Camping and Backpacking | Climbing | Gardening | Kids and Nature | Paddling | Point Reyes Walkabout | Trails

Caching In

October 1, 2007 •  by

Think of the western scrub jay: screeching, assertive, a bully and glutton at backyard bird feeders. But also, as Judith Larner Lowry has noticed in her West Marin yard, caching acorns, bay nuts, and other seeds, many more than the birds could ever hope to recover. Given that these seeds can’t move uphill on their own, we owe our oak-studded hillsides in part to the forethought, and forgetfulness, of this very familiar bird. Lowry’s advice? Sit back and let a few of our local jays’ missed meals take root.

The Summit Loop Hike

July 1, 2007 •  by

This strenuous 5.3-mile hike circumambulates Mount Diablo’s summit, and traverses many of the mountain’s geological and botanical features. When I was there in early April 2006, the air was startlingly clear, and the snowy masses of the Sierra Nevada and … Read more

Visiting the San Pablo Baylands

July 1, 2007 •  by

Despite covering a large area that has abundant wildlife, the San Pablo Baylands offer few public access points, among them the following sites (listed roughly from east to west): Ponds 1/1a: These former salt evaporation ponds are now owned and … Read more

Paddling on the Wild Side

July 1, 2007 •  by

Few craft can match a kayak for allowing you to immerse yourself in the watery universe of bay or ocean, moving silently through the world of seals, otters, dolphins, and seabirds. Two of our region’s most experienced sea kayakers take us out on the water for up-close and personal encounters with some of the bountiful and charismatic marine life plying our local marine habitats.

Outdoor Summer Camp Resources

April 1, 2007 •  by

Too much homework? Bully picking on you at school? Perhaps not, but have you stopped to wonder if your children are yearning for a breath of fresh air? Sometimes, even the ol’ backyard isn’t enough backcountry for a cooped-up kid, … Read more

Tracking Richmond’s Bay Trail

April 1, 2007 •  by

On an overcast day this winter, seven of us met for a bike ride through Richmond on the Bay Trail. We rode along Cerritos Creek, under two busy freeways, and out to the shoreline. At Point Isabel Regional Shoreline, we … Read more

Bay Area Pond Walks

April 1, 2007 •  by

With the heat of summer not yet upon us, now is the best time to take stock of ponds all over the Bay Area. In every part of the Bay Area, there are great hikes that take you to a … Read more

Bay Trail Resources

April 1, 2007 •  by

Richmond isn’t the only place where the Bay Trail is coming together. In fact, one of the longest continuous segments of Bay Trail will open later this year at the Eden Landing Ecological Reserve. A three-mile section now under construction … Read more