Indian Rock is one of many volcanic rhyolite rock outcroppings found across the Bay Area that are estimated to have occurred between nine and eleven million years ago. Anyone who has climbed the steep steps in its face has also seen the depressions of mortar holes still evident here, especially in the aptly named Mortar Rock, where the Ohlone people used the bedrock as a grinding surface for food and medicine.
BPWA welcomes two new board members: Nancy Graham, treasurer, and Jen English, walks co-coordinator. Three days a week Nancy, her husband, and dog, Dinky, get their aerobic exercise by walking uphill and hitting as many paths as possible. Jen joined the board in 2008 for her first term. Jen’s also been learning the ropes of emergency response, taking community emergency management (CERT) courses and other preparedness training and is excited to be involved with BPWA again because Berkeley's public paths and stairways are a key component of the city's emergency response network.
Saturday, September 21, 2024 offered a beautiful “Second Summer” day as about 40 people gathered to attend the annual meeting of the Berkeley Path Wanderers Association at Live Oak Park. The event followed a well-attended morning Path-a-thon.
Just south of Latham Lane in North Berkeley you’ll find Ina Coolbrith Path, which connects Miller Avenue and Grizzly Peak Blvd. If you’ve ever wondered about its namesake, the path commemorates a remarkable woman who figured prominently in the state’s literary history.
Steve Price is the El Cerrito-based author/artist of the digital book Imagining a Walkable America: Visualizing Low-Carbon Cities, Towns, and Neighborhoods, Step by Step. First published in 2020, it’s just been updated with a new introduction and fresh images to reflect the country’s changing transportation landscape.
Whether it’s by donating, volunteering on path maintenance days, or cheering us on social media, your support for the paths continues to sustain us. If you value the paths as a local source of inspiration and restoration during these times, I hope you will support our group’s work into the new year and beyond.
Berkeley Path Wanderers Association’s intrepid team of path builders is putting the finishing touches on Hilgard Path, a dirt path winding through oaks and redwoods in the North Berkeley Hills between two historic, landmarked homes.
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I am a junior at College-Prep, the same school that Jacob, a previous board member, went to.
How did you become interested in Berkeley's paths?
A few years ago I started taking walks throughout the Berkeley hills, trying to find all the different hidden paths. A friend of mine told me about BPWA and it sounded just like what I'd been interested in exploring.
What do you hope to achieve as a BPWA board member?
I am really excited to join the board and work on making the Berkeley paths even better and learning more about them!
In the photo above, Petra takes a break from walking Angel, Honey, and Piper at Pt. Isabel.
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I have lived in Berkeley on and off since 2002. I’m originally from Chicago and have also lived in the Washington, D.C., area. Workwise I’ve mostly been in the nonprofit and government world. Currently I work for the City of San Francisco.
How did you become interested in Berkeley's paths?
I discovered the paths while wandering around North Berkeley with a friend who lived nearby, so I was beyond thrilled when I stumbled upon the book Secret Stairs East Bay by Charles Fleming. Over the course of the next few years we did all of the walks in that book at least once.
What do you hope to achieve as a BPWA board member?
I’m looking forward to learning more about how BPWA works and helping to spread the news about the great work it does.
Tell us a little bit about yourself.
I am litigation partner at the international law firm of King & Spalding. I have two daughters that I cherish and hope will discover the paths earlier than I did. I live in Albany.
How did you become interested in Berkeley's paths?
I have always known about the paths, but I only “discovered” them because of the pandemic. I walk them most mornings, became fascinated with learning about their origin, the Maybecks, and the Hillside Club. There is something magical that happens to our thoughts, ideas and creativity when we cross *paths* with the land, animals and other humans.
What do you hope to achieve as a BPWA board member?
I am excited about getting involved in the BPWA and serving as a board member. I am hoping that I can give back, share with and encourage others, and, most importantly, weed and work on the paths so that everyone else can enjoy them!
