Cataract trail, Alpine lake

Sunday, 27 December 2015

Jacky’s leg was still sore, so she entertained herself in San Rafael today while I went hiking. Drove to Fairfax, then south on Bolinas road, to park at a hairpin just beyond the Alpine lake dam.

The Cataract trail comes down just to the right of this inlet, close by Cataract creek. I was here once before with my Ericsson friend Brian, but it has been quite a while.

Very pretty,  very difficult. The trail runs right along the creek in a steep gorge.

This is a view looking up from some random point on the trail. Timber steps, lots of them. Below, the view looking down from the same point, stone steps, many of them higher. All of them wet and of concern against slipping, especially on the descent.

It really does just keep going, up and up and up. All pretty, all steep.

Eventually we top out at Laurel Dell picnic area, and things level out. Well, level is by comparison with where we just came. Lots more people up here, having walked from a parking area along the road that goes up Mt Tam.

I went as far as the road, then looped around and went down Benstein (sic) trail, then Kent trail, all the way to the Alpine lake water’s edge. From there it’s a grunt back up the grade on Helen Markt trail to rejoin the Cataract trail and head down.

Very nice country, very nice day.