From: "Susan Elsner" saelsner@yahoo.com
Subject: Yoga and Hiking in the Redwoods
Date: Sunday, June 14, 2009

Hi Yoga/Hikers,
Our trip begins four weeks from today! I have some additional information for you to help with your planning and packing for the trip and, hopefully, add to the anticipation.

Here is a link to a web page that Don put together with information on the trip, the lodge and the surrounding area donsnotes.com/cac/yoga_trip/index.html

Directions and travel arrangements:

  • The roster of trip participants as of today is attached.
  • Another group has use of the lodge until 4pm on Sunday so please don't arrive before 5pm.
  • A couple of you are CA residents and if feasible and practical I encourage you to consider car-pooling. Here is a link with directions to the lodge donsnotes.com/cac/dir_to_cac.html (the same directions are included as an attachment).
  • For the rest of you who are arriving in San Francisco by air and possibly train, please send me the specifics on your flights so we have a general idea when to expect you on the shuttle on Sunday.
Our itinerary:
  • The flow of each day will follow the itinerary in the trip brochure
  • Some mornings yoga will begin at 7am so we can fit in all of the activities that are planned for the day
  • Some evenings. around 9pm or so, there will be a pre-bedtime yoga session with gentle stretching and breathing exercises
  • All meals except one dinner are at the lodge. (see below, Thursday)
These are the hikes that are planned:
  • Monday - From Pantol Ranger Station in Mt Tamalpais State Park to Stinson Beach via the Steep Ravine and Dipsea Trails
  • Tuesday - Hill 88 in the Marin Headlands, Golden Gate National Recreation Center. We will be hiking with a retired ranger who is very knowledgeable about the area. In the afternoon we'll have a private tour of the Pt Bonita Lighthouse.
  • Wednesday - From the lodge we will hike down into Muir Woods via the Panoramic and Oceanview trails. At the Visitor Center we will meet a ranger who will hike with us in the morning and share his knowledge of the Park. In the afternoon we will drive up to the East Peak Visitor Center in Mt. Tamalpais State Park and hike one of the trails up there.
  • Thursday - We drive to Pt Reyes National Seashore and spend the day there. We will stop at the Bear Valley Visitor Center on the way into the park and do a short hike on the Earthquake Trail, then head to the Lighthouse Visitor Center and then hike the Chimney Rock Trail. On the way back to the lodge we stop in Bolinas for dinner (this is included in the trip cost).
  • Friday - Tennessee Valley, Coastal Trail loop in the Marin Headlands, Golden Gate National Recreation Center.
Remember as you are planning what to bring that even though these trails are not high altitude Marin County is not flat. These trails have significant ups and downs and some of them have rough stretches with loose gravel and rocks. It is important to have good footwear and if you have knee or balance problems then I highly recommend hiking poles. If you are unsure about your footwear, then consider bringing a back-up pair just in case.

Let me know if you have any questions or concerns,

Happy trails and namaste, Susan

last updated 14 June 2009