60 Hikes in 60 Miles: San Francisco: November 2011

At Tomales Bay State Park, Hearts Desire, Shell Beach, and Millerton Point parking and day use areas have been closed Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays since October.

Olompali has been closed Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays since October.

Jack London will be closed Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays starting December.

Sugarloaf State Park will be closed from December-February.

Several websites offer suggestions and seek your support:

Save Our State Parks

California State Parks Foundation

If you value California State Parks, please help any way you can.

Friday, November 18, 2011

What a pleasure to hike at Edgewood, with such nicely graded trails, birds to watch, and flowers to spot. Before I hit the trails I stopped at the new Bill and Jean Lane Education Center -- it's a cute little building with thoughtful displays about Edgewood's flora and fauna. When the EC is open, volunteers are available to answer questions and offer hiking advice. Check it out.

Other than the Education Center, nothing new or different to report from the trails. I'm looking forward to spotting Edgewood's first blooms of winter in January.

Sweeney Ridge

I escaped City fog and enjoyed perfect weather at Sweeney Ridge this week. Happy to see that all trails are now signed, there's an information signboard at the trailhead, and a new composting toilet at the ridgeline junction with the paved and dirt road. I am bummed that the entrance stile makes it impossible for folks in wheelchairs to access the trails. Some smart designer out there should come up with a new entrance, one that would prevent access to motorcycles but allow strollers and wheelchairs through.

I saw the usual scrub jays, vultures, and hawks, spied one chipmunk, and noticed a good amount of coyote and bobcat scat on the ridge. Nearly every pile was studded with fruit pits and that perplexed me, since there's hardly any edible fruits this time of year at Sweeney Ridge. Coffeeberry? No, not in November. Hmm, pondered for many steps until I spotted a cluster of something edible up on the ridge. Aha! Twinberry! Mystery solved.

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

Lace your boots -- I need your help!

I'm working on the third edition of 60 Hikes within 60 Miles: San Francisco, and I need your help field checking hikes.

Here's how it works:

Go to http://60in60sf.blogspot.com/2011/08/tentative-hike-list-for-3rd-edition.html

Browse the list of hikes

Choose one or as many as you like

Hike them, following the directions on the webpages

Post comments on http://60in60sf.blogspot.com/2011/08/tentative-hike-list-for-3rd-edition.html

I'm looking for comments such as:

updates to driving directions

changes in access or entrance fees

changes in trail names

changes in trail conditions

new trails

removed trails

anything different than the text

anything good or bad in your hiking experiences

anything interesting you see or experience while hiking

Every hiker who field checks a hike and posts a comment will receive thanks in print in the book. The twenty most useful comments (judged by me) will earn their owners a free copy of the third edition.

Thank you for your help -- your comments have shaped my website and books and I appreciate you!eful comments (judged by me) will earn their owners a free copy of the third edition.