Coastwalk Holds Fantastic 29th Walks Season
Attendance was up this year on Coastwalk’s annual multi-day Coastwalk camping and hiking adventures. A great time was had by those who participated. This year “Walks” were held in Humboldt, Marin, Ventura, San Luis Obispo, San Francisco and more.
The Rob Hill Overnight segment of the Golden Gate Family Walk was a great success. Coastwalk partnered with other trail organizations including the Bay Area Ridge Trail, the San Francisco Bay Trail and the Anza National Historic Trail, in celebrating the 75th Anniversary of the Golden Gate Bridge. Coastwalkers camped in the Rob Hill campground at the Presidio in San Francisco and were treated to a fantastic campfire program. Historic re-enactors played the role of the Juan Bautista de Anza expedition and educated the audience about life on that historic journey. Additionally, the campers were honored to watch a tribe of Ohlone Native Americans perform traditional dances and talk about their people’s history in San Francisco.
The Jug Handle Art Weekend in Mendocino was a big hit, and appealed to Coastwalkers interested in hostel accommodations rather than outdoor camping. This Walk will be offered again in the upcoming season. San Luis Obispo was sold out and had a big waiting list in 2012. Walkers report that this trip, with its hikes in San Simeon State Park, was fabulous. The SLO Walk will also be offered in 2013 and we are expecting to also offer a Walk in Del Norte County.
For those unfamiliar with Coastwalk culture, it is a goal of long term Coastwalkers to complete a Coastwalk in all 15 coastal counties. Several “walkers” accomplished this goal in this past year.
Coastwalk overnight trips are expeditions along the California Coastal Trail and are organized at Coastwalk headquarters, but primarily run by volunteers and expert local guides who share a mission to protect the coastal places they cherish through education, advocacy and stewardship of the California Coastal Trail.
Trips vary in the number of days and nights and in their degree of difficulty, hiking distances, and terrain. Some involve casual walks over easy terrain, some are moderate hikes of 5-10 miles a day, and a few even have a combination of difficulty and terrain in the same day. On many of the trips, volunteers carry the “walkers” gear from campsite to campsite, allowing participants to enjoy their hike without as much effort as a backpack. Most trips involve camping and some are true “backpacks”. Specific Family Walks are geared towards the hiking abilities and activity needs of children ages six and over. You can check out the 2013 Coastwalk schedule on Coastwalk’s web site beginning February 1st, 2013 by clicking here.
Read more on Coastwalk in 2012
New Podcasts Featuring Coastal Hero Peter Douglas
Coastwalk Awarded New Grant From Coastal Conservancy to Fund Formation of Coastal Trail Alliance
Governor Attends Coastwalk Legislative Reception in Sacramento