Point Reyes, 3/16-17, 2016
Posted: Sat Mar 19, 2016 7:24 pm
This trip was constrained both the day going in (still on winter hours so cannot get a permit until 10AM) and a promise to babysit the grandkids at 4:30 PM on the day out. So I chose the Five Brooks Trailhead and a counter-clockwise loop camping at Wildcat Camp. My car would always be close enough to take a short-cut out if needed. Weather could not have been better.
Annoyingly, I had to wait until 10AM to get the permit and by the time I reached the trailhead it was 10:30. The route via Stewart Road – Greenpicker Trail - Glen Camp Loop –Glen Trail – Bear Valley Trail – Coast Trail and Stewart Road to Wildcat Camp is about 11 miles. It took five hours. I had hoped to hike the beach to Alamere Falls, but with tides rising I decided to turn back about half way down. I set up camp, cooked a leisurely dinner and had plenty of time to sit on the bluff and watch the sunset. The camp was full; it was Spring Break for some area colleges.
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Greenpicker Trail
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Glen Camp Loop
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Arch Rock (which collapsed last year killing one person)
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Looking south towards Wildcat Beach
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Found the USGS bench mark
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Recent high flows have cut into the beach at Wildcat
Sunset at Wildcat Camp
[rimg]http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg23 ... ited-1.jpg[/rimg]
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[rimg]http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg23 ... ited-1.jpg[/rimg]
Night was clear but a massive amount of dew was unloaded from the sky by morning and everything was soaked. Sun hits the campsites late so I was not able to fully dry the tent before I left at 9:45. The 9.5-mile return route was better than I had remembered; Lake-Ocean Trail past many lakes and ponds, Coast trail to Bass Lake, Lake-Ranch Trail through forest tunnels, Ridge Trail and back down Stewart Road. I would have preferred Bolema Trail, but with all the recent rain the trails were muddy and Bolema is very steep.
[rimg]http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg23 ... ited-1.jpg[/rimg]
Wildcat Beach in the morning
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Looking North from viewpoint on Lake-Ocean Trail
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Looking south from viewpoint on Lake-Ocean Trail
[rimg]http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg23 ... ited-1.jpg[/rimg]
Bridge over creek that feeds Alamere Falls
[rimg]http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg23 ... ited-1.jpg[/rimg]
Bass Lake
[rimg]http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg23 ... ited-1.jpg[/rimg]
Tunnel of trees on Lake-Ranch Trail
[rimg]http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg23 ... ited-1.jpg[/rimg]
Algae covered pond
[rimg]http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg23 ... ited-1.jpg[/rimg]
Moss covered trees
The flowers that were out were wonderful. It is still a bit early for the full bloom of many of the flowers. Deer, quail and turkeys were abundant. There were a few banana slugs and very small ticks. I only saw one mosquito. The poison oak was shiny and ready to create havoc for anyone susceptible; luckily I do not react to it as I sat in a bit patch once! The web-cam shows fog today so I lucked out on the nice warm, sunny and breezy weather.
Annoyingly, I had to wait until 10AM to get the permit and by the time I reached the trailhead it was 10:30. The route via Stewart Road – Greenpicker Trail - Glen Camp Loop –Glen Trail – Bear Valley Trail – Coast Trail and Stewart Road to Wildcat Camp is about 11 miles. It took five hours. I had hoped to hike the beach to Alamere Falls, but with tides rising I decided to turn back about half way down. I set up camp, cooked a leisurely dinner and had plenty of time to sit on the bluff and watch the sunset. The camp was full; it was Spring Break for some area colleges.
[rimg]http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg23 ... ited-1.jpg[/rimg]
Greenpicker Trail
[rimg]http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg23 ... ited-1.jpg[/rimg]
Glen Camp Loop
[rimg]http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg23 ... ited-1.jpg[/rimg]
Arch Rock (which collapsed last year killing one person)
[rimg]http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg23 ... ited-1.jpg[/rimg]
Looking south towards Wildcat Beach
[rimg]http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg23 ... ited-1.jpg[/rimg]
Found the USGS bench mark
[rimg]http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg23 ... ited-1.jpg[/rimg]
Recent high flows have cut into the beach at Wildcat
Sunset at Wildcat Camp
[rimg]http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg23 ... ited-1.jpg[/rimg]
[rimg]http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg23 ... ited-1.jpg[/rimg]
[rimg]http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg23 ... ited-1.jpg[/rimg]
Night was clear but a massive amount of dew was unloaded from the sky by morning and everything was soaked. Sun hits the campsites late so I was not able to fully dry the tent before I left at 9:45. The 9.5-mile return route was better than I had remembered; Lake-Ocean Trail past many lakes and ponds, Coast trail to Bass Lake, Lake-Ranch Trail through forest tunnels, Ridge Trail and back down Stewart Road. I would have preferred Bolema Trail, but with all the recent rain the trails were muddy and Bolema is very steep.
[rimg]http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg23 ... ited-1.jpg[/rimg]
Wildcat Beach in the morning
[rimg]http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg23 ... ited-1.jpg[/rimg]
Looking North from viewpoint on Lake-Ocean Trail
[rimg]http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg23 ... ited-1.jpg[/rimg]
Looking south from viewpoint on Lake-Ocean Trail
[rimg]http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg23 ... ited-1.jpg[/rimg]
Bridge over creek that feeds Alamere Falls
[rimg]http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg23 ... ited-1.jpg[/rimg]
Bass Lake
[rimg]http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg23 ... ited-1.jpg[/rimg]
Tunnel of trees on Lake-Ranch Trail
[rimg]http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg23 ... ited-1.jpg[/rimg]
Algae covered pond
[rimg]http://i249.photobucket.com/albums/gg23 ... ited-1.jpg[/rimg]
Moss covered trees
The flowers that were out were wonderful. It is still a bit early for the full bloom of many of the flowers. Deer, quail and turkeys were abundant. There were a few banana slugs and very small ticks. I only saw one mosquito. The poison oak was shiny and ready to create havoc for anyone susceptible; luckily I do not react to it as I sat in a bit patch once! The web-cam shows fog today so I lucked out on the nice warm, sunny and breezy weather.