SAMPLE GATHERINGS FROM THE CURRENT NEWSLETTER
Sunday, August 1
Limantour Estero Dune Walk & Birding
Leaders: Ginny Bowen & Amy Miller, milbo@earthlink.net;
Karen Khan
Rating: 1A1
Stroll along with us on this easy walk through Limatour Estero in Point Reyes. The beach is beautiful, and less crowded than Stinson Beach. We’ll walk out and back on the two-mile long spit, a long finger of dunes that hugs the Estuary. This area is well known as one of the Bay Area’s best places for birding, so bring binoculars if you have them. Great numbers of egrets, herons, ducks, loons, hawks, and rare birds hang out here year round, as well as migratory birds in the fall and winter. We’ll enjoy our lunches on the beach when we return. If we’re up to it, we could do another walk down the beach in the other direction to the cliffs. It can get very windy, sunny, or foggy, so dress in layers, wear a hat, and bring sunscreen, lunch and water. You could also choose to wait for the walkers on Limatour beach while you wade, toss a frisbee, swim (brrr!), or read a book.
Meet at the Jamba Juice parking lot at Church and Market at 9:30am.
Saturday, August 14
Fort Baker Adopt-a-Site Day
Leader: Cate Steane, csteane@earthlink.net
Rating: Conservation
This is an ongoing habitat restoration project that GLS sponsors jointly with the Marin Conservation Corps. The work we do varies according to the weather and the needs of the National Park Service. We may be removing the invasive French broom from the hillsides, cleaning up the beach to allow native plants to thrive, or outplanting native plants. The goal of all our work is to create a home where the endangered Mission Blue Butterfly can thrive. Fort Baker is at the north end of the Golden Gate Bridge. Meet at 9:15 AM at the parking lot between the Parade Grounds and the Bay Area Discovery Museum. We work until lunchtime. E-mail Cate for driving directions and carpooling information. Work boots required: dress for dirty work, bring layers, rain gear, and water.
Friday, August 27 - Sunday, August 29
Sam McDonald Park - Hiker’s Hut Weekend
Leaders: Ginny Bowen & Amy Miller, milbo@earthlink.net
Rating: 1A2 - 2B2, hike-in 1 mile
Limit: 12
Sign-up: Email to sign up by August 17
Cost: $10 (members) $20 (non-members) or $25 for trip + 1 year membership no refunds after August 17
We’ll be staying the weekend in the Sierra Club’s rustic Hiker’s Hut at Sam McDonald Park, an 85-acre county park 3 miles west of La Honda in the Santa Cruz Mountains. Surrounded by 5,000 acres of public and semi-public land, it contains both a second growth redwood forest and an open, grassy ridge, with views of the Pacific Ocean and Butano and Skyline Ridges. The hut is a one-mile hike from the parking lot, so we’ll be packing in our food, sleeping bags, clothes, and stuff. It has a stove (no oven), a microwave, a small fridge, a wood burning stove, a sleeping loft and mats, but no shower. We plan to offer a an 8 - 10 mile loop to Pescadero Creek Park on Saturday, and a 4-5 mile loop through the redwoods on Sunday Morning. Or, you can choose to just hang out at the hut and read, play cards, and walk in the surrounding woods. Contact Ginny by August 17th to reserve your spot.
Saturday, September 11
Fort Baker Adopt-a-Site Day
Leader: Cate Steane, csteane@earthlink.net
Rating: Conservation
This is an ongoing habitat restoration project that GLS sponsors jointly with the Marin Conservation Corps. The work we do varies according to the weather and the needs of the National Park Service. We may be removing the invasive French broom from the hillsides, cleaning up the beach to allow native plants to thrive, or outplanting native plants. The goal of all our work is to create a home where the endangered Mission Blue Butterfly can thrive. Fort Baker is at the north end of the Golden Gate Bridge.
Meet at 9:15 AM at the parking lot between the Parade Grounds and the Bay Area Discovery Museum. We work until lunchtime. E-mail Cate for driving directions and carpooling information. Work boots required: dress for dirty work, bring layers, rain gear, and water.
Saturday, September 11
Henry Coe Late Summer Saunter
Hike Leader: Jim Burke, (415) 753-1191, jburke56@earthlink.net
Rating: 3B2
This challenging 12 mile hike, twice postponed this year due to inclement weather, is in one of the most picturesque and remote locations in the Bay Area. Our route begins and ends at the headquarters of Henry Coe State Park, the largest state park in northern California, and one of the region’s best kept secrets. Starting on the Corral Trail, we descend to our lunch stop of Poverty Flat using the Springs Trail and Poverty Flat Fire Road. Poverty Flat is in the valley cut by Coyote Creek, one of the main rivers in the park. After climbing out of this river valley by way of the steep (but short) Cougar Trail, we descend to China Hole, and then negotiate a tributary of the Coyote Creek using the Mile Trail, which crosses the creek at several points. We will then leave the river valley once and for all using the Madrone Soda Springs Trail, and return to the trailhead using the Manzanita Point Road and the picturesque Forest Trail.
Meet at the SF Safeway (Church & Market) at 8:15 AM for carpooling (departure is at 8:30 AM, SHARP), or at the park headquarters at 10:15 AM (call or E-mail for directions, if needed). Bring a lunch, water, money for gas, and layered clothing. If the weather is unduly warm that day, the route will be shortened. Heavy rain will cancel the hike.
Saturday, September 11
Di Rosa Preserve Gallery Tour & Napa Picnic
Leaders: Ginny Bowen, milbo@earthlink.net, Melissa West
Rating: Cultural
Limit: 12
Sign-up: Call or email by August 25
Cost: $12 - No refunds after September 7
The Di Rosa Preserve in Napa houses one of the largest art collections in the country. It is surrounded by vineyards, olive trees, and rolling hills. The gallery tour will take us through four buildings, containing an extensive contemporary California Bay Area art collection. We will also walk through portions of the 217 acre preserve which contains a lake, garden areas, a meditation chapel, and a courtyard with over 150 outdoor sculptures. No indoor photography. Plan on an all-day trip. We’ll leave San Francisco around 8:30 am. The tour begins at 10:25 am and is 2 ½ hours long. Following the tour, we’ll drive to a nearby park and have a late picnic lunch. Bring lunch and a drink. Contact Ginny by August 25 to reserve your spot.
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