January 2018
Welcome to our inaugural Outings e-bulletin. Each month, around mid-month, you'll receive an e-bulletin with information about upcoming outings and the Saturday Sorties. We'll also tell you about new trips in the planning stages and other Outings-related news. So read on, enjoy!
Springtime in Pinnacles National Park, home of the California Condor
Pinnacles National Park
March 23 - 25, 2018
Join Ernie Castiaux for 3 days/2 nights in the beautiful Pinnacles National Park, where we'll find solitude, challenge, and escape from urban life. We will car camp as a group and hike during the day along the spectacular ridges and trails among the spring wild flowers. During the spring, hiking is at its best when the grasses are green and a variety of wildflowers can be seen along any trail. We will also be looking for the elusive condors, which make their home here. The group hiking is rated 3B with hikes up to 11 miles with elevation gain. Alternate routes are available for individual exploration. Group size is limited to 12 participants and the cost is $85.00, including campsite reservation and all meals. For more information, contact Ernie Castiaux at ecastiaux@hotmail.com.
To reserve your space, send full payment of $85 to Ernie Castiaux, 5747 Shadow Ridge Drive, Castro Valley, CA 94552.
Manzanita Lake, Lassen Volcanic National Park
Manzanita Lake - Lassen Volcanic National Park
Lassen Volcanic National Park
May 30 - June 3, 2018
Mary Larkin-Berlinski will host 5 days/4 nights car camping at Lassen Volcano National Park, home to steaming fumaroles, alpine meadows, evergreen and deciduous forests, clear mountain lakes, and numerous volcanoes. This will be a base camp trip, with guided hikes depending on skill level and interest. Trip cost is $100.00 per person, which includes the campsite and all meals. Group size is limited to 28, and families are welcome! For more information, contact Mary at: mlarkin804@sbcglobal.net or 831.345.6963. To reserve your spot, please send a deposit of $50.00 to Mary Larkin-Berlinski, PO Box 776, Moss Landing, CA 95039. 
California Alpine Club | Co-Chairs: Renee Hamilton and Ernie Castiaux
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More Opportunities to Get Into the Great Outdoors
Green Lake - Easter Sierras
Green Lake Mule Pack
August 12 - 17 and August 19 - 24, 2018
Both mule pack base camp trips to Green Lake in the Eastern Sierras are FULL. If you would like to join the waitlist, please contact Mary Larkin-Berlinski at: mlarkin804@sbcglobal.net or 831.345.6963. Cost is estimated to be $375.00 per person, which includes the wilderness permit, mule outfitters to carry our gear out and back, and all meals including Sunday night prior to meeting the outfitters Monday morning. Group size is limited to 15.
Upper Missouri River, Montana
Upper Missouri Canoe Trip
September 17 - 21, 2018
Bob “Dr. Outdoors” Hanson will lead 4-night/5-day canoe exploration of the beautiful Upper Missouri River in Montana. He will be assisted by Mary Larkin-Berlinski as camp chef and Renee Hamilton will handle registrations. Trip cost is estimated at $200.00 per person, which includes canoe rentals and meals. It does not include transportation to the Upper Missouri River or car shuttles at the river. To reserve your spot, please send a deposit of $100.00 to Renee Hamilton, 1 McIntosh Court, Novato, CA 94949 (415) 686-3966.
Point Reyes National Seashore and Point Reyes Lighthouse
Point Reyes Hostel Long Weekend
September 28 - October 2, 2018
Point Reyes Outing (PRO) 2018: Vicki Olds and Audrey O’Connor have reserved the entire bunkhouse (sleeps 20) and two 1-bedroom dorm rooms (sleeps 5 ea.) at the fabled Point Reyes Hostel. Costs: Bunkhouse beds are $40/nt; 1BDRM bunks are $50/nt; add $5/day for food. Sign-ups begin February 01, 2018! Details will be sent by end of February to everyone on the list. Remember, payment in-full is due by June 30 to reserve this very special place. To join the PRO list, please email Vicki at production@studioreflex.com with “PRO 2018” in the subject line.
Christmas in the Monterey Adobes
December 7 - 8, 2018
Save the date! Step back into Monterey's past to experience the city’s 19th-century adobes, lit my luminarias and decorated in historical style. Docents and volunteers will be on hand to tell the story of each of these historic buildings. This trip is in the development stages, so stay tuned for details. But do save the date as this happens only once a year, and many of the adobes are only open to the public during this celebration.
But that's not all folks!
Here's what we have in the works....
Summer: Beginner's Backpack Trip
Ernie Castiaux will lead a beginners backpack trip in Pescadero’s Butano State Park, where 40 miles of hiking trails wind through 4,000 acres of canyons and uplands. Scattered throughout are patches of oak woodland, wet riparian, and sunny chaparral ecosystems. On this easy overnight backpack, we’ll leave civilization behind and venture out into the forgotten forests and scenic overlooks of the 9.5-mile-long Canyon Loop. We’ll overnight in the Trail Camp, deep in the woods about 5 miles into the trail. If you have never backpacked, we recommend you sign up for the Sierra Club’s Backpacking Course on March 18th (see below) before joining this trip.  
June: Kidd Lake - Dog Friendly!
Surrounded by wilderness where dogs can accompany their hikers off-leash, Kidd Lake Campground is a great place for a base camp. Long Lake, a natural lake with crystal-clear water, is one of many beautiful destinations within hiking distance. This is our first dog-friendly adventure, led by Renee Hamilton and her dog, Cody. As we're trying to gauge club interest in a hiking trip with dogs, if you think you would like to join us, please contact Renee at rdmhamilton@gmail.com. Of course, non-dog owners are welcome too! All dogs must be well-behaved with other dogs and up-to-date on all shots. As soon as we can reserve the campsites, we'll publish the dates and cost.
October: Van Damme State Park
Join Renee Hamilton for an exploration of Mendocino’s Van Damme State Park, which offers a scenic beach, a lush fern-filled forest and year-round camping. This park has something for everyone: easy, moderate and strenuous hiking trails, a beach and protected coves for kayaking and the famed pygmy forest. Of all the park system's units along the Mendocino coast, Van Damme is perhaps the richest in terms of historical resources connected with the redwood lumber industry. As soon as we reserve the campsites, we’ll publish the dates and cost.
Sierra Club Backpack Course - March 18
CAC members are invited to join the Sierra Club backpacking class on March 18th.  This is an all-day course directed towards people with little or no experience in backpacking, but who want to explore backcountry trails and get away from the crowds. The course includes a weekend backpack to Point Reyes in April where you can try out gear and learn in a guided, safe environment. The cost is $110. You do not need to be a Sierra Club member to attend.  The CAC Outings Committee is planning a beginner backpack trip this Summer and this would be a perfect way to prepare.  For information, contact Outings Co-Chair Ernie Castiaux at  ecastiaux@hotmail.com.
And finally....
So What's This I Hear About Saturday Outings?
Introducing
SATURDAY SORTIES!
In recognition of the far-flung nature of our membership as well as the beauty that the entire Bay Area has to offer, the Outings Committee is launching Saturday Sorties. One Saturday each month, we’ll enjoy a day outing to locations primarily outside of Marin. Our goal is to bring the warmth and camaraderie we experience with the California Alpine Club to all our members, wherever they live, and create more opportunities for all to enjoy Nature’s bounty throughout the Bay Area and beyond.
FEBRUARY SATURDAY SORTIE

Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space
February 10, 2018 - 9:30 a.m.
Join us at 9:30 a.m., Saturday, February 10 for an exploration of Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve. Located on the western slopes of the Santa Cruz Mountains overlooking Half Moon Bay, the centerpiece of this 4,711-acre Preserve is Purisima Creek Canyon, with its towering redwoods, rushing creek, and understory of ferns, berries, and wildflowers. Magnificent views of the coast and Half Moon Bay are visible from the northern part of the preserve. We’ll gather for refreshments after the hike in Half Moon Bay before returning home. For more information, contact Ernie Castiaux: ecastiaux@hotmail.com. 
What’s on your bucket list?
Please join us for our Members' Meeting, January 27!

At our quarterly Members Meeting, we'll be eliciting your ideas for outings in 2018 and beyond. Please join us and bring your thoughts for the kind of outings you would like to see on this page. Please see the email sent January 2 for meeting details.

If you can't attend the meeting but have an idea for an outing, please send your ideas and/or wish list to Renee Hamilton at rdmhamilton@gmail.com (415.686.3966) or Ernie Castiaux at ecastiaux@hotmail.com (510.909.3301).