Finally, a hike where it feels like winter!

Gertrude Orr Trail

I think the area around Phoenix Lake was sprinkled with fairy dust yesterday -- the sun was shining, flowers were blooming, and everyone I passed on the trail was cheerful and smiling. Today's rain will not wash off the awesome, in fact, I think it will turn up the volume to 11.

The grassy slopes of Bald Hill need this rain. They are still mostly dry, although fresh grass has sprouted and is shifting the color balance from tan to green. Buckeyes have completely leafed out and I saw some wildflowers on Yolanda, including bluedicks, shooting stars, and hound's tongue. Down in the lower reaches of Hidden Meadow there were many milkmaids at their peak, a trend which continued on Shaver Grade and Gertrude Orr Trail. Gertrude Orr, which follows the southern shoreline of Phoenix Lake, was the absolute surprise star of the hike. The water level in the lake is low, but along the trail the understory is a lush tangle of green, and there were tons of milkmaids, fetid adder's tongue (just past their peak), Indian warrior, trilliums, hound's tongue, and mission bells (just starting).

I saw no zigadene at all until I got to the eastern shore of Phoenix Lake, where some really huge zigadenes were blooming in the grassland just before the junction with the footpath leading down to the trailhead.

Milkmaids are fairly delicate, so I'm guessing this storm may wash their petals off, but the other flowers are more sturdy and should survive the rain. If we have a dry day later this week the small waterfalls on Yolanda should be flowing.

Here's the link to my Phoenix Lake hike page (add Gertrude Orr Trail to the described route). There's a photo album from this hike on my Facebook page.

60 Hikes in 60 Miles in 60 Weeks: Week Twenty-six
Phoenix Lake

Hidden Meadow Trail

What it's like:
Nearly 5 miles of pleasant strolling along lower Mount Tamalpais trails. Fantastic views to the mountain top from lovely trails through grassland and woods.

Why now:
Mount Tam soaked up loads of rain a few weeks ago, and flowers are popping up all over. This brief window between winter and spring is my favorite time to hike here -- the grass is so green and the whole mountain feels refreshed (as do I after this hike).

If you can't make it this week:
Go any time, but not nearly as fun in summer and autumn.

Insider tip:
The only downside to this hike is parking. The lot is small, and you may need to wait for a spot. I can't even advise arriving at the trailhead early, since it's simply always crowded. The alternative is to park (where it is clearly legal) in Ross and walk to the trailhead, or park close to town and bike in.

Phoenix Lake is hike number 10 in 60 Hikes in 60 Miles: San Francisco (third edition). Read about this hike on BAHiker.

Alternate choice:
Wander through an old orchard, look for wildflowers, and even sip some wine, on a 3 mile hike at Picchetti Ranch Open Space Preserve, in the outskirts of Cupertino.

Post your comments and experiences here or on the BAHiker Facebook page.

Activity trackers and such

I'm always interested in how technology can assist hikers, so I was excited to try out the Strava app. For the past 3 hikes, I turned on my phone, started the application, pressed record, then pressed end when I was back to the trailhead. Surprisingly (to me) it captures data even when there is no cell signal -- I saw this first hand at Dawn Falls. Back home, I emailed my hike's data to myself and then opened a Strava webpage to see the hike on a topo map, as well as the hike's elevation profile and distance.

It's all a great idea, but not implemented successfully, in my eyes. The most compelling plus is very good data collection -- the app worked in heavy tree cover, which is usually a dead zone for all but the strongest GPS units. But there is no option to see your hike on a topo as you are hiking, so if you're in danger of getting lost or just wondering where you are in relation to other trails, Strava will not be helpful. Maps displayed on the Strava webpage are just too small -- I can't zoom in close enough to check the location details. And lastly, although this is a minor point, I am annoyed by Strava's persistent cycling emphasis. If the app is intended for cycling, fine, make it a cycling app, but since the app lets me save my activity as a hike, they might want to acknowledge the hikers could be using the app -- as it is their corporate chatter is heavily bike-weighted. For example I don't really want to challenge my friends to hike my latest hike (as you might want to for a bike ride), but I might want to share it with them.

I have been using the free app -- a premium status is available as well, but it doesn't look that that would address my issues.

Does anyone have an iPhone activity-tracking/gps app they like?

Taking a Wood Rat census at Pulgas Ridge Open Space Preserve

Last month my son and I were high up on the ridge at Pulgas, and his energy was flagging. We still had more than a mile to go before we were done, so I proposed that we count wood rat nests on the way back to the trailhead. We had such fun (and came to a surprisingly large number) that yesterday we went back and did it again. This time we counted the entire 4.1 miles -- stringing together Hassler, Dusky-footed Wood Rat, Dick Bishop, and Blue Oak trails.

Woodrat nest on Dusky-footed Wood Rat Trail (notice the human-trimmed branches)

Once you start seeing wood rat nests it's impossible to stop noticing them. Some of the piles of sticks are low rises while others look like they might be hotels. The rats are nocturnal, so you're not likely to see them on a hike. They prefer nesting in somewhat open shaded woods, but we saw plenty of nests in the chaparral part of the preserve. Our most entertaining find yesterday was a nest on the path on DFWRT -- my guess is that the small tree fell onto the trail, the woodrats immediately nested in it, and then preserve staff came and scratched their heads about the situation. What they did (good decision!) was to trim the branches that were blocking the trail, so that hikers could pass this woodrat campsite.

Like any good experiment, our efforts brought up new questions -- is the population stable, how long do nests last, how many rats in a nest, will we see more nests in spring? We're planning to get a hand clicker for our next hike!

So how many nests do you think we found? I'll post the answer in a few days. If you have a guess please post it.

Go count them yourselves here: http://bahiker.com/southbayhikes/pulgas.html

60 Hikes in 60 Miles in 60 Weeks: Week Twenty-five
San Bruno Mountain

Looking north to San Francisco from Summit Loop Trail

What it's like:
This 3.5 mile hike loops up to the summit ridge and back while featuring incredible sweeping views, and is just minutes from San Francisco.

Why now:
Regardless of the date, when I see the first wildflowers of the year on this hike, to me it's spring. Milkmaids are usually first, preceding a riot of flowers including California poppies, owl's clover, goldenfields, ceanothus (a shrub), cow parsnip, blue-eyed grass, bluedicks, and many more.

If you can't make it this week:
This loop is my standard quick weekday hike year round -- it's always pretty and great exercise.

Insider tip:
On the way back down the mountain, you can choose either Dairy Ravine or Summit Loop Trail -- both return to the trailhead with about the same overall mileage. I usually take Dairy Ravine in winter, Summit Loop in spring, and then switch back to Dairy Ravine again in summer (lots of soap plant blooming then). If the 3.5 mile Summit Loop feels too daunting, string together Dairy Ravine and Summit Loop for a 1.6 mile hike.

San Bruno Mountain is hike number 51 in 60 Hikes in 60 Miles: San Francisco (third edition). Read about this hike on BAHiker.

Alternate choice:
Cascade Falls is a small but pretty waterfall in Cascade Canyon Open Space Preserve, at the edge of Fairfax. This easy 1.2 mile out and back makes a great family hike -- look for early wildflowers such as milkmaids and hounds tongue.

Post your comments and experiences here or on the BAHiker Facebook page.

60 Hikes in 60 Miles in 60 Weeks: Week Twenty-four
Mount Diablo's Donner Canyon and Waterfalls

Donner Canyon waterfall

What it's like:
5.7 miles through a spectacularly rugged part of Mount Diablo, where waterfalls seem to appear out of thin air like a magician pulling rabbits out of his hat.

Why now:
Finally, it rained! The hills are greening up, manzanitas are blooming, and waterfalls are cascading merrily down Mount Diablo's back side. Look for early wildflowers and wintering ladybug colonies.

If you can't make it this week:
The falls are at their peak after days of heavy rain, but even when the water is just trickling this is a super gorgeous hike, with majestic stands of oaks, lush grassland, and diverse chaparral. Summer and autumn are hot and dry, so plan to squeeze this hike in before then.

Insider tip:
Prepare to get muddy on Donner Canyon Fire Road and to get your feet wet crossing Donner Creek. On the way to Falls Trail avoid one slick section of trail prone to mud and the creek crossing by taking Wasserman Trail via Bruce Lee Springs Trail (junction is near the Donner Cabin site). At the end of Wasserman Trail, turn right and descend Cardinet Oaks Fire Road a short distance to Falls Trail. If you're not familiar with these trails, be sure to take a good map.

Donner Canyon is hike number 29 in 60 Hikes in 60 Miles: San Francisco (third edition). Read about this hike on BAHiker.

Alternate choice:
Waterfalls will really be gushing this week in the north bay, which received the most rain over the weekend. Dawn Falls is a small, very charming waterfall in the midst of lush woods near Larkspur. This easy hike is a good one for small kids.

Post your comments and experiences here or on the BAHiker Facebook page.

60 Hikes in 60 Miles in 60 Weeks: Week Twenty-three
Marin Headlands

Bobcat Trail, near the Marin Headlands ridgeline

What it's like:
This is a classic Headlands loop -- climbing to the ridge, sweeping through coastal scrub with views for miles, then dropping back to the trailhead. The entire 4.8 mile hike is on fire roads.

Why now:
Cool clear days ensure the best views and a comfortable hike. Look for early blooming shrubs such as currant and huckleberry.

If you can't make it this week:
Each Headlands season is distinct, like different charms on a bracelet. Winter views are spectacular, spring flowers gorgeous, summer fog makes hiking intimate and hushed, and autumn bathes the landscape in a golden light. Collect them all!

Insider tip:
Do you remember the old Gerbode Valley trailhead? It was an unmarked dirt road on the side of Bunker Road. The new trailhead is west of the old one and features a big paved parking lot. When I drove by last week the parking lot looked finished but there were still construction trucks parked in it. If the lot is roped off or otherwise inaccessible, park across the street from the trailhead in the broad dirt mini-lot in front of the stables. Access the hiking trails on the broad bridge to the east of the new lot (it's visible from Bunker Road).

Marin Headlands is hike number 5 in 60 Hikes in 60 Miles: San Francisco (third edition). Read about this hike on BAHiker (the BAhiker hike is slightly different from the book version -- to follow the book, take Bobcat to Miwok, rather than Alta/Rodeo Valley).

Alternate choice:
Wunderlich is a heavily-forested park near Woodside with a decidedly horsey air (thanks to onsite stables) and miles of tranquil trails. I like this hike for the variety of landscapes -- deep woods, grassy meadows, and lovely views to the east.

Post your comments and experiences here or on the BAHiker Facebook page.