CATARACT FALLS DOG-FRIENDLY HIKE
Leader: Kan Kin
Leader Email: kk.sanfrancisco@gmail.com
Leader Phone: (310) 490-0692
Meeting Date and Day: Saturday, Oct 27 2018
Meeting Time: 9:00 AM
Departure Time: 9:15.
Meeting Place: Meet under the Safeway sign at Market & Dolores, to the left of See's Candies
Rating: Level-3
Mileage: 6+ miles
Elevation Gain: 900'
Description: Cataract Falls is one of the prettiest hikes in the Bay Area - especially if we've recently had some rain. The cascades are year-round but obviously less so in the dry season. The route is almost entirely under the trees - redwoods, Douglas firs, madrones, oaks and others. One short stretch of High Marsh Trail is on open grassland with views of the canyon below and surrounding hills. It's quite a climb following the creek up from Alpine Lake to High Marsh Trail. From there we'll follow High Marsh for the most part all the way to Kent Trail. We'll then go down Kent almost to Alpine Lake, then follow Helen Markt Trail back to Cataract. The total is just a bit over 6 miles.
Bring/Wear: Bring water, lunch, snacks and good hiking shoes.
Rain Policy: Contact hike leader if weather is questionable
Driving Distance: 55 miles total there and back
Total Bridge Tolls and Entry Fees: 7.00
Car Pool Fees: 9.00
Alternative Meeting Place #1: We'll stop at the Fairfax Parkade in order to carpool to the trailhead. We'll arrive at the Parkade around 10:00 and plan on leaving by 10:15. PLEASE LET THE HIKELEADER KNOW IF YOU PLAN ON MEETING US THERE. If you're coming from the East or North Bay, take the Central San Rafael exit and go west for 2 miles to the "hub" in San Anselmo, then turn left for another 2 miles to the Fairfax Parkade (a 1-block long parking area between Broadway and Sir Francis Drake). If you are heading north on 101 take the San Anselmo/Sir Francis Drake exit off 101. Then it's about 3 miles to the "hub" and 2 more miles to the Parkade. Enter into Google Maps '9 Broadway St, Fairfax' to find the Parkade. That will point you to the movie theater which is directly across from the east end of the lot where we'll meet. If you'd like to meet us at the trailhead follow this: https://www.google.com/maps/dir/2020+Market+St,+San+Francisco,+CA+94114/37.9871058,-122.5877276/@37.877475,-122.5786312,12z/am=t/data=!3m1!4b1!4m14!4m13!1m10!1m1!1s0x808f7e1e329b437d:0xf9b56566bbf7a57f!2m2!1d-122.4279658!2d37.7688946!3m4!1m2!1d-122.5166294!2d37.8865932!3s0x8085854868e01575:0x9407b74022aa5fa2!1m0!3e0
Alternative Meeting Time #1: 10:00
Alternative Meeting Departure Time #1: 10:15
Alternative Meeting Place #2: If you'd prefer to meet at the trailhead, take the Bolinas-Fairfax Road 8.12 miles from Fairfax. The short white markers on the side of the road show the mileage. Parking is somewhat limited. https://www.google.com/maps/place/Cataract+Trailhead/@37.8771011,-122.6159627,11z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x80859406166055b5:0x5a2a3b551f6463fd!8m2!3d37.9365191!4d-122.6380675
Alternative Meeting Time #2: 10:45
Alternative Meeting Departure Time #2: 11:00
