Thursday, March 26, 2015

POMO TRAILS AND FOREST

Photo credit: Mary Sue Ittner
Photo credit: Mary Sue Ittner
Photo credit: Steve Coffey-Smith
Photo credit: Mary Sue Ittner
Photo credit: Mary Sue Ittner
Photo credit: 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 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.

Thursday, March 19, 2015

RIDGE, SAG PONDS, BIG TREE AND BIG TREE LOOP TRAILS


Photo credit: Steve Coffey-Smith
Photo credit: Steve Coffey-Smith
Photo credit: Steve Coffey-Smith
Carpool at pullout for Gualala business directory just north of bridge at 9:45 a.m. Please bring hang tags for non Sea Ranchers. Going south exit Highway 1 to the left at Deerfield. Go to the top of Deerfield and turn right on Timber Ridge. Start at Big Tree Close and Timber Ridge at Ridge Trail post 122 at 10 a.m. Pass Ridge Trail post 116.  At Ridge Trail post 111 take left fork.  Follow trail to Ridge Trail post 104 at which point you are at Longmeadow Street.  Go through gate and turn right onto Sag Ponds Trail at trail post 104A.Continue on this trail past the Sag Pond to Sag Ponds Trail post 109A.  Turn right and walk to trail post 110.  Turn left on Ridge Trail and walk to trail post 117.  Turn left downhill on Big Tree trail to post 118.  Continue downhill now on Big Tree Loop trail and walk to trail post 267.  Here there is a bench with a great view.  Time for lunch.  After lunch at trail post 267 take a left turn and hike to Big Tree Loop trail post 120. Turn left and exit the Big Tree Loop Trail at Big Tree Close at trail post 123.   Turn right and return to parking area on Timber Ridge.
Leader: Theresa Yuen

Thursday, March 12, 2015

POINT ARENA-STORNETTA PUBLIC LANDS


photo credit: Robert
photo credit: Robert

Meet to carpool at 10 a.m. at pullout for Gualala business directory north of bridge or at Anchor Bay (west side of Hwy One) at 10:10 a.m.  The hike starts at 10:30 a.m. at Point Arena City Hall.  We will be walking in coastal grassland so there isn't a lot of elevation changes, but the ground is uneven and there are gopher holes so boots are still helpful. We should have spectacular views of Arena Cove and the offshore islands and the Pacific Ocean. We may do a loop, or just turn around and come back after walking an hour and have our lunch overlooking Arena Cove.
Leader: Mary Sue Ittner for Mary Heibel

Thursday, March 5, 2015

CORMORANT-WALK-ON BEACH LOOP


Meet at 9:45 at the Gualala Business Directory (north of bridge) and at 10:00 at Steve and Bonnie Coffeysmith's house, 339 Bluff Reach, corner of Bluff Reach and Cormorant Close. Walk to marker 30A and follow the hedgerow to marker 30D. Turn left and follow the trail straight through 31C to 33B. Turn right on Pacific Reach and Whalebone, toward Rt. 1. Turn left at marker 34A, left at 35D, and right at 35C. Continue hiking through the meadows to marker 42C, then turn left and walk to 42, overlooking Walk-on Beach. Turn left and follow the Bluff Trail, passing the TSRA Marine Preserve and Dune Drift Beach at marker 38. Hike to marker 37 and follow the sand trail to the cypress hedgerow, turn right and go to Tidepool Beach to look for harbor seals. Continue on the trail, passing Shell Beach and stopping to check out the cormorant nesting area before returning to the Coffeysmith's to enjoy your bag lunch.

Thursday, February 26, 2015

KING RIDGE LOOP

photo credit: Mary Sue Ittner

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. From Skagg's Spring Road turn on Tin Barn Road and drive to King Ridge Road and park. Hike King Ridge two miles (up) and return. This stretch is very beautiful in winter with mist, oak trees, and nice views. There is plenty of up and down on this hike.
Leader: Loretta Healy

Thursday, February 19, 2015

UP AND DOWN SCENIC GUALALA

photo credit: Dard Hunter
photo credit: Mary Sue Ittner
photo credit: Mary Sue Ittner
photo credit: Mary Sue Ittner
photo credit: Mary Sue Ittner

Meet at the corner of Highway One and Robinson Reef (the old site of Laura's Bakery) where we will park at 10 a.m. On this walk there are many scenic views. We will see views of the ocean from many different vantage points, interesting and diverse architecture and drought tolerant entry gardens, walk on the Gualala Bluff Trail, walk the Labyrinth at Shepherd by the Sea and see Gualala in a way most of us have never seen it, on foot. We might even see Calypso orchids in the woods near the Baptist Church. This hike is not level, but none of the "elevation changes" are very long. At the end we hope to eat our lunch on Ginger's deck, weather permitting.
Leaders: Mary Sue Ittner & Ginger Thompson-Veys

Thursday, February 12, 2015

DMC LOOP #5

Photo credit: Mary Sue Ittner

Carpool at 9:50 at Gualala Business Sign pullout just north of bridge or meet at 10:00 at Del Mar Center on TSR. Hang tags needed for parking for non Sea Ranch hikers. Walk south on Leeward until you reach the Walk-On Beach access trail and walk on it to Bluff. Turn north on the Bluff Trail and walk north taking the Salal Trail, turning right on Leeward, right on Grey Whale and picking up the Del Mar Meadow Trail at post 67B and back to Leeward and the Del Mar Center. Lunch in the Del Mar Garden.
Leader: Linda Kennedy