Here's the latest on California Alpine Club Outings
February 2018


Into the Great Outdoors!
The Latest News from your California Alpine Club Outings Committee
Welcome to the California Alpine Club's Outings e-bulletin. Each month, around mid-month, you'll receive an e-bulletin with information about upcoming outings and the Saturday Sorties. We'll also tell you about new trips in the planning stages and other Outings-related news. So read on, enjoy!
Springtime in Pinnacles National Park, home of the California Condor
Pinnacles National Park
March 23 - 25, 2018
The Pinnacles National Park car-camping trip with Ernie Castiaux is now full. If you would like to join the waitlist, contact Ernie at the information below. We will car camp as a group and hike during the day along the spectacular ridges and trails among the spring wild flowers. During the spring, hiking is at its best when the grasses are green and a variety of wildflowers can be seen along any trail. We will also be looking for the elusive condors, which make their home here. The group hiking is rated 3B with hikes up to 11 miles with elevation gain. Alternate routes are available for individual exploration. Group size is limited to 12 participants and the cost is $85.00, including campsite reservation and all meals. For more information, contact Ernie Castiaux at ecastiaux@hotmail.com.
To reserve your space, send full payment of $85 to Ernie Castiaux, 5747 Shadow Ridge Drive, Castro Valley, CA 94552.
Manzanita Lake, Lassen Volcanic National Park
Manzanita Lake - Lassen Volcanic National Park
Lassen Volcanic National Park
May 30 - June 3, 2018
Mary Larkin-Berlinski will host 5 days/4 nights car camping at Lassen Volcano National Park, home to steaming fumaroles, alpine meadows, evergreen and deciduous forests, clear mountain lakes, and numerous volcanoes. This will be a base camp trip, with guided hikes depending on skill level and interest. Trip cost is $100.00 per person, which includes the campsite and all meals. Group size is limited to 28, and families are welcome! For more information, contact Mary at: mlarkin804@sbcglobal.net or 831.345.6963. To reserve your spot, please send a deposit of $50.00 to Mary Larkin-Berlinski, PO Box 776, Moss Landing, CA 95039. 
Kidd Lake Car Camp & Hike
July 13 - 15
Dogs welcome! Surrounded by myriad wilderness trails where dogs can accompany their hikers off-leash, Kidd Lake Campground is a great place for a base camp. Long Lake, a natural lake with crystal-clear water, is one of many beautiful destinations within hiking distance. This is our first dog-friendly adventure, led by Renee Hamilton and her Labrador, Cody. Of course, non-dog owners are welcome too. The cost of $75 includes the campsite and all meals from Friday dinner through Sunday lunch. All dogs must be well-behaved with other dogs and up-to-date on all shots. To reserve your place, please send full payment of $75 to: Renee Hamilton, 1 McIntosh Court, Novato, CA 94949 . Payment is also accepted via PayPal. For more information, contact Renee at 415-686-3966 or rdmhamilton@gmail.com.
California Alpine Club | Co-Chairs: Renee Hamilton and Ernie Castiaux
More Opportunities to Get Into the Great Outdoors
Green Lake - Easter Sierras
Green Lake Mule Pack
August 12 - 17 and August 19 - 24, 2018
Both mule pack base camp trips to Green Lake in the Eastern Sierras are FULL. If you would like to join the waitlist, please contact Mary Larkin-Berlinski at: mlarkin804@sbcglobal.net or 831.345.6963. Cost is estimated to be $375.00 per person, which includes the wilderness permit, mule outfitters to carry our gear out and back, and all meals including Sunday night prior to meeting the outfitters Monday morning. Group size is limited to 15.
Upper Missouri River, Montana
Upper Missouri Canoe Trip
September 17 - 21, 2018
The 4-night/5-day canoe exploration of the Upper Missouri River in Montana with Bob “Dr. Outdoors” Hanson is now full.  Trip cost is estimated at $200.00 per person, which includes canoe rentals and meals. It does not include transportation to the Upper Missouri River or car shuttles at the river. To join the waitlist, send a $100.00 deposit to Renee Hamilton, 1 McIntosh Court, Novato, CA 94949. (415-686- 3966). Your check will not be deposited until you are confirmed on the trip.
Point Reyes National Seashore and Point Reyes Lighthouse
Point Reyes Hostel Long Weekend
September 28 - October 2, 2018
Point Reyes Outing (PRO) 2018: Vicki Olds and Audrey O’Connor have reserved the entire bunkhouse (sleeps 20) and two 1-bedroom dorm rooms (sleeps 5 ea.) at the fabled Point Reyes Hostel. Costs: Bunkhouse beds are $40/nt; 1BDRM bunks are $50/nt; add $5/day for food. Sign-ups egin February 01, 2018! Details will be sent by end of February to everyone on the list. Remember, payment in-full is due by June 30 to reserve this very special place. To join the PRO list, please email Vicki at production@studioreflex.com with “PRO 2018” in the subject line.
Christmas in the Monterey Adobes
December 7 - 8, 2018
Return to the days of Alta California and see Monterey’s historic adobes splendidly decorated for the season with welcoming,
candle-lit luminarias at each entrance. Enjoy festive music, living history portrayals, and the warm spirit of this year’s 34th annual celebration. Cost is $50.00 and will cover the Adobes tour ticket, happy hour on the 8th and a sack lunch on the 9th for a beautiful hike at Point Lobos State Reserve. A group motel rate has been secured and you will be provided information so you can make reservations individually. For information, contact Rani Devadasan at putri0525@aol.com or 415-497-5568. To reserve a spot, please send a deposit of $50 to Rani Devadasan, 1225 Denlyn St., Novato CA 94947.
But that's not all folks!
Here's what we have in the works....
Summer: Beginner's Backpack Trip
Ernie Castiaux will lead a beginners backpack trip in Pescadero’s Butano State Park, where 40 miles of hiking trails wind through 4,000 acres of canyons and uplands. Scattered throughout are patches of oak woodland, wet riparian, and sunny chaparral ecosystems. On this easy overnight backpack, we’ll leave civilization behind and venture out into the forgotten forests and scenic overlooks of the 9.5-mile-long Canyon Loop. We’ll overnight in the Trail Camp, deep in the woods about 5 miles into the trail. If you have never backpacked, we recommend you sign up for the Sierra Club’s Backpacking Course on March 18th (see below) before joining this trip.  
October: Van Damme State Park
Join Renee Hamilton for an exploration of Mendocino’s Van Damme State Park, which offers a scenic beach, a lush fern-filled forest and year-round camping. This park has something for everyone: easy, moderate and strenuous hiking trails, a beach and protected coves for kayaking and the famed pygmy forest. Of all the park system's units along the Mendocino coast, Van Damme is perhaps the richest in terms of historical resources connected with the redwood lumber industry. As soon as we can reserve the campsites, we’ll publish the dates and cost.
Sierra Club Backpack Course - March 18
CAC members are invited to join the Sierra Club backpacking class on March 18th.  This is an all-day course directed towards people with little or no experience in backpacking, but who want to explore backcountry trails and get away from the crowds. The course includes a weekend backpack to Point Reyes in April where you can try out gear and learn in a guided, safe environment. The cost is $110. You do not need to be a Sierra Club member to attend.  The CAC Outings Committee is planning a beginner backpack trip this Summer and this would be a perfect way to prepare.  For information, contact Outings Co-Chair Ernie Castiaux at  ecastiaux@hotmail.com.
And finally....
Our Saturday Sorties
In recognition of the far-flung nature of our membership as well as the beauty that the entire Bay Area has to offer, the Outings Committee has launched Saturday Sorties. On the second Saturday each month, we’ll enjoy a day outing to locations primarily outside of Marin. Our goal is to bring the warmth and camaraderie we experience with the California Alpine Club to all our members, wherever they live, and create more opportunities for all to enjoy Nature’s bounty throughout the Bay Area and beyond.
MARCH SATURDAY SORTIE

Sunol Regional Wilderness
March 10, 2018 - 9:30 a.m.
2C Hike
Join us at 9:30 a.m., Saturday, March 10 for an exploration of Sunol Regional Wilderness. At peak wildflower season, we'll hike along Alameda Creek to the Little Yosemite Area and then follow various trails up to enjoy the vistas from Eagle View Trail. This 9-mile hike is rated 2C with 2300 ft. elevation gain. We'll meet at the Sunol Regional Wilderness Ohlone Road parking lot at the end of the road (not the old green barn). Park entrance fee: $5.00/vehicle. Bring 2 liters of water, lunch, sturdy hiking boots and your enthusiasm. Hiking poles may be helpful for the elevation gain. Directions: From 680 South, take exit 21A for CA 84 toward Calaveras Road and Dumbarton Bridge. At the bottom of the off-ramp, turn left onto Calaveras Rd. Continue approx. 4 miles and turn left onto Geary Rd. Proceed for about 3 miles, through the ranger post to the end of the road. For more information, contact Ernie Castiaux at ecastiaux@hotmail.com or 510-909- 3301
APRIL SATURDAY SORTIE

Mount Diablo State Park
April 14, 2018 - 9:30 a.m.
We'll explore trails in Mount Diablo State Park, one of the Bay Area's ecological treasures, with beautiful wildflowers, an extensive trail system, fascinating wildlife, and distinctive rock formations. 
MAY SATURDAY SORTIE

Point Reyes National Seashore
May 12, 2018 - 9:30 a.m.
Our May Sortie takes us to Point Reyes National Seashore. From thunderous ocean breakers and expansive sand beaches to open grasslands and forested ridges, Point Reyes offers visitors an amazing hiking experience. Join us!
What’s on your bucket list?

Your CAC Outings Committee is eager to expand and enhance your opportunities to enjoy the great outdoors. But we need your help! Is there an activity you would like us to offer? A destination that you've always wanted to explore? Please tell us! Send your ideas and/or wish list to Renee Hamilton at rdmhamilton@gmail.com (415.686.3966) or Ernie Castiaux at ecastiaux@hotmail.com (510.909.3301).