Spring 2004 Calendar

Upcoming Events:

Spring Quarter Potluck

• 1. Food and introductions
• 2. Election of New Minister of Propaganda
• 3. Trip planning

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. 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/.

Niloy will be stepping down as Webmaster/Minister of Propaganda after this quarter in preparation for a summer away from Stanford. I'd like to thank him for his service. At least one person is already interested in the new position, but you can always create the first contested election in Outing Club history. Let Craig know if you are interested (unless you already have).

Big Sur/Andrew Molera S.P. Hike: April 3 (Sat)

• Destination: Big Sur/ Andrew Molera State Park
• Date: April 3, 2004 (Saturday)
• Total length of hike: 8 miles
• Total elevation gain: 1000 feet
• Further information on Andrew Molera State Park at
• URL: www.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=582
• Driving distance/time: 100 miles / 2.5 hours approx. each way
• Cost: Mileage + $2.00 parking fee
• Organizer: Julio (contact info below)

Low-cost dinner afterwards in Big Sur area

bring: lunch, sunscreen, plenty of water, coat (remember it might be somewhat cool at the coast), all the usual stuff. Big Sur has been called one of the greatest and most beautiful meetings of land and sea in the world. The ocean meets the edge of the Santa Lucia Mountain Range along a narrow spectacular strip penetrated by narrow and winding Highway 1. Andrew Molera park is the largest state park along the Big Sur coast, and contains the largest number of trails.

We will hike a recommended 8-mile loop which includes panoramic views of the spectacular Big Sur coast, a walk along the Big Sur River, an opportunity to see a variety of coastal vegetation, and a chance to spend some time at the beach toward the end of the hike. We will start at the main parking lot which is near the northern border of the park. From there our loop hike will include segments of the River Trail, the Hidden Trail, the Ridge Trail, the Panoramic Trail, the Bluff Trail, and finally the Beach Trail. We will rest a bit on the beach and then return to our cars for a dinner in the Big Sur area.

DIRECTIONS from Stanford to Andrew Molera State Park

• Take the I-280 SOUTH ramp towards SAN JOSE
• Exit to Highway 85 SOUTH (Gilroy direction)
• Take Highway 101 SOUTH
• Exit onto Highway 156 West (towards Monterey).
• Merge onto Highway 1 SOUTH
• About 20 miles south of Carmel you will enter
• Andrew Molera State Park
• Exit at parking lot entrance on the right (first road off of Highway 1 within the park boundary). We will meet in the parking lot.

Berry Creek Falls Hike

• Estimated return time: 6:30 p.m.
• Distance: 12 miles
• Elevation Change: 1900 feet
• Cost: $5 (or so) park entrance per vehicle plus mileage optional dinner afterwards
• Rain Policy: Pouring Rain or Thunderstorms Cancel Hike
• Park URL: http://www.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=540
• NO NEED TO RSVP- just show up on time
• Approx Driving time and Mileage: 1.5 hours, 35 miles

Directions:

• From Stanford, take Page Mill Rd across 280 follow up a winding 9 miles to Skyline Blvd.
• Take a left on Skyline
• Follow several miles to Rte 9.
• Take a right on 9, follow to 236
• Take a slight right onto 236, and follow to Park Headquarters (those starting from points South may want to consider taking 85 to de Anza Blvd.)

Description:

Big Basin, despite its popularity, is one my favorite Bay Area parks. This is where I learned from a friend to not just look for views off high peaks, but pay attention to the little things going on around you. There are fewer grand vistas on this loop, but plenty to see under the forest canopy. This trip we'll be taking a variant of the route up the Timms Creek Trail, which follows Timm's Creek, since I've never done this trail. We will take the Skyline to the Sea trail over the Middle Ridge and descend into the Redwood Forest, following the Kelly and West Wadell Creeks. This is prime viewing area for the wondrous banana slug, which no one should leave California without admiring. We'll take a right up the Timm's Creek Trail to the Sunset Trail, where we'll turn left. Another left we'll put us on the Berry Creek Falls Trail, where we'll hike down past Golden, Cascade, Silver, and Berry Creek Falls. Hopefully winer rains will have these flowing at a good rate. We will probably stop for lunch at one these places. We will return by taking a left back onto the Skyline to the Sea Trail.

Please note that this is a fairly long and strenuous day hike, and while I have no intention of rushing the day, is probably not for those who have been sitting indoors all winter. Bring the usual, especially lots of water for the day. There will be an optional dinner afterwards.

Questions:

Contact Craig Foster 7-7010 (Add 650-49 for campus numbers)
Take me to the top!

Lost Coast Backpacking trip ( April 8th - April 11th )

• Sign-up required (trip will be limited to 12 people) Backpacking experience is required for this trip.
• Destination: Lost Coast trail in the King Range National Conservation Area in Humboldt County
• Leaving: Thursday, April 8th - afternoon or early evening (3PM - 5PM)
• Returning: Sunday, April 11 - evening to late night. ( 9PM )
• Driving distance: Approx. 250 miles (60 miles south of Eureka)
• Driving time: Approx. 5 hours (2 1/2 hours more is required on Friday morning as we drive most of the cars to the north end of the coastal trail).Shuttle from to the south end to north end and back on Sunday will take an additional 5 hours.
• Hiking distance: 25 miles (8-10 miles per day) Begins at the mouth of the Mattole River and ends at Black Sands Beach, just north of Shelter Cove. Elevation gain: Rolling hills, but mostly on the beach, where terrain ranges from fine sand to big boulders.
• Difficulty: Moderate - hiking with a backpack on sandy beach can be slow and quite a workout. We will hike on the trails whenever possible.
• Tides: High tide will restrict hiking at certain segments of the trail. For this trip, high tide occurs around noon time each day, so we will try to hike early in the day at these segments: Punta Gorda (2.9 mi from Mattole), Sea Lion Gulch to Randall Creek (4.5-8.4 mi), south end of Miller Flat to 1.5 mi north of Gitchell Creek (16.7- 20.7 mi).
• Costs: A few bucks for camping first night; most will be driving expenses (approx. $30) plus your own food. Special thanks to : Erhhung & Arturo for their previous trip descriptions & photo links. Arturo's site is very informative and so please check out the first link below for some vivid description of this awesome place.
• RSVP : Email lcwye__no_spam__stanford.edu with ALL required info by the deadline, April 1st ( Thurs 9PM PST ). People who make it to the final list will be notified by Sunday Noon.

Additional information:

• http://www-db.stanford.edu/~crespo/lostcoast/ ( Must Read URL )
• http://www.ca.blm.gov/arcata/krncatrails.html
• http://www.ca.blm.gov/arcata/king_range.html
• http://www.gorp.com/gorp/location/ca/lost_co1.htm
• http://www.bayinsider.com/recreation/guides/camping/lostcoast.html

Check out these pictures: here

Suggested gear checklist: click here

It has been almost two years since the Stanford Outing Club has gone on a trip to the Lost Coast (and I (Girish) was on that one) so it's time to repeat this three-day journey along northern California's Pacific coast. I won't spend too much effort in describing the hike here since there are plenty of write-ups and photos accessible by the links given Some logistics: since this is a one-way, 25-mile hike from north to south, we will need to shuttle people between the trailheads. Campsite information for Thursday night will be posted for the final participants. We will try to stay close to Black Sand Beach on Thursday night. We leave a car there Friday morning, and drive north to Mattole beach in other cars. Then Sunday, the drivers will get a head-start, hike fast and shuttle all the cars back to Black Sand beach where everyone enjoys a brief rest on the beach and start the drive back home.

Everyone is responsible for his/her own backpacking food (sharing food around camp fire is encouraged, of course), but shared equipment such as tents, stoves and cookware, and water filters will be coordinated once I know who is going.

Preference will be given to past trip leaders, folks who have backpacked with me and on information provided for carpool situation and group gear.

Required Info:

• Name
• Contact info (Full Name, e-mail, cell phone #s):
• Do you have a car and willing to drive? How many people (with backpacks) can it fit?
• What shared backpacking equipment do you own? (Tent, stove, cookware, water filter, etc.)
• Where would you like to leave from? (SF, South Bay, Stanford, East Bay)
• Do you have or can borrow a bear cannister for the trip ?
• What food group would you belong to on this trip ? (Vegan/Veggie,Dairy,Eggs/Chicken & Fish/All others)

Trip leaders : Lauren Wye and Girish

Nisene Marks/Soquel Mountain Bike Trip (April 10)

• When: Saturday, April 10, 2004.
• Meet: Bechtel, 9:00am, or Forest of Nisene Marks (parking lot of George's Picnic Area) , 10:30am.
• Estimated Return Time: 5:30pm (no dinner), 7:00pm (with dinner).
• Distance: 34 miles.
• Cumulative Elevation Change: 4500 feet.
• Bring: Equipment see below.
• Rain Policy: Ride in any weather as long as trails are in good enough condition not to get damaged by bikes.
• Cost: mileage + optional dinner. (Park entrance fee?)
• Driving Time/Mileage: 1 hour 10 minutes / 50 miles (each way).
• Participation: Limited only by the number of bikes we can transport (see below), sign-up for trip necessary.
• Level of Difficulty: moderate (pace: easy; topography and length of technical difficulty: partially challenging single-track, but we'll take it easy).

Bike Racks needed!: If 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!

Description:

We will start at George's Picnic Area behind the entrance to the Forest of Nisene Marks State Park and follow the Aptos Creek Fire Road for 10 miles past the epicenter of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake and the Sand Point Overlook to the Santa Rosalia Overlook. From there we'll make a 14-mile loop through the Soquel Demonstration State Forest, consisting of dirt road, paved road, and some single-track, before returning to our cars again via the Aptos Creek Fire Road.

Optional dinner in Santa Cruz on our way back to Stanford.

Since this is one of the Outing Club's few biking trips, the emphasis of this ride is on fun. We'll go an easy pace, anyone athletic enough to volunteer for this 34-mile mountain bike trip will have the skills to handle the technically difficult sections - you don't have to race them down.

Directions: Forest of Nisene Marks State Park and Soquel Demonstration State Forest are located (north)east of Santa Cruz. 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 the trip leader.

Equipment:

Bike: Mountain bike in good 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 (the better trained you are the less liquid you will need). Lunch to eat somewhere along the way. Sunscreen as needed.

How to sign up:

To sign up, please send a message to the trip leader (email below) by Wednesday, April 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.

Please include the following information, when you sign up:

• Name:
• Phone:
• Transportation Info: Do you have a bike rack for your car? If so, how many bicycles (including yours) can you take? How many people can you take? Do you need a ride (you and your bike)?
• Equipment: Can you bring a portable air pump? For what valve type(s)?

Dinner at Shiok(Singaporian) + ice skating at The Winter Lodge

• Date: Wednesday, April 7th,
• Time: 6:00p at Bechtel, Stanford
  6:30p at Shiok, Menlo Park
  8:00p at The Winter Lodge, Palo Alto
  10:00p at Coupa Cafe, Palo Alto
• Links: http://www.shiokkitchen.com/
• http://www.winterlodge.com/
• http://www.mercurynews.com/mld/mercurynews/news/local/states/california/peninsula/8122261.htm (article on Coupa Cafe)

Its spring and its time to enjoy the combination of good weather and outdoor ice skating while it lasts.

We will start with a tasty meal at Shiok, located at 1137 Chestnut Street, just off of Santa Cruz Ave in Menlo Park. To help get an estimate, please let Erik know if you'd like to join the group for dinner, but still come along if you decide at the last minute. At 7:50, we will head over to The Winter Lodge, Which is just a short drive away (there's a big parking lot there). If you can't join us for dinner and want to meet us directly at the rink, that's fine, too. They are located at 3009 Middlefield Rd, just off of Oregon Expwy and behind the Arco station.

Admission is $7 and another $3 for skate rentals. We will leave the skate rink at 9:30pm and head over to the Coupa Cafe a nice new Venezuelan cafe in Palo Alto on 528, Ramona Street. They have a large fireplace, shade grown coffee, gourmet chocolates and very tasty arepas. (those who don't want coffee I'm sure they will be folks going back to Stanford)

Again, let me know if you'd like to come, especially if you plan on coming to dinner. Thanks.

Event organizer:
Erik Peterson
eriktpeterson(a)yahoo.com (replace (a) w/ __no_spam__)
cell: 650   270  1040

Pt Reyes Wildflower Photo/Slow Hike

Want to see wildflowers, the ocean, a lighthouse, tule elk, sea lions, harbor seals, and possibly gray whales. Join us for the Point Reyes Wildflower Photo/Slow Hike. We will hike at a leisurely pace along the Kehoe Beach Trail, take some photos, picnic, hike some more on the Abbotts Lagoon Trail, take a siesta, visit the lighthouse, hike to Chimney Rock, wait for sunset, eat a late dinner (optional), and head home to get back to Bechtel around 11pm.

If you plan to join us, we recommend that you
- Bring a camera, be it a point-and-shoot, SLR, or your view camera
(okay, maybe not a view camera); film or digital
- Bring an extravagant lunch and a pre-dinner snack. We won't be having
dinner until after 8PM.
- Bring 1+ liters of water. We are never more than 1.5 miles from the trailhead.
- Dress warmly and bring a jacket; extra clothes if you get cold easily.
The coast can be cold and windy and we will be hanging out until sunset.
- Protect from sun exposure. Wear sunglasses, a hat, long sleeve shirt, and put on sun screen.
- Bring a blanket. We will take an afternoon siesta.
- Bring binoculars to better see wildlife.

Note that for this trip, drivers will get $.20 per mile, instead of $.15 per mile as normal Stanford Outing Club policy because of current gasoline prices and to give drivers more incentive to volunteer.

Here are some links:

Point Reyes National Seashore
Weather: http://tinyurl.com/2o49a
Visitor Center - 415 464-5100 (Hit #2 & #5)
Lighthouse conditions - 415 669-1534

Wildflower report: http://www.coastaltraveler.com/spr04_cover.html
http://www.calphoto.com/wflower.htm

Kehoe Beach Trail
- photos: http://tinyurl.com/28yv7
- 1.2 miles, 100' elevation change
- Some wildflowers, beach

Abbotts Lagoon Trail
- trail info: http://tinyurl.com/3dnxa
- 3 miles, 100' elevation change
- Elk, wildflowers, beach

Chimney Rock Trail
- trail info: http://tinyurl.com/3ayle
- 1.6 miles, 100' elevation change
- Wildflowers, sea lions, possibly gray whales
- Sunset at 7:43PM

Your Hike Buddies:
Eng-Shien (eswu (at) alumni.stanford.org)
Erhhung (erhhung (at) alum.mit.edu)

Redwood National and State Parks(April 16th - April 18th)

The Redwood National and State Parks have been declared an International Biosphere Reserve and a World Heritage Site. They are name for the coast redwoods, the tallest trees in the world and some of the oldest living things. Despite the fact that the tallest tree now is believed to be a 367.5 feet tree in the Montgomery Woods State Reserve, Ukiah, the Redwood NP can boast to be home to several of the world's tallest trees. The Lady Bird Johnson Grove and the Tall Trees Grove are excellent examples. In addition to the redwoods, the Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park features the enchanting Fern Canyon - a narrow canyon with walls that rise 50 feet or more and are covered by thick mats of several species of ferns.

Another highlight of the park is the Roosevelt elk. The park boasts a large population spread over several small herds. One of the easiest places to view the elk is off the side of the parkway at the small coastal prairie, the large meadow near the entrance to the park's campgrounds and the visitor center. There are almost always elk, either bedded down or munching the grass, at the edges of the open grassland and the forest border.

For further information: http://www.nps.gov/redw/

Intended hikes:

Saturday, April 17th: Fern Canyon from Prairie Creek Redwoods SP visitor center, 10.3 miles loop, approx. 6 hours, moderate

We will start at the Prairie Creek Redwoods SP visitor center (Elk Prairie campground) and hike down Miner's Ridge Trail (3.9 miles, 2 hours). The trail follows a low-lying ridge through redwood forest, Sitka spruce, and Douglas fir forest to Gold Bluffs Beach campground. From there we will take the Coastal Trail until we will reach the Fern Canyon Trail (1.3 miles, 1 hour). After lunch we will do the Fern Canyon Loop (0.7 miles, 1 hour) and then we will hike back to the visitor center via the James Irvine Trail (4.2 miles, 2 hours).

Sunday, April 18th: Tall Trees Trail, 2.6 miles round trip, 2 hours hiking, 2 hours driving, moderate The Tall Trees Trail trailhead is about 1 hour driving time away from Elk Prairie campground (US 101, Bald Hills Road, Tall Trees Access Road). A limited number of permits for private vehicles are issued on a first-come, first-served basis to reach the trailhead for the Tall Trees Grove. We will pick-up the permits at the Prairie Creek SP Visitor Center. The trail is steep, descending 800 feet into the grove where some of the world's tallest trees grow.

We will camp at the Elk Prairie Campground. We will register on arrival. Concerning food: we will have 2 breakfasts, 2 lunches, and 1 dinner. Everybody should bring their own food. There is a restaurant at a driving distance of about 6 miles.

If you are interested, please provide the following information:
- Name, email, phone
- Do you have a car and are willing to drive? How many people does the car take?
- Do you have a tent and how many persons does it fit?
- Can you bring a stove and/or a cook set?

More details will be sent out by Thursday afternoon to those who are on the trip.

Sunol Regional Wilderness, April 18 (Sun)

* When: Sunday April 18
* Depart: 11 am, Bechtel I-center, or 12 am, Sunol RW visitor center (Geary Rd.)
* Length of Hike: 6 mi.
* Estimate time of hike: 4-4.5 hours
* Elevation Change: 1700 ft, with a fair amount of up and down
* Driving Time: 45-60 minutes
* Driving Distance: about 35 mi.
* Directions:
    o Take Page Mill/Oregon Expressway to 101 S
    o Take 101 to 237 E
    o Take 237 to 880 N
    o Take 880 to 262/Mission Blvd. E
    o Follow 262 to 680 N
    o Take 680 to the 84/Calaveras Rd exit
    o Go S on Calaveras Rd 4.2 mi. to Geary Rd.
    o Drive 2 mi., past park entrance, and park across from visitor center
    o *South Bay people may want to consider taking 680 N and meeting us at the parking lot.
    o *SF/East Bay people may want to consider taking 580 E to 680 S and meeting us in parking lot
    o Please be on time
* Cost: $4 per vehicle plus mileage plus optional dinner
* Bring: Lunch, water, money for trip and optional dinner afterward, the usual.
*url:http://www.ebparks.org/parks/sunol.htm
*No need to RSVP

Route and Description:
Sunol Regional Wilderness is one of the more isolated Bay Area parks, with less civilization around it. The six-mile loop we will follow Sunday is a pretty good sampler of what the park has to offer. I'm leaving plenty of time on this hike for general exploring scrambling, or simple lolling. We will start off by hiking down the canyon view trail to the Indian Joe Creek Trail, where we will bear left. We'll follow that up to cave rocks, and take a left onto Cave Rocks Road. Then we'll take lefts onto High Valley Road and Vista Grande Road, where hopefully we'll stop at Vista Grande for lunch. We then conitnue on the Eagle View trail to Cave Rocks Roadto Cerro Este Road down to "Little Yosemite" canyon, where we'll break to rest or explore the river. We'll return to parking lot on the Canyon View Trail.

No need to RSVP, but if you have questions or have suggestions for a good place to eat around Sunol/Fremont: Contact Craig Foster (trip "leader") 650-497-7010

Apr 18 (Sun): Montara Mountain (Vicky Wong)

* No need to sign up. Email me if you wish to meet at the park.

It is spring! The moutains are green and wildflowers are blooming. This hike starts from San Pedro Valley County Park. We'll go up Brooks Creek Trail and Montara Mountain Trail, then go down towards the ocean on North Peak Access Road. The up part features a nice forest and a waterfall. There should be plenty of wildflowers along the whole hike. There is also an option to take a detour to North Peak.

We can set up a car shuttle between San Pedro and Gray Whale Cove Beach on Highway 1, which will make it a one-way 8-mile hike. If we feel like it, hiking out and back, going up Montara twice, will make it a 13-mile roundtrip (skipping Gray Whale Cove trail). This will be decided before we leave Stanford.

Weather:
Current forecast for Sunday is partly cloudy and highs in the 60s. If it is raining on Sunday morning, the hike will be postponed to another date.

Bring:
* Water, lunch and anything else you need to survive the hike
* Some cash for carpool and $3 entrance fee
* Warm layers and/or wind/water resistant clothing
* Trails have steep sections -- hiking shoes are strongly recommended

For driving directions to Bechtel, see http://www.stanford.edu/group/outing/drive.html

For driving directions to San Pedro Valley County Park, see here

Trip organizer: Vicky Wong (vicwong (at) stanford.edu, 650-725-8811)

Sat, Apr 24 - Sun, Apr 25: Henry Coe Backpacking Weekend

• Location: Henry Coe State Park (northeast of Gilroy)
• Park URL: http://www.coepark.org/ or http://www.coepark.org/orestimba.html
• Leave: Saturday morning (very early)
• Return: Sunday night
• Driving time: About 1.5 hours
• Length of hike: about 12 miles each day
• Rain policy: In the event of rain, the Park Service will not be able to open the south entrance, and the trip will be cancelled.

This will be a 2-day (1-night) backpacking trip leaving early on Saturday morning and returning on Sunday evening. I don't know yet the exact route that we are going to follow, but we are expecting to hike about 12-14 miles each day. If there is sufficient water, the plan is to go in to the Orestima region, the remotest part of the park, but this route is also relatively flat.

We will start from the south entrance of the park, which opens only once a year. To get a permit for this area, a lottery was conducted. We were able to secure only 2 permits, which are good for 2 cars (about 10 people). Park Description: Henry W. Coe State Park is the largest state park in northern California, with over 80,000 acres of wild open spaces. The terrain of the park is rugged, varied, and beautiful, with lofty ridges and steep canyons. Once the home of Ohlone Indians, the park is now home to a fascinating variety of plants and animals, including the elusive mountain lion. Within Coe Park are the headwaters of Coyote Creek, long stretches of the Pacheco and Orestimba creeks, and a 23,300-acre wilderness area.

About the Backcountry Weekend: On April 24 and 25, people who have tickets for the Coe Backcounty Weekend can drive their vehicles into the south/east side of Coe Park, one of the loveliest and least accessible areas of the park. This side of the park has beautiful spring wildflowers, usually great fishing, and scenic trails, some with breathtaking panoramic views of the Diablo Range. The ridges and valleys are broader and easier to travel than the steep terrain in the western part of the park, and you can plan day trips to areas that normally require several days of strenuous backpacking, places like Mississippi Lake and the Orestimba Wilderness.

** How to sign up: To sign up send a message by Tuesday, April 20 to plumeria (at) earthlink.net

Please include in the message the following information:

• Name
• Previous experience - considering the length we are planning to go And the firm deadline to be out of the park by 6pm on Sunday when the gate locks - this is not a beginner's trip. Give me an idea of the type of terrain and mileage you have backpacked.
• Backpacking equipment you have (tent, sleeping bag, stove, water filter, etc.) and can you share?
• Are you willing to drive and if yes, how many people can your car take (including backpacks)? We only need one more car since I will be taking mine. You shouldn't mind taking it on rough roads and getting it dirty ;-)
• Where can you meet for the carpool? The best locations are probably Palo Alto, Mountain View, Fremont or South San Jose.

In case more people want to go than we can take, people who helped by applying for the lottery (thanks Girish, Arturo and Bill) will be given priority. If you secure a spot on this trip, I will contact you by email on Wednesday morning. Unfortunately we only have 6 open spots, so apologies in advance if you don't make it.

April 24 (Saturday), Purisima Creek OSP (Sundeep)

• WHEN: Saturday, April 24, 2004
• MEET: Bechtel, 11: 00 am, or 11:45 am at Purisima Creek OSP parking lot located on Skyline Boulevard .
• DISTANCE: 9.4 miles
• ELEVATION CHANGE: 1401.6 ft. (+- a few feet)
• BRING: Whatever you like. Though food, water and clothes are strongly recommended.
• RAIN POLICY: Rain cancels (yeah, I am a wimp).
• DRIVING TIME/MILEAGE: 30-35 min/25 miles.

• From Stanford, take 280 NORTH.
• Exit on to Hwy 92, heading WEST.
• In 2.7 miles you will come to the intersection with Skyline Boulevard (Route 35).
• Turn LEFT onto Skyline.
• Drive for another 4.3 miles on Skyline Boulevard until the Purisma Creek Redwoods OSP parking lot, which is on the RIGHT.

HIKE ROUTE AND DESCRIPTION

The hike will start at 12 pm. I expect the hike to take around 5 1/2 hours, so we should be back at the parking lot by 5:30 pm. We will be doing the traditional North Ridge - Whittemore Gulch - Purisima Creek - Soda Gulch - Harkin's Ridge loop. In some sense this is a very straight forward hike. None of your usual up-down-up-down stuff here. The Skyline Blvd parking lot is at 2000 feet. We take North Ridge and Whittemore Gulch trails (together 3.3 miles) to get down to the parking lot by Purisima Creek road. We would have descented to 600 ft by then. From here we take Purisima Creek trail (2.3 miles) which is mostly flat and meet up with Soda Gulch trail at 1000 ft. We continue on Soda Gulch trail and Haskin's Ridge trail (they are part of the Bay Area Ridge trail) to get back to the parking lot. These 2 combine for a distance of 3.8 miles and elevation gain of 1000 ft. Here is a nice map of the trails : here .

If you are wondering what to expect at the hike, I suppose all the usual stuff. You know, sex, violence, drama etc etc. Well, probably not. But it does offer the following - great views, lots of tall trees, wild flowers and a big creek. The parts of the hike near the top offer expansive views of the hills and the ocean. As we go down we get into thickly forested area, full of redwoods and firs (and oaks and madrones). At this time of the year there should be plenty of wild flowers to be seen. We will be walking alongside a creek (I will let you guess its name) when we are on the Purisima Creek trail. And as far as shade/no shade goes, I would say about 80-85% of the hike would be shaded. If you want to get a whole bunch of info about the park and see some photos, you may persuse the bayarea hiker site. See http://www.bahiker.com/southbayhikes/purisima.html . BTW, I would recommend that anybody who is interested in hiking have the bayarea hiker site bookmarked.

Now, there will be an optional dinner afterwards. Make sure that you carpool with like minded (dinner/non-dinner) people.

Any questions, feel free to contact moi,
Sundeep Abraham. email: snkabraham [at] yahoo.com.
Ph: 650-799-0989.
No need to RSVP. But if you are coming straight to the trailhead instead of carpooling from Stanford, you may want to shoot me an e-mail.

San Francisco: Crissy Field/Presidio Hike,Sat. May 1 (Julio)

• Destination: San Francisco- Crissy Field/ Presidio
• Date: May 1, 2004
• Total length of hike: 7.5 miles (approx.)
• Total elevation gain: 500 feet (approx.)
• Crissy Field URL: http://www.crissyfield.org
• Driving distance/time: 50 miles / 1h hour approx. each way
• Cost: Free parking, plus mileage ($20/car)
• Organizer: Julio (contact info below)

RAIN CANCELS.... In case of doubt, an e-mail will be sent the day before if the hike is going to be cancelled due to weather forecast.

NO NEED TO RSVP

Optional Dinner Afterwards in San Francisco

Meet: 9:30 am at the Bechtel I-Center, Stanford 10:45 am at lobby of Crissy Field Center, San Francisco

Estimated finish time: 4 PM (back at Crissy Field Center)

bring: lunch, sunscreen, plenty of water, coat (in case it is windy and foggy), all the usual stuff.

Crissy Field and the Presidio are part of arguably the most unique and stunning urban park in the U.S. if not the world. Spectacular views of San Francisco Bay, the Marin Headlands, the city of San Francisco, the Golden Gate Bridge, or the Pacific Ocean are evident at almost every turn as one walks along the shore of San Francisco Bay. These parts of the Golden Gate National Recreation Area also offer many natural and historic features. San Francisco is famous for its many intimate and distinct neighborhoods with boundaries which are often determined by the City?s many hills. Immediately adjacent to Crissy Field and the Presidio are some of the nicest neighborhoods and the nicest views.

We will begin our hike at the Crissy Field Center from which we will walk westward along the shore of SF Bay to the Golden Gate Bridge. We will then take a brisk walk to the middle of the Golden Gate Bridge and return to the Presidio where we will have lunch. After lunch, we will walk by some of the natural, historic, and modern features of this former military base which is in the process of being converted to the first self-sustaining national park. Next, we will proceed eastward to walk through parts of the Pacific Heights and Marina neighborhoods. We will then loop back to the Crissy Field Center by walking westward along the shore of the bay through Fort Mason and the Marina Green.

DIRECTIONS to Crissy Field from Stanford :
- Take the I-280 NORTH ramp towards SAN FRANCISCO
- Take 19th AVENUE EXIT from I-280 in SF (only possibility is northward)
- Stay on 19th AVENUE going north
- When you reach Golden Gate Park, 19th AVENUE transitions to PARK-PRESIDIO AVENUE (to make sure you make this transition correctly, get in the rightmost lane after you arrive at Golden Gate Park)
- Continue northward on PARK-PRESIDIO
- After passing through a tunnel, watch out for the DOWNTOWN/ MARINA BLVD. EXIT, which you should take (first exit after tunnel)
- You will then be on Doyle Drive. Go to the leftmost lane and take the MARINA BLVD. EXIT, which will put you on MARINA BLVD heading EAST.
- Your next goal is to arrange to travel WEST on MARINA BLVD. (Try either making a right turn onto a sidestreet and then looping back to Marina Blvd or make a left turn into one of the parking lots on Marina Green and then loop back to Marina Blvd)
- When you are HEADING WEST on MARINA BLVD, you will encounter a stoplight where you can veer right to get off Marina Blvd and head into the Presidio/ Crissy Field.
- You are now on MASON STREET and the CRISSY FIELD CENTER will be to your left (at the corner with HALLECK STREET).

Trip "leader": Julio Magalhaes
jamzemail (at) yahoo.com
650-947-8124
On the day of the hike only: 650-906-2594

Hetch-Hetchy Car Camping, May 1-2

• Depart: Friday afternoon / evening (Apr 30)
• Return: Sunday evening (May 2)
• Distance: Approximately 13 mile hike on Saturday
• Elevation change: 800 feet
• Maximum Elevation: 4600 feet
• Driving time: about 3.5-4 hours each way
• Cost: mileage, camp sites Friday and Saturday ($18 per site)
• Maximum number of people: 6 or 12 (if we get 1 or 2 sites, depending on interest)

This camping / hiking trip features the best views of the Hetch Hetchy Vallry and some of its magnificent waterfalls, including Wapama falls and Rancheria falls. We will be camping at the Hodgdon Meadow campground near the western entrance of Yosemite National park, and on Saturday we will be hiking to Rancheria falls. Sunday is a little more informal and we can either head back to Hetch Hetchy for a different hike, or we could hike in Yosemite Valley, depending on interest.

Hetch Hetchy Valley became an eight-mile-long reservoir in the early 1930's when O'Shaughnessy Dam was completed and the waters of the Tuolumne river impounded. Yet, we can still today imagine how the pre-dam valley appeared while hiking along its northern wall. Even with its floor flooded, the valley is something to behold.

Hetch Hetchy's Wapama Falls spills 1,200 feet over a granite precipice. The falls are spawned by Falls Creek, a tributary of the Tuolumne River. At the end of the hike is Rancheria Falls, providing a little water music in a beautiful location.

Linking the waterfalls is a path along the north side of Hetch Hetchy Reservoir. It's a fairly low elevation pathway and, therefore, makes an enticing early season Sierra jaunt. In the spring, Hetch Hetchy's falls are at their most vigorous.

Some nice pictures are located at
http://www.fedak.net/albums/hetchywaterfalls-page1.html and
http://arnica.csustan.edu/jacklin/Rancheria_Falls_1

If you're interested, let me know the following information
* Name:
* e-mail:
* Are you willing to drive?
* If yes, how many people can you fit, with gear?
* Do you have:
   o a tent (number of people)?
    o a stove?

Have you led an Outing Club trip in the past year?

When can you leave? From where?

Matt Blum trip "leader" mdblum at yahoo.com (650) 740-0647

Yosemite Valley Car Camping Trip (May 7-9)

Leave: Friday afternoon, May 7th

Return: Sunday night, May 9th

Activities: Several organized dayhikes of varying difficulty to waterfalls and other attractions, or just "chilling out"; there will be at least one group dinner feast. This trip is suitable for all levels of campers.

Lodging: Two adjacent single sites and a double site at the Lower Pines campground in Yosemite Valley. Maximum two vehicles per single site.

Costs: $36 per campsite x 4 = $144 / # of participants + $20 park entry fee / car (unless passenger has National Park Pass) + transportation (driver will be reimbursed at $.20/mile) + approx. $5 / person for the Saturday night group dinner.

It's spring time and the waterfalls and flowers in Yosemite are at their best, so it's time for a work-as-hard-as-you-wish trip to the Valley. There are two single sites and a double site at the Lower Pines campground that can accommodate up to 24 people. There are already several volunteers that wish to lead dayhikes, such as Vernal and Nevada Falls via the Mist Trail, and hike to Mirror Lake. Since our group will be large, the plan is to just meet up at the double site in the morning on Saturday and figure out which dayhikes everyone wants to join--there will also be a photographer-paced hike. If you want to do some rock climbing, you can probably find some people to join you, too.

On Saturday night we will be having an all-out group dinner organized by Eng-Shien--it's supposed to be a relaxing car camping trip, after all... He is planning on shopping for the whole group, but everyone will help him cook. You will need to bring food for other meals, although there usually are left-overs from the big feast. BTW, there is a grocery market in the Valley, so don't feel you need to pack so much food in your car--we don't want to overstuff the bear boxes, either. On Sunday we will do some more hikes and grab dinner on the way back home.

Sign-up
Send the following info to Yin-Yin by Tuesday night, and you will be notified by Wednesday night with more organizational details and and carpool info. Reply to: ingrid_yyh__no_spam__yahoo.com
* Name
* Contact info (e-mail and phone)
* Where do you prefer to leave from (say Stanford if you are reasonably close)?
When can you leave on Friday?
* Can you drive your car? How many people can it hold comfortably?
* What size tent do you have?

Trip leaders: Yin-Yin and Eng-Shien

Forest of Nisene Marks Beginning/Gourmet Backpacking

The Forest of Nisene Marks lies in the Santa Cruz mountains above the city of the same name. There's a mix of Redwood and Chapparal forest and the center of the Loma Prieta earthquake. We will meet at the Bechtel center at 9am Saturday morning and drive to the park headquarters. We'll hike into camp and set up and spend the afternoon exploring the local area. Water is approximately 1/2 mile from the campsite, so an excursion to get water will be part of that. The evening will be an open gourmet competition for all comers - bring food to impress, and to share! Sunday will be a leasurely hike out.

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 Wendesday (May 12) night to discuss what you need to bring and how to pack. Attendance is required for beginners. We will pick up additional group gear (tents, stoves etc) at the Redwood club gear shed that 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 Monday, May 7:

1. Your name(s) and number of people.
2. Do you have a car, if so how many people will it take?
3. How much backpacking experience do you have and what gear can you bring?

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.

Tomales Bay Kayak Camping - May 22-23

Sign ups for the Tomales Bay Kayak trip are open.

On Saturday morning we will head early to Blue Water Kayaks (prev known as Tamal Saka) in Marshal on the edge of Tomales Bay, and get our kayaks.We will then kayak across Tomales Bay to our campsite (reachable only by kayak), setup camp and have lunch, and then do a bit more paddling up along the bay. That evening we will have a campfire (bring in our own wood and collect some driftwood), and have a fun social dinner. The next morning we will do some more exploring, and leave the campsite to be back at Blue Water Kayaks by noon. We may then do some sightseeing 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
We will be renting shared sit-on-top kayaks (safe). Those who have taken a self rescue class, can rent a closed kayak (single or double <= RULE CHANGE) 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 being good waterproof sunblock (35+), UV blocking sunglasses and a hat (all whether or not you are normally concerned by the sun - you get baked when on water).

Equipment:
Blue Water Kayaks 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 all 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 liters of water as there is 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:
A deposit is required to sign up for this trip. Towards this I need to get either a payment via non-credit card paypal for $63 or a check dropped off at my house (262 Hawthorne, Palo Alto 94301) by Wed May 12th. If you do not get a spot, I will return payment.

I also need you to receive via email the items below.
* Name
* Phone
* Camping equipment you have (tent, sleeping bag, stove, etc.).
* Kayak rental: (a) bring own boat (b) want to rent boat, specify single or shared (we will do partner matching). Closed singles are only avail for those w/ self rescue training.
* Can you swim?
* Previous kayaking experience, if any.
* Have you taken a kayak self rescue class? (only needed for close deck kayaks) If so please describe how to use a paddle float.
* Are you willing to drive and if yes, how many people can your car take (including equipment)?
* If you don't get one of the first spots, are you interested in being on the waiting list? WHAT HAS CHANGED SINCE THE LAST KAYAK CAMPING TRIP
* Tamalsaka has now merged with Blue Water Kayak. We will still use the old Marshall location
* Deposit is required at signup time
* Closed doubles now require knowing how to self rescue

In case more people want to go than we can take (14), priority will be given to previous leaders. If we are able to offer you a spot on this trip, we will contact you by email by Friday. I will take care of the kayak rentals. If your spot is confirmed, the fee will be payable if you cancel or don't show unless I find someone to fill your space so think about this. I will keep a waiting list.

Trip "leader":
Erik Peterson, erik.peterson(at)gmail.com (replace (at) w/ __no_spam__)
Tel. 650-270-1040

Alexander Valley & Dry Creek Wine Country Bike Ride - May 16th (Sun)

RSVP required. Limited space on Bike racks
Total length of ride: ~25 miles
Meet: 8:00 am at the Bechtel I-Center, Stanford
10:30am at Dry Creek Country Store
Time: 6 hours (3 on bike, 3 for lunch & wineries)
Wineries Visited: 2-3
Approximate Trail:http://www.northbay.com/clip/outdoors.cfm?StartRow=18&Activity=Cycling (minus side trip to Healdsburg)
Driving distance/time: 105 miles / 2 hours approx. each way
Cost: Mileage + optional tastings & Dinner
Organizer: Erik (contact info below)
Start/Finish: street parking near Dry Creek Country Store, 3495 Dry Creek Rd, Healdsburg, CA
Please do not use the store's parking lot.
Park across the street on the dirt by the vineyards.

Alexander Valley and Dry Creek are some of my favorite areas for good wines, small wineries and no crowds. It is also a great area for Bike riding as it is fairly flat and has great scenery and fairly quiet roads. Designated drivers are encouraged! Space is a bit limited due to need to carry Bikes. If you are interesting in coming please email the following details:
a) Name
b) Do you have a car? How many people can it take?
c) Do you have a bike rack? How many bikes? (Even if you don't have a car, if you can find a bike rack, we can improvise w/ others who have cars)
d) Phone Number you can be reached at during the daytime.
e) Are you interested in skipping the wine tasting and being a designated driver?
f) If you will meet us at Stanford or the Dry Creek Country Store Results will be send out on Thursday.

Erik Peterson
erik.peterson(a)gmail.com (replace (a) w/ __no_spam__)
+1.650.270.1040

Lost Coast Backpacking, May 28-31

* Location: Lost Coast trail in the Kings Range NCA (Humboldt County)
* Length of hike: 25mi
* Elevation gain: rolling hills, steep at times.
* Meet: Carpools by arrangement on Friday evening
* Return: Monday night
* Driving time: approx. 6hr each way
* URL: http://www-db.stanford.edu/~crespo/lostcoast/

On the far northern edge of Northern California lies an unspoiled realm of jagged cliffs, deep green forests, and breathtaking wilderness beaches. Walk with us this unique, well maintained, 25 mile trail as it threads its' way through a world where mountains, sky, and sea collide.

Description of the hike

The general plan is:
- We drive up north on highway 101, camping close reasonably close to Shelter Cove
- We plan to split the group into 2 to avoid two long 2.5 hour car shuttles. Bill Shapiro will lead one group and I will lead the other. Ideally each driver has two pairs of keys. Your driving buddy takes your car to the Mattole trailhead, if you are going north to south.
- On Sunday we meet up in the middle, say hi, and exchange leys if required.
- On Monday we hike out, pick up your own car and head out, meeting up with the other group for dinner along the way. We should be arriving back around 11pm.

Fuel Costs

How to sign up

Please include in the message the following information:

* Name

* Backpacking experience level

* Backpacking equipment you have (tent, sleeping bag, stove, water filter, bear canister, etc.) and what you can share. Tents, stoves and filters will be shared. You NEED to use a bear canister for this trip, as it is now required for hiking in this area. They can be rented at REI and the Stanford Redwood Club (I believe)

* Car: how many people can you take? Are you OK with someone else driving and if so, is your car a manual or automatic? Do you have 2 sets of keys?

* What time can you leave the Bay area and from where? If we are able to offer you a spot in this trip, I will contact you via email by Wednesday, 6pm.

Trip "leader": Peter McColgan (plumeria_at_earthlinknet)

White Mountain & Bristlecone Pines, June 26-27

The trip will be part sightseeing (the Bristlecone pines - try to identify the Methusela tree, the oldest living thing on Earth among the other 4000+ year old trees), part mountain climbing (3rd highest peak in California) and part relaxing (with a visit to some natural hot springs)

The hiking is extremely strenuous, going up to 14,246ft (but the trailhead is at 11,500ft) and a 15 mile round trip. It is also a long drive (about 8 hours to the Grand View campsite).

Here is the plan:
Leave the Bay area on Friday (around noon time) Drive over Tioga pass, head south toward Bishop and camp Friday night (visiting some hot springs along the way either Friday night or Saturday morning) Saturday, we drive to Big Pine and on the on to the Bristlecone Pine forest to acclimatize and view the ancient trees. We camp Saturday night at either the Grand View campground or the trailhead. Up early on Sunday morning and climb White Mountain. Drive back to the Bay area arriving late Sunday night. More about the ancient trees and the White Mountain Range:
http://www.thesierraweb.com/sightseeing/bristlecone.html
http://www.sonic.net/bristlecone/intro.html
http://www.blueplanetbiomes.org/bristlecone_pine.htm

If you want to join the trip can you email me the following:
Name
Work/home phone:
Mobile device:
Can you drive? If so, how many passengers?
Where would be a good place for you to carpool?
Tent? If so, can you share.. with how many?
Do you have a National Park Pass?
What is the highest altitude you have hiked to and what is the longest distance?
Have you lead any Stanford Outing Club activities?

I'll send out more specific details later once I know how many people want to go. Email me with questions.

David

daltmar(at)hotmail(dot)com

Details for the other Hikes have not been finalized