Hike:
Pt. Reyes
Date: 3/13/04
With whom: Andrea
Images 1-3
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Pt Reyes: Palomarin to Cost Trail to Lake Ranch Trail return via Crystal Lake Trail
Distance: 10.4 miles roundtrip
Elevation:
It was a beautiful day out so we wanted to go out for a hike. We wanted to avoid some of the crowds though so we didn't do the Bear Valley Trail to Arch Rock because we knew that would be crowded. Even the Coast Trail from the Palomarin Trailhead was crowded so we took the Lake Ranch Trail. We didn't see a single other person on this trail, which was nice. When we found the Crystal Lake Trail, the sign said there said the trail was unmaintained and hazardous conditions.. Well, of course we took it. The primary "hazard" to which they were referring was likely how steep the trail was and unmaintained. That was no big deal. What was a literal pain was all of the stinging nettles we encoutered. Sometimes it was waist high and overgrown from both sides of the trail. Painful indeed. To add insult to injury, we (esp. me!) later discovered that in our constant vigiliance for stinging nettles, we neglected the poison oak which made itself quite obvious in the following days and week. Nothing a trip to my primary care physician couldn't fix with a little topical cream, prednisone, and Caladryl.
