The Sonoma Classic Coastwalk

Trip Includes:

Camping; shuttle transportation while on walk; all meals, including light breakfast, hot water/coffee, appetizers & hot dinners; guided hiking and an optional kayaking trip. Coffee and hot water for tea will be available every morning about 7 am. We will have breakfast about 8 am and start hiking about 9.30 am. Hiking will be with daypacks only. Every day appetizers will be available about 5:30pm, dinner at p.m. and a guest speaker and discussion about the following days hike between 7-p.m.

Daily Itinerary:

Sat June 1: Meet any time after 2 p.m. at the Salt Point Hike and Bike campsite at Salt Point State Park. This campsite is on the EAST side entrance to Salt Point and is 20 miles north of Jenner on Hwy 1. We will be camping two nights here. There is not a led hike today. We suggest you drive to the Kruse Rhododendron Preserve a nice 2-mile stroll or hike from the campsite to the pygmy forest. We will have a group meeting at 4.30 pm.

Sun June 2:  Campsite, Salt Point SP Hike and Bike campground We will shuttle hikers to the start of the hike at Horseshoe cove. We walk to Gerstle Cove and the visitor center a distance of 7 miles over fairly lever terrain. Hikers can walk or be shuttled back from the visitor center to the campsite an extra one mile. The hike will be led by a State Park staff interpretive specialist.

Mon June 3:  Campsite, Casini Ranch group site This morning we pack our tents into our own cars and drive 8 miles south to Fort Ross arriving at 10 am . We will hike to the original orchard, through the meadow to the coast and back to the Fort. The hike is 5 miles with 500 ft. elevation gain and will be led by a volunteer.

After visiting the Fort buildings, we drive south to Duncan’s Mills a distance of 12 miles. We camp here at the Casini Ranch for 3 nights with a site adjacent to the Russian River.

Tue June 4: Campsite- Casini Ranch. Today is our hardest hike – a distance of 9 miles with 1400 ft. elevation gain. We hike from Freezeout flat trailhead over Islands in the Sky and Pomo canyon to Shell beach. For hikers wanting a shorter hike a shuttle van will be available half way along the trail. This is a beautiful hike with creeks, redwoods and lovely ocean views. A park ranger will lead the hike.

Wed June 5: Campsite, Casini Ranch Hikers will be shuttled to Jenner where kayaks will be waiting for us to paddle in the Russian river. Anyone not wishing to paddle will be taken to the trailhead. We will hike from Goat Rock beach to Duncan’s landing along the Kortum trail a distance of 6 miles of mainly flat terrain. En route we will visit the mammoth rubbing rocks. The hike will be led by a Coastwalk volunteer. At Duncan’s landing we will be shuttled back to the campsite.

Thurs June 6: Today we will break camp, load our gear into our own cars and drive to Sonoma Coast State Park Bodega Dunes picnic area a distance of 13 miles. We will hike along Salmon Creek Beach and dunes to the UC Davis Marine Lab a distance of 2 miles. We have a private tour of the Marine Lab and then continue 2 miles to Bodega Head for our farewell. A coast walk volunteer will lead the hike.

Shuttles will take hikers back to their cars at approximately 3 pm.

What to Bring:

We will only be moving camp once-from Salt Point State Park to Casino Ranch. There is no gear van. You will use your own cars to transport gear. We suggest bringing the following:

GEAR:

• Tent, sleeping pad and sleeping bag, a small camp chair
• A waterproof windbreaker, warm layers of clothing, hiking boots, socks, soft shoes to wear in camp and hat.
• A pair of shoes or sandals the can get wet for kayaking
• Any extra food for breakfast and lunches in addition to items provided by us. We have limited room in our ice-chest
• Your own cup, plate, bowl, eating utensils, a plastic container for leftovers, your own cloth napkin and dishtowel.
• Personal items such as soap, shampoo, comb, toothbrush, toothpaste, chapstick, and sunscreen.
• Basic first aid for your daypack such as bandages, insect repellant., moleskin for blister protection and your own special medical needs.
• Daypack
• Reusable water bottle
• Sunglasses & sun hat
• flashlight or headlamp,
• camera and binoculars (optional)
• Food for your packed lunches

FOOD:

There will be hot water for tea and percolated coffee available from 7 am Breakfast will be available from 8am. We will provide the following oatmeal, granola, low fat milk, half and half milk, sugar, fresh fruit and dried fruit, whole wheat bread, marmalade and home-made jam. Hikers will bring their own food for lunches; some room in the ice chest will be available. In addition, we will provide any leftovers from the previous nights’ dinner; whole wheat bread, mayonnaise, peanut butter and home-made jam, granola bars, fruit and nuts. Appetizers will be served at the camp at about 5.30pm. Dinner will be served about 6pm. Food will be provided by “food angels”. Food angels are volunteers who prepare food at home and bring it to our campsite. There will be a meat dish and a vegetarian option. Drinks Both campsites have good clean drinking water.

 Beverages:

Both campsites have good clean drinking water. The Coastwalk organization cannot buy or sell alcoholic drinks. Ice will be available.

Trip leaders Simon and Anne Lowings are avid hikers. They have trekked worldwide but especially like Nepal where they have been to Everest and Annapurna base camps. Both are now retired and have lived in Sonoma county for 20 years. They will be supported by volunteer Gary Morgret, a keen photographer and bird watcher. Gary has had his photos displayed in many galleries in California. Our team is complemented by Robert Harkavy, a member of the Sonoma Wednesday Walkers group, and a Coastwalker who is very familiar with the Sonoma coast. Simon also  volunteers at the Coastwalk office.

Sonoma Coast Trail Maps:

http://www.sonomahikingtrails.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/sonoma-coast-state-park.pdf

 Fort Ross Conservancy & Historic Park

https://www.fortross.org/

 Salt Point State Park:

https://www.visitcalifornia.com/attraction/salt-point-state-park

Mammoth Rocks:

https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/Ice-Age-clues-near-Bodega-Scientist-thinks-2466058.php

 Casini Ranch Campground:

https://casiniranch.com/