Mount Tamalpais - The Cataract Creek Trail Loop: 27 January 2005

A hike of 8.18 miles in distance; 1,845 feet of climbing

Latitude: North 37° 54.518’

Longitude: West 122° 36.812’

Photos by Neil Mishalov

"... Tamalpais can be seen as the climax of this incomparable landscape at the continent's edge, this place where the Pacific breaches the thousand-mile mountain barrier along the western rim of America." ---Harold Gilliam

On 27 January, Valerie and I started a hike from Rock Springs, and hiked down the Cataract Creek Trail, then along Alpine Lake on the Helen Markt Trail, and up the Kent Trail and the Benstein Trail back to Rock Springs. We were hoping for a significant water flow as Cataract Creek descends to Alpine Lake. There was a nice flow of water but it wasn't the raging torrent that occurs during and shortly after a storm dumps copious quantities of water on the flanks of Mount Tam.

4.5 hours on the trails; a great hike.

All Images and Text Copyright © by Neil Mishalov

COPYRIGHT NOTICE

Topographic Map with Route Superimposed:

Hike data gathered with a Garmin 60C GPS RECEIVER

Topographic mapping program for Macintosh OSX by NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC

Satellite Photo Map with Route Superimposed:

TerraBrowser satellite mapping program for Macintosh OSX by CHIMOOSOFT

GPS track converter by GPSBABEL

Click on an image to see the full size picture

Valerie is ready to hike!	These two gentlemen were getting ready to do a little ramble. The fellow on the left is 88 and the fellow on the right is 84. They are from Santa Rosa	The upper part of Cataract Creek
The creek drops about 1,000 feet in approximately two miles, and empties into Alpine Lake	After a storm this creek is a raging torrent of water. Today it is tame	Valerie
Neil	A California Newt (Taricha torosa). What a cutie!	A California Banana Slug (Ariolimax californicus). This is another cutie!
Alpine Lake from the Helen Markt Trail	Valerie and a Manzanita Tree	A small body of water known as 'Foul Pool' (1,049 ft.)
Redwood Trees	Fungus	Fungus
Fungus	A view from Serpentine Point looking towards the Pacific Ocean, Stinson Beach and the Bolinas Lagoon	A California Oak tree slowly returning to the soil

Index page of additional digital photos GO HERE