Blessed with a small January window of clear skies, and we hit a weather home run today. Our plan was to summit Mt Tam and continue to Cataract Trail to see the waterfalls along Cataract Creek, finishing along Alpine Lake, Bon Tempe Lake and Lake Lagunitas.
We started in the Marin Municipal Water District lands north of Mt Tam, parking next to Lake Lagunitas. It was a very brisk 30 degrees at sunrise, which thankfully warmed up as we ascended on the north side up Eldridge Grade, past Inspiration Point up to the summit. We were able to ditch the jackets at the summit, where we were basked in a gloriously clear sunshiny day. At the summit the views were amazing.
From the summit, we headed down past Middle Peak Road, and down International Trail to Northside Trail south past Rifle Camp. The Potrero Meadow reminded me of Paige Meadows along the Tahoe Rim Trail (between Barker Pass and Tahoe City). Fortunately the ground was somewhat frozen, because the area was a bit marshy. We opted for the Mickey O'Brien Trail along the creek down to Laurel Dell Picnic Area. The falls on Cataract Creek were very nice. I was there on December 26 with my wife, and since then there was a considerable increase in water flow with the recent rains. There were several large trees which had fallen throughout the park, although none impeded the trails.
From Cataract Trail, we took Helen Markt Trail down to Alpine Lake, which was impressive in how full it was compared to when I was here last year. We finished along Bon Tempe Lake, where it had warmed to a balmy 48 degrees when we finished.
Insider tip: We recommend Gestalt Haus for your post hike krauts and libations. It's a favorite with the local mountain bikers with family style seating and an extensive beer list. Coffee Roastery just a couple doors down is pretty good for those who prefer their post-trek libation to be the hot brewed type.
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Responses
Thanks for the tip about Gestalt Hais! I’ll have to check that out when I’m down there (hopefully this spring). Great to see you back for another helping of the challenge. 😉