stove is invaluable in breezy conditions. The only dish needed is a plate with upturned edges, which can double as a broad bowl—a Frisbee works particularly well. Don’t forget the silverware (or plastic). Lastly, bring an insulated mug to enjoy hot drinks.
Other Good Stuff A nylon cord is useful for hanging food, stringing clotheslines, and guying out tents. A simple repair kit should include needle, thread, and duct tape. A plastic trowel is nice for digging cat holes. Insect repellent keeps bugs away. Sandals or running shoes are a great relief from hiking boots after reaching camp. A pen and waterproof notebook allow you to record outdoor epiphanies on the spot. Extra sealable plastic bags or garbage bags always come in handy. Compression stuff sacks will reduce the bulk of your sleeping bag and clothes by about a third.
The Wilderness Ethic
In order to preserve the wilderness for future generations, follow some simple guidelines to leave no trace of your passage:
Respecting the Land Do not cut switchbacks. Stay on the trail as much as possible.
Camping Camp at established sites. Select a location that has adequate water runoff, and don’t dig ditches around your tent. Keep your camp clean and never leave food out.
Fires Campfires should always be made in a fire ring. Use preexisting rings if available; otherwise, scatter the stones and ashes before you leave. Keep fires small and use only material that is already dead and down. Avoid making campfires in heavy-use areas and at high elevations where firewood is scarce. Make sure the fire is completely out before leaving.
Sanitation Choose a spot at least 200 feet away from trails, water sources, and campsites. Dig a cat hole 6 inches deep, make your deposit, and cover it with the soil you removed. Do not bury toilet paper.
Garbage Carry out all garbage and burn only paper.
Group Size Keep groups small to minimize impact. Maximum group size allowed varies by location but is usually 10 persons or fewer.
Animals Do not feed wild animals.
Noise Be respectful of other wilderness users. Listen to the sounds of nature.
Meeting Stock on the Trail Move off the trail on the downhill side, and stand still until the animals pass by.
Where Should I Go Hiking?
THE HIKES IN this book range from supremely easy to incredibly difficult, and you should be able to find a hike that fulfills your personal sense of adventure in the region you wish to visit. For an overview of the difficulty-rating system, please see “Difficulty”. For those looking for a specific trail feature, the hikes are summarized in chart and organized by theme. Read on for a summary of the regions covered in this book, their weather, the best times of year to hike, and the agencies that govern the lands encompassed by these hikes.
California Dreaming
For the purposes of this book, Northern California can be divided into four regions:
The Central Coast, Bay Area, and Coast Ranges (Hikes 1–42)
The North Coast and Klamath Mountains (Hikes 43–58)
Shasta and the Modoc Plateau (Hikes 59–70)
The Sierra Nevada (Hikes 71–101)
Each region is described briefly in the introduction to its respective section.
Northern California Weather
The overall weather in California is closely linked to the sun’s relative position with the Earth. As the sun’s rays strike more directly north of the equator in spring, the air it warms in the tropics rises into the upper atmosphere and moves north over the Pacific Ocean. Cooled as it travels, the air sinks back down to the surface to form an area of high pressure over the north Pacific known as the Pacific High. As the summer progresses, the high becomes increasingly stable and prevents low-pressure storm fronts in the Gulf of Alaska from reaching Northern California.
As a consequence, summers are almost entirely devoid of rain. Localized thunderstorms do occur—especially in the high mountains—but generally the entire state basks in never-ending blue skies and sunshine. Summers on the coast are remarkably different, however: The same Pacific High that keeps storms away also creates northwest winds that almost continually buffet the shoreline. Warm, moisture-laden summer air condenses into fog over the cold Pacific waters, which is then pushed onshore by wind and the land–sea temperature differential. Summer on the coast can seem a lot like winter.
As the sun begins to strike north of the equator more obliquely in October, the entrenched Pacific High keeps storms away for most of the month while the decreasing temperatures greatly reduce the incidence of fog. It is California’s choicest month of weather. Storms return by November, striking the North Coast first and then gradually reaching farther south as the Pacific High deteriorates. By January, storm after storm is hitting the state, inundating it with heavy rainfall and deep snow. Sunny breaks do occur between storms, but they are generally short-lived. February is the wettest month, and storms can continue well into April, although sunny spring days usually begin to occur in March. As a more direct angle of sunlight hits the north once again, the cycle repeats itself.
California poppies
A Month-by-Month Playbook
The following is a brief description of the hiking opportunities available each month. Bear in mind that many hikes can be done year-round or at times not explicitly mentioned below.
January
Winter storms begin drenching the cold state, and only low-elevation regions near the coast are free from snow. Last year’s brown slopes begin to explode with green grass, and powerful winter waves often break, making a coastal trip very worthwhile during sunny spells. The storms also cleanse the pollution from the air, making this the start of prime hiking season for views in the Bay Area—try Morgan Territory (Hike 13), Mount Diablo (Hike 14), San Bruno Mountain (Hike 25), or Mount Tamalpais (Hike 31). Redwood forests are always open for hiking on rainy days and big surf often booms below Devil’s Slide (Hike 22). Crowds are all but nonexistent.
February
The wettest month of the year hammers at the state, making hiking a challenge.
