Alaska Cruise: Juneau

Vacation time was finally upon us. We had planned months ago to do a cruise to Alaska. We boarded NCL's Pearl in Seattle, and over the next week we would be making stops at Juneau, Skagway, Ketchikan, and Victoria along with cruising Glacier Bay National Park. Our first port of call was Juneau, the capitol of Alaska. We booked a hiking excursion through the ship. Upon getting off the Pearl we hopped on a bus with about 30 other people and headed out for the short drive. We had three guides from the local Gastineau Guiding company. They gave us some great info while on the ride and even pointed out several bald eagles along the way. We arrived at the parking lot across from the trailhead, which was full of buses. We were given water and snacks and we split into three groups. Our group of about 10 and our guide headed out for the hike. The hike would be about 4 miles round trip. We were surrounded by lush green scenery and crossed a creek where we could see some salmon up close. The pace of our hike was slowed greatly by a few people in our group who were constantly stopping for pictures and obviously don't hike much. Our guide provided us with great information along the way and kept the group moving. The payoff came towards the end of the hike when we got our first view of the Mendenhall Glacier. The spectacular views of the glacier were what we came to Alaska to see, and it was amazing. The end of the hike continued with more views of the glacier all the way until we reached the Mendenhall Glacier Visitor Center. The visitor center area was busy with people, most take a tour bus straight from the ship here. We ended up with only a few minutes before we had to leave, not enough time to even take a look inside the center. It was a nice hike but in the end we did not get to see much more than the visitors who don't hike. The bus dropped us off at downtown Juneau where we had some time to walk around and do some shopping before getting back on the ship.

Norwegian Cruise Line
Gastineau Guiding
Mendenhall Glacier

Dublin Hills Regional Park

It is rare that you are able to attend the opening of a new park. So I couldn't miss the opportunity to attend the dedication and official opening of Dublin Hills Regional Park. Dublin Hills is the newest addition to the East Bay Regional Park District, and has been over 16 years in the making.  The park covers around 660 acres of land in the hills above Dublin. The dedication took place at the newly constructed Donlan Point Staging Area. The staging area has space for about 23 cars and has a restroom. It is located right off of Dublin Blvd. It was a large group of people that turned out for the dedication. Various speakers talked about how this new park came to be. After the dedication which included words from the current and past mayors of Dublin, the ribbon was cut and the gate opened. Most everyone proceeded to hike to the top of Donlan Point and enjoy the 360 degree view. Its maybe a 1.25mile round trip. It is fantastic to have an additional park in the East Bay for residents to enjoy. I thank all those who put so much work into making it possible. I look forward to enjoying the park again.

Dublin Hills Website

Jail Break Run

We ran the 10k Jail Break Run at the Santa Rita Jail in Dublin today. They also had a 5k race. The location of the race got us interested initially and because it benefitted the Special Olympics we decided to participate. There was ample parking at the jail so we had no delay finding a spot. It was a short walk to race bib pick-up which was on the running track. After signing the required waiver, bib and t-shirt pick up went smoothly. The start line was not so obvious but announcements were made in plenty of time to let us know where to go. It was a mass start with the 5k and 10k groups starting at the same time and surprisingly was not as chaotic as it sounds. Although it was delayed about five minutes or so since there were a lot of people doing same day registration. The SWAT team lead the start, running in formation. The route started by making a loop around the jail. Just as we got back to the start area there was a split between the 5k and 10k race routes. It was obvious that there was a split but not obvious as to who goes in which direction. We nearly missed our turn and we know one person who went the wrong way.
The route for the 10k went north, next to the jail, before going up a hill. This is the same hill that the SWAT team has to run in their training. It wasn't too steep but it was an impressive hill that climbed over a mile to the water tower. The trail on the hill was completely exposed so the sun beating down was tough. Once at the top we made our way around the water tower before heading back down the hill. Passing through the start again the route takes you by the training center before joining Tassajara Creek Trail. We followed this trail for about a mile or so before returning on the street through a residential area. The course in this area had some slight uphills and downhills with few flat sections. Heading back toward the start was the finish line, with the 10k chute to the left and the 5k chute to the right. There were several water stations along the course and mile markers at every mile. There were chalked arrows along most of the route to help guide the runners on the right path. Plenty of bananas, orange slices and water were on the running track postrace. The kids races followed, then the raffle for Giants tickets then race awards. We left just as it was really warming up. It was a good race course with good support but the split of the two races could have been better.

Wildcat Peak Hike

We had been planning to get out to hike Wildcat Peak for over a month, just never seemed to get out there. On this particular weekend the stars aligned and we headed out the door. Wildcat Peak is located within Tilden Park in the Berkeley Hills which is one of EBRPD's parks. For the hike we headed to the Environmental Education Center which is adjacent to Little Farm at Tilden. The one thing you definetely need to do is get a trail map before you head out. The reason is the trail posts in this area are not marked with the usual name of the trails but little pictures instead. A picture of a tree signifies Pine Tree Trail, picture of a bird for Jewel Lake Trail and so on. The trail map has a key to go by.

We began our hike from behind the Education Center, and headed towards Sylvan Trail. This is where a deer jumped from the bushes and crossed the trail right in front of us. Of course I didn't have our camera out, but I did get some pictures as it continued on away from us. Proceeding forward we turned right onto Wildcat Peak Trail. Wildcat Peak Trail heads up hill, you become more exposed the higher you get. When you get to the top there will be a junction to the left that will take you the last few feet to the top. Wildcat Peak tops out an elevation of 1211ft giving you great views all around. On our particular day the fog was still lingering and there wasn't much to see. After a few pictures we continued along and made a right turn onto Nimitz Way. Nimitz Way is a  wide paved trail popular with runners and bikers. We were only on Nimitz a short bit before making a right towards Laurel Canyon Trail. Laurel Canyon heads downhill, the trail is pretty narrow and overgrown in spots. Also a few muddy spots so you may want to avoid this trail in the winter. Laurel Canyon will take you all the way back down to the back of the Education Center to the hikes end. This hike is about 3.5miles roundtrip and took us almost two hours. A nice easy hike, which would have been better if it was a clear day. Afterwards we stopped by the Education Center. The center was very impressive with lots of exhibits. We grabbed a few trail maps for some other parks on our way out the door. We stopped by the Little Farm before leaving, check out our video below.

Laurel Canyon Trail

Tilden Education Center

Tilden Park Website

Ano Nuevo State Park

Our last stop of our holiday weekend coast trip was Ano Nuevo State Park. It's located just off Highway 1 in Pescadero, in San Mateo County. After paying the $10 entrance fee we parked in the good sized lot. There are also picnic tables and bathrooms at the parking lot. Not too many people at the parking lot or at the picnic tables, not sure if this is typical or if it was because of the cold breezy day. After grabbing our gear and jackets we stopped at the visitor center to pick up the free permit that is required to hike in the reserve. We didn't think we'd be able to see any Elephant Seals at this time of the year but the docent at the visitor center let us know otherwise. Excited about the news we headed out to the Ano Nuevo Trail. The trailhead is only a few feet from the visitor center. The dirt trail is nice and level and passes around a pond. The Ano Nuevo Point Trail passes to the east side of the pond but we passed along the west side which is Pond Loop Trail. Passing through the wetland areas, kept an eye out for garter snakes which are native to this area. We didn't see any on our trip. Just under a mile in we came across a kiosk and staging area for the Wildlife Protection Area. There is often a docent here with exhibits pertaining to elephant seals. You need the permit to continue beyond this point. The dirt trail soon turned into sand and we were on the sand bluffs for the rest of the hike. There were three turnoffs from this trail that lead to coastal views and on this day, views of the Elephant Seals. The first turnoff is to South Point which we bypassed since we had been told earlier that you could only see a couple of pinnipeds there. We continued on and took the turnoff to Bight Beach where we were met by three docents. They gave us lots of information about the few elephant seals we could see from that viewpoint. We could also see Ano Nuevo Island which is few miles off the shore and houses an abandoned lighthouse.
On most days, including this one, it also houses sea lions and seals. Binoculars came in handy to view the island, and the docents had a telescope we could use as well. After a brief stop here we made our way back on the sandy trail and continued to North Point. Again we were met by knowledgeable docents that gave us additional information about the large elephant seals, specifically their behavior. We were fortunate enough to get great views of the huge elephant seals. We marveled at the sight and loud sounds of the seals before heading back on the trail. We retraced our steps on the sand and dirt. After passing the pond we heard and luckily saw a happy little bird that was a nice end to our hike. We took about 2 hours to do the four mile roundrtip hike, including the stops at the viewpoints. We would like to comeback during the elephant seal mating season (December-March) when the area is accessible via guided walks only.

Visitor Center

Ano Nuevo SP Website

Pigeon Point Light Station

We were spending the weekend on the coast for the 4th of July weekend. On our way from Half Moon Bay to Ano Nuevo we stopped at Pigeon Point Light Station. Pigeon Point is a State Historic Park and is located on Highway 1, about 20 miles south of Half Moon Bay. The lighthouse is 115 feet tall and was first put in to operation in 1872. The lighthouse itself is closed to the public but the grounds are open. There is a small gift shop and the old fog signal building shows a video on the history of the lighthouse.  There are observation points next to and behind the lighthouse that provide excellent views of the coast. Guided history walks are given on the weekends provided it doesn't rain.  The lighthouse keeper's housing is restored and operated as a Hostel. The Hostel has around 59 beds and prices start at $23. On our visit we walked the grounds taking numerous photos of the buildings and the coast. We stopped in the gift shop for a chat with one of the docents, and even bought a souvenir magnet. If you happen to be driving down the coast it is definitely worth while to stop by and check out Pigeon Point.

Keepers Store

Hostel

Pigeon Point Light Station Website
Pigeon Point Hostel Website

Fitzgerald Marine Reserve

Our next hike of the holiday weekend was a short one at Fitzgerald Marine Reserve. The reserve is located on the San Mateo County coast in Moss Beach, California. It was established in 1969 to protect the marine plant and animal species in the area. There is a small visitor center and a parking lot at the reserve. No entrance or parking fee. From the parking lot you can walk down to the beach and tidepools area or you can head a few feet south to the Coastal Trail, which is a cliff-top dirt trail that follows the coastline. At lowtide you can enjoy the tidepools or walk 2.5 miles along the beach down to Pillar Point in Half Moon Bay. The Coastal trail takes you about half a mile to another beach access point. We happened to be at the reserve at near high tide so we decided to skip the tide pools this time and enjoy the coastline views instead. The trail was fairly flat and the views did not disappoint. We were able to get great coastal views and saw the sea lions well from above. We realized that the beach itself had areas that were roped off so that people would keep their distance from the sea lions so had we wanted to we would not have been able to complete the 2.5 mile hike to Pillar Point along the beach. The traffic on the trail was moderate. We saw some amazingly colorful flowers and even some bees at work! We spent about 45 minutes on the one mile roundtrip hike before heading down to the beach to relax before ending the day.

McNee Ranch State Park Hike

We took advantage of the long holiday weekend to go to the coast and do some hiking. The first stop was to hike to the summit of Montara Mountain in McNee Ranch State Park in San Mateo County. McNee is located eight miles north of Half Moon Bay on Highway One. There are a few parking areas for the park. The closest one is small and fills up early, fitting maybe five cars. We parked at a larger lot a few hundred feet south of the trail head and walked along the road to the start of the trail. There is no parking or entrance fee, but also no maps at the trail head. We started our hike on the partially paved fire road on the other side of the yellow gate. Just over a quarter of a mile up the trail we came across a fork that if taken left will lead to a picnic area and portable toilet. For this hike we continued straight. The first half mile or so was mostly shaded which proved to be much welcomed at the end of the hike. It wasn't long before we got some great views of the coast. We were very lucky that there wasn't much fog that day and were able to really enjoy the views and get great pictures. As we followed the trail signs to the summit we crossed several benches where you could stop to marvel at the coast and other views. The trail and the temperature both began to climb as we continued on. Soon we had a good view of Devil's Slide which is currently under construction. This area has been closed to landslides in the past and there is a new tunnel being constructed that should be completed next year. As we got closer to the summit we came across a trail that leads to San Pedro Valley County Park and were quickly passed by a few runners participating in a Pacific Coast Trail Race. You can take this trail to view Brooks Falls in San Pedro Valley County Park, we chose not to on this trip. After about four miles we reached the North Peak of Montara Mountain and had a great 360 degree view of the surrounding area. We saw Mt. Tamalpais and the city of Pacifica to the north, Mt. Diablo to the east, the coastline to the west and the Santa Cruz mountains to the south. There was a bit more fog obscuring the view up at the summit than at lower elevations but it was still breathtaking. The area was completely exposed at the top without much of a place to take a break so after snapping some shots we headed back down the trail and snacked on the way. Again the runners passed us on their way back down the trail. We saw some great flowers and wildlife along the way, mostly birds and lizards. The trail was a bit more busy on the way down and since most of it is multi-use, we did see some mountain bikers, dogs and horses. Although mesmerized by the great coastal views on the way down the trail, we couldn't seem to get to the shade quick enough. It took us about 3 hours and 45 minutes to complete the 8 mile hike up and and down the summit of Montara Mountain with about a 1800 foot elevation change. Great hike with great views but we were lucky that the fog stayed away.

July Events

Here are a few things going on in July

7/4   Run San Ramon 5k and 10k races
7/10 Dirty Dozen Endurance Run at Point Pinole
7/11 Livestrong Challenge Bike Ride in San Jose
7/17 Healdsburg Harvest Century Bicycle Tour
7/17 Tri for Fun #2 at Shadow Cliffs Regional Park
7/18 Jail Break Run 5k and 10k
7/24 Lake Del Valle Aqua Challenge
7/24 Sequoia Trail Run at Joaquin Miller Park
7/25 San Franciso Marathon
7/31 Bad Bass 5k, 10k Half at Lake Chabot

REI Free Clinics (all at 7pm)
   Half Dome in a Day
     7/13 Fremont
     7/14 San Carlos
     7/27 Berkeley
   The Sierra High Route and Beyond
     7/20 Berkeley
     7/21 San Carlos
     7/26 Saratoga
     7/27 Fremont
   Exploring Desolation Wilderness
     7/28 San Francisco
     7/15 Mountain View
   Outdoor Diva (women only)
     7/27 Stockton