3/24 - Round Valley Regional Preserve

 

There were a dozen of us today. We all started together walking out Miwok Tr. Susan, Geoff, Monique and Polly left the rest of us at the junction with the Hardy Canyon Tr which they took for their return route. The rest of us walked on into Round Valley and then out the Fox Tail Trail, returning the way we had come. The Deer complex fires of last September burned into the Preserve, but we saw little evidence at close range. However the steep slopes which form the eastern edge of Morgan Territory preserve were obviously affected.

The map is approximate as we often left the fire road trail to follow parallel cow paths along the creek course or thru the woods. Map distance was 4.7 miles (approx) for the main group and 4.5 miles for the smaller group, but they had _much_ more elevation gain.

https://www.flickr.com/gp/momcat_ksw/6Se16f

03/17 - Pine Canyon

 

There were 10 of us on a cold (42 when we started out)), gray day before a  promised storm. We did the usual out-and back going as far as the boarder with Mt Diablo St Park. John added on mileage from there, but the rest of us turned around and retraced our steps. It is very dry; the grass is short, flowers sparse and creek beds empty. Still everyone was glad to be outside and together. The light was soft and the green was just right for St Patrick's Day. A bit over 2.5 miles

https://www.flickr.com/gp/momcat_ksw/2E09Qf

03/10 - There was no hike; rain and wind kept us home.

03/03 - Lime Ridge

 

There were 11 of us today on a very gray day at Lime Ridge. It was green, but the grass was very short and everything quite dry. We had hoped to return via the Ridge Tr, but the whole area is closed for habitat restoration, so we returned via Manzanita, Bcukeye and Ohlone Tr. 2.75 miles (John added several more miles on his own).

https://www.flickr.com/gp/momcat_ksw/88q6N4