Nature Goddess: Pirate's Cove at Muir Beach

Last weekend, Jade and I went on a hike at Muir Beach to see Pirate's Cove for her birthday (via Coastal Trail).  Although we have done this hike before (more than once), it is a lovely hike with ocean views that I will happily do again.  We did four miles out and back.  There are some steep parts (the beginning gets your heart rate up pretty quickly) and there are some "scrambles" if you decide to descend into Pirate's Cove.  I understood there was a long loop that includes Tennessee Valley Trail, but I am looking more closely at the map, and it looks like there are other trails that can shorten that loop.  I haven't yet gone up to finish the loop because I wanted to stick close to the ocean views.  I didn't think I was ready for a 6-8 mile hike.  I guess next time, I can try continuing up the stairs outside of the Pirate's Cove to see what those views have to offer.

This particular day, the fire department was doing an evacuation drill at 9 AM.  We could hear multiple sirens and an announcement -- and we initially thought there must be a fire.  We turned to look at the multi-million dollar homes on the hill across the other side of the beach.  There were about four "rows" of roads on the side of the hill, each with a fire truck on it with sirens blaring, announcing that it was a drill (you couldn't hear the words at first, so it was scary in the beginning; in fact, some people behind us turned around, and I don't know if it was because they thought it was a real evacuation, or if the uphill intimidated them).  It just added to the adventure for us.

The biggest drawback to this hike is that there is almost zero shade.  I don't know what I was thinking but I did not put any sunblock on.  I am burnt to a crisp today.  The morning had a little haze but the sun was blazing by the time we were done.  So make sure you have lots of water and plenty of sunblock.

The second biggest drawback is the parking (anywhere near Mt. Tam, parking is an issue).  If you are on Mt. Tam proper, then you can't start later than 8 AM in the summer; otherwise, there will likely not be parking near your chosen trailhead.  At Muir Beach, the crowds seem to show up a little later, but I would say not to chance coming after 9 AM.  The crowds are there setting up at the beach and I feel like the parking is gone before 10.  Then you're circling the parking lot like a shark, hoping someone will leave.  

Otherwise, this is a great place to hike.  You get gorgeous views during your hike, then you can soak your sore tootsies in the ocean before you head home.  Muir Beach does have bathrooms, but no sinks, so bring wipes or sanitizer.

The hike starts with a big uphill, then the trail splits.  We chose to continue straight ahead to Pirate's Cove instead of heading up any further.  Pirate's Cove has a little climb down to the beach.  I've been there when high tide has removed the beach and you can only get to one of the cliffs.  I've also been there when its completely out and you can walk out past one of the large rocks.  This time was somewhere in the middle.  You could climb down to the beach but you couldn't get around the rock from the ocean side.  We walked to the other side of the beach and there was this awful smell.  I could see large rib bones and vertebrae sticking out of the sand.  Then I realize there is essentially a "melted" whale right in front of us.  I've never been so close to a dead whale.  We took some photos then sat down on the other side of the beach, away from the smell.  

A few minutes later, a solo hiker walked up to us and asked if we'd seen the whale.  We said we had but got up to chat with her and take photos.  It turns out our new friend is visiting from Texas.  (We reconnected with her later in the day and I am planning to meet up with her next weekend to hike around the Golden Gate.)  So we went back over to see the whale.  She is a molecular biologist so she was super interested in the whale's decomposition.  We saw that one of the rib bones was up on a cliff.  She climbed up so I could take a picture, and at some point, it fell down.  Score!  We picked it up to take more photos.  Two things.  First, it was a lot heavier than I expected.  Second, it smelled so disgusting.  I feel like I couldn't get that smell off me the rest of the day.  I thought briefly about bringing it home, but I wasn't sure if it was illegal to take whale bones off a beach.  Also, it would have been a rough two miles uphill with a heavy rib bone across my shoulders.  And finally, the smell that would have filled my car for the hour and a half drive home may have killed me.  As we hiked out, a lot of people were heading down to the beach.  Apparently the whale is mentioned multiple times in comments on the AllTrails app, so many people were specifically there to see the rotting whale corpse.

The walk back was fairly uneventful.  I would say that we saw a lot more people coming in than I ever had before.  Not sure if that was due to the whale report, or the heat drawing more people to the coast.  We finished the hike by sticking our toes in the sand down at the beach and chatting with our new friend for awhile before starting the trek home.  

The heat in the East Bay is already getting into the 100's, so it seems like the summer hikes may have to be on the coast for the next few months.  It was 84 degrees even as I left my house at 7 AM on Saturday.  I can't really do many hikes here because most parks don't open until 8 AM and by then, it is already just too hot.  

While I don't feel compelled to write here about every hike I go on, I do like to report on some of the more popular hikes that might encourage people to get outside of their comfort zone.  If you have any hikes you'd like me to try, let me know in the comments!

Nature Goddess: Lands End Hike

Last weekend, Jade and I braved San Francisco during Fleet Week to do the Lands End hike.  This hike is one of my favorites.  Although there are some stairs, this is a fairly flat and easy hike.  If you go at the right time (i.e., not summer when the fog is the worst in the mornings), you have gorgeous views of the ocean and Golden Gate Bridge for the majority of the time you're on the trail.  And you can hike a mile, or you can wander into the multi-million dollar neighborhoods and continue your exploration.  My ultimate goal is to hike from the Lands End/Sutro Baths point to the Golden Gate Bridge.  My understanding is that you have to walk through neighborhoods, down to the beach, then back up onto the trail, to make it happen, so it will be a little more challenging.  I believe it is about 4.5 miles one way.  

I park at the lot near the Lookout Visitor's Center.  It is right past Ocean Beach (if you're coming from the south), and the former Cliff House restaurant (which closed last year due to lease issues), at the lot that overlooks the Sutro Baths.  I prefer this lot because there have been an increased report of break-ins in the area, and I feel like it's a busy lot with enough people around to (hopefully) deter the criminals.  The lot fills up pretty early, so I would suggest you start your hike by 8 AM (or go in the afternoon when it might be less crowded).  10 AM seems to be the busiest time.

Once you're on the trail, there are so many options.  As discussed above, you can get right on the trail and head out for as far as you'd like.  You can take the stairs down to the Sutro Baths to explore the remains of the buildings.  You can just go chill by the Cliff House and hope for a view of dolphins or whales.  Jade and I got lucky the first time we hiked here and got to see dolphins from the window of the restaurant (we had breakfast before the hike because rain and 50 degree weather was not the biz...).  It's a beautiful place with a mix of ocean and trees against the Golden Gate backdrop.  

This trip, we got right on the trail at 8 AM.  It was Fleet Week and I had looked up the schedule for the Blue Angels, only to find that activities were running 10 AM to 4 PM.  My goal was to see the Blue Angels from the trail.  Technically, the show is on the other side of the Golden Gate in the Marina District, but they fly over the Golden Gate, so I knew we would get to see it as well.  We wandered down the trail, and even into the neighborhood to oooh and ahhh at some of the gorgeous ocean-facing homes.  Eventually, we turned around because my hope was to see the jets flying through the Golden Gate.  As we walked back, we took a side trip to a cliff that overlooks the ocean.  It would have been the perfect place to see the Blue Angels.  Except...their show didn't start until later in the afternoon.  The generic schedule I got didn't tell me exactly when they were flying.  In fact, no one was flying until almost noon.  Since it was only about 10:30 AM, we decided we wouldn't wait another hour or more to see planes.  However, while we were excitedly waiting for the show to start, we got to see whales in the ocean.  At first I thought it was a pack of sea lions, but they had blow holes and they moved more like whales.  It was pretty cool.  I always hope to see something like that on my ocean-front hikes, but it is pretty rare it actually happens.  It definitely made the trip that much more special.

There are a couple of cut-outs with benches along the trail, which are nice for breaks, a snack, or just to take in the views.  The trail is dog-friendly (which has been difficult for me to find lately).  Although, my dog really does better off-leash, so dragging her away from every other dog or awesome smell she needed to check out wasn't all that fun.  Many dogs we ran into were off-leash.  I couldn't trust my dog there since she will chase a squirrel over a cliff without a second thought.  Our hike ended up being about 4.5 miles.  

If you're looking for a San Francisco hike, this is my number one pick.  I had scheduled the Lands End to Golden Gate hike last Thanksgiving then ended up hurting my knee, so I canceled.  Now that my six month long run of injuries are healed, I think maybe it is time to reschedule so I can make it in for this year's 52 hike challenge.  

Nature Goddess: Alamere Falls Hike

I did the Alamere Falls hike, on the Point Reyes National Seashore, in July 2019.  Roundtrip, the hike is 8-1/2 to 12 miles, depending on your route.  There are a couple of scrambles that require a little faux rock climbing, a ton of poison oak, but lots of gorgeous views.  It is about a two hour drive for me, ending in a long rocky dirt road, with little to no cell service (so download your All Trails maps, and maybe print out some paper maps).  You really have to get there by 8 AM if you want parking, so that means leaving the house by 6 AM.

When Jade and I started talking about doing the hike again, I was slightly worried because I am carrying around some of that covid weight, but I was participating in the 52 Hikes Challenge this year, and at that time, was on par to complete a hike every single weekend.  I felt strong.  I had rehabbed some knee issues.  I was ready.  Then I wasn't.  I don't even know what happened, but I went almost two months without much hiking, and the weekend loomed.  We pushed it out once, but decided Labor Day weekend was time to make it happen.  It was my 32nd hike for the year, and we clocked about 8-1/2 miles using my new Apple Watch (I accidentally turned it off early in the hike, so that's why I don't have the exact mileage).  I am currently off-track for hitting my 52 hikes for the year, but who knows...maybe I'll put some doubles in over a few weekends and get back to it.  I have been extremely tired lately, and it is hard to get up and go hike in 100 degree heat.  Many coastal hikes I would love to do are not dog friendly, and it is difficult to look Belle in the face and leave her behind when she knows I'm going on a hike (she watches me pack the car and judges me harshly when she thinks she's being left at home).

I remember the last hike being extremely hot (for the coast), the trail was packed (we started later in the morning), and parking was full so we had to park down the dirt road and walk in.  Ness, Ant, Jade and I logged over 10 miles on that trip.  This trip, Jade, Steph, and I got there early, and the walk actually seemed faster and easier.  We were almost surprised when we turned the corner and saw the rock arrow for the shortcut out to the coast.  

The shortcut requires you to walk through some pretty closed in areas with a lot of poison oak (leaves of three, let it be!).  I really don't suggest you do it unless you are fully covered -- long pants and sweatshirts.  I have never had poison oak and, knock on wood, hope to keep it that way.  I understand it gets worse each time you are exposed to it.  We saw some people trying to do it in shorts, and I really hope they didn't end up with some itchies and scratchies.  Note that the shortcut is NOT the official trail, so if you are a stickler for rules, you'll want to spend the extra couple of miles walking past the shortcut to the campground, down to the beach, and back up to Alamere Falls.  If you did this roundtrip, you'd add about four miles to your hike.  You really have to keep an eye on the tides, though.  High tide often traps people on the beach, and no one wants to be the beach rescue that didn't know how to watch the tides.  

Once you're through the poison oak lined tree tunnel, the two scrambles down to the mid-way point to the beach (which has several beautiful falls to view, and plenty of space to sit and eat lunch) weren't terrible.  I find as I get older (or maybe my fall at McCloud Falls in May scared me), I'm a little more nervous when I hike steep spots, and I carry at least one hiking stick on every hike now.  When we arrived there were maybe only three other groups on the flat.  It was essentially empty (last time, there were easily 100 people hanging around).  By the time we left, everyone else had shown up, so I definitely encourage people to go early if you want some peace and quiet.  

The falls were also interesting because they had watercress floating on top of the water.  Anywhere we had seen water last time, had greenery on it this time.  It was beautiful but I understand watercress is actually an invasive species, so I wonder what is making it grow now.  

We sat and ate our lunch, then Steph and Jade decided to brave the steep scramble down to see the official Alamere Falls from the beach.  I peeked over and decided I didn't want to chance not being able to get back up.  Although the tide was going out so it was safe, I knew that it would add two miles to my hike if I wasn't able to climb back up, and had to walk down to the campground to get back to the main trail.  In fact, while I was up top exploring while Jade and Steph were on the beach, I watched a group trying to help a woman of about my size down the rocks.  It was a slow process, and she was clearly terrified, so I knew I had made the right decision.  Maybe I'll shed a few pounds, gain a little more strength, and try next time we do this hike.  

After Jade and Steph were done exploring the beach and falls, they climbed back up to the mid-section where I was, and we returned to the trail.  I was surprised when I had to use more upper body strength than I remember to get up the middle scramble.  If all these words (scrambles, etc.) are confusing, its like minor rock climbing.  You definitely need to be able to pull yourself up a little, but you have enough room to wedge your body, or leverage yourself, so it's not as bad or scary as it sounds.  I was feeling it the next day.  My upper body was sore.  I should do some push-ups and pull-ups or something before we go again.  

The walk back was fairly uneventful.  We had talked briefly about stopping at one of the lakes we passed on the way in, but it was colder this time, and there looked to be a lot of poison oak around the path, so we just continued back to the parking lot.  We could hear a lot of people yelling and swimming.  I know the algae blooms are dangerous right now, and those lakes are pretty green, so that would have made me nervous too.  The walk back definitely seemed longer than the walk in.  I was tired and sore, plus the walk always seems uphill both ways.  The trail was filled with more people as it was later in the day.  The entire hike, including our exploration time, was about five hours. 

Alamere is one of those touristy type hikes.  Again, if you're looking for peace and quiet, either go early, or at least not on a weekend.  I would advise against hiking alone.  Although this trail doesn't have a lot of turn offs were you can get lost, I've been listening to a lot of podcasts about hikers going missing in National or state parks (Park Predators and Missing 411).  I've always felt safe hiking alone, but maybe I've just been lucky so far.

I turned 45 the week before this hike.  I have been struggling with some weight gain and covid depression lately.  I deemed this year my year to get healthy (yet again).  So my hashtag is #45more.  I don't care about the pounds as much as how I feel.  And I know that some of the exhaustion is just being overwhelmed by the state of the world.  But I keep plugging along and I know things will be just fine.  Everything always ends up working out.  

If you've ever hiked Alamere Falls, I'd love to hear about your experience!  You can leave a comment below.