John Soares - 100 Classic Hikes: Northern California

100 CLASSIC HIKES

NORTHERN

CALIFORNIA

100 CLASSIC HIKES

NORTHERN

CALIFORNIA

4th Edition

JOHN SOARES

Sierra Nevada | Cascades | Klamath Mountains
North Coast and Wine Country | San Francisco Bay Area

In loving memory of my parents: John Severin Soares and Mozelle Fitzhugh Berta

MOUNTAINEERS BOOKS is the publishing division of The Mountaineers, an organization founded in 1906 and dedicated to the exploration, preservation, and enjoyment of outdoor and wilderness areas.

1001 SW Klickitat Way, Suite 201, Seattle, WA 98134
800.553.4453, www.mountaineersbooks.org

Copyright 2018 by John Soares
All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced or utilized in any form, or by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

Printed in China
Distributed in the United Kingdom by Cordee, www.cordee.co.uk
First edition published in 1994 as 100 Hikes in Northern California.
Second edition, 2000. Third edition, 2008. Fourth edition, 2018.

Copyeditor: Alyssa Barrett
Series design: Kate Basart
Layout: Jennifer Shontz, www.redshoedesign.com
Cartographer: Pease Press
All photographs by the author unless otherwise noted.

Cover photograph: Pacific Ocean coastline near Hidden Beach ()
Frontispiece: Upper Albert Lake with Mount Shasta in the far distance ()

The background maps for this book were produced using the online map viewer CalTopo. For more information, visit caltopo.com.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication data is on file for this title at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018009679

Mountaineers Books titles may be purchased for corporate, educational, or other promotional sales, and our authors are available for a wide range of events. For information on special discounts or booking an author, contact our customer service at 800-553-4453 or .

ISBN (paperback): 978-1-68051-056-0
ISBN (ebook): 978-1-68051-057-7

Contents

Hikes at a Glance

Introduction

Secluded ocean beaches where powerful waves pulse against rock, sand, and cliff. Steep Sierra peaks stretching high above rock-ringed alpine lakes. The still, silent shade of ancient redwood forests. Hillsides carpeted with an explosion of spring wildflowers. This up-to-date fourth edition of 100 Classic Hikes Northern California offers you this and much more, taking you along trails that allow you to experience the infinite variety of nature.

T he first region takes you to the foothills, lakes, and summits of the Sierra Nevada from Mokelumne Wilderness north. The second region stretches over the Cascade Mountains, with most trails traveling on or near volcanoes and areas of past volcanic activity. Hikes high in the remote Klamath Mountains of far Northern California, where youll find the most solitude, comprise the third region. The fourth region describes hikes on and near the Pacific Coast and in the Wine Country, and the fifth covers the San Francisco Bay Area, where the surprisingly numerous trails offer beautiful scenery. Whether you want to hike in spring, summer, fall, or winter, and whether you want a strenuous seven-day backpacking trip or an easy day hike, youll find just what you desire in the following pages.

This fourth edition of 100 Classic Hikes Northern California has been almost entirely revised so youll find thoroughly updated hike descriptions and more detailed driving directions. This edition also contains thirteen new hikes. Look for new routes in the northern Sierra Nevada (Ellis Peak, the Sierra Buttes, and Mill Creek below Black Rock), the little-known Russian Wilderness (Duck Lakes, Paynes Lake, Upper Albert Lake, and Hogan Lake), the Marble Mountains Wilderness (Campbell, Cliff, and Summit Lakes), the north coast redwoods (Stout Grove and Little Bald Hills), Prairie Creek Redwoods State Park (West Ridge and Prairie Creek Loop), Mendocino and Sonoma Counties (Russian Gulch Falls, MacKerricher State Park, and the East Ridge and Pool Ridge Loop), and in the Bay Area (Lands End and Sweeney Ridge and Farallones Viewpoint). Trail managers have reviewed all one hundred hike descriptions for accuracy, including driving directions, trail directions, agency regulations, contact information, and website addresses. This fourth edition also features GPS coordinates for all trailheads.

WHAT TO TAKE

For a safe and enjoyable hike, you need to bring the right gear.

The Ten Essentials

The point of the Ten Essentials, originated by The Mountaineers, has always been to answer two basic questions: Can you prevent emergencies and respond positively should one occur (items 15)? And can you safely spend a nightor moreoutside (items 610)? Use this list as a guide and tailor it to the needs of your outing.

1.Navigation: Always bring a map and compass as a backup for your GPS device. Also consider packing an altimeter and a personal locator beacon or other device to contact emergency first responders.

2.Headlamp: A headlamp (dont forget extra bulb and batteries) is more functional than a flashlight, because it leaves your hands free.

3.Sun protection: For protection from the sun, wear a wide-brimmed hat, good sunglasses, lip protectant, and sun-protective clothes, and use a strong sunblock with both UVA and UVB protection.

4.First aid: A good basic wilderness first-aid kit should include bandages; skin closures; gauze pads and dressings; roller bandage or wrap; tape; antiseptic; blister prevention and treatment supplies; nitrile gloves; tweezers; needle; nonprescription painkillers; anti-inflammatory, anti-diarrheal, and antihistamine tablets; topical antibiotic; and any important personal prescriptions, including an EpiPen if you are allergic to bee or hornet venom.