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Pomo Campground to Goat Rock

Page history last edited by lmckeega@... 13 years, 8 months ago

Trip Report

 

FIRST DAY HIKE - SATURDAY, JUNE 26, 2010 - POMO CAMPGROUND TO SHELL BEACH AND GOAT ROCK

Greetings from the Red Leader,

 

For our first day hike of the 2010 workshop I was joined by Cristina Lauck and Laura McKeegan (10).  We met at the Tides in Bodega Bay, at about  6:15 am on Saturday, June 26, and Cristina and I were presented with fleece beanies that Laura had sewn for us.  Cristina's was red and mine was blue and grey.  Laura had found an on-line source of the Fiskars, folding ruler, that I carry, and presented one to Cristina.  We waited a bit in the parking lot and, a few minutes later, were joined by Anna Napoles (09).  The skies were more than just a little overcast and I hoped it would clear enough to practice taking compass sightings.  From Bodega Bay we drove North to Goat Rock, where we left Laura and Anna's cars for the end-of-hike shuttle.  From there we continued on, in my "Boxter", up Willow Creek Road to Pomo Campground.

    

At the trail head the sun was shining and we hoped the sky would clear by the time we reached the picnic table.  We were soon on the trail, up through the redwoods, to the junction of the new Red Top trail.  When we had climbed above the tree line we could see that the fog bank was just below our elevation, and the picnic table, where we usually stop, was "socked in".  I decided that we would take the high road and we turned south, climbing up the north face of 1062 foot, Red Top.  We soon arrived at the junction of a spur trail leading to the crest of Red Top.  Looking to the northwest we could see that the fog was still obscuring the picnic table, and decided to explore the spur trail and go on to the top of the hill.  When we topped out, at the end of the trail, we found the fog so thick that we couldn't see any of the South side of Red Top, and continued West, following a faint track steeply down, to regain the trail West of the picnic table.  There would be no compass sightings taken this day.

 

We soon crossed Highway 1, at the entrance to the Shell Beach parking lot, and descended to the beach where we stopped.  The fog was so thick at sea level that the rocks off Shell Beach appeared and disappeared while we ate lunch.  After lolling about for an hour we climbed back to the parking lot and headed North on the Korum Trail.  Laura and Anna hurried ahead, while Cristina and I followed at a more dignified pace.  Cristina and I caught up with Laura and Anna, due to the fact that they had stopped to observe rock climbers practicing their moves on the "haystack" East of Peaked Hill.  We all continued on, over the Peaked Hill saddle and dropped down to the Blind Beach parking lot.

 

Our plan had been to descend to Blind Beach and follow the beach to Goat Rock.  From the parking lot the fog was so thick that we couldn't see the beach and, since the tide had risen, we couldn't see the "narrows", where we would have to dodge the waves to get to Goat Rock.  We dithered about, discussing the chance that if we descended the 200 feet to the beach we might not be able to get past the narrows and would have to climb back to the road.  We decided to follow the road, a mile more than the beach route, and, dodging cars, we were at Goat Rock by 4:00 pm.  It was a little early for dinner, and we had enjoyed a hearty lunch, so we decided to pick up my car and caravan back to the Tides for drinks and appetizers. 

 

Other than the fog it was a perfect day for hiking.  Neither too hot nor too cold.  I wish more of you could have come along.

 


Distance: 8.13 miles

Elevation Change: +1,877 / -1,962

 

 

 

 

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