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Hike up Bald Hill to see incredible views of San Francisco. (Photograph by Matthew Gabel)
Although I see Bald Hill out my window, I one way or the other had by no means climbed it, so I made a decision it was excessive time to treatment the omission. With the thought of climbing a brand new path for the brand new 12 months, I set off from Phoenix Lake.
Phoenix Lake was constructed previous to the existence of the Marin Municipal Water District, at a time when there have been competing non-public water corporations. The land the place the lake is now belonged to the Porteous household whose property stretched over to Deer Park in Fairfax. They lived within the space now referred to as Hidden Meadow. (The redwood log cabin, that's now on the shore of the lake, was in-built about 1894 for the ranch overseer.) After her husband, James, died in 1887, Janet Porteous leased a part of the property to Marshall Ranch, which offered merchandise underneath the title Hippolyte Dairy, and half to the Lezzini household.
When Porteous died in 1904 her heirs offered the property to the Marin Water and Energy Co., which owned it till MMWD took over in 1916. Arthur Foster, president of Marin Water Co., had needed to construct a dam close to the present-day Alpine Dam nevertheless it was controversial and he was confronted with litigation by the county. The acquisition of the land allowed him to construct Phoenix Gulch Dam as an alternative in 1905.
Stroll as much as Phoenix Lake Dam from the car parking zone, appreciating how full the lake is from the autumn rains. The concrete spillway you see changed a picket one which was in use till 1984. In .1 miles, at a signed junction, flip proper on Worn Spring Path. (I've heard this incorrectly referred to as Heat Spring, however although there's a spring it isn't a sizzling and even heat spring.) The path is called for George Austin Worn, who married Annie Ross in 1863. She was the daughter of James Ross, who acquired a land grant for Rancho Punta de San Quentin, the place the city of Ross is now. She acquired a big dowry, and she or he and Worn constructed a house referred to as Sunnyside, the place the Marin Artwork and Backyard Heart is now, and owned a cattle ranch on Bald Hill.
Worn Spring begins out in oak and bay woodland. Search for bay bushes which can be flowering, and look underneath buckeye bushes for buckeyes which can be already sprouting. Because the street climbs, you get vistas of Mount Tamalpais and the higher treeless slope of Bald Hill. The sunny uphill part makes this hike excellent for this time of 12 months, however not a sensible choice for summer season.
In about 2 miles, you get a spectacular view of the bay and San Francisco. MMWD land ends at an indication, under the 1,141-foot summit. Buying Bald Hill was listed as an goal in San Anselmo’s first basic plan in 1976, however 60 acres on the high continues to be in non-public fingers. In 1990, San Anselmo, Ross and the Marin County Open Area District mounted a joint marketing campaign for a bond measure to lift the cash wanted to purchase the acreage on the summit, however voter assist fell a irritating 180 votes wanting the two-thirds majority wanted for the measure to cross. More moderen makes an attempt to accumulate the summit have been additionally unsuccessful.
I had deliberate lunch with a view, however although the vistas have been excellent so was the wind, so I took some photographs and headed again all the way down to Phoenix Lake, the downhill seeming remarkably shorter than the climb up.
To succeed in Phoenix Lake, take Sir Francis Drake Boulevard to Lagunitas Street and observe it to the small car parking zone situated in Ross’ Natalie Coffin Greene Park.
Phoenix Lake is a well-liked place, so plan to get there early, particularly on a weekend, or be ready to have to attend for a parking spot because the car parking zone tends to replenish shortly.
Wendy Dreskin has led the School of Marin nature/climbing class Meandering in Marin since 1998, and teaches different nature courses for adults and kids. To contact her, go to wendydreskin.com.