BOBCAT TO BLUFF AND BACK UP ANNAPOLIS RD.

Turkey sighting the week before Thanksgiving

Meet at 9:45 at pullout for Gualala business directory north of bridge and at 10:00 at Rhonda Mark's house at 35830 Sea Ridge Road. From Hwy 1, turn onto Annapolis Road.  Sea Ridge is the 2nd left; Rhonda’a house is the 1st house on the left. The hike begins by crossing Annapolis Road and walking on Timber Ridge Road going south uphill to Crows Nest drive. Turn right and continue to Trail marker 204, then right at TM#202 downhill toward Hwy 1, exiting at TM201 on Moonraker Rd.  Cross Hwy 1, continue down Moonraker to Brigantine’s Reach heading toward the bluff. Turn right at TM#3 going north along the bluff until TM#7, and head back east to Sea Meadow, then right on Sea Gate, connecting at Galleon’s Reach.  Walk up to Hwy 1, cross.  There is a trail post, but no number posted as this is a new trail.  GO LEFT following the trail up the hill paralleling Annapolis Rd.  Cross Fly Cloud, continuing up the hill to Timber Ridge, cross Annapolis back to start at Rhonda’s house. Rhonda will be providing chili and cornbread for our lunch and others are invited to bring food that will go with this and leave it at Rhonda's while we hike. A lot of this hike is steep (down and up) so boots and walking sticks are advised. If the trails are muddy, Rhonda may substitute roads for trails.
Leader: Rhonda Mark

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

A Tribute to Glen at Stillwater Cove

Carpool at the pullout for Gualala business directory just north of bridge at 9:25 and at The Sea Ranch Lodge parking lot at 9:40. Hikers with County Regional Park passes should drive. We will be remembering Glen Forbes today as we gather round a bench in his memory that has been added overlooking Stillwater Cove. Those people who want to can say a few words. Afterwards we'll hike the interesting bluff section of Stillwater Cove and then return back to our cars. We will drive then to the day use area and park.  We will hike through the beautiful forested canyon, cross a small stream, then up along the ridge until we reach the old Fort Ross schoolhouse and then through the Canyon and down to the Cove for lunch. After lunch we'll return to our cars.  Dogs allowed on leash and hiking sticks helpful for a few steep spots and river crossing. Parking in the first section could be a challenge as there are only room for about three cars so we may have to drop people off and do a shuttle.
Leaders: Mary Sue Ittner and Bob Rutemoeller

It was a fitting tribute to a beautiful man in a beautiful place.  Mary Sue's words were especially touching.  It was a lovely hike which started with drizzle and ended with sunshine.  Glen, you are missed.

FLUMEVILLE TO STORNETTA PUBLIC LANDS

Surprise!  A small blow hole blowing wind out

Our lunch spot

Our view from the lunch spot - watching whales spout

Halloween Tree

Meet at 10:20 at pullout for Gualala business directory and at 10:30 at Anchor Bay (West side of Hwy 1) to carpool and start at Rollerville Junction 2 miles north of Point Arena at 11:00. The leader will decide our route from there, but we will be treated to gorgeous views of the ocean as we walk south and to views of the spectacular bluff on this hike. We will travel to the old Coast Guard Loran site (now owned by Mendocino Community College) and find a suitable place for lunch before returning to our cars.
Leader: Bill Clement
It was an exceptionally large group (24!) and a short hike (2.1 miles) but the weather was perfect for a ramble along this beautiful stretch of ocean bluff.

GUALALA POINT PARK BLUFF AND LOOP

Photo Credit: Bob & Mary Sue

Start at Hidden Parking Lot at 10:00  (on westside entrance just left after pulling past fee post.)   There is a fee per car. (Or park across the street and cross Highway One if you do not have a pass.) Hike to the bluff,  turn south and walk along the Bluff Trail past Salal Cove. Between post 64 and 63 turn left walking through the hedge row and on Fish Rock Road to Leeward. Turn left on Leeward and walk until you intersect the Salal Trail. Turn right following it back to the highway and the Hidden Parking Lot.  Lunch at the picnic tables at the end.
Leader: Jim Suhr

I wasn't on the hike... I was on my way to Denver... but Mary Sue reported: "The weather was perfect today with the fog bank just off shore and the wind not picking up until after we were finished walking. Jim extended the Gualala Point Park section of the hike, but we still finished in record time."

FORT ROSS SOUTH

The bottom angled board represents Jesus' feet and also the 2 disciples.... good and bad.... 

4th graders from Palo Alto on a field trip.  They each had taken on the roles of actual historic Fort Ross residents.

2nd largest Eucalyptus tree in the USA!

May-Tee-Nee is the Kashia name for the area.

Carpool at 9:15 at pullout for Gualala business directory north of bridge, and at The Sea Ranch Lodge at 9:30 or meet at Fort Ross State Park at 10:00.  Fort Ross is only open on weekends after early September, but there is a school visit this day so we were able to see the Fort.  We will walk to the Cove and then take the trail to the south end of the park along the bluff. Return and walk to the Russian graveyard. Robin Joy who has worked at Fort Ross as an interpreter joined us and educated us along the way.
Leader: Gary Sprague
NOTE: for those interested visit: https://www.facebook.com/groups/163772490349838/  for information about trips, big ships and events at Fort Ross.
LOVELY warm, sunny day at Fort Ross. 

Rain Change

Linda's lot... the ground breaking started this week!

After a very wet night full of hail, thunder and lightening, the leader (Linda) opted to change today's hike to a walk along the bluffs.  After a few light showers the sun came out and it was a LOVELY hike.