KRUSE RHODODENDRON STATE RESERVE MUSHROOM HIKE

 

 

 

Carpool at 9:45 at the pullout for the Gualala business directory north of bridge, or at the Black Point Beach Coastal Access parking area 10:00. Shortly after entering Salt Point State Park, drivers from the north should prepare to turn left on Kruse Ranch Road, just before Fisk Mill Cove. There is just a short drive to the official parking area. No fees and no passes required. Hike will begin from the Kruse parking area at 10:15. We will hike the Phillips Gulch Trail and return on the Chinese Gulch Trail.  The first part is mostly up and the second part is mostly down (but no steep places). Fortunately, there are level places along the way where we can catch our breath. We will cross eight bridges over flowing creeks. This is a spectacular area.  If you have either of David Arora's mushroom guide books, bring them.  We will look at mushrooms in general but specifically for oyster mushrooms.  Boots and hiking sticks are recommended.  Light rain does not cancel this hike.  Lunch will be on some friendly logs near our starting place. Dogs are not allowed on the Kruse trails. The route of the hike may be altered during the hike depending on time.
Leader: Joel Chaban, 884-9280

 

Photo credit: Laura & Dave

MONARCH GLEN/WALK-ON BEACH LOOP

Carpool at pullout for Gualala business directory just north of bridge at 10:50. Start at the Sea Ranch chapel, mm 55.66 at 11 am. Hang tags needed for non Sea Ranchers. Carefully cross the highway to Bosuns Close. Enter trail on south side, then take a right onto trail going north. Before entering the hedgerow walk the Monarch Glen loop trail on the right, returning to the previous trail.  Walk through the hedgerow, trail will cross four streets and then turn east onto Leeward Road.  When Meadow trail is too muddy walk Leeward Road all the way from the hedgerow. Take a left on Seal Rock Reach and hike to Walk-On Beach for lunch. Proceed on trail through hedgerow at post 37, then turn east, cross Leeward and retrace steps to chapel.  

Leader: Linda Kennedy

 photo credit: Laura

AIRPORT ROUNDABOUT #1: FLY CLOUD, SEA RIDGE, DEEP WOODS

Meet at 9:30 at pullout for Gualala business directory north of bridge or park at 9:45 at The Sea Ranch Business Center on Verdant View (turn right before you reach the Fire Station). We can park along the cul-de-sac by the building supply. Sea Ranch members please bring along extra hang tags for non-Sea Ranchers. At the end of the hike we will be having lunch at the Ranch Café, so it’s best to place your order before we start the hike so it will be ready when we return. The hike will start at 10:00. Walk Verdant View back towards the north and turn left on Annapolis road, using the trail on the left side of the road. Left on Timber Ridge. Walk Timber Ridge, right on Fly Cloud and right on Westgate Drive, back to Timber Ridge, where you turn left. Cross Annapolis Road where Timber Ridge becomes Sea Ridge. Follow Sea Ridge to a T intersection with Spring Meadow. Turn right on Spring Meadow and left on Timber Ridge. Follow the trail at Trail Post 313, near Sorcerer Wood, proceeding left as you pass TP312, returning to the pavement turning right on East Ridge Rd. at TP311.Turn left on Deep Woods Rd, and right on River Beach Rd. Turn left on Timber Ridge Rd. using the new trail on the right side of the pavement. Right on Annapolis Road, then left onto Verdant View. We will eat lunch at The Ranch Café, or you can bring your own lunch.
Leader: Adrian Adams for Linda Kennedy
Mileage: 4.2
photos contributed by Bob R, Mary Sue, and Harmony

POMO TRAILS AND FOREST

All photos by Mary Sue Ittner

Carpool at pullout for Gualala business directory just north of bridge at 9:50. Meet at Dard's (205 Screech Owl, Sea Ranch) at 10:00. It's East on Halcyon (North end of Sea Ranch) North on Deer Trail, West on Screech Owl.  Starting on Screech Owl, do entire Pomo Creekside Trail. Turn left on Deer Trail and walk until you catch the Pomo Hillside Trail. As this trail exits to Deer Trail take the Badger Trail to the dirt road, turn left and after a few hundred feet take unofficial trail to the right through the grass and over a flattened to the ground barbed wire fence to the county campground road. Turn to the right and walk to the campground. At the bottom of hill take unofficial trail heading toward river and explore this beautiful area. Reverse and start back. Cover the route taken inbound to dirt road, turn right to Post 152 turning left on Haversack connector trail. Take it exiting on cul-de-sac which traverse turning right on Deer Trail. Turn in on Pomo Creekside trail and return to beginning. Lunch at Dard's at the end.
Leader: Laura Bridge

PLANTATION TRAIL - SALT POINT STATE PARK

photo credit: Jane Seck

photo credit: Jane Seck

photo credit: Bob Rutemoeller

photo credit: Bob Rutemoeller

photo credit: Bob Rutemoeller

photo credit: Bob Rutemoeller

Meet at 9:30 at pullout for Gualala business directory north of bridge to carpool and at The Sea Ranch Lodge parking lot at 9:45. Drive up Kruse Rhododendron Rd to Plantation and park at Plantation Farm Camp. Weather (muddiness) will dictate our route but we will walk up from Plantation and either enter Salt Point from the top Kruse Road connection or walk on the up the road turning right on Seaview and walking along it until we come the the trail access. We will either make a loop or do a down and back. We will be on the look out for mushrooms but without our mushroom guide we will not be picking any. We will drive to Kruse Rhododendron State Reserve for lunch after returning to our cars. Boots and hiking sticks are recommended. Light rain does not cancel this hike. Dogs are not allowed on the Salt Point trails.
Leader: Harmony Susalla

EAST SIDE WOODSY TRAILS AND HUGEL RAVINE LOOP variation

Meet at 9:45 at pullout for Gualala business directory north of bridge and at 10:00 at end of Verdant View near Two Fish. We will leave as many cars as possible there and carpool to the end of East Ridge Road. Hang tags needed. Start hiking at post 101. Hike south along the trails until post 116, head down to the walk -in cabins and walk Pine Meadow Road to meet up with the Hugel Ravine to Seabird Road, turn left on Schooner Drive and follow it to the end where we will pick up the trails back to our parked cars.  There is some elevation gain, both up and down, and a walking stick would be helpful. The trails are very pretty and hopefully not yet too muddy.   Lunch at the end at 2Fish (which was closed today).

Leaders: Diana and Dave Bower

PLANTATION TRAIL MUSHROOM HIKE

Meet at 9:15 at pullout for Gualala business directory north of bridge to carpool and at The Sea Ranch Lodge parking lot at 9:30. Drive to the eastern entrance to Salt Point Park on Sea View Road. We will be joining our guest leader, Nhu Nguyen, mushroom expert from Berkeley. Nhu recommends that people who have it bring along Dave Arora's pocket mushroom guide, All That the Rain Promises and More: A Hip Pocket Guide to Western Mushrooms. Enter the park on the trail, turning right on the Plantation Trail when you come to it. This will be an unusual hike as we'll be stopping to look at mushrooms along the way so we will not cover as much ground as usual. Depending on the condition of the trail we will either retrace our steps or walk to Kruse Ranch Road, turn right and walk back to cars along Sea View Road. We will drive to Kruse Ranch Road and descend to Kruse Rhododendron State Reserve for lunch. This trail can be a bit muddy if we have a lot of rain beforehand. Boots and hiking sticks are recommended.
Leaders: Mary Sue Ittner and Nhu Nguyen

The the ridge and back

Today we walked from Cooks Beach to my home studio on the ridge and back. On the way UP the hill we got a lesson in mushrooms from one of the only people I trust to pick wild mushroom: John Peterson. Here he is showing us a hedgehog, chanterelle, and ?? I don't remember the other.