Few apps have improved day to day life like Uber or Lyft. Hikes are no exception. Most trailruns & hikes are traditionally loops or out and back routes unless a drop off or car shuttle is arranged in advance. Uber…
Monte Bello Backpacking with Kids above the Clouds
Monte Bello Open Space Preserve is one of the best introductory backpacking trips in the Bay Area. This Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District (MROSD) protects a watershed in the Santa Cruz Mountains about Palo Alto. The Black Mountain Backpack Camp…
Weekend Recharge: Mori Point Flowers, Whales, & Fog Trailrun
Feeding humpback whales, blooming flowers, and expansive vistas make Mori Point an excellent destination. After a busy week at work, I usually recharge with a trailrun to clear my mind. Mori Point, part of Golden Gate National Recreation Area, in Pacifica…
Big Basin State Park Packrafting on Waddell Creek
Not all adventures turn out as planned. I recently hiked and packrafted Waddell Creek in Big Basin State Park. Big Basin is California’s oldest State Park. The 30+ mile Skyline to the Sea trail bisects Big Basin as it descends…
Packrafting Pescadero Creek
Packrafting Pescadero Creek is an ideal spot for my first packrafting adventure. First, Pescadero State Beach protects a unique ecosystem. The state beach & adjacent & Pescadero Marsh Natural Preserve protect the mouth of Pescadero Creek, the largest marsh between…
Hiking the Redwoods at Heritage Grove & Sam McDonald County Park
Bay Area outdoors is outstanding, but few places provide a sense of wilderness. The Heritage Grove in Sam McDonald County Park is an exception. Visiting this first growth redwood tract feels remote despite being next to an accessible…
Angel Island Backpacking with Kids
San Francisco Bay’s Angel Island served as a Native American hunting area, an Army Base, the West Coast Ellis Island, and a Nike Missile Base. Today, Angel Island is a California State Park. I recently backpacked ~2 miles with four…
Ano Nuevo Elephant Seal Tour: Hiking with Kids
Few things compare to watching ~1000 elephant seals cavort on a beach. Ano Nuevo State Preserves protects a large elephant seal rookery on the San Mateo County Coast. Docents host elephant seal walks from Dec 15 until March that can…
Looking Backwards 2016: Technology Hiker Outdoor Adventures
2016 was another outstanding year for exploring the outdoors. Thank you to everyone that I’ve shared my love of the outdoors – through trips, posts, or conversations. Here’s a catalog of my 2016 trips. Family Adventures Most of my 2016…
“The Parks are in Good Hands” – Interview with Marlene Finley, San Mateo County Parks Director
Marlene Finley led the San Mateo County Parks Department for the past three years after a long career with the US Forest Service. The parks flourished during her tenure with park expansion (Devil’s Slide Trail, Memorial Park, Pillar Point), record…