It has been four years since the Northern California Hikers formed and met for the first time. Dave and I had been backpacking in California for a few years but hadn’t connected with any other people who enjoyed it like we did, and I was looking for other people who shared our interest. A post on the backpacker forums about forming a hiking group for people in Northern California caught my attention, and I joined up with the group right at the beginning.
Our first meeting was for a dayhike in Henry Coe, and a short time later we did an overnight backpack in the same park to Los Cruzeros. I knew right away that we had connected with a great group of people, and the rest, as they say, is history. The initial small core of people has grown over the past four years and we’ve gotten to meet many incredible people. We’ve made great friends, shared amazing adventures, and created hundreds of fantastic memories. Thanks, guys!
This weekend Paige managed to pull off a dayhike plan that would get eighteen of us together in one place – a near impossibility. Maria, Theresa, and Heidi were camping at Coast Camp, so Paige asked if anyone wanted to do a nice long dayhike loop through the park to visit them in camp on Saturday. There ended up being fifteen dayhikers and it was great to see several people that I haven’t seen in a while – it was kind of like a high school reunion.
While it rained and was ugly inland, the sun was shining in Point Reyes and we had perfect hiking weather. The rain started to fall only at mile 12.6 of a 12.7 mile hike – within sight of the cars.
Distance:
13 miles
Elevation Gain:
+/- 2700 ft
Trailhead and Permit Notes:
Check with Point Reyes National Seashore for current reservation status if you intend to stay at Coast Camp. You will need a permit to camp there.
Camping Tips:
Camping Reservations at Point Reyes fill up early, so this is a great hike to plan ahead. Winter is a great time to visit – it can surprisingly warm and dry!
