Murietta Falls musings: The thing to do when you’re already hiking 12 miles with over 4,300 feet of uphill climb is to tag a few more on because the view’s a little better. Another thing to do is stand in…
Trails
Murietta Falls: Perfect weather to check it out
by tom • February 25, 2008 • 4 Comments
My days off are Sunday-Monday these days, which means I get a trails-to-myself day at least once a week if I want it. Today strikes me as perfect one to check out Murietta Falls on the Ohlone Trail: a day…
Latest hike: Joseph D. Grant County Park
by tom • February 17, 2008 • 2 Comments
Grant Ranch wasn’t much to look at when I got there Sunday morning. All the better because it gave me an excuse to listen. The bird calls are remarkable when there’s no other distractions beyond the sound of the breeze…
Latest Hikes column: Rancho San Antonio
by tom • February 14, 2008 • 0 Comments
Just in time for Valentine’s Day: So you think he might be the One, but the real deal-killer question looms: What kind of hiker is he? Will he match your pace out of kindness, leave you behind out of rudeness…
Cataract Creek Trail: Marin County’s miracle mile
by tom • February 11, 2008 • 5 Comments
A steep, slippery mile through the deep woods north of Mount Tamalpais in Marin County tracks some of the best waterfall hiking on the West Coast (as long as the water’s running). I spent far more time driving than hiking…
The fault is mine: an earthquake hike at Los Trancos Open Space Preserve
by tom • February 11, 2008 • 2 Comments
If I had little kids, I’d bring ’em here and drive ’em batty with “did you feel that? … did you feel that …” — scarring them for life because that is a parent’s sacred duty. The San Andreas Fault…
Hiking at Rancho San Antonio
by tom • February 5, 2008 • 6 Comments
I decided to write my next Mercury News column on Rancho San Antonio County Park and Open Space Preserve, so I stopped by the park yesterday to refresh my memory of the trails out that way. Hadn’t been there since…
Little Basin to Big Basin
by tom • February 3, 2008 • 2 Comments
I had nothing to gain from this hike: I’ve already written a column about Big Basin for the Mercury News; the forecast called for rain all day; and it was with a group of over a dozen people, and I…
Mount Tamalpais: get thee to the south side
by tom • January 31, 2008 • 7 Comments
If you like the sound of running water near the trail, the trail to be on is probably somewhere on the south side of Mount Tamalpais these days. I hiked a couple of the popular trails at Mount Tam yesterday…