2.0K Travel Log by camilledupar
10 locations
Packsaddle Lake
I went with a group of friends out to Packsaddle Lake, and we had a lot of fun. We took my friend's truck and another friend's jeep, and it's a good thing we had both, because as we started to climb up the mountain, the truck got stuck in the snow in a couple spots, and we needed the jeep to help us get back on our way. Once we got to a parking area on the mountain, we hiked down to the lake. There had been a little less than a foot of snow on the ground, but it was still powdery soft and fresh, so we used it for some snowballs as we made the trek down. Once we were at the lake, we built a campfire, and some of the group went into the lake for a polar bear plunge. We ate lunch and dried off, and then hiked back before it got dark. Overall, I had a great time.
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Civil Defense Caves
I went with a group of friends to the Civil Defense caves. It was pretty easy to find, I saw some rock markers that helped to identify turns in the road that looked like gravestones, but they could be easy to miss if you weren't looking for them. I was surprised to find that the caves, which is a lava tube big enough to climb in and around fairly easily (there were a couple of bumped heads from tight squeezes and staying too close to the wall), were not in a mountain, but underground at an angle, in what looked like a big field. I never would have guessed, had I not seen it for myself. My whole group brought flashlights, or used the one on their phones, and we were able to navigate pretty easily through the caves; there were some spots with big boulders to climb across, but they were more fun than an obstacle. I'd guess that for most of the time I was in the cave, there was easily 5' clearance over my head, making about 10' high, give or take; of course, this varies depending on your spot in the cave. It was a really cool experience, and I would do it again.
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Half Moon Bay State Beach
When I went, it was unfortunately cloudy and cool, a fairly common occurrence in Northern California. Weather aside, it was a nice experience; the beach was close to the parking lot, and there were several other people playing in the water. We didn't stay long, because we arrived late in the afternoon. Even though it wasn't the right day to fully enjoy the beach experience, I'd love to return another day (perhaps when it is warmer) and experience it again.
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Timpanogas Cave
I really enjoyed hiking up to and exploring within Timpanogas Cave. When we went, my aunt booked tickets so that we could have a guided tour of the cave, which was not free but definitely worthwhile. We had the chance to learn about the unique topography and history of the cave system, which was really neat. The cave system has weatherproof doors on each end to help preserve the cave's unique features, and as a result, the cave had cool temperatures, which was a welcome break from the hot summer sun. The hike was paved the whole way, which was really nice, but there are stretches where they discourage stopping on the hike, due to potential rockfall; these are marked on the path with red and yellow lines. There were several places with benches for us to rest and have a snack or water break, and within the caves, there are many handrails to help keep your balance. It was an incredible experience, and I would do it again in a heartbeat.
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Muir Beach
I went to Muir Beach with my family, and I was really charmed by this area on the coast that I'd never even heard of, despite having grown up an hour away. We had originally planned to go to Muir Woods National Monument, but found that we'd picked a day when it was exceptionally crowded, and could not find parking, and decided as a group to head on down the road and see what else we could find. Well, we went through a part of Mt Tamalpais State Park, and eventually found ourselves here at the beach. (There was plenty of parking). We took the Coastal Trail up to a cliffside just barely south of the beach, which gave such beautiful vistas. We could see the western end of San Francisco, but not the Golden Gate Bridge, and we could look at all of the texture of the ocean along the coast there. We hiked back down, and explored the beach a little more until it was time for sunset. I enjoyed my time there and would love to return.
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St. Anthony Sand Dunes
I've been to the Sand Dunes a few times, and it's such a different piece of landscape from the surrounding territory. Some of the dunes are a good 20-25 feet high off the ground below and the nearby road, and it's fun to climb up and roll down. I've seen others race their 4-wheelers on the dunes, but I haven't done that yet. I have usually gone to the dunes and had a campfire after sunset with my friends. I've heard that you might need a permit for that, but I'm not sure what the rules are, since I've never been the one to organize a trip.
I remember one night in particular, I went with a roommate and some friends to the dunes during a lightning storm. We watched lightning crash miles away, while we stood in the rain. It was very cool to see the sky light up and illuminate everything with its signature light purple hue. We didn't have a bonfire then, as it was really too wet, but it was a cool moment.
If I have the chance to return, I would like to go stargazing there, as I've heard it's far enough away from the local city lights to get a good view of the stars at night.
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Table Rock / Table Mountain
I wasn't able to complete the hike, we went too early and got caught in snow, and lost the trail, and decided to turn around. I think I was on the Face trail? It was pretty steep. I'd love the chance to try again when the weather is right, and see those scenic vistas instead of threatening clouds.
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Harriman State Park
I went with my family over the long weekend, and we were able to rent a cabin together there. We took a short hike that started near the cabin, but couldn't go too far since we had young children with us who got tired. We heard what sounded like an engine revving, but it turned out to be a bird called the ruffled grouse; they flap their wings really fast, making the sound. On Saturday, we woke up to see 2 moose across the field from behind the cabin, just on the edge of the tree line beside the marsh. After breakfast, we found the rangers doing a fun activity for the kids, which included several stations with activities like a race across a big field, and measuring their 'wingspan' to compare their arms to a bird's wings; these were to teach about the kinds of animals in the refuge. I returned the next weekend with my aunt to participate in a nature journalling activity that the rangers had advertised, and it was a wonderfully peaceful chance to tune in to nature and out of the commotion of everyday life. Along the river, we saw a marmont swimming, which was pretty cool.
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Mesa Falls
The first time I went to Mesa Falls, I was on a big roadtrip with my family around various sites near Idaho. I remember being struck by the beautiful rainbows we saw coming off of the mist of the waterfalls.
When I moved up to Idaho to attend college, I was able to return with a roommate, who was leading a hike to the lower falls. I'd forgotten the name of the site from my first visit, but was overjoyed to see the waterfalls and misty rainbows again. The hike down to see the Lower Falls was pretty easy, and it was so neat to see the other waterfall, since they are so close together!
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