Leaders: Alina Constantinescu and John Ford
Starting Location: Parking lot across from Mountain Home Inn at 810 Panoramic Hwy, Mill Valley, CA 94941. Parking is free. Google map.
Distance and Duration of Walk: 15 miles, about 8-9 hours, depending on the pace of the group.
Accessibility: Challenging trails, many of them with stairs. Sorry, no dogs allowed.
Carpooling: If you are interested in carpooling, whether as a driver or as a rider, please email John. Carpools will meet at the North Berkeley BART parking lot in the area nearest the corner of Acton and Delaware at 7:30 a.m. (We can only work out carpooling if there are enough people willing to drive. John can take one additional rider, so we definitely need additional drivers.) Email John, and he will try to match drivers and riders. No guarantees, but we'll do our best.
It’s time for the Wanderers’ annual Long Walk! This year’s adventure takes us to Marin County where we will circumnavigate Mount Tamalpais on a 15-mile route with wondrous trails, historic points, and unbeatable views. From our starting point at Mountain Home Inn about halfway up the mountain, first we will head downhill into Muir Woods, then up towards the Pantoll Ranger Station and on to the Mountain Theater. From the theater, we cross over the ridge and skirt the mountain’s West and Middle peaks on the seldom-traveled north side trails, high above Bon Tempe and Lagunitas lakes. We’ll break for lunch and then head on to summit the East Peak and check out its iconic fire lookout. We’ll pause to take in the views and celebrate our accomplishment before our descent back to the starting point. Everyone is bound to discover something new as we circle the mountain together, regardless of whether this is your first or twentieth time hiking this Bay Area landmark. Join us!
Please note that this is a strenuous, ~15-mile hike with ~2,500-ft elevation gain. Bring layers, hat, sunscreen, water, snacks, and a lunch, and come prepared to be out for the whole day. There are opportunities to refill water at Pantoll Station (mile 4) and East Peak (mile 12). There are restrooms at these points as well as at our lunch spot (mile 7.5). We should be done about 5 or 5:30pm, depending on the pace of the group.