Club Information

General Hike Information

Directions to Trailheads

Pictures

Previous Quarters

Club History

Winter 2001 Calendar

Jan 1: Castle Rock State Park (Mike)

• Length of hike: ~8.5 miles
• Elevation Gain: ~2500 feet
• Meet: 8:30 am at the Bechtel International Center
• Driving Time: about 1 hr (each way)
• No-host Carpool! (read below)

Castle Rock State Park perches on the highest ridge of the Santa Cruz Mountains, which separates the San Francisco Bay and Monterey Bay areas. The park's 3600 acres contain deep forests, spectacular vistas, unusual rock formations and a waterfall.

Get the New Year off to a good start with this 8 1/2 mile hike, starting at Saratoga Gap and ending at Castle Rock. (Before starting the hike, we'll set up a shuttle to get ourselves back to Saratoga Gap.) Along the way, we'll pass Travertine springs, Goat Rock, Castle Rock, Castle Rock Falls, and Castle Rock itself.

There will be a lot of upping and downing on this trip, from 2600 feet at Saratoga Gap down to 1700 feet at Travertine Springs and up again to 3200 feet at Castle Rock.

Meet at 8:30am at the Bechtel International Center, or at 9:30am at the Saratoga Gap parking area (corner of highway 9 and 35). Take into account that this will be a no-host carpool. This means that the people who meet at Stanford at 8:30am will have to pick their own drivers and there won't be somebody to give directions. Directions to Castle Rock (from Stanford) are:

• Take HW 280 Towards San Jose
• Take the HW 85 Exit towards San Jose (South)
• Take the Saratoga-Sunnyvale Rd. exit
• Turn right onto the Saratoga-Sunnyvale Rd. (South)
• Slight right onto HW 9 (Saratoga Ave./Big Basin Way).
• Follow HW 9 up the hills to Skyline Boulevard (HW 35)
• The group will meet at the Parking Lot at the left of the intersection of HW 9 and HW 35 (look for a red Toyota pickup truck).

Before starting the hike, we'll have to set up a shuttle between Saratoga Gap and Castle Rock parking areas

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

Take me to the top!

Jan 17: Winter Quarter Planning Meeting & Potluck Dinner!!!

The Stanford Outing Club holds its Quarterly Meeting Wednesday, January 17 at 6:30pm in the "Dining room" at the Bechtel International Center, Stanford.

As usual, we will have a potluck dinner before/during the meeting, so please bring some food and/or drinks to share. The food should be ready to serve as we won't have access to a stove or a microwave. (?) 

A tentative agenda for the meeting is:

1. Organize potluck food.
2. Opening speech by the outgoing president.
3. Election of club officers
4. Trip planning for the winter quarter.
5. Other topics.

Take me to the top!

Jan 21: Henry Coe (Benoît)

• Time: Sun. 8:15am at the Bechtel I-Center, Stanford
• Driving time: 1h 30' (each way)
• Directions: 101S to East Dunne Ave, left, right at the Y and follow the signs.
• Length of hike: 10 miles
• Elevation gain: 1480 feet + lots of ups and downs in between
• Park URL: http://www.coepark.parks.ca.gov/
• Rain Policy: rain does not cancel hike (unless it really pours!) A note: the current forecast is for a "chance of rain". But given last hike I tried to lead, I don't trust the forecast one bit.
• What to bring: lunch, lots of water, sun-screen, hats, rain gear etc.

Henry Coe is the largest state park in northern California, with 89,000 acres and 200 miles of trails. We will start at the Park Headquarters entrance. The terrain of the park is rugged, varied, and beautiful, with lofty ridges and steep canyons (and, unlike most places around the Bay Area, no houses in sight except for abandoned farmhouses and the park headquarters -- and fancy outhouses!)

The plan is to start from park headquarters and go down to China Hole, a popular swimming hole in the summer time, and back to headquarters.

Henry Coe park is very hilly, so there will be lots of ups and downs. The lowest point of our hike is at 1160 feet (China Hole) and the highest at 2640 ft (Park Headquarters). This make a "net" elevation gain of only 1480ft, but the hilly nature of the park may make it much more.

Another thing about this hike is that we go along a streambed, which may be fairly high given last week's rain. Worst case, if the trail is closed, we'll do another trail. Otherwise, be prepared for the possibility of getting your feet wet: bring extra socks and shoes to change into after the hike.

Long pants are recommended as ticks and poison oak are common in this area -- not to mention that it's not that warm out these days. As always, bring enough water for the day -- 2 litres -- and lunch food. Easily shared, yummy foods will make you friends.

Take me to the top!

Jan 27: Crab Cioppino (Mike)

Now the important thing is buying the tickets since the dinner sells out very quickly. You need to buy the tickets from I.F.E.S. as soon as possible. Their address is:

I.F.E.S. Hall - 432 Stierlin Rd., Mountain View. (Take Shoreline Blvd. Exit from Hwy 101) Phone: (650) 967 2759 It's advisable to phone ahead, so they are waiting for you.

After buying the ticket, please send me an email (crespo__no_spam__cs.stanford.edu) or give a call to the leader (Mike, 831-457-8633, he doesn't have email) to let him know that you are joining the group (for carpool purposes and to be able to find each other there).

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

Take me to the top!

Feb 4: Pinnacles National Monument (Heidi)

• Time: Sun. 8:00am at the Bechtel International Center, Stanford
• Driving time: about 2 hours (each way)
• Directions: take 101 south of San Jose to highway 25 towards Hollister, then continue on highway 25 south to highway 146, go west to park, meet at Bear Gulch Visitor Center in the park.
• Length of hike: 11 or so miles (I've never been on this hike, so no guarantees!)
• Elevation gain: around 1200 feet + lots of ups and downs in between
• Park URL: http://www.nps.gov/pinn/
• Rain Policy: rain does not cancel hike (unless it really pours!)
• What to bring: lunch, lots of water (2 or more liters), money for dinner and carpooling/gas and entrance fee ($5/car), sun-screen, hat, rain gear etc. There may be poison oak as well... You may want to bring extra socks and shoes to change into after the hike (it's a long drive home!). ALSO, there is an optional mile long trail through caves, and if you'd like to do that, bring a flashlight...(you can also go around the caves if you're claustrophobic).

Questions? I will not be utilizing my email after Thursday 5 pm (company offsite on Friday) so call my cell: (408) 772-2828.

About Pinnacles National Monument: http://www.nps.gov/pinn/

Rising out of the chaparral-covered Gabilan Mountains, east of central California's Salinas Valley, are the spectacular remains of an ancient volcano. Massive monoliths, spires, sheer-walled canyons and talus passages define millions of years of erosion, faulting and tectonic plate movement. Within the monument's boundaries lie 24,000 acres of diverse wildlands. The monument is renowned for the beauty and variety of its spring wildflowers. A rich diversity of wildlife can be observed throughout the year.

Take me to the top!

Feb 10: Skyline (Thomas)

• Length of hike: approx. 14 miles
• Elevation gain: 4x1100 feet!
• Meet: 8:00am at the Bechtel I-Center, Stanford
• Driving time: 20 min (each way)

This is a strenuous hike where we hike up and down in the Sotuh Skyline Region. From the Page Mill Road Parking lot, we hike up the Black Mountain via the Bella Vista Trail. On top we might have a nice view of Downtown SF. After hiking down on Indian Creek Trail, we walk along Canyon trail to go up to the Skyline Ridge trail via Grizzly Flat Trail. We return via Ridge and White Oak trail to the parking lot.

Take me to the top!

Feb 10-11: Outing Club Annual Ski Trip (Arturo)

• Location: Badger Pass Ski area, Yosemite National Park
• Meet: Saturday 6am
• Return: Sunday night
• Driving Time: approx. 4hr each way (in good weather).

Welcome to the Outing Club cross-country ski weekend in Yosemite. On Saturday Feb 10, we will be driving very early (around 6am) to Yosemite Valley and ski for half a day at Badger Pass. On Saturday night we will stay at Curry Village. On Sunday, we will return to Badger Pass and ski all day. We will return to Stanford Sunday evening.

Some skiing experience preferred but not essential. If you are a beginner, you can take cross-country ski lessons at Badger Pass. Snow-shoes and downhill skiing are also available at Badger pass.

Lodging:
We will be staying in cabins at Curry Village. Cabins are heated and they have a private bathroom. 3 people will stay in each cabin. Cabins have two double beds and 1 roll-away bed.

Car Pooling
I'll try to put in contact people that want to leave/return at the same time. Drivers will be reimbursed from their passengers (we suggest each person to pay $15 to the driver to cover the cost of gas and usage of the car).

Cost:
Cost is $35 per person.

Other costs that you should consider (which are not included above) are the Yosemite park entrance fee ($20 per car, unless somebody in the car has a national park pass), food, the ski rental at Badger Pass ($15.75 for a full day and $13 for half day), and carpooling cost ($15 per person). There is no fee for trail use in Yosemite.

Activities:
Following is a description of what we have in mind for the XC ski trip. However, take into account that the leader of the trip is only a low-intermediate skier and is not able to give instruction or to take the group in a tour. The leader can give suggestions of where to go, but is up to each person to decide what's best for him or herself.

On Saturday, we will probably get started skiing around 11:30, so the trip should be short. Beginners can take a Learn to Ski Class. For the rest, we can take the Glacier Point Road (easy terrain) to the Bridalveil Campground (4.5km). This is all on a wide groomed trail. On the way back we may want to take a non-groomed trail, depending on the conditions. On Saturday evening, we can go ice skating. Skate rental is available at Curry Village.

On Sunday, we have a full day. Possible destinations are Dewey Point (12.8km round trip in a difficult trail) or the Ghost Forest Loop (14-15km round trip in a medium difficulty trail). Most likely the group will split up because of different skiing skills. Another possibility, that have been very popular in the past, is for people to rent snowshoes and hike to Dewey Point.

Reservations:
Participation is limited to 18. To give a fair chance to everybody, all reservation requests received before Friday January 26 at 5pm will have an equal chance (we may need to conduct a lottery if we get more than 18 requests). Reservation requests received after that will be first come, first served. People who volunteer to drive will have priority (up to the number of cars needed), as well as past hike leaders.

To sign up, please answer the following questions:

1. Your Name.
2. Your phone number.
3. Are you willing to drive and how many people can your car seat?
4. Previous cross country experience.
5. Are you planning to bring your own X-country skis?
6. For couples: are you willing to share a double bed?
7. Would you mind sharing a room with people of the opposite sex?

After confirmation of your reservation, you will be asked to send a non-refundable $35 payment. This is necessary since I had to pay 100% up front to hold our group reservation in Curry Village.

More information about Yosemite can be found at:
www.nps.gov/yose/
www.yosemite.org/
www.yosemitepark.com

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

Take me to the top!

Feb 15-19: Crater Lake, Oregon (Igor)

• Location: Crater Lake, OR
• Meet: Thursday, Feb 15, 2pm (Sharp!)
• Return: Monday, Feb 19, evening
• Driving Time: Lots
• Cost: Yes, see below
• Planning Meeting: Wednesday, Feb 7, 9pm in Tressider 2nd floor main lounge.
• RSVP: Igor.Landau__no_spam__kla-tencor.com

"Crater Lake was formed after the collapse of an ancient volcano approximately 7700 years ago. That eruption was 42 times as powerful as the 1980 eruption of Mt. St. Helens. Subsequent lava flows sealed the bottom, allowing the caldera to fill water from rainfall and snow melt to create the seventh deepest (and bluest!) lake in the world at 1,932 feet."

Check it out:
http://www.nps.gov/crla/
http://www.nps.gov/crla/wint.htm

This trip is limited to 8 people (max # per wilderness permit.) Stanford affiliates have first priority.

Please visit the above Web sites about Crater Lake. Then, if you are interested please review the extensive information below (which was composed for YOUR safety and enjoyment,) and send me an e-mail at: igor.landau__no_spam__kla-tencor.com
with your Stanford affiliation, pervious winter camping experience (NONE is required as long as you are in GOOD shape and will have all the necessary equipment,) and any other issues and questions you have.

We'll have a trip meeting this Wednesday, the 7th. evening at 9pm in Tressider 2nd floor main lounge.

Agenda:
We'll ALL be leaving on Thursday 2/15 by 2pm SHARP from the Redwood Gear Shed on a ~7-8h drive to southern Oregon. I expect that we'll have a lunch before departing and will stop again to carb-up at Ridding or Weed in the evening at the likes of I-HOP etc. We'll spend the night at the campground in/near the park acclimating to the high altitude and cold.

On Friday we'll BC ski about 5-6 miles around the caldera's rim until we find a nice area to camp (hopefully with or near a view of the lake.)

Saturday will be spent enjoying the scenery. Some may what to ski around, some will help me built an igloo, basically St. is every one to themselves day. We'll head back first thing Sunday morning driving though Lava Beds National Monument where we may check out a cave or two.

We'll camp somewhere in Northern Cal for the night and then in the morning proceed to the Bay area arriving in the early evening, say 5pm. on Monday.)

Cost: This is a 4+ day trip and since there is a lot of driving it is not cheap. I estimate the cost as follows:

• Gear rental: $25-$40 (personal & group gear.)
• BC Skis: ~$40 at WM, REI etc.
• Food: $15 for group food, $15 for personal food.
• Car Rent/Fuel: ~$40-$60 (we'll be renting one van for all of us to save fuel on this long trip.)
• Park fees: ~$5-%10

Cost will be a function of gear rentals, transportation, and food for all three days. Here are some prices from the gear shed for rentals so you can do your own math (please note that the second, lower price is the rental price; the large price is the deposit, usually made in the form of a check to Redwood and destroyed after the gear is returned intact: (REI and Western Mountaineering may have better equipment but they charge 2-3 times as much.)

REDWOOD GEAR RENTAL SHEET

___Item Deposit Cost
___Tent - 3 Person $300 $10
___Tent - 4 Person $300 $10
___Ground/Rain Tarp Set $20 $3
___Sleeping Bag - minus 15° $150 $5
___Ridgerest Sleeping Pad $10 $1
___Pack - Internal Frame $200 $5
___Pack - External Frame $100 $5
___Whisperlite Stove Set $100 $5
(includes repair kit, 1 pot and 1 fuel bottle with pump)
___Additional Fuel Bottle $10 $2
___Pot - 3 Quarts $10 $2
___Nalgene - 1 Litre $5 2/$1
___Snowshoe $75 $5
___Polypro Top $20 $2
___Poncho $5 $1

Weather:
Currently Crater Lake N-Park has a LOT of snow and they expect to get more in the next two weeks! :-) The temperatures are Cold! (it may get to single digit at night.) We are likely to encounter a minor snow fall/storm. This will NOT cancel the trip! (trip MAY be canceled only if a seriously major snow storm is predicted in which case we'll go and explore various Natural Hot Springs in Easter Sierra Nevada.)

Below is an Extensive gear list.

Skiing Equipment: On this is trip we'll use Back Country (BC) touring (Not Telemarking) skis with metal edges and NON-wax base. (You don't have to be an expert but some previous skiing experience is assumed) We'll also carry a few pairs of snowshoes just in case anyone breaks a ski and to use around camp. Prices (approximate) for the a 3-day package rentals range from $36 from Western Mountaineering that have the Fisher E99's (the best skis for such a trip,) to $40 at Any Mountain, to $49 at REI (no group discounts, unfortunately). An important issue is that there is a limited selection of good BC skis for rent in the Bay Area, so we'll need to reserve them ASAP. To that end we should get commitments from people who want to come to this trip ASAP and go to measure and reserve the skis THIS week or there will be nothing left for us to rent! (4 day rentals may be a bit more.)

Clothing: (this list is very important!)

Head:
Mandatory: Wool/Synthetic thick hat. (wool is better) Must cover ears or have separate ear covers.
Recommended: Thin/soft Wool/Synthetic hat for sleeping. Balaclava/Face Mask. Wool/Synthetic Scarf.

Eyes:
Mandatory: Sunglasses.
Optional: Goggles. (if we get hit by a storm you'll be glad you brought them)

Upper Body:
2 long arm Wool or Synthetic undershirts.
Wool or Synthetic medium weight long sleeve shirt.
Wool or Synthetic or Down heavy weight/volume jacket/sweater. (it may get down to single digits at night!)
Goretex (or other water resistant material) shell WITH HOOD!

Hands:
TWO (minimum) pairs of medium/thick wool gloves. Synthetic is OK, but wool is better (and cheaper.)
Goretex (or other water resistant material) shell/mitten (a must!)

Lower Body:
Short Synthetic underwear (two pairs better then one :-))
Long warm underwear: Wool or Synthetic.
Wool or Synthetic pants.
Goretex (or other water resistant material) shell (a must)

Feet:
Wool or Synthetic thin liner socks (three pairs minimum)
Wool or Synthetic Thick socks lines (two pairs minimum) High Wool content preferable.
Gaiters (the higher the better.) A must!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Shoes: we'll be renting BC skiing boots.

Silk is ok but please No cotton, cotton kills in the winter!

GEAR:
*** identifies items that can be rented through Redwood (or REI, or Western Mountaineering)
First: the common equipment:
***Tent, 4 season/expedition strength (to handle the weight on snow.)
***Stoves: One per 2-3 people.
***Fuel: ¼ quart+ per person per day:
***Pots and pans: a pair per stove.
***Also, tent tarps
***Also we'll be taking with us several pairs of snow shoes (2-3) and first aid kits
***and shovels (or two) and a lot of bear rope.

Personal stuff:
***Sleeping bag: synthetic (Poligard 3D,) preferred. Down ok but not recommended. rated minimum 15 degrees (zero degrees preferred!)
***Backpack: 5k cubic in minimum. internal frame preferred. (pack cover highly recommended but you can use a garbage bag.))
***Sleeping pad. two are preferable. Its going to be cold out there. separate Stuff Sacks for clothing/food/gear/etc.
Skis: Back Country for touring. metal edges and non-wax base are a must. Exp: Fisher E99 MC
Back Country boots with maximum ankle support and water resistance. Strong poles.
Gaiters (it worth a remainder!)
Heavy duty plastic utensils: (Please avoid Metal in the winter.)
BIG, Deep heavy plastic cup (you'll be expected to eat everything out of it, including pasta.)
A pocket knife.
***Water bottles.
Two large and a small one to take with you in the bag for the night (it better be leak-proof!)

Misc.:
Flashlight: use Lithium or alkaline batteries. Rechargeables will NOT make it in the cold.
Spare light bulbs and batteries are highly recommended.
Sunscreen.
Chapstick (with UV protection highly recommended.)
Hand cream (if your skin tends to crack in cold dry weather)
Toothbrush/paste.
Toilet Articles (including paper.)
Any medications.
Camera (with plenty of spare film and batteries :-)) (highly recommended.) I hope that many people will have a digital one. (with spare memory and batteries)
A Whistle.
Waterproof matches / lighter.
various Bags for garbage.
A bear rope.
some strong tape.

FOOD:
We'll have a snack on Thursday before departing and will stop again to carb-up arround Ridding in the evenning at the likes of I-HOP. (We may also stop for a group lunch & dinner on our way back on Sunday/Monday.)

Therefore we'll be packing food for three breakfasts and lunches and only two dinners. Breakfasts and dinners are going to be group events: We'll have various serials, fruit pancakes, hot oatmeal and drinks for breakfast and different types of pasta for dinner (no beans please :-).) We usually have capellini (it cooks the fastest) with various sauces and FRESH Romano cheese! Mash potatoes, couscous, cheese/avocado casadias and miso/chicken soup are also on the menu. Also, tea, coffee, hot chocolate, honey, condensed sweetened mike, Sugar/salt/pepper/etc. You get the idea. Everybody should try to bring any or all of the above for yourselves and some to share with at least one more person. I am open to suggestions for the menu but judging from past experience nobody will be disappointed (or hungry).

For lunches I recommend that people will pack food rich in complex carbohydrates and proteins. for example:
Power Bars and gels: (plan three per day min.)
Dried apricots or other fruits and nuts.
Avocado. semidry bread: muffins, tortillas, crackers.
Cheese: Swiss, cheddar, Feta, etc.
Vacuum packed smokes salmon. :-), Salami.
Real fruit jam packed in a plastic tube (no glass please.)

Everything should be packed in separate plastic zip-lock bags. And all the food should be in one Strong big pack bag for hanging high away from bears at night.

So, if you are interested, please let me know ASAP as the space on this trip is very limited to some degree by winter camping gear on hand, availability of rental equipment.
Please send me the following information to: Igor.Landau__no_spam__kla-tencor.com
Name:
Email:
Phone #:
Cell Phone #:

Again, We'll have a trip meeting this Wednesday, the 7th. evening at 9pm in Tressider 2nd floor main lounge. At that point I'll collect deposits for the rental Van and we can organize into groups by tents and plan group food etc.

If you have any questions please feel free to e-mail me at: Igor.Landau__no_spam__kla-tencor.com.

Take me to the top!

Feb 17: Hike & Star Gazing at Lawrence Hall of Science (Johnny)

• Meeting time: Sat. 11:00 AM at the Bechtel I-Center, Stanford (or 12 noon at Tilden Park, Inspiration Point parking lot)
• Driving time: ~ 1h 15'. (each way)
• Distance of hike: ~ 10 miles
• Elevation: ~ 1200 feet
• URLs: Tilden Regional Park
  Chabot Space and Science Center
• Rain Policy: rain does not cancel hike (unless it really pours); telescope viewing is weather permitting.

Welcome to this unusual Outing club event. First of all, we will start late in the morning for a change! We will hike the Nimitz way in Tilden Park in the Berkeley hills in the afternoon. The hike should be finished before 6PM. We will find a picnic table for a dinner break, and maybe start looking at the stars already if some of you would bring your telescopes. We will then head over to the Chabot Observatory in Oakland to use their powerful telescopes to take a look at what's "out there". Telescope viewing time is free to the public 7-10PM, weather permitting.

The leader has not done this hike before, nor does he know much about astronomy. So no complaints allowed!

Tilden Park/Nimitz Way
----------------------
This hike got a very good ranking from a guidebook that Arturo showed me. The trail is ranked the best section of the 31-mile East Bay Skyline National trail. According to the guide, "the views are stunning in all directions, particularly of Briones and San Pablo Reservoirs to the east, and San Francisco By and the city's skyline to the west." We will hike up to the Wilcat peak, and then onto the nearby Wilcat Canyon Park, before looping back.

The Chabot Observatory
------------------------
The Observatory offers telescope viewing free to the public with its powerful 20" and companion 8" refractor telescopes. The 20" is the largest of its kind in western US. So come explore the magnificent night sky, and see for yourself the rings of Saturn, the red-spot on Jupiter, the colorful nebulae, and the Andromeda Galaxy. (The Andromeda is on a collision course with our own Milky Way! but don't worry, it'll take a while even at the speed of light.) The Chabot also has a planetarium under a 70-ft dome with live shows. The show "The SKy Tonight", hosted live by the Director of Astronomy, could be interesting. Tickets required; bring your student ID for a discount.

Some things to bring:
----------------------

• the usual hiking stuff: boots,water,sun-screen,snacks and food. As a price for starting late, we will have to bring lunch AND dinner for this trip.
• long pants since poison oaks are common in this park.
• a warm jacket for the night telescope viewing.
• binoculars and telescopes and star charts are welcome.
• money to pay your driver and parking and maybe the planetarium show.

Trip "leader:" Johnny Ng (jng99__no_spam__stanford.edu), 650-926-4490(o)

Take me to the top!

Feb 24-25: Skiing at South Lake Tahoe (T.K. Sung)

Depart - Feb 23 Evening (Friday)
Ski Heavenly (?) - Feb 24
Ski Sierra At Tahoe (?) - Feb 25
Return - Feb 25 (Sunday)

Cost - about $40/person for cabins at Camp Richardson + discounted lift tickets ($40 - $45)
Payment - by 2/2/2001
Cancellation & refund - only if replacement is found

Please e-mail T.K. Sung if interested!!!

TRAVEL PLAN:
Driver/passenger assignments are as shown on the attached spread sheet. Driver/passengers can decide as a group where/when to meet for departure. I'd encourage you to depart as early as possible, as the weather condition for Friday is uncertain. PLEASE CHECK THE ROAD CONDITION WITH CALTRAN BEFORE DEPARTING. (1-800-427-7623, or www.dot.ca.gov).

DRIVING DIRECTION:
Take 880/680 to 80 towards Sacramento
Take 50 to South Lake Tahoe in Sacramento
Around Lake Tahoe Airport, 50 merges with 89
Follow 89 to Camp Richardson

TO BRING:
CHAIN!
Flash light (in case you have to put chain on in evening).
Water (in case you get stuck in the road).
Sleeping bag
Towel, toiletries
Ski, boot, pole
Glove, hat, ski goggles
Sun screen, sun classes (Think positive!)
Layers of clothing
weather-proof shell or jacket
MONEY!

LODGING PLAN:
Checkin is allowed after 3 PM. If you are the first to arrive for your cabin, please pick up the key at the office. The office is located in the main hotel as you enter the Camp. The one with the key will also serve as the cabin monitor.

If you arrive after 10PM, the office will be closed. Go directly to your cabin. If nobody else has arrived till then, the key will be taped on the cabin door.

The cabin assignments are as shown on the attached spread sheet. There are two doubles and four singles on each cabin. The beds will be taken first-arrival, first-serve basis. If problem, the cabin monitor will arbitrate.

Since you may have to share the bed with a stranger, I'd recommend you to bring a protection (sleeping bag). Though there are blankets, sleeping bag is a good idea anyway in case it gets too cold.

SKI PLAN:
By default, we'll congregate at 10 AM each day at the ski lodge and form a skiing group of 2 to 5 according to the skill and physical shape. If you already have your own group, you can skip this if you want to.

Lesson takers and renters will meet separately at 9AM for 10AM lesson. ($79, including rental and lift on green trails)

DINING & ENTERTAINMENT PLAN:
There is a restaurant at the Camp called Beacon Bar & Grill. The prices are around $10 for breakfast, $13-$23 for dinner. For breakfast, I'd recommend the ski lodge, since it's better to get there early and get a good parking. Alternatively, you can bring your own food. For those who want to hit the town for dining and gambling in the evening, We'll try to organize expedition groups at 5:30PM meeting.

CONTACTS IN CASE OF EMERGENCY:
Call the camp and leave message. Their number is 1-800-544-1801.

Schedule for 2/23:

• Meet your driving groups at agreed time/place. If your passengers have equipment, make sure that you are able to carry them. (If not, contact TK by Friday morning).

Schedule for 2/24:

• Lesson takers drive to California Lodge and meet TK at the Discovery Center in main building at the base of Gun Barrel at 9 AM. If any of your passengers is taking a lesson, please get there by 9AM with them.
• All others meet in cafeteria at the top of Tram, at 10 AM (Feel free to arrive early, have leasurely breakfast, or squeeze in a few runs before meeting) Make sure that you drive to California lodge, not Gondola. We'll congregate by the skill level and form skiing groups of 2 to 5.
• By default, meet for lunch at 1 PM at the same place. Or, feel free to have lunch any time/place that your skiing group prefer.
• Meet at the patio of Beacon Bar & Grill at 5:30 PM to assess the casualty, decide where to ski on 2/25, etc.
• Dinner at Beacon, in town or in cabin

Schedule Option #1 (Kirkwood) for 2/25:

• Meet at the second floor of Timber Creek Lodge at 10 AM. It is the first Major Lodge as you pull into Kirkwood.
• We'll meet at 1 PM at the same place for lunch by default.
• Meet at the lodge at 3:30PM for departure.

• Meet at Aspen Cafe at 10AM. It is on the second floor of the main building.
• Meet at the same lodge for lunch at 1 PM by default.
• Meet at the lodge at 3:30PM for departure.

Take me to the top!

Mar 2-4: Winter Camping in Sequoia (Liz)

• Location: The Lakes Trail, Sequoia National Park
• Meet: Friday afternoon, Mar 2
• Return: Sunday night
• Driving Time: approx. 4.5- 5hr each way (in good weather). Bring snow chains; 4x4 ok.

Note:

• This trip is suitable for beginners, but you need to have done at least one or two backpacking trips before. Experienced folks are welcome too!
• You should be in reasonable shape (e.g. can hike 7-8 miles with a backpack.)
• Mode of travel: snowshoes or skis (intermediate or advanced skiers). The plan is to snowshoe, but if you are comfortable on skis, and can travel independently, and do your own route-finding, that's fine.

Trail notes:
We start at the Wolverton Trailhead at 7200 ft, which gives us a boost at the start for this trip into the high country. The Lakes Trail is a classic backpacking trip in Sequoia National Park: wide open vistas and dramatic granite walls are standard fare as we hike. The trail begins in red fir forest, then enters polished granite country, and culminates in a rocky basin with three gem-like lakes - Heather, Emerald and Pear - as well as many sparkling creeks. The total climb to Pear Lake is a mere 2300 ft, spread out over 6.5 miles.

However, since we will be travelling in the winter, the lakes and creeks are likely to be frozen over. Also, the hike will be done in deep snow (currently 7-9 feet up there). The plan is to camp at Emerald Lake, and then do a day trip to Pear Lake early Sunday morning, before heading down. Some people have been known to forego the day hike, and go swimming in Emerald Lake, but you may have to dig through the ice to make your own swimming hole :)

After descending and returning to the cars, we will probably drive over to visit the Giant Sequoias. They are quite a sight in the snow.

**IMPORTANT: Sign-ups**
If you wish to sign up, please email me with the following:

1. Name
2. Telephone number(s)
3. Whether you can drive, how many passengers you can take, and whether you have chains or a 4x4
4. Do you have a 4-season tent? How many people can fit in it?
5. Do you have a stove? What type of stove?

Finally, we may make changes to the route/location depending on the weather and snow conditions. I will be calling the ranger at Lodgepole periodically for weather and trail updates.

For more information, feel free to email me or Paul: chanpaul__no_spam__stanfordalumni.org

Liz

Take me to the top!

Mar 9: (Fri) Moonlight Hike at San Francisco Bay Wildlife Refuge (Nikki)

Take me to the top!

Mar 11: Big Basin (Craig)

• Departure: 8 a.m. from Bechtel I-Center, or 9:30 from Big Basin Park Headquarters
• Estimated return time: 6:30 p.m.
• Distance: 12 miles
• Elevation Change: 1900 feet
• Cost: $6 park entrance per vehicle plus mileage optional dinner afterwards
• Rain Policy: Pouring Rain Cancels Hike
• 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 may be my favorite Bay Area park. This is where I learned from a friend to not just look for views off high peaks, but pay attention to the little going on around you. There are fewer grand vistas on this loop (though there should be a couple nice views), but plenty to see under the forest canopy. 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, possibly stopping to play a little seesaw. This is prime viewing area for the wondrous banana slug, which no one should leave California without admiring. From here we take a right onto the Berry Creek Falls Trail, which passes by (unsurprisingly) Berry Creek Falls (65 ft), as well as Silver Falls (70 ft) and Golden Falls (smaller). Hopefully recent rains will have these flowing at a good rate. We will probably stop for lunch at one these places. We will return on the Sunset Trail, which I am not familiar with but apparently follows some exposed sandstone ridge part of the way.

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 (trip leader)
cfoster01__no_spam__yahoo.com
(650)497-3314

Take me to the top!

Mar 17: Junipero Serra Park (Arturo)

• Departure: 7 a.m. from Bechtel I-Center
• Distance: 12 miles
• Elevation Change: 4000 feet
• Cost: $5 per car (adventure pass), plus carpool expenses, and dinner.
• Rain Policy: Rain Cancels Hike
• Approx. Driving time and Mileage: 3hrs, 165mi (each way)
• Bring:
  • Boots are mandatory, trail is wet and muddy with lingering snow.
  • Long pants and long sleeves recommended as trail may be overgrown and ticks may be present.
• Optional dinner in the way back.

Description:
Junipero Serra Peak is the highest peak in Monterey County. It's name after Friar Junipero Serra, the founder of the Missions in California. This spectacular peak is in the middle of Los Padres National Forest and affords views of the Ventana Wilderness and the Pacific Ocean. The walk up is strenuous with an altitude gain of 4000 feet and six miles each way on trail, but, I've told, the view is well worth the effort. The trail climbs gently for the first 2 miles in a forested area. Then, it continues through thick chaparral, and switchbacks at a steady rate. In the way there are a few streams that may require some boulder hopping. Near the top, we go back to a pine forest and at the top of the mountain, there is an ancient fire tower.

The weather around the area is unpredictable, so bring a sweater in case it is foggy and chilly, but also bring lots of water since it can be really hot and sunny! Rain or high probability of rain cancels the hike. I'll send an email message to the group on Friday evening if we are canceling. Please no phone calls after 10pm or before 6am.

The trip leader has never been to this place but he likes to climb peaks and has a map :-) This means that any help in finding the right trails will be welcomed. If you have a compass, bring it. I'll be practicing land navigation and I'll be happy to teach people.

Optional dinner in the way back.

Trip "leader": Arturo Crespo (crespo__no_spam__cs.stanford.edu ), 650-723-9273 (office), 650-967-4039 (home)

Take me to the top!