After our 5.5 hour ride the day before, Taylor and opted for a shorty. It gave me an opportunity to take some pictures of some of the trails that are heavily used by the horses and riders of Marin Stables.
The little green gliphs are supposed to be numbers that are tied to the pictures below. I have some opportunities for personal growth in this image area!
1. Here's what the Canyon Trail looks like just after you leave the barn and pass the covered arena.
2. Later on in the Canyon Trail, close to where it intersects with the Connector Fireroad, there's a lot of new growth redwoods. The trail meanders by the trees and over their roots. In the winter it's muddy as hell.
Taylor and I turned on the Connector, then reached Boy Scout Junction.
3. At Boy Scout Junction, we hung a right on the Deer Park Fireroad. About half way to Five Points, there's a bunch of Buckeye trees with their nuts ripening. They kind of look like wierd Christmas trees.
4. Here's the view of Five Corners coming up from the Deer Park Fire Road. Bald Hill Trail is to the left, lower Shaver Grade in the middle, Elliot Trail up the steps, upper Shaver Grade to the right of that, and Concrete Pipeline to the far right. We went straight down Shaver.
5. On the way down Shaver the East Peak of Mt. Tam peeks over the trees.
Toward the bottom of Shaver Grade, near the creeks, you start to see some redwoods. I get a kick out of some of the old stumps like this one.
6. Taylor and I ambled down Shaver, and turned into the new entrace to Hidden Meadow Trail. There's the new bridge there on the left, and the new trail past the oak trees. It should eliminate a lot of the muddy trips from the old, lower trail.
Once you're through the meadow, the trail heads up. In the last couple of years they added a set of killer switchbacks. Its a great opportunity to connect with your horse and use your seat to shift your weight to navigate the turns. If you don't it's also a great opportunity to knock the sh*t out of a knee or two! On the way up the steep, narrow, rocky trail, you have an opportunity to take your life in your hands and look at the views off to the right.
7. One of these views is a great view of East, Middle and West peaks of Mt Tamalpais.
8. At the top of Hidden Meadow Trail it intersects with the Bald Hill Trail. At one time there was a trail from Six Points to Bald Hill. Now there are only 5 trails there, and only a view of Bald Hill.
9. The Bald Hill Trail goes off to the right. The portion that continues on to Five Corners is referred to as "a connector fireroad." Seems nuts. The beginning part of this trail has a lot of low hanging branches, then wanders through some pretty country, and then down a horrifically difficult trail that drops off in chunks over tree roots. Needs some trail repair to keep it useful to horses.
10. At the end of the Bald Hill Trail we hit Boy Scout Junction. We crossed Deer Park Fireroad, and went up the Moore Trail. This trail is bit uphill and then winds down to the Canyon Trail. It has lots of ruts to have Taylor practice "stepping" over.
11. At its end, Moore intersects with Canyon again with its canopy of trees.
12. At the end of the Canyon Trail you can see the end of Marin Stables' covered arena.
Ah, home sweet home. Well, home sweet Budweiser for me and a roll in the sand for young Taylor.