We finally had the whole ABC crew on this trip (Leo, David, Eric and myself). Eric wanted to see some redwoods and that sounded like a good idea to the rest of us so Eric planned a trip to Shaw Trail Camp. He gave us two options of getting there: Option one was a 5 to 6 mile trip via Sam McDonald County Park and option two was a quick 2.5 mile trek via the Hoffman Creek Trailhead. Well it was decided that, for today, shorter was better and then we could fool around more at camp. You have to get a permit for either option from the ranger station at Memorial County Park. No reservations are taken for this trail camp so get there early if it is a popular weekend. From East Bay head towards Woodside using either highway 84 or highway 92. Head to Skyline Boulevard (Highway 35) and take La Honda Road to left onto Pescadero Road and then a right onto Pescadero Creek Road then a left into Memorial County Park. Spend $5 for the nice map of the area (unless you already have it) and then $10 for your site. After paying and using the facilities if you need to head back to the trailhead by taking a right onto Pescadero Creek Road and then another right onto Wurr Road. Trailhead is on the left near bridge over Hoffman Creek.
Here are Leo, Eric and David as we were ready to start our trip. See map and profile below of our trip. Weather was forecast for partly cloudy/foggy but it was just warm enough. Rain can be fierce in these mountains so if there is any chance of rain you should prepare for it. I always carry rain gear even if none is forecast (I prefer to be prepared rather than be wet). I will never be ultra light but my pack is getting lighter every year.
Here
I am at the trailhead (my son wants proof of me actually going on these
trips so i pass the camera more now). The trailhead parking is decent
enough. We left on a Friday morning and there were only a couple other
cars. I imagine it is a little more popular on a weekend. The trail
starts just over my right shoulder. The nearby Christian camp was having
some sort of Jazz music festival that sounded good at times but then
it would start sounding more like they were tuning their instruments.
Luckily we did not hear them after we hiked a bit.
The
trail is pretty level and well covered by big trees. Being this close
to the coast the temperatures are already milder and with the tree cover
it is downright perfect for hiking. Of course with the cover and the
nearby creeks mosquitoes have an ideal habitat as well. It was a little
hard to shoot in the tree cover (and the GPS had some trouble as well)
as I didn't have
a tripod and the light was less than ideal.
The
trail/road we took in is well marked. There are a few spur trails to/from
the nearby Christian camp but if you stay on the main drag there is
no excuse to get lost. Here is a shelter that someone created out of
a burned out stump. There is evidence of the history of logging in this
area. The trail camp is actually the spot of an old logging camp and
there are many stumps on the way in that have marks from the springboards
used by loggers.
Banana
slugs love these mountains. We saw a few both on the way in and on the
way out, so watch your step as you don't squish one of the wonderful creatures.
Of course daring your friend to lick one was always fun when I was a kid.
Here
is the junction of the Towne Fire Road and the Old Haul Road
Trail. Both will take you to the Shaw Flat Trail Camp as the post tells
you. We took a left on the Towne Fire Road. Horses do use this trail
so keep an eye and ear out for them.
Here
we are approaching Pescadero Creek. I have read through other web sites
that this creek crossing can get interesting when the creek is running
high. I imagine asking the ranger in advance of the creek conditions
is the best option in Winter/Spring.
So
there are two ways to cross this creek. The first way is depicted here
by Leo and Eric while they cross on the bridge. Notice the ease of which
they cross and how even if the water was higher it would not pose a
problem.
The
second way is depicted by our youngest member (David) while he just
crosses on some rocks. I am not saying which way is better but I used
the bridge as I like to keep my feet and camera dry.
So
with a little more hiking we made it to the Shaw Flat Trail Camp. The
bathrooms are nice for pit style toilets. Water is available at Pescadero
Creek either by back tracking or continuing
past the trail camp to where the trail narrows and crosses the creek
again. I recommend heading forward on the trail as the ranger pointed
out that horses and vehicles cross this creek so getting your water
upstream is always the best option (I also think the jail, I mean Honor
Camp is upstream). We picked the last site (#8) as it is the biggest
and offered the best seating. It also had many mosquitoes!
Here
is Eric's shelter for the night. He decided to just go rainfly and groundsheet
to save some weight. I think
it worked out for him as I heard him sawing some logs most of the night.
David
went with tent and no rainfly
(at least until later I believe). He prefers he room of the 2 man to
stretch out in. We all think he is crazy for packing in that many pounds
of a tent for himself but hey it is his back.
I
went with just my one man Sierra Design with no rain fly (hey it was
warm and no clouds that night). I do pack it with me though just in
case. It works well but I have found if water is pooling around the
ten I have to watch for splashing into my tent. It happened once and
I though it was my tent leaking . I solved it by moving my boots to
outside the tent door to deflect any splashing in my very small vestibule.
Leo
did the hammock thing. He is our master knotsman. I think he likes sleeping
in the hammock so he can show off his skills with ropes. He says it
is more comfortable than sleeping on the ground but we all know how
much he likes using the truckers hitch..
Here
he is the hammock testing it
out. He does appear comfortable even though getting in and out of it
is not an easy feat. He does have the setup perfected now.
Someone
decided to do the whole Blair Witch rock thing out in the field near
our site. I wasn't scared though... of course it was during the day.
There
are some trees that are magnificent on the way down to the creek crossing.
Make sure you venture down this way to check them out.
So
the creek wasn't flowing that much but enough to keep some small fish
happy .
We
goofed around by the water for a while so i took some shots to get some
wallpaper shots for my computer. This one was taken by setting the camera
on a rock and using the self timer (I didn't bring a tripod and the
light was low out here).
Keeping
the shutter open for a while near flowing water is always a neat effect.
Don't look to close as it was a little breezy so some of the plants
may be slightly blurry (I haven't really gone through them in detail
yet to see if I got lucky or not).
Two
in our group decided to try to sleep so I decided to try to mess with
them but they looked too peaceful (and I made too much noise) so I decided
not to.
A
shot up to the canopy to show the height of some of these giants. I
can't imagine what this area must have been like before logging.
So
we had a great night even with the mosquitoes. They finally went to
bed after trying to eat through our layers of clothing and deet. This
shot was taken on the way out showing a horse and carriage. I had to
take it once they passed as the horse looked nervous and I needed the
flash on.
