Club Information

General Hike Information

Directions to Trailheads

Pictures

Previous Quarters

Club History

Summer 1999 Calendar

Meet other outdoor enthusiasts and help plan our activities for the Summer quarter by attending our meeting and potluck dinner on Tuesday June 29 at 6:30pm. This time the meeting will be in the picnic area between the McFarland Building and Building 115 in Escondido Village, Stanford (look for the red circle in this map). We will provide plastic utensils, paper plates and charcoal for the grill. You provide some food or a non-alcoholic beverage to share.

If you have trip suggestions but can't come to the meeting, please send your ideas by e-mail to Arturo (crespo__no_spam__cs.stanford.edu) before the meeting.

New prospective "members" are welcome to come and learn about the club. For more information, see our web pages at http://www.stanford.edu/group/outing/

Jul 3 Mt. Tam (Arturo)

• Length of Hike: approx. 16.5 miles
• Total Elevation gain: 4400 ft.
• Driving Time: approx. 1:45 each way
• Meet: 7:15am at the Bechtel International Center, Stanford

Starting at Muir Woods, we will start hiking up the Dipsea trail, after passing "Cardiac Hill," we will head down to the ocean at Rocky Point. Rocky Point is a marine terrace where an environmental campground is located. After enjoying the view and catching our breath, we will start the long uphill to two of the peaks of Mt. Tam: the East Peak and the Middle Peak. To get there, we will hike the Steep Ravine Trail. The Steep Ravine trail is, well, steep; so much that at one point, we need to climb a very short ladder (with handrails). We then go to Pantoll, then over to WestPoint Inn and up to the East Peak of Mt. Tam (2571ft) to enjoy (if the day is clear) the view of the North Bay. From the East Peak, we will go down and then back up to the Middle peak that provides good views towards the South. Finally, we will head down via the Mountain Home back to Muir Woods. We will end our hike with at the main trail loop which goes through the only large, intact stand of ancient redwoods in the Bay Area.

Parking is free at Muir Woods, but there is an admission fee of $2 per person (Golden Eagle pass are honored). Optional dinner at San Francisco in the way home.

This trip contains a lot of hill climbing so it will be a real workout! Expect the full hike to take 8-9 hours (excluding driving). Some of the hike will be in low chaparral or open areas, so it will be hot; bring plenty of water (at least 2 liter/quarts) and perhaps a hat.

Trip "leader": Arturo Crespo, ph: (650) 723-9273, (650) 967-4039

Jul 7 (Wednesday) Rancho San Antonio (Hanifa)

• Length of Hike: approx. 5.5 miles
• Total Elevation gain: 600 ft.
• Meet: 6:15pm in front of the restrooms of Rancho San Antonio

Welcome to our first weekday afternoon hike of the Summer! This time, we will hike the Wildcat loop trail in Rancho San Antonio. Rancho San Antonio Open Space Preserve, a 2,135-acre preserve, offers a sampling of diverse environments, from a beautiful oak-shaded creek to grassy meadows with views of the Bay Area. Brush rabbits, coyotes, quail, wild turkeys, and an abundance of other wildlife make their homes here. In the late afternoon, we may encounter black-tailed deer browsing in the open meadows, and if we are very lucky, we might see a bobcats in the canyon area.

Driving directions to Rancho San Antonio: Your destination is Rancho San Antonio County Park. From Stanford, take HW 280 south. Exit in Foothill Boulevard, turn immediately right on Cristo Rey Drive and continue for about 1 mile. Park in the main parking lot and meet the group by the restrooms.

Trip "Leader:" Hanifa Baporia (Hanifa.Baporia__no_spam__Eng.Sun.COM)

Jul 10 Henry Cowell Redwoods (Mike)

• Length of Hike: 8 miles
• Total Elevation Gain: less than 1000 feet
• Hike has river crossings
• Meet: 8:15 at the Bechtel International Center, Stanford

Cowell Redwoods State Park, located between Felton and Santa Cruz, contains 1800 acres of redwoods, canyons, meadows and pine and oak forest. We'll hike through the forests, climb to an observation deck overlooking Monterey Bay, and cross the San Lorenzo River twice, without bridges. The water may be up to 3 feet deep and cold!

After the hike, we'll visit nearby Roaring Camp, which will be hosting a display of old farming and industrial equipment, including a steam-powered sawmill. We'll cap off the day with an optional dinner in Santa Cruz or Boulder Creek.

Our hike will be about eight miles long, and will take us to the highest (800 feet) and lowest (100 feet) points of the park. Although there is not much elevation gain, some parts of the trail are steep, particularly the hill coming up from the San Lorenzo River.

The river can be up to 3 feet deep and cold! The river crossings are slippery, and there is the possibility of broken glass on the bottom, so you might want to bring a walking stick and some sandals or old jogging shoes. You might also want to bring a towel.

Meet at the International Center at 8:15am, or at the park entrance at 9:30am. The park entrance is located on Highway 9 about a half-mile south of the town of Felton. Note: If you drive through Scotts Valley, don't exceed the 35 mph speed limit. The place isn't known as "Cop's Valley" for nothing.

If you have any questions, call Michael Bitsko at (831) 457-8633

Jul 11 Russian River Canoe Trip (Kevin/Geoff) (*)

• Length of trip: 15.5 miles
• Total Elevation gain: 0 ft. :-)
• Driving Time: approx 2:15 each way (according to Mapquest)
• Meet: 7:30 at the Bechtel International Center, Stanford

We will canoe from Alexander Valley to Memorial Beach along the Russian River. This is a relatively easy route, although there can be a fairly strong current and there are some small rapids in the first section. The route should be appropriate for novice paddlers in the bow (front) and paddlers with at least some experience in the stern (back--steering). A third paddler/passenger may ride in the middle of the boat if desired.

We will drive to Towbridge Canoe Trips (Memorial Beach) at 20 Healdsburg Ave. in Healdsburg, where we will park. We will then be driven up to the starting point at Alexander Valley, where canoes will be waiting for us. The first 4-5 hours (11 miles) from Alexander Valley to Rio Lindo are fairly narrow--therefore faster water--with some rapids. The next (4.5 mile) stretch from Rio Lindo to Memorial Beach is much easier, but since the water will be slower on this stretch paddling will be more work. In researching this trip, Geoff, Philippe and I did this 4.5 mile stretch in about two hours of easy paddling. The cost of the rental is $40 per canoe, and an additional $3 per person for being driven to the launch point.

We need to make reservations ASAP. I will make reservations on behalf of anyone who emails me (kevinlb__no_spam__stanford.edu) before 4:00 on Wednesday. Please indicate your level of canoeing experience in the email (i.e., whether you would be comfortable sterning a canoe in rapids). I will not try to collect money before Sunday; however, sending me an email constitutes a commitment to pay me $23 per person, regardless of whether you go on the trip. (I'll be paying for everybody when I make reservations, to keep each of you from having to phone individually.) If you decide after 4:00 on Wednesday that you'd like to go, you will have to make reservations yourself at (800) 640-1386. People coming alone who don't want to rent a whole canoe can email me after the deadline and I'll try to accommodate them, but I can make no guarantees.

Be sure to bring a hat and/or sunscreen, a lunch, and clothes that you wouldn't mind getting wet in. (Swimming is optional, but you should be prepared for the possibility of your canoe capsizing.) We will probably have an optional dinner in San Francisco on the way home.

Trip "leader": Kevin Leyton-Brown, office (650) 725-8787, home (650) 497-9364

Jul 16-18 Sequoia Camping Trip (Arturo) (*)

• Location: Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Park
• Meet: Friday afternoon, time and location to be decided.
• Return: Sunday night
• Driving Time: approx. 5hr each way.

Activities

• Saturday, July 17:
  • Total Length of hikes: approx 10mi
  • Total Elevation gain: approx 1400ft

  We will start the day by driving to the Giant Forest. In the way, we will drive on top of a fallen sequoia: the Auto Log. We will also have the chance to drive through a fallen sequoia: the Tunnel Log. At the Giant Forest, we will climb Moro Rock, a granite dome with a steep 1/4mi staircase to the summit with spectacular views of the Great Western Divide and the western half of the park. Then, we will do a 2mi loop in Crescent Meadow where we might see Summer wildflowers. We get back to our cars and we will drive to the General Sherman Tree, the world's largest tree. We will end our visit to the Giant Forest with a hike to Tokopah Falls (3.4mi round trip). From the Giant Forest, we will head to the Grant Grove; but before getting there we will stop at the Little Baldy trailhead. The trail to Little Baldy gains 700 vertical feet in 1.7mi to a rocky summit with a grand view. After this, we will continue driving to Grant Grove (with stops at Kings Canyon View and the Redwood Mountain Overlook). At Grant Grove we will visit the General Grant Tree, the third-largest living tree. We will end the by driving to Panoramic Point to enjoy an spectacular view of the high sierra.

• Sunday July 18:
  • Total Length of hikes: approx 9mi (plus an optional 6mi)
  • Total Elevation gain: approx 600ft (plus an optional 900ft)

  From the campground, we will drive to the Cedar grove area. This a scenic drive into one of the deepest canyons in North America. In the Cedar Grove area we will do three hikes. First we will hike to the Roaring River Falls, a refreshing and shady five-minute walk that leads you to a forceful waterfall rushing through a narrow granite chute. Then, we will loop around Zumwalt Meadow. This loop is just over one mile long, and is one of the most scenic in Kings Canyon. It affords magnificent views of high granite walls, a lush meadow, and the meandering Kings River. Finally, we will go to the Mist Fall trail at Road's end. This sandy trail follows the glaciated South Fork Canyon through forest and chaparral, past an impressive show of rapids and cascades, to one of the largest waterfalls in Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks. The first part of this 8 mile round trip is relatively flat; during the last mile to the falls, the trail gains 600'. Depending on the group interest, we can continue to Paradise Valley (an additional 6mi, 900ft roundtrip).

Car Pooling

Reservation

1. Your Name.
2. What time do you prefer to leave.
3. Are you willing to drive and how many people can your car sit?
4. Do you have a tent that accommodates 3 or more people?

To give a fair chance to everybody, the selection process will be as follow: All reservations received before Friday July 2nd at 5pm will have an equal chance (we may need to conduct a lottery). Reservations received after that will be first come, first served. As usual, past hike leaders will have priority in the signup.

More information about Sequoia and Kings Canyon can be found e.g. at http://www.nps.gov/seki/

For further questions, email Arturo at crespo__no_spam__cs.stanford.edu or call at 650-723-9273.

Jul 24 Mt. Madonna (Todd)

• Highlights: hiking, mansion ruins, and optional dinner in a historic Mission town
• Driving time (to the park): 1:30
• Total length of hike: 11 miles
• Altitude gain: 3400 ft. over the whole hike, 1200 ft initially
• Trip "leader:" Todd Koumrian (Todd__no_spam__core-dump.Stanford.edu)
• Meet: 8:00 a.m. in front of Bechtel
• Park Homepage

Mt. Madonna Park surrounds the 1897 ft. Mt. Madonna and is the southernmost high point of the Santa Cruz Mountains. The Park overlooks Monterey Bay on the west and the Santa Clara Valley on the east. Coast redwoods, Madrone and tanoak forests primarily cover the coast facing slopes and mountaintop while these forests give way to oak woodlands, dense chaparral and grassy meadows as one descends the east slopes. Coast redwoods grow here, as they do elsewhere along the 20 mile wide band that stretches from the Santa Cruz Mountains to southwestern Oregon. These giant sequoia's thrive in the coastal fog belt (Muir Woods is another recent outing club destination which is home to these trees), so we'll have yet another opportunity to view some of these ancient and very tall trees if you missed the Muir Woods or the Sequoia National Park hikes.

During the Spanish Rancho period, the Park was part of Rancho Las Animas, granted to Jose Mariano Castro by Spanish Viceroy Felix Marquina. In fact, it was the only Rancho ever granted by a Spanish Viceroy. The name Mt. Madonna is credited to the poet and recluse Hiram Wentworth, though nobody seems to know what he had in mind. Henry Miller ("the cattle King") began buying the property in 1859 to raise cattle. Sounding suspiciously like the story of William Randolph Hearst and San Simeon, the Miller family began camping at the home site with elaborate tents in 1879, and later upgraded to a successive set of buildings in the late 1890s culminating in an elaborate seven bedroom and bathroom spread including a formal dining room and 3600 square ft. ballroom. In fact, Hearst gave the Millers some rare white fallow deer, whose descendants still live within the park. The site fell into disrepair after Henry Miller's death and before the establishment of the Park. We'll visit the ruins and try to imagine what it must been like to have owned one million head of cattle and one million acres of land while "roughing it" at the summer home.

We'll start our hike from the Sprig Lake area off the Hecker Pass road (Highway 152) and begin our ascent on the Ridge Trail and a combination of steep connecting trails. These trails mostly follow the eastern canyons of the mountain in the forest shade next to small streams, which may or may not be running at this time of year (I never been to the Park in midsummer). Once we've climbed most of the way up the mountain, we'll sacrifice some of our altitude gain for side trip to visit the "Giant Twins", which presumably are to giant Sequoias (we'll find out!). We'll then loop back and make for the Bayview Trail where we may get a view of Monterey Bay if there's no fog. A short combination of trails will lead us to a camping/picnic area in the trees surrounding a large grassy meadow, where we can chow down on lunch, laze about in the shade or play Frisbee.

p Afterwards, we will head back into the trees over to and then down the seldom used Mt. Madonna Road. This intersection is actually the terminus of Summit Road which stretches to Highway 17, though some disaster wiped out a portion of it some years back making the Park inaccessible by car from that direction. After descending the winding asphalt a short distance, we'll pick up the Loop Trail and contour along the hillside to the Tanoak Trail for a quick but steep rise up to the ruins of Henry Miller's summer home. Having taken in the last vestiges of this once grand home, we will begin our return along the merry-go-round Trail, which descends rapidly out of the trees along the steep and gravelly route to an open, grassy hillside for a more gradual return to our cars.

Optional dinner/sightseeing in historic San Juan Bautista

After heading back to Gilroy, we will head south on 101 for 10 to 15 miles to the historic mission town of San Juan Bautista, where we will have dinner at Jardines de San Juan. This I wonderful Mexican restaurant has outdoor patio seating amid its splendid gardens (noted for its cactus these days), and I have fond memories of dinners there since I was a little kid. The food is quite good and inexpensive, and we may be treated to the current Saturday live entertainment (a renowned Harpist). Either before or after dinner (depending on the wait) we can take in the Franciscan Mission and its grounds, as well as other historic buildings and exhibits. You may have seen this mission in the Alfred Hitchcock classic "Vertigo", starring Jimmy Stewart and Kim Novak. This is the location from which Kim Novak apparently falls to her death, although the bell tower from which she plunges was purely artistic license and never existed. Like all California Missions, these are actual working places of worship so please be respectful while exploring inside the church. For a preview of the menu, check out http://www.jardinesrestaurant.com.

Jul 25 Mission Peak Moonlight hike (Leader TBA)

• Length of hike: 6 miles
• Elevation gain: 2100 feet
• Meet: 5:00 pm at the Bechtel Center, Stanford
• Driving: approx. 45 min each way

The pace going uphill will be relatively slow, as a 2100' climb over such a short distance is a bit steeper than the typical Outing Club hike.

IMPORTANT: Every hiker must bring at least one _working_ flashlight. We'll have moonlight on the way down, but there will be areas where the moonlight just isn't enough. Also, it can get pretty breezy and cold at the summit, so bring a jacket and gloves.

Driving Directions to Stanford Ave. Trailhead

1) Take US 101 heading south for 6.1 miles from Stanford University
2) Exit on MOUNTAIN VIEW ALVISO RD (HWY 237) and head east for 7.4 miles
3) Take I 880 (NIMITZ FWY) heading north (towards Oakland) for 4.0 miles
4) Take the MISSION BLVD exit towards I-680/SACRAMENTO
5) Merge into MISSION BLVD and drive for 1.5 miles
6) Turn right on STANFORD AVE and park at the end, above Weibel Winery.

Trip "leader": Joyce Cao joyce__no_spam__terraluna.org

Aug 1 Point Reyes: Coastal Trail to Wildcat Beach (Melissa)

• Highlights: Great ocean views, lots of lakes on the way
• Length of hike: 11.4 miles
• Elevation gain: 1100 feet
• Meet: 7:30 am at the Bechtel Center, Stanford
• Driving: approx. 2 hrs each way

Point Reyes National Seashore is located north of San Francisco and is one of the most beautiful and popular recreational areas in the Bay Area. We start this hike at the Palomarin trailhead, near Bolinas. From there we follow the Coastal Trail north. This varied journey leads past three ponds and four freshwater lakes to attractive, secluded Wildcat Beach. On the way we'll admire continuous vistas of the Pacific Ocean and its rugged shoreline. Although the section of the hike near Wildcat Beach is a loop, much of the hike back to the trailhead will be on the same trail that we used on the way out. If there is interest, we might stop in San Francisco somewhere for dinner on the way back.

Bring lunch and plenty to drink. Also, given the unpredictable weather in this area, you should be prepared for both chilly-windy and/or hot-sunny weather - don't forget a warm jacket, your sunscreen, and maybe a hat.

If you would like to join us at the trailhead, please contact me (Melissa) so that I know you will be coming. We will probably begin hiking at around 10:00 am, depending on when we get there. Email is probably the easiest way to reach me, but feel free to telephone (see below).

Driving Directions to Palomarin Trailhead

Trip "leader": Melissa Warden (melissa__no_spam__monkeybiz.stanford.edu), (650) 813-0269 (home), (650) 725-7505 (work)

Aug 7 Big Basin Waterfall hike (Erik Peterson)

• Highlights: hiking, three waterfalls, and optional dinner in Boulder Creek
• Driving time (to the park): 1:30
• Total length of hike: ~11 miles
• Altitude gain: 600 ft.
• Trip "leader:" Erik Peterson (erikpeterson__no_spam__email.com)
• Meet: 8:00 am at the Bechtel Center, Stanford, or 9:30 am at Big Basin HQ. Please contact the leader if you are planning to meet the group at the park.
• Fees: $6 day use parking per vehicle
• 'Unofficial' Park URL: http://members.aol.com/bbrsp/index.html

Big Basin Redwoods State Park, located about 23 miles north-west of the city of Santa Cruz, is California's oldest State Park. Our hike will take us along the Sunset Trail, out to the Berry Creek Falls, then back along the Skyline to the Sea Trail. This is the "Three waterfalls" hike which the club has done many times; however, this time of year, there may not be much water in the waterfalls. The 600 ft. elevation gain is somewhat misleading, as there is a bit of up and down. The hike is of moderate difficulty, somewhere in between easy and strenuous.

Big Basin Redwoods State Park is the oldest State Park in California. It was acquired in 1902. The park has miles of trails, which serves hikers and equestrians, links Big Basin to Castle Rock State Park and the eastern reaches of the Santa Cruz range. The Skyline to the Sea Trail threads its way through the park along Waddell Creek to the beach and adjacent Theodore J. Hoover Natural Preserve, a freshwater marsh. The park has a surprising number of waterfalls, a wide variety of environments (from lush canyon bottoms to sparse chaparral-covered slopes, many animals (deer, raccoons, an occasional bobcat) and lots of bird life (including Steller's jays, egrets, herons and California woodpeckers.) The park is also the home to stately redwood groves.

Aug 8 Hike and Pancake Breakfast (I-Ching)

• Length of hike: ~12 miles
• Elevation gain: <1000ft between highest and lowest points, but expect a moderate amount of ups and downs
• Meet: 7:30 am at the Bechtel Center, Stanford 9:15 am at Pantoll Ranger Station
• Driving time: 1 hour 45 min (each way)
• Cost: $6 pancake breakfast, $6 parking and $3 bridge toll per car

First, we hike up to West Point Inn from Pantoll Ranger Station for our breakfast, a fund-raiser for the West Point Inn Association, a non-profit volunteer organization that maintains this historic building. The pancakes are average, but the view from the covered verandah is magnificent, it's for a good cause, and (since we'll burn our pancake calories before we consume them) it's guilt-free!

Then we'll head over to the Mountain Theater where we saw Hello Dolly last year, West Side Story this summer, and "Rubber Ducky" on occasion. After we picture what the shows were like at Mountain Theater (dancing waiters on a set standing above the majestic redwoods and San Francisco beyond in the background), we will head down the Cataract Trail, following the Cataract Creek, with the option of visiting the Cataract Falls. We'll then take connecting trails to the Coastal Trail where we can have nice views of the ocean, weather permitting, and take the Matt Davis (whose picture can be seen inside West Point Inn) Trail back to Pantoll. Please bring a lunch. The pancakes probably will not last you the whole day. It's also a good idea to bring a jacket, as it may get windy when we get closer to the coast, and it's always cold in San Francisco if we stop there for dinner.

Trip "leader": I-Ching Chang (ic1__no_spam__netzero.net)

Aug 14-15 Peak climbing in the Sierra (Peter) (*)

Aug 15 Butano State Park (I-Ching)

• Length of hike: 11-13 miles
• Elevation diff: >1500ft
• Meet: *8:30am* at the Bechtel Center, Stanford
• Driving time: 70 min. (each way)

We will do a loop hike of 11-13 miles and quite a bit of up and downhill. We'll start near the park entrance and go up the Jackson Flat trail. The trail will go through both redwood forest and later open areas with great views of the surrounding hills and canyons (and the ocean, if not foggy/cloudy). The return is down the Ano Nuevo trail which is quite steep with lots of switchbacks.

Bring a sweater or jacket since it can be chilly/windy near the coast even if it is nice and warm around the bay.

Optional detour to a beach on the way home if the weather is nice.

Trip "leader": I-Ching Chang, ic1__no_spam__netzero.net

Aug 22 Horseback riding (Farouk)

• Trip: Horseback riding, Wildcat Beach, Olema (Point Reyes National Seashore)
• Date: Sunday, August 22, 1999 (Note change of date - moved from Saturday, August 21, 1999)
• Duration: Approx. 6 hrs.
• Cost: $110 (cash or credit card - no personal checks) (This trip is a bit pricey, but in my humble opinion a once-in-a-lifetime experience you'll remember for a long, long time to come. Definitely worth the money, the time, and the distance. Highly recommended)

The trip starts and ends at the Five Brooks Ranch in Olema, about 45 minutes to an hour from S.F. (1.5 to 2 hours from Stanford) in the Point Reyes National Seashore off Highway 1. On a clear day, you'll see the Farallon Islands as you and your horse climb over the Inverness ridge to Wildcat Camp, then descend onto the white sand covered beach that leads to the incredible Alamere Falls. Bring a lunch. The ride is moderate and enjoyable for people of all riding levels. You do not need to have any prior riding experience to go on this trip. Jeans, tennis shoes, a wind-breaker or sweater, and a hat are recommended. The trip begins at 10am and concludes at 4pm. If you want driving directions to meet us there, call Farouk at (650) 852-0609 or check the web-site at http://www.fivebrooks.com. Meet at Bechtel Center at 7:45am. Departure at 8am. If you are interested in this trip, please sign up immediately by sending Farouk an email message to receive a confirmation notice. An update message, including car-pool information, will follow shortly. Please sign up as soon as possible, and no later than 5pm on Saturday, August 21, 1999.

Trip "leader": Farouk (farouk__no_spam__leland.stanford.edu) (650) 852-0609

Aug 22 El Corte de Madera (I-Ching)

• Length of hike: ~10 miles
• Elevation diff: 1000ft
• Meet: 9am at the Bechtel Center, Stanford
• Driving time: 40 min. (each way)

Sorry for the late notice. I had a hard time trying to pick a place! The goal was to pick somewhere close by so I can finish early (before 5pm), but not just any place. Originally, Castle Rock was the front-runner, but El Corte de Madera was chosen instead to avoid hearing the gunshots from the shooting range. Yes, even on Sundays! Besides, El Corte de Madera has some sandstone formations (Tafoni) that reminds me of Castle Rock. There's also some nice redwood portion, and we haven't been there for a long time! We will start at Skeggs Point in Skyline Boulevard (elev 2100 ft), visit the sandstone formations, go down a redwood trail to an elevation of aprox 1100 ft; and then loop back to the parking lot. Or we might loop the other way and save the sandstone formations last.

Trip "leader": I-Ching Chang, ic1__no_spam__netzero.net

Aug 27-29 Yosemite Trip (Arturo) (*)

• Sign-up required (see below)
• Location: Yosemite National Park
• Meet: Friday morning or afternoon, time and location to be decided.
• Return: Sunday night
• Driving Time: approx. 4hr each way.

Activities

• Saturday, August 28:
  • South Rim Traverse: The Pohono Trail. Glacier Point, Sentinel Dome, Taft Point, Bridaveil Creek, Dewey Point, and Discovery View at the Wawona Tunnel.
  • Length of Hike : 14.5 miles
  • Elevation gain: approx 3000 ft.
• Sunday, August 29:
  • Tioga Pass to Gaylor Peak, Gaylor Lakes and Granite Lakes.
  • Length of Hike : 6mi (2mi are easy cross-country)
  • Elevation gain: approx 1500 ft.

Car Pooling

Reservation

To give a fair chance to everybody, the selection process will be as follow: All reservations received before Friday August 13 at 5pm will have an equal chance (we may need to conduct a lottery). Reservations received after that will be first come, first served. As usual, past hike leaders will have priority in the signup.

To sign up, please answer the following questions

1. Your Name.
2. Your phone number.
3. When do you want to leave: Friday Morning or Friday late afternoon?
4. Are you willing to drive and how many people can your car seat?
5. Do you have a tent that accomodates 3 or more people?

Accomodations

More information about Yosemite can be found e.g. at http://www.nps.gov/yose/ or at http://www.yosemite.org/

For further questions, email Arturo at crespo__no_spam__cs.stanford.edu or call at 650-723-9273 (o) or 650-967-4039 (h).

Sep 4 Big Basin (Mike)

• Length of hike: 6 mile
• Elevation Gain: ~1000 feet
• Meet: 8am at the Bechtel International Center
• Driving Time: about 1.5hr (each way)

Since this is such a short hike, we will probably be done by 2pm.

Trip "leader": Mike Bitsko. Phone: 831-457-8633

Sep 11 Pinnacles national monument (Craig)

• Length of hike: Approx. 10 miles
• Elevation Gain: ~1500 feet (uphill, times 2 for total)
• Meet: 7.30am at the Bechtel International Center
• Driving Time: about 2 hr (each way)
• Park URL: http://www.nps.gov/pinn/

"Pinnacles is located in the Gabilan Mountain Range on the east side of the Salinas Valley. The elevation ranges from near 800 ft on Chalone Creek to 3304 ft atop North Chalone Peak. The geologic formations that comprise the Pinnacles bear no resemblance to the surrounding smooth, round hills. Here you face rugged spires and crags that bear a passing semblance to Bryce Canyon in Utah. Unlike Bryce Canyon, these rocks are the remains of an ancient volcano. Or rather they are part of the remains, for the rest of this volcano lies 195 miles to the southeast in the Neenach formation near present day Lancaster, California. This occurred approximately 23 million years ago. As Pinnacles moved north on the Pacific Plate, two faults-the Chalone and the Pinnacle-lowered the rocks, protecting them from erosion. Later, these faults brought the volcanic remains back to the surface allowing erosion to create the formations you see today.

The monument has a variety of trails from easy to strenuous. Visitors come to the park for hiking, picnicking, and rock climbing. The majority of the hikers come to view the beautiful rock formations, abundant wildflowers and wildlife, and explore the caves."

We'll probably do something like:

Start at the Visitor Center; following the Bear Gulch Trail to Chalone Creek picnic area; visit the Balconies Cave; stop by the old Chaparral campground; climb to the top of the pinnacles; and stop by the Bear Bulch reservoir.

...but this may varied if something looks worth exploring. Expect some (non-technical) rock scrambling at the high peaks (and where-ever else we can find it and it looks fun...).

** Bring a flashlight for the cave. **

It will probably be quite hot there - please bring plenty of water.

Some cars may stop for dinner somewhere on the way back.

Please contact the leader if you plan to meet us there.

Trip "leader": Craig Eldershaw, celdersh__no_spam__parc.xerox.com (650) 812 4368 (w) (650) 324 2698 (h)

Sep 19 Angel Island (I-Ching)

• Length of hike: 6-8 mi (easy, see below)
• Meet: 8am SHARP at the Bechtel International Center, Stanford
• Driving time: approx. 1.5 hour each way
• Cost: $7 (for ferry and park entrance fee). Plan also for carpool cost(+$3 bridge toll), parking and optional dinner.
• Park URLs: http://www.angelisland.org/ and http://www.angelisland.com/

Please try to arrive before 8am as we will be leaving promptly in order to catch the first ferry to the island.

It's been a while since we had a trip to Angel Island, and Outing Club usually has at least one trip to Angel Island during the summer, so I thought we would continue the tradition. But I decided to take the ferry from Tiburon instead, for a change. Since there aren't many trails on Angel Island, and because there's so many historic sites to visit, we'll probably have a more leisurely day than the pure hike, i.e.. lots of time for frisbee, lying in the sun, extended siesta, historical poking around, etc. Be prepared for San Francisco type weather: the boat ride could be windy and chilly (even if it's a 100 degrees in Stanford) and it could get quite warm in the island.

The "official" Description: (from the ferry company):
"A California State and Wildlife Preserve, Angel Island is perhaps one of the finest historical sites in the Bay Area, and includes military garrisons and compounds from every major war, dating back to the U.S. Civil War. Also known as the Ellis Island of the West, Angel Island's immigration station was the first stop for millions of Pacific Basin, Asian, and Russian immigrants entering the U.S. Travel time to Angel Island is generally 40 minutes, depending on intermediate stops."

We will carpool to Tiburon and take the 10am ferry to Angel Island. For more info on the ferry, call 415-435-2131.

On the Island, we will take a paved perimeter road that is about 4-5 miles long. Then as we get closer to the center of the island (which is higher up the mountain), we will take a hiking trail that leads to the peak (Mt. Livermore, 781 feet). The view from the top is magnificent, if the weather is clear (however, in the summer, there is a high probability that it'll be foggy).

Directions to Tiburon ferry: 101 North
Take the Mill Valley/Tiburon Blvd/Hwy131 exit
Make a Right at the light onto Tiburon Blvd.
Follow Tiburon Blvd for about 15 minutes
Make a Right at the stop sign, onto Main
The ferry departs from 21 Main St. which is about 1/2 block down on the left side

There's various places for parking with various prices. Look around. There's a local area map at: http://www.angelislandferry.com/ click on "How to Find Us"

We will return in the last ferry at 5:20pm. Optional dinner afterwards in Tiburon or San Francisco.

Trip leader: I-Ching Chang, ic1__no_spam__netzero.net

Sep 24-26 Desolation Wilderness Backpacking (Peter)

• Length of hike: at least 10mi per day (with full packs)
• Meet: Friday morning or afternoon, time and location to be decided.
• Return: Sunday late at night.
• Driving time: approx. 5 hours each way
• Cost: $5 per person per night for the permit. Plan also for carpool costs, bridge tolls, parking and optional dinners.

This small group plans to hike at least 10 miles per day and probably quite a bit more to try and see as much of the area as possible, including several summits. This is not a beginner trip - prior experience backpacking in the mountains is required along with a good level of fitness. There is not exactly a fixed route which we will follow but we'll see how everyone is doing and plan accordingly - hiking mostly on trails.

Email me if interested and let me know the following:

• do you have a tent? if so are you willing to share?
• do you have a stove? ditto
• do you have a water filter? ditto
• can you drive? if so, how many people can you take?
• can you play any instrument or sing as you hike?

Carpool arrangements on Friday evening will be flexible depending on where everyone is coming from. We'll be returning on Sunday evening.

Email the trip leader if you'd like to go (space limited). Peter McColgan - plumeria__no_spam__earthlink.net

Sep 26 Swanton Pacific Country Picnic (Mike)

This is a fund-raising event for the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County, a non-profit organization that buys forests, farms, and other open space to protect it from development. Tickets are only $15 for adults and $8 for children under 13. The event is fun and the money goes to a good cause.

The picnic is 10am-4pm and hikes begin in parking area at 10:30am and 1pm. The guided hikes will be to Historic Sites: a 1895 Power and Light hydroelectrical plant, a 927 fish hatchery, the Big Creek Falls, and the Monterey Bay Salmon and Trout Project.

The picnic is located on Swanton Road, a few miles north of Davenport. To reach the picnic site, go to Santa Cruz, then take Highway 1 north past Davenport, turn right on Swanton Road and follow the signs.

This event usually sells out, so purchase your ticket in advance For tickets, directions, etc., call the Land Trust of Santa Cruz County at (831) 429-6116. Tickets are also available at any "Bay Photo Labs" location.

Sorry, no carpools will be organized from Stanford. If you have any further questions, call Michael Bitsko at (831) 457-8633