Stealth Mission

Stealth Mission
            I stay out of trouble because I’m not good at it. Kids don’t like being thought of as a “goody two-shoes,” but it was tough for me to dodge. (Okay, I’m sure I tested at least a few boundaries growing up.)
            I taught my kids to be good people for the sake of being good people. I added that we are people destined to get caught if we stray off track. At the very least, we would be tormented by anxiety and guilt, a la Crime and Punishment.
            Having said that, once in a while I like to pretend I walk on the wild side.
            Muir Woods is an extremely popular visitor spot. The parking lot logistics required to go through the front gate can be discouraging.
            The first time my son’s hiking guide/autism helper led us from a high Mt. Tam ridge down into the depths of Muir Woods, far from the park entrance crowds, I felt like we were getting away with something.
            Those trails are there to be hiked. Muir Woods is a central connection for many different hikes that crisscross the surrounding mountain ridges. There’s not one illicit thing about hiking down the ridge into Muir Woods.
            And yet, it still feels like I’m having a surreptitious adventure, sneaking in the back way.
            Add a little spark to life. Walk on the wild side a bit. You don’t have to actually break any rules to feel like you’ve lived on the edge a little.
            This week’s Hike Notes are about literally walking on the wild edges of Mt. Tam, from Mountain Home Inn down to Lost Trail and Fern Creek Trail, one of several hike options for making a steep descent down into Muir Woods.
            Please feel free to share. If you’re not able to take one of these Northern California hikes, hopefully you can enjoy the photos!
            The list of hikes is getting long! Please check the Quick View Hike List or scroll down the main Hikes page to see the current list of hike notes.
New this week:
Hike Notes 17: Fern Creek Trail - Muir Woods