MT. TAM: STEEP RAVINE, CARDIAC HILL & MATT DAVIS TRAIL

MT. TAM: STEEP RAVINE, CARDIAC HILL & MATT DAVIS TRAIL

Leader: Gary Weiss

Leader Email: gary@sfhiking.com

Leader Phone: 415-279-5570

Meeting Date and Day: Saturday, May 13, 2023

Meeting Location (ONLY IF you've arranged for a ride in SF): Whole Foods;
2001 Market St. @ Dolores (on the Dolores St. side); parking on the street or below.
Please only show up at Whole Foods if you've arranged to meet your ride or driver there.

Meeting Time: 9:00 AM, departing shortly afterwards.

Rating:  Level 4

Mileage: 10.5 miles

Elevation Gain: 1600'

Description: (After some pretty serious damage to the Steep Ravine Trail after the New Years Eve storm and the ones that followed it just reopened on April 28.)  Steep Ravine Trail is one of the most stunningly beautiful and well-loved trails in the Bay Area.  It follows Webb Creek, past some great stands of significant old-growth redwoods up to Pantoll Station.  The rest of the hike will include Matt Davis Trail, Troop 80 and only one .3 mile section on a non-system trail. A big treat will be our stop at Cardiac Hill, with outstanding views of San Francisco and the Pacific. From there we'll begin our descent to the cars on the Dipsea Trail. On this route we'll pass every type of terrain that exists on Mt. Tamalpais: redwood, oak, fir, bay and madrone forest, serpentine, chaparral, open grassland and along streambeds. There should still be a substantial amount of water in the creeks and plenty of wildflowers in bloom!  Unfortunately dogs are not allowed in the State Park.

Bring/Wear:  Bring plenty of water, lunch, layers for a spring hike, hat and sunscreen for the sunny portions and hiking poles if you use them (The downhill on Dipsea is fairly steep).

Rain Policy: Contact the hikeleader if the weather is questionable.

Trailhead Meeting Place: We'll meet at Whitegate Ranch Trailhead - about 1/3 of the way up between Stinson Beach and Pantoll Station.  Take the Stinson Beach/Mill Valley/Hwy 1 exit off Hwy 101.  Continue on Hwy 1 for several miles.  At a fork in the road keep right (Panoramic Hwy).  Shortly you'll come to Four Corners.  Stay straight to take the middle  (uphill) option to stay on Panoramic.  When you arrive at another fork: Pantoll Station, stay straight to head downhill.  Whitegate Ranch Trailhead is a large dirt pullout on the left, 2.4 miles past Pantoll. Google Maps Link

Trailhead Meeting Time:  10:00 AM

Trailhead Departure Time:  10:15 AM

Driving Distance: 45 miles total there and back from SF.

Carpool Fees from SF (Incl Bridge): $8; $11 from Rockridge.