Local Fixes

A forum that'll feed your need for exploring the limitless adventure possibilities found in "other" places. Post trip reports or ask questions about outdoor adventures beyond the Sierra Nevada here.
User avatar
maverick
Forums Moderator
Forums Moderator
Posts: 11821
Joined: Thu Apr 06, 2006 5:54 pm
Experience: Level 4 Explorer

Local Fixes

Post by maverick »

What local county or state park/preserve do you use for a quick wilderness or
workout fix? Not all of us are lucky like Markskor, John Dittli, and a few others
who have the Sierra as their backyard.
Coyote Hills Regional Park and Mission Peak Regional Preserve are both about
12-15 min's away and both get a lot of usage.
When living in San Carlos it was mostly Edgewood Park & Natural Preserve with its
great wildflower displays, and the Crystal Springs Trail up into Huddart County
Park, wish we were still living there.
Professional Sierra Landscape Photographer

I don't give out specific route information, my belief is that it takes away from the whole adventure spirit of a trip, if you need every inch planned out, you'll have to get that from someone else.

Have a safer backcountry experience by using the HST ReConn Form 2.0, named after Larry Conn, a HST member: http://reconn.org
User avatar
Baffman
Topix Regular
Posts: 126
Joined: Thu Feb 16, 2006 7:35 pm
Experience: N/A
Location: Fernley, NV, formerly Independence, CA

Re: Local Fixes

Post by Baffman »

Living near Reno, I usually head to the Mount Rose Wilderness or Desolation Wilderness for getting into shape. The Jones Whites Loop is close and has it all. Ophir Creek is another favorite. Growing up in Independence I would cruise up to Kearsarge Pass or up towards Baxter Pass.
User avatar
TehipiteTom
Founding Member
Posts: 953
Joined: Thu Aug 24, 2006 8:42 am
Experience: Level 4 Explorer

Re: Local Fixes

Post by TehipiteTom »

Mt. Tam, the Marin Headlands, and Montara Mountain are all within about a half hour of me and all have serious hiking potential. I like Edgewood as well, and Ring Mountain up in Tiburon, but more for wildflowers than for real hiking.

A little further afield, there's real marathon hiking (plus backpacking) potential up at Point Reyes or down at Coe.
User avatar
dave54
Founding Member
Posts: 1327
Joined: Fri Oct 28, 2005 10:24 pm
Experience: Level 4 Explorer
Location: where the Sierras, Cascades, and Great Basin meet.

Re: Local Fixes

Post by dave54 »

Out my door and to the end of the block.

Not a designated wilderness, it is private commercial forest with gated roads. The restricted access means it gets less use than most designated wilderness. I am friends with the local manager and he does not care if I hike or mountain bike on the land. I won't see another person all day.
=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~
Log off and get outdoors!
~=~=~=~=~=~=~=~=
User avatar
sparky
Topix Fanatic
Posts: 1029
Joined: Tue Jul 20, 2010 10:01 am
Experience: Level 4 Explorer

Re: Local Fixes

Post by sparky »

The Colorado front range will be my new backyard haunt.

But I used to live 45 minutes from the trailheads of the san jacinto wilderness. I also hiked a lot in the Santa Ana mountains or Anza Borego, and I have a few small secret areas around the surrounding cities of riverside county. San Jacinto is the perfect training ground for the sierra though as the trails are steep and high and melts out 2-6 weeks before the sierra.

here are some photos....

my secret spot

Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
Image
User avatar
LMBSGV
Topix Fanatic
Posts: 1013
Joined: Sat Oct 27, 2007 8:42 pm
Experience: Level 4 Explorer
Location: San Geronimo, CA
Contact:

Re: Local Fixes

Post by LMBSGV »

The San Geronimo Valley is surrounded by 1,400 foot ridges with Samuel P. Taylor State Park to the west. All the ridge lands are now part of Marin County Parks (the last private section above our home in San Geronimo was purchased last year through a combination of public funds and donations by us locals). The adjoining land to the south is part of the Marin Watershed that extends to Mt. Tamalpais. So my wife and I walk out the front door and within twenty minutes are on a fire road heading up to a ridge. Most of the time, we don't see anyone else. So except for the fireroad itself, it feels like wilderness with beautiful forest, solitude, quiet, and views that extend for miles. From certain viewpoints on the ridges we can see San Francisco Bay, Oakland, and San Francisco with Mt. Diablo and Mt. St. Helena in the distance. We see lots of birds, the occasional rabbit, and sometimes skunks, bobcats, foxes, and coyote (actually, we had one of those a few feet from our house last week--we warned our neighbors with cats). Then for an alternative, we can drive twenty minutes and be in Point Reyes National Seashore with its designated wilderness, miles and miles of trails, beaches, and backpacking.

We feel very fortunate to live where we do.
I don’t need a goal destination. I need a destination that meets my goals.

http://laurencebrauer.com
User avatar
gary c.
Topix Fanatic
Posts: 1479
Joined: Tue Jan 24, 2006 4:56 pm
Experience: N/A
Location: Lancaster, CA

Re: Local Fixes

Post by gary c. »

I just did a 4 day, 20ml trip into the Sespe Wilderness this past weekend. My first time into the area but we had a great time. I don't think I would want to hike there in the summer though.
"On this proud and beautiful mountain we have lived hours of fraternal, warm and exalting nobility. Here for a few days we have ceased to be slaves and have really been men. It is hard to return to servitude."
-- Lionel Terray
User avatar
Rockchucker
Topix Expert
Posts: 407
Joined: Mon Jan 28, 2013 5:22 pm
Experience: N/A
Location: Bishop, CA

Re: Local Fixes

Post by Rockchucker »

gary c. wrote:I just did a 4 day, 20ml trip into the Sespe Wilderness this past weekend. My first time into the area but we had a great time. I don't think I would want to hike there in the summer though.
I love the sespe! Willet is cool but the devils gate is unreal, rarely explored. In the summer we would hike from 5 pm till tired and relax, swim, fish durring the day. A great 3-4 day through hike lions camp to squaw flat. I say 4 days because I like to spend a day at the hot springs.
I'm no suture for my future.
User avatar
oldranger
Topix Addict
Posts: 2861
Joined: Fri Jan 19, 2007 9:18 pm
Experience: N/A
Location: Bend, Oregon

Re: Local Fixes

Post by oldranger »

Pilot Butte (2 mi rt with 500 ft vertical) I do this 4x week with 33 lb pack. 3 minutes from my house (10 by bike).

Badlands wilderness (16 miles from house 2.5 to 10 mile trips)

Three Sisters Wilderness (30 min to 2 hour drive) 2 to ???? miles and 200 to 5,000 of vertical possible.

Smith Rock State Park (50min drive) 2-6 miles 5-600ft vertical.

Mike
Mike

Who can't do everything he used to and what he can do takes a hell of a lot longer!
User avatar
Hobbes
Topix Fanatic
Posts: 1120
Joined: Wed Apr 27, 2011 8:09 am
Experience: N/A
Location: The OC

Local Fixes

Post by Hobbes »

I'm planning on taking my 14 yo son up to Whitney this summer. While we're just starting some initial training, this past weekend we had a chance to do a quick 8.1 miler (most of the Blue route) @ Crystal Cove SP with our day packs:

http://www.everytrail.com/best/hiking-c ... state-park" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

As was my goal last summer when we had 3 hours to get up & back to Bishop pass from S Lake, I've been testing his physical abilities in order to judge what kind of trip to plan for Whitney. Last year, we made it 9 miles up/back (about a mile below the Bishop pass) with day packs, for an avg speed of 3 mph.

Even though the total elevation gain @ CC is only 800', it's still pretty steep in some parts. Once you reach the crest, it provides beautiful vistas of the entire coast. We jogged a bit along the top ridge, and then upon our descent, we ended up jogging around 1.5 miles near the end.

I've been wondering when he was going to start passing me by, and now I have my answer. I was about to stop jogging and let him continue, when I rounded a bend and saw him waiting for me. LOL. Anyway, we made pretty good time @ 2h20m, for an avg speed of around 3.5mph.

So now my conundrum is that while I know he can do 9-10 mile days, he might be bored if we pull in too early. However, if I plan longer days, then it might appear to be nothing more than a death march. For this year, we'll do the standard Cottonwood lakes for a late afternoon start, head over NAP to Rock creek D2, Guitar D3 and then summit/Portal D4.

It will be interesting to see how he likes it. I've now got a rabbit to try and catch.
Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 4 guests