Treacherous Trails

Treacherous Trails
            Weeks of rain, thunder, hail and even snowstorms have kept Californians battening down the hatches and holding onto our umbrellas. Weather related dangers include deaths due to falling trees. Water-saturated roots are causing some grand old trees to topple completely. Huge branches crash down unexpectedly. Ongoing rain means that the soil on many trails is eroding. Steep areas are subject to mud and rockslides, and cliffs can crumble without warning. And yes, there is also flooding.
            We choose our trails carefully as we wait for Mother Nature to calm down enough for earth and roots to stabilize. It’s a perfect time to look at future hike locations, or to vicariously enjoy seeing where others have walked.
            Looking through the new set of World Walks contributions sent by friends sharing walks from Florida, my eye was drawn to a photo of an information sign about conquistadors and their historic expedition through Florida in search of gold and glory. Something about the image brought pirates to mind. Check out Bolen Bluff Trail, second in a series of Florida World Walks, this one near Gaineseville, Florida. (Click the World Walks link to see how to submit your own favorite walk!)
            The thought of pirates reminded me of one of my favorite Marin County coastal hikes. Being a pirate fan, once I heard there was a place called Pirates Cove, I had to go if only to say I’d been there. It turned out to be a scenic little cove reached by a walk along what feels like the edge of the world, with a steep, rocky descent to the beach itself. A fitting place for its name!
            Recent rough weather makes reading about trails such as Bolen Bluff Trail shared from a sunnier climate a pleasure. Imagining ourselves in a positive space is a powerful tool that can bring both calm and joy. Keep putting one foot forward! 
            This week’s HikingAutism Hike Notes from the archives is Muir Beach to Pirates Cove, a coastal hike that offers great views but takes some tricky footwork down a steep rocky path to get to the cove-enclosed beach.
 
This week’s Hike Notes from the Archives:
(Original Hike Notes 4): Muir Beach to Pirates Cove

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