will pick up additional group gear (tents, stoves etc) at the Redwood club gear shed Thursday night. Stanford affiliates can also rent personal sleeping bags, pads and packs from Redwood, others will need to go to a camping store such as REI. We will require advance sign-ups, please reply with the following by Tuesday, May 6:
Reply to gilesh__no_spam__stat.stanford.edu. Bill will be co-leader and may be e-mailed at bill_shapiro__no_spam__yahoo.com. May 10-11 Marin Headlands Beginner backpacking (*) (Paul)
It is that time of the year again, when the birds are in the trees, the days get longer, the skies just a tad bluer perhaps. Spring is here. Finally. So, in keeping with the tradition of the past 2 years, we are organizing a beginner backpacking trip to the Marin Headlands the weekend of May 10. It will be a very low-key and laid-back affair, with hikes of 3-4 miles each day and stops along the way to play (or swim) in the ocean. The Marin Headlands is just north of the Golden Gate Bridge and is part of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area. Here, the coastal trail runs right on the edge of the water, with dramatic clifts and rolling valleys forming a beautiful backdrop. While it is a popular spot for day hikes, there are actually a couple of little known campsites there which lend themselves well for short trips like this. For more information, check out the following links :
Also, more information and pictures can be found at the following links to trips from the last 2 years :
No prior backpacking experience is required for this trip. You will only need to be comfortable carrying a backpack and hiking a few miles each day. If you do not have basic backpacking gear, we will make arrangements for equipment rental to be available. A Q&A session will be organized at Stanford the week before the trip. There is a trip size limit of 12 due to campground regulations. As this trip was conceived with the beginner/first-time backpacker in mind, they will receive priority spaces. If you are interested to come along, please send us the following information by Sunday 5/3. We'll send out more details once we get a list together.
(408) 896-3228 chanpaul"-at-"stanfordalumni.org (replace "-at" with __no_spam__) May 11 (Sun): Sunol to Rose Peak (Arturo)
Rose Peak is located in the East Bay, near Fremont. If the day is clear, there will be a great view from the top. The hike is very long, about 20 miles round-trip. Needless to say, the pace has to be much higher than usual. So strong hikers only on this trip, please! Bring a flashlight, plenty of water, and lots of energy-rich food since this will be a long day. It's a good idea to bring a light windbreaker as it can get quite windy at the ridges.
If you prefer to drive there directly, here are directions to the trailhead: Trip "leader:" Arturo (crespo__no_spam__cs.stanford.edu) May 11 (Sun): Jasper Ridge Hike (Ted) (*)
DESCRIPTIONJasper Biological Preserve is a diverse natural area near the Stanford University campus managed as a perpetual resource for advanced teaching and research: it is an outdoor scientific laboratory.Public tours of the Preserve are offered throughout the school year by volunteers from the Jasper Ridge Tour Service, to share our appreciation of the natural wonders to be found there, and to increase community awareness of the Preserve's unique academic value. More information: http://jasper1.stanford.edu/ CHARGES: Tours cost $5 per person, paid in advance. Tour charges are refundable only if the tour is cancelled (by the Jasper Ridge folks) due to heavy rain. SIGN-UP: The trip will be limited to 8 people (Jasper Biological Preserve limitation). If you would like to go, please send a message to (support _at_ julius2.stanford.edu) by Friday, May 2. Your spot on the tour is secured by payment of $$. Bring payment to my building in Escondido Village or send by mail. HOW TO PLAN YOUR DAY: The Jasper Ridge Biological Preserve covers two square miles of natural area. It is surrounded by a substantial fence with locked gates and no gatekeepers. For the most part there are no facilities within the Preserve. Therefore:
There is no way for some people to leave early, unless prior arrangements have been made.
May 16-18: Biking Around Tahoe (Erhhung) (*)Trip is limited to 6 people
This is the second attempt at the Second Annual bike ride around Lake Tahoe--the first ride two year ago was in June and happened to coincide with a charity ride and so we had the pleasure of riding with hundreds of century diehards, with tons more onlookers cheering the crowd on. Last fall the weather wasn't so kind, so hopefully the sky will have all cried out by next weekend. We will ride the classic 72-mile route, but take two days to do it because we are riding at a more leisurely pace-- not that the ride is easy by any means--and that would also give us more time to check out many scenic spots along the way. The daytime temperature around this time of year can still be a bit chilly (mid-50s to mid-60s), especially when catching the breeze, so a windbreaker is a must. Nighttime temperature goes down to 30 degrees, so make sure to bring a warm sleeping bag! The general plan is to camp at the Fallen Leaf Campground on Friday night, then, on Saturday morning, drive all cars except one, which we leave at the campsite to keep valuable items that you don't want to take along on the ride. We go up Highway 50 on the east side of the Lake and park our cars somewhere on Lakeshore Dr in Incline Village, where we start the ride. We ride clockwise around the lake on SR-28 so that we are right next to the lake if we want to stop to check out the views. There are lots of gradual climbs on this side of the lake, but none are very difficult. The primary challenge, I'd say, is the unpredictable gusts of wind and the turbulence left by RVs that frequently zoom past you :) You need to know how to control your speed and stability, especially when you are picking up speed down a hill or there is little shoulder room on the road. We will take a lunch break in Zephyr Cove (there is a general store where you can get sandwiches and drinks) or before that if there is a suitable spot and we bring our own lunch--unlike the west (CA) side, there are few shops on the northeast (NV) side, not until you approach Stateline down south. We end our day back at our campsite, where we lock up our bikes (remember to bring a lock!) and head to South Lake Tahoe for a hot meal. On Sunday, we continue riding on the west side of the Lake, but, first, we need to shove all our camping gear into our sole vehicle and park it somewhere outside the campground. After a few warm-up miles, the ride gets really tough as we start the climb around Emerald Bay. I think this is by far the toughest section of the ride, but, once you summit, you will be rewarded with a long downhill and even a dedicated bike path right next to the water from Tahoma all the way to Tahoe Vista. We will take a lunch break in Tahoe City and should return to our cars in Incline Village by mid- afternoon. After that, we still have to go pick up our remaining car (with all our camping gear), so we head back down to South Lake Tahoe. We will grab dinner there before we head home via Highway 50. Since this trip is contingent upon having at least 3 vehicles (one to leave at the campsite and the rest to haul everyone's bikes) and two bike racks (we can fit two bikes on each rack, and some cars, like my Civic, can fit another in the backseat), I will give priority to people that can drive and haul bikes. Some more information about the Tahoe loop: http://www.tahoesbest.com/Biking/bikeroad.htm Detailed route map that I created for this ride: http://cjserver.stanford.edu/misadventure/Erhhung_Yuan/Tahoe_Bike_Trip_2003.gif Description of the first ride from two years ago: http://www.stanford.edu/group/outing/spring01.html#JUN02 Gear
SignupPlease send me the following information by Wednesday noon if you are interested in participating. Remember, priority goes to those that can drive and haul the most bikes.
Your trip leader: Erhhung Yuan erhhung__no_spam__alum.mit.edu Work: 408-490-6209 Cell: 408-480-2582 May 18(Sun): Henry Coe Wildflower Walk and Hike (Johnny)
It's Springtime and Wildflower season! Thanks to the recent storms, wildflower this year has been one of the best! This trip combines a leisurely 2 hour guided wildflower walk led by a park volunteer, and a (optional) moderately strenuous hike afterwards. To get a sample of what's blooming now, see http://www.coepark.org/wildflowers/blooming.html. So bring your camera and your wildflower guide book! We will have a lunch picnic at the end of the walk. People have the option of continuing on to the 9-miles roundtrip hike to China Hole, do a short hike, or go home at this point. Driving directions to the park is at http://www.stanford.edu/group/outing/directions/coemain.txt. Bring the usual hiking gear (jacket, boots, hats, sun-screens, etc.) and some money to pay your driver/park entrance etc.. Long pants are recommended as ticks are common in this area. Bring lunch and water -- there is no reliable water supply on the trail, but you can fill up at the park HQ. Trip "leader:" Johnny Ng (jng99__no_spam__stanford.edu), 650-926-4490(o) May 23-26: Southern Yosemite Backpacking (Arturo) (*)
Welcome to the Outing Club backpacking trip to Southern Yosemite. We'll start at near Wawona and hike the Chilnualna Falls trail. Chilnualna Falls is the highest waterfall outside the valley and, although dwarfed by Yosemite Falls, it's 240 foot drop are breathtaking. From Chilnualna falls, we will start the loop around Buena Vista Peak. I'd expect the snow to start shortly after leaving the waterfall. So we will get our snowshoes and head to higher country where a series of lakes awaits us: Grouse Lake, Crescent Lake, Johnson Lake, and Royal Arch Lake. After the lakes, we will go over the highest point of our trip, Buena Vista Pass at about 9200ft and drop to another series of lakes: Buena Vista Lake and Chilnualna Lakes as we loop back to the trailhead. Given the snow conditions this year, this will be a snowshoeing trip and the route may have to be adjusted depending on conditions and avalanche danger. Also, before signing up take into account that backpacking on snowshoes is very strenuous. You must have your own snowshoes or you should rent them. Sign-ups: To sign-up for the trip, please send me the answer to the questions below by Wednesday May 21st at 5pm. I'll gather all the responses and get back to everyone by Wednesday night. Priority will be given to recent leaders.
Please contact me at crespo__no_spam__cs.stanford.edu to sign-up or ask questions about the trip. Arturo. June 7(Sat): Leader's Choice (Tatjana)More details will be posted in the week prior to the event. June 7-8: Siera fishing/hotsprings/photography (Alfred) (*)More details will be posted in the week prior to the event. June 7-8: May Lake / Mt. Hoffman (Henri) (*)
With Tioga pass road open, the beautiful Tuolumne Meadows area of Yosemite is yet again accessible. May lake is the destination of choice: a glacial lake set against the spectacular backdrop of Mount Hoffman. The plan is to leave on Saturday morning 5am, and start at the trailhead at (latest) 11am. We will be snowshoeing from Tioga road until we reach May Lake. This will be a four-mile hike with appr. 1300 ft elevation gain. The snow combined with 80F temperatures will make for a strenuous hike on snowshoes. Please be prepared; carry lots of water, pack wisely and make sure you are in sufficient physical shape to make the trip. On Sunday, we will do an optional day-hike to the top of Mt Hoffmann (depending on avalanche conditions), where a commanding view of Tuolumne Meadows awaits us. The view from Mt Hoffmann at 10,850 ft is rated as one of the best views in Yosemite National Park. The rest of the day will be spent hiking back and driving out to the Bay area. If you are interested, please sign up by sending a message to tjiong__no_spam__stanfordalumni.org with the following information:
I have a wilderness permit for 8 people, which is the maximum size of the group. Previous leaders will be assigned priority. Trip "leader": Henri (650) 387-4542 June 14-15 Gourmet Kayak Camping (Bill & Erik) (*)
We are now accepting reservations for the 2nd annual Gourmet Kayak Camping trip. Want to take a break from carrying a heavy pack and eating freeze dried dinners?Come enjoy the good life, a la outdoors: being on a nice beach, away from people (& vehicles, lights, etc), with friends, and enjoying delicious home made food and good wine next to a nice big bonfire. The details:On Saturday morning we will head to Blue Water kayak rentals on the edge of Tomales Bay, and get our kayaks. We have a permit for camping on the beach, but which one is not specified. We will attempt to camp on a smaller beach w/ no facilities. If we are lucky will have it all to ourselves.After setting up camp and having lunch, we will do some combination of more kayaking, swimming in the bay (yes the water is warmer here), and/or go for a hike. That evening we will have a campfire (we bring in our own wood), and have a fun social gourmet dinner. The next morning we will enjoy some delicious breakfast treats, do some more exploring, and leave the campsite shortly before lunch heading back to Blue Water kayak rental. Park Description:Tomales Bay State Park is attached to Point Reyes National Seashore. From the Tamal Saka website: "Lined with remote beaches, lagoons and brushy hillsides, the glassy and protected waters of Tomales Bay are a kayaking paradise. As the largest unspoiled coastal embayment on the coast of California, the Bay is a haul-out and pupping site for harbor seals and home to 45 species of fish, a variety of rare ducks and 25,000 wintering loons, grebes, cormorants, geese and other open-water birds. The Bay's nutrient and clean water serves as a major spawning ground for Pacific herring and an ideal environment for crab, cod, perch and halibut. Rare plant habitats dominate the Bay's landscape and you might hear the distant cries of tule elk wandering the forested ridges as your kayak glides across the Bay."** READ INSTRUCTIONS ON WHAT TO BRING AND EXPECTWe will be renting 1 and 2-person sit on top kayaks (safe). Those who have taken a self rescue class, bay be able to rent a closed single or double kayak. You will have to sign a waiver to rent. When you rent the kayak and paddle you are entering into a deal with the kayak renter - not Stanford Outing Club. You will have a lifejacket but I would not recommend kayaking to people who can't swim. You should bring a towel and clothing to change into after the trip. You would be very foolish not to bring good waterproof sunblock (35+), UV blocking sunglasses and a hat (whether or not you are normally concerned by the sun - you get baked when on water).EQUIPMENT:
Use small bags (not large backpacks) as items need to be stowed in/on the kayak Food - Breakfast and dinner will be shared gourmet feasts. Everyone will contribute one item enough for 5 people for either breakfast or dinner. Item must NOT be bought, but instead be home made or made at the campsite. Please email me a suggestion of what you would like to bring (my taste buds may influence the decision making) If you enjoy drinking wine, please bring a bottle to share. Lunches (2) and snacks alas, are a do it yourself affair. Normal camping equipment (stoves, tents, etc.) HOW TO SIGN UP:To sign up send a message by Monday, June 9th at 12 PM to bill_shapiro__no_spam__yahoo.comPlease include in the message the following information:
In case more people want to go than we can take (12), selections will then be influenced by you having previously led trips, and by how much we are tempted by your delicious menu selection. If we are able to offer you a reservation on this trip, we will contact you by email on Monday. We will take care of the kayak rentals. If your spot is confirmed and you will need to call and reserve your spot at Blue Water Kayak with a credit card by Tuesday evening (June 10th) I will keep a waiting list in case they are cancellations, but if you cancel and we do not find a replacement, you are still liable for your portion of the costs. It should be a very enjoyable trip! Trip "leader": Bill Shapiro (bill_shapiro__no_spam__yahoo.com) June 14(Sat): Garapatta & Carmel [ Hiking, Beach & Nightlife ](Girish)
SOBERANES CANYON/ROCKY RIDGE LOOPAlthough best-known for its two miles of coastal access along Highway 1, Garrapata State Park also boasts two beautiful trails leading inland east of the highway: the Soberanes Canyon Trail and the Rocky Ridge Trail. Taken together, these trails form a roughly 7-mile loop with approximately 1850 feet of elevation gain, encompassing the redwood-shaded canyon of Soberanes Creek and sweeping coastal views from Rocky Ridge. Directions to start:From San JoseGet on on US-101 SOUTH and go past Hollister Take CA-156 WEST/MONTEREY PENINSULA and continue about 8 miles It will merge into CA-1. Continue on CA-1 SOUTH for about 25 miles. The trailhead for both the Soberanes Canyon and Rocky Ridge trails is at turnout 13 on Highway 1, 7.1 miles south of the Intersection of Highway 1 and Carmel Valley Road. Look for CARS PARKED ( facing North ) under the trees along Hwy 1 and that's where we leave our cars. Links to WILDFLOWER PICTURES from last yearGerhard's picture link to wildflowers and the hike.http://www.ofoto.com/BrowsePhotos.jsp?collid=59067201403&US=0&UV=413487876353_50503760903 Eng-Shen's pictures: http://www.ofoto.com/BrowsePhotos.jsp?showSlide=true&Um=91611390403&Un=2130205728&UV=726668794607_66593760903 Girish's link to the hike and pictures http://www.ofoto.com/I.jsp?m=91973680403&n=825002595 Trip "leader": Girish ( luvz2hyke__no_spam__yahoo.com ) NOTE: Trip leader will meet up with the group at San Jose Safeways location. San Francisco: Northeastern Neighborhoods/Waterfront Hike, Jun. 21(Sat.)
San Francisco is famous for its many intimate and distinct neighborhoods defined by the City?s hills and for the striking views of San Francisco Bay. Some of the nicest views and nicest neighborhoods are in the northeastern section of San Francisco. Based on the popularity of our earlier hikes to SF, we will now explore the northeastern section of San Francisco as well as the scenic waterfront area along The Embarcadero. We will begin our hike at Fort Mason from which we will walk southeastward to Russian Hill and some of its little known vista points. We will then hike over to Telegraph Hill-- which has Coit Tower at its summit-- to sample the view from the top and to walk down the secluded and charming Filbert steps. Next we will walk down to and along The Embarcadero-- the boulevard along the northeastern waterfront of SF-- to see the historic buildings and views along the waterfront, passing beneath the Bay Bridge along the way. We will likely make a special stop at the newly renovated Ferry Building (at the foot of Market Street) to quickly visit the new highly praised food court and farmers market area. Our hike will then loop back through the downtown area to Nob Hill, where we will visit charming peaceful Huntington Park and walk by some famous imposing buildings from San Francisco?s colorful past. From Nob Hill we will return to Fort Mason by walking through a portion of the Marina District. DIRECTIONS to Fort Mason from Stanford
Trip "leader": June 22(Sun): Purisima Creek Redwoods (Sameer)
Below is the description Julio gave while leading the hike in Jan. I was originally planning on doing the same hike but starting from other end. I finally decided this was better as there is some more parking at this end of the trail. The Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve is located on the western slopes of the Santa Cruz Mountains overlooking Half Moon Bay. This magnificent preserve, encompassing 2,633 acres, offers hikers a wide variety of environments. The preserve was established with a gift of $2 million from Save the Redwoods League. Purisima Creek Canyon provides towering redwoods and an understory of ferns, berries, and wildflowers. We will meet at the Whittemore Gulch trailhead on Skyline Boulevard. This trailhead has a 20-car parking lot and is next to a small country store. >From the trailhead we will head down Whittemore Gulch trail entering and exiting groves of majestic redwoods while getting an excellent view of the western slopes of the Santa Cruz Mountains and the Pacific Ocean. We will then cross Whittemore Gulch and hike along Purisima Creek on the Purisima Creek trail. A section of the Bay Ridge Trail will take us back to our starting point and will also provide a good mix of redwood groves and fine views. DIRECTIONS from Stanford to the Whittemore Gulch trailhead of the Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve:
Sameer Jain samjain135%yahoo.com (replace "%" with "__no_spam__" for correct address) 650-497 3233 June 24(Tues): Summer Pot Luck 7pmMeet other outdoor enthusiasts and help plan our activities for the Fall Quarter by attending our meeting and potluck dinner on Tuesday, June 24 at 7:00 PM in the dining room at the Bechtel International Center. After having success pushing the time back to 7 in the winter, there were some stragglers in the spring. So please try to be on time so everyone can get out in a timely fashion. Also, please bring some food item or beverage to share. The tentative agenda for this meeting is as follows:
Yes, I do want to move on from being president after this quarter, so if you're interested in the position and want to discuss it more, please drop Craig a line. If you would like to lead a hike, or some other activity, but can't come to the meeting, please send Craig your ideas by email before the meeting at cfoster01__no_spam__yahoo.com. Also, please email Craig if you would like additional agenda items to be considered for the meeting. New prospective "members" are welcome to come and learn about the club. For more information, including directions to Bechtel, see our web pages at http://www.stanford.edu/group/outing/ June 28(Sat): Scharffen Berger Chocolate Tour (*) (Kim)
Enjoy a chocolate factory tour. During our factory tour, you will receive a seminar-style talk about our company, the history of chocolate, the process of making chocolate from beans to bars, and of course, sample our signature chocolate products while immersing yourself in the rich aroma of our factory. Open toed shoes and sandals are not permitted in our factory for safety/health reasons. If you are interested, go to the evite at: http://www.evite.com/pages/invite/viewInvite.jsp?inviteId=QJAOPZUTWJLWNVSLQLAN Be sure to change the response information for yourself by "Click here if you are not: rmhcasino__no_spam__hotmail.com" Trip leader Kim, k808__no_spam__hotmail.com July 18-20: Tuolumne Meadows (Matt) (*)More details will be posted in the week prior to the event.
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