Puffing up Slacker Hill

I only had time for a short Marin Headlands hike yesterday, and I found a destination that packs a whole lot into just 0.8 mile -- Slacker Hill!

The small trailhead sits at the junction of Conzelman and McCullough. I followed a path to the north, crossed McCullough, and begin climbing on the wide signed trail. The grade is moderately steep throughout as the rocky trail climbs through nearly treeless coastal scrub, with sagebrush and coyote brush common. I saw quite a bit of zigadene in bloom, as well as some purple bush lupine, California poppies, ookow, paintbrush, and checkerbloom. At 0.2 mile, Coastal Trail heads off toward the Golden Gate Bridge, and the dead-end trail to the viewpoint sweeps right.

More climbing. Views back to the north are incredible and include all the Headlands hills and Mount Tamalpais. A pipevine swallowtail fluttered along. Near the top the trail splits once more, but the path to the left was signed as closed. The last bit to the top was somewhat overgrown and I was surprised to see native bunch grasses here.

The very top is wide open and level and offers simply the best views of the Headlands, Golden Gate Bridge, ocean, San Francisco, and just about everything else for miles and miles. The best part? I had the hilltop completely to myself.

Changes in the Marin Headlands

Local cartographer Ben Pease recently alerted me that construction in the Marin Headlands was altering the trailhead for my Gerbode Valley hike. After reading the project actions flyer I got the idea that the work was completed, so yesterday I cruised the scene.

Work is definitely not completed. At first I couldn't find the trailhead -- piles of dirt and rubble block access to the eastern leg of the little spur road, and construction equipment is staged all around. The new bridge is in place (but closed until autumn) to the west of the old trailhead, but there is no formal trailhead parking near it, so I can't guess what is planned there.

You can easily access the Gerbode Valley hike by parking on the side of Bunker Road west of the stables -- look for a small path signed to Miwok Trail, about 30 feet west of a reduced speed sign. If you get to the road junction at Fort Barry you've gone too far.

Other Headlands improvements are obvious and pretty wonderful. The road junction at Conzelman and McCullough is now a roundabout. Conzelman is nicely paved and hosts new parking pullouts. I'm excited to explore more and this is a great time of year to do it.

Bad broom

Yesterday I hiked Yolanda, one of my favorite Mount Tam trails. Broom, a non-native and invasive plant, has crept up the hillsides and nearly completely overtaken the grassy understory in the first 1/4 mile of the trail.

Here is a photo from 2008:

This is what the trail looks like now, in 2012:

Broom is a huge problem on this part of the mountain and MMWD is constantly organizing "broom pull" volunteer projects. If you love Mount Tam, consider volunteering! Maybe you have a group of friends or work colleagues who are willing to spend a few hours giving back? I don't see habitat projects for Yolanda scheduled this month, but there are several other broom pull projects planned. Or get a group together and offer your services to the greater good of lovely Yolanda Trail!

So dry

We had a family hike at San Pedro Valley Park on MLK Jr. Day. Saw quite a few groups on the trail, each one clutching a trail map, so it looks like folks are exploring new places -- hooray for that!

I've certainly never hiked at San Pedro in January and experienced such dry, even dusty trails. The manzanitas were blooming as normal for this time of the year, but we didn't see any annual wildflowers budding or in bloom.

Rain is forecast for this week, so this coming weekend may be a great time for waterfall hikes. Here are some favorites:

Mount Diablo Donner Canyon

Big Basin Redwood State Park waterfall loop

Carson Falls

Alamere Falls

Cataract Falls

Mountain magic

I had a real craving for Mount Tam, so off I went this morning. I reached the East Peak summit a few minutes after 9, my car breaking the monotony of the empty parking lot.

This morning was hazy so the views were not great, but I so enjoyed looping around Verna Dunshee Trail and then climbing the Plankwalk to the mountain top. I saw one giant manzanita fully in bloom, but there were no other annuals flowering.

I've never had the summit to myself and I think I may have an early morning habit forming -- it was so quiet I could hear the juncos grunting softly to each other as they picked through the dead oak leaves along the trail.

On the way back down the mountain I stopped at Rock Spring to gauge the wildflower season there. The grasslands seem almost painfully dry. I only saw one milkmaids blooming at the edge of the forest. Lots of bobcat poop though.

First flowers of the year (and hope for rain)

Our bay area winter has been super dry so far, so maybe we have the fog to thank for early wildflowers on San Bruno Mountain. On January 4 I hiked the Summitt Loop and spotted half a dozen blooming milkmaids (and many more still budding) as well as 6 San Francisco wallflower.

Milkmaids are one of the most common winter flowers, and you're likely to see them along any grassy, coastal scrub, or chaparral trail. San Francisco Wallflower is quite rare, but I've seen it for the past few years at San Bruno, on the upper slopes of Montara Mountain, and Sweeney Ridge.

If you headed into the woods later this month and early February, you're likely to find hound's tongue, an annual with gorgeous blue flowers nodding off tall stems. Up on the high forests of Mount Tam, tiny calypso orchids should be brightening the woods later this month. Polly Geraci trail in Pulgas Ridge is a reliable source for the strange brown fetid adder's tongue -- a flower that can be hard to spot until you see one, then you seem to see a bunch!

Traditionally my family hikes San Pedro's Waterfall Loop around Christmas, but we were out of town this year. Looking forward to visiting the manzanitas there this month.

Hopefully we will get some rain soon and the waterfalls will start flowing. My favorite early season waterfall hike is Mount Diablo's Donner Canyon -- great flowers and gorgeous falls, but wait a few days after heavy rain to avoid the mud.

Looking forward to hearing from Bay Area hikers as you experience winter's delights!

Keep Portola and Castle Rock open

Very happy to learn that the Portola and Castle Rock Foundation is working to keep those parks open. Castle Rock is one of my top five Bay Area hiking destinations, and I would hate to see it closed.

Your can help by donating to the foundation. Are you struggling to think of a holiday gift for one of those "already has everything" friends? Donate in his/her name! Get creative people!