San Jose IBM Retirement Club Hikes
Hike: Almaden/Guadalupe
Friday, March 30, 2012, 9:30 AM

Details will be available by March 1, 2012
Hike: Shoreline Park
Friday, February 24, 2012, 10:00 AM
Time for another flat but scenic hike, this month at Shoreline Park in Mountain View.  We’ll be walking about 6 miles on paved or gravel trails, so good athletic shoes will be sufficient. We hope to see many varieties of waterfowl in the marshy wetlands.
After the hike, we will have lunch on the patio overlooking Shoreline Lake. This time you have a choice of bringing your lunch or buying it, as there is a café where you can purchase lunch if you like.  
To get to the Shoreline Lake parking lot where we will be meeting,  travel north on Highway 101 or Highway 85 toward San Francisco, and exit at Shoreline Boulevard.  Make a right turn at the stoplight onto N. Shoreline Blvd. heading east.  Stay on Shoreline, going past the guard shack at the entrance to the park and continue till the road ends at the lake and boathouse. Don’t forget your water, and lunch if you prefer not to buy at the café.  Heavy rain cancels the hike.
Contact: Gil or Julie Feller at (408) 247-6769 or giljulief@gmail.com

Hike: Coyote Hills Regional Park
Friday, January 20, 2012, 10:00 AM
Coyote Hills Regional Park, overlooking San Francisco Bay, is a gem of the East Bay regional park system. There are sweeping views of the bay, the Santa Cruz mountains, San Francisco, and Oakland, as well as beautiful marshes and abundant bird life. Bring your binoculars! The hike will consist of two adjacent loop trails for a distance of about 5 miles with elevation changes of not more than a few hundred feet. The trails are mostly paved or gravel, so mud should not be an issue. The park can be reached from the west bay by crossing the Dumbarton Bridge (Highway 84 east) or from I-880 and take the Highway 84 west exit. From either direction on Highway 84, take the Paseo Padre Parkway exit and head north about 1 mile. Turn left at Patterson Ranch Road and proceed to the park entrance. There is a $5 parking fee. We will meet in the parking lot in front of the park visitor center. Serious rain cancels. Those wishing to carpool can meet at the highways 85/87 Park and Ride at 9:15 AM. From there it takes about 30 minutes to Coyote Hills. The Park and Ride is under Highway 85 where Santa Teresa enters highways 87 or 85. Your hike leaders will not be stopping there.
Contact: Jim or Maya D'Anjou at (408) 779-1292 or jim.hapapapa@gmail.com

Hike: Sanborn Park
Friday, November 11, 2011, 10:00 AM
We will hike the Skyline trail in the upper regions of Sanborn County Park. However, we will NOT park in the main Sanborn park area. We will start at the Sunnyvale Mountain trailhead off Highway 35 south of Saratoga gap. This is an out and back trail of about 6 miles with a mild, 600 ft. elevation change. There are several options for loops along the trail for the more adventurous.  We hike north along Skyline trail parallel to Highway 35 (the highway is not visible from the trail) to Indian Rock where we will have lunch. This is a well-forested trail with Madrone, Tanoak, and Douglas Fir, along with California Bay and Big Leaf Maple.
To reach the trailhead take Highway 9 west out of Saratoga until you reach Highway 35 (6.6mi to Skyline Blvd at Saratoga gap). Turn left (south) for 4.5 miles and park at the Sunnyvale Mountain trailhead on the left. The trailhead is also 1.7 miles north on Highway 35 from Black Road. Carpoolers, meet at the Camden Park & Ride at Highway 85 and Camden at 9:00 AM.
Rain cancels. Contact Bill or Linda Desler 408-268-3025; desler@pacbell.net
Hike: Pinnacles National Monument
 Friday, October 14, 2011
The October hike will be held at the Pinnacles National Monument approximately 25 miles south of the town of Hollister on Highway 25. There are a number of trails to choose from and Roger Beaudoin (my son, who is very familiar with the area) will be along to advise the hikers of the various features and challenges of the trails.  Some trails have tree shade and others have little shade.
All those who are planning to join the hike should meet in the Target parking lot on Highway 25, south of Tres Pinos Road, at 9:00 AM. We will organize car pools and go by convoy to the Pinnacles. Travel time from San Jose to Hollister is about 45 minutes and from Hollister to the Pinnacles about a half hour. In the event of inclement weather, the hike will be canceled. Please contact us if you are planning to join the hike.
Remember to bring your Golden Age Passport card for free admission for everyone in your vehicle.
Contact: Ralph Beaudoin, (831) 630-3043 or e-mail at rcbeaudoin@yahoo.com
Harvey Bear Ranch Hike, near Gilroy
Friday, September 30, 2011

Come and enjoy the heat!  Explore part of this large area. The landscape consists of rolling hills, with oak and chestnut trees - somewhat sparse, so bring sunscreen, a hat and plenty of water. We will be on the Ridge Trail where we should have some spectacular views of southern Santa Clara County.
Our hike will take a fairly strenuous loop route of about 6 miles.  The hike will take us from the parking lot (about 500' elevation) along the Harvey Bear and Willow Springs Trail, then on the Coyote Ridge Trail where we will top out at about 1200'.  This climb is a good cardio workout!  The trails aren't rocky, but turn to mud  with rain (see below) - but this shouldn't be a problem in September.
To get there, take Hwy 101 south toward Gilroy.  Take the San Martin Ave. exit.  Proceed east on San Martin Ave. for about 2 miles.  The Park entrance is on the left, 1/4 mile east of Foothill Ave.  We will meet in the parking lot at 10 AM.  Lunch will be on the trail.  No facilities are available, so we will spread out on the surrounding ground.  Carpoolers, meet at the Cottle Park & Ride (Hwy 85 and Cottle) at 9 AM.  See you there.
Rain CANCELS!
Also - if the TEMPERATURE FORECAST is 90 degrees or higher for the 30th - This CANCELS, too!
Chuck & Kathy Cruse, (415)334-2236, clcruse@aol.com

There is no regular Friday hike in July or August.
Sunol Regional Wilderness Hike
Friday, June 10, 2011, 10:00 AM

The location chosen for the June hike is the Little Yosemite area of the Sunol Regional Wilderness of the East Bay Regional Parks District. There are many different trail routes available that access different types of terrain. The one chosen starts by crossing the foot bridge over Alameda Creek just inside the park and follows the Canyon View, McCorkle, Cerro Este trails across partially shaded woodland and open grassland that had many wildflowers in late March, but may be somewhat dried out and brown now. After about 2.6 miles and 1 ½ hours you arrive at the Little Yosemite area on Alameda Creek, which is the largest watercourse in Alameda County and is the boundary between the park and the San Francisco Water Department lands around Calaveras (Berryessa) Reservoir. This location has a restroom and picnic tables, making it also a good place to have lunch. The return to the starting point is about 1.5 miles along Alameda Creek (actually the gravel Geary Road -- Camp Ohlone Road -- which is closed to most vehicular traffic), which is also the outlet for Calaveras (Berryessa) Reservoir and is partially tree shaded.

The park can be reached from Calaveras Road, which is the extension of Route 237 at 680 in Milpitas; but this route is slow for much of the way where it follows the edge of Calaveras (Berryessa) Reservoir. A much better and faster route, though several miles longer, leaves 680 just before the Route 84 exit to Livermore on Calaveras Road (the 680 exit is signed "Calaveras Road") and proceeds south and east and past the (left T) junction of Geary Road which enters the park. Admission has been free on week days, and there is a parking area near the restrooms and footbridge just inside the park on the left side of the road next to the creek. Travel time from San Jose on the 680 route is just over ½ hour and we plan to start at 10:00 AM so as to avoid the warmer part of the June day.
Contact:Dick and Dianne Oswald(408) 295-0094, sdroswald@sbcglobal.net
San Francisco Land’s End and Sutro Baths Ruins Hike
Friday, May 27, 2011, 10:00 AM

We will be walking the San Francisco Land’s End Trail to China Beach. The walk is 4.5 miles round trip. We’ll start at the Sutro Baths Ruins. From there we will be walking along the Coastal Trail to Eagle Point. We’ll take city streets to reach China Beach. Weather permitting, we should have great views of Marin Headlands and Golden Gate Bridge. The walk is easy except for stairs to and from 2 beaches we’ll be visiting.
We will meet in the large parking lot at Merrie Way at 10:00 AM. Parking is free. To get there using Route 280, drive north into San Francisco and continue onto CA-1 N/Junipero Serra Blvd. Turn left on Sloat Blvd.  Turn right when you reach Great Hwy and continue into Point Lobos Ave. Turn left at Merrie Way. Bring lunch and water, and remember to dress in layers as the weather can be cold and windy.Please send e_mail to Tom & Bev Higa at tom_s_higa@sbcglobal.net if you plan to join us and be sure to give us your cell phone number.  
Contact:    Tom & Bev Higa, 408-629-4323
Four Parks Hike -- Wildflowers and Views
Friday, April 15, 2011, 10:00 AM
On the April hike you will enjoy fields of wildflowers, green hills, and views of the ocean, the bay, San Francisco, and Mount Diablo. We will stroll the "Four parks loop" through Russian Ridge, Coal Creek, Monte Bello and Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserves. It's about 7 miles with some ups and downs. Those who like a shorter stroll can hike to Borel Hill (the highest point in San Mateo County) and back -- about a mile and a half total with less than 400 feet elevation gain.  We suggest returning via the Ancient Oaks Trail, which adds 0.6 mile.

We will meet on April 15th at 10:00 AM at the Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve parking lot at the northwest corner of Skyline Blvd. and Page Mill Road (which becomes Alpine Road here). From the south, exit 280 onto El Monte to Moody Road to Page Mill. From the north, exit 280 onto Page Mill Road. Allow about half an hour to drive the twisty uphill road. Bring water, lunch, sunscreen and your sun hat.
Contact: Henry or Barbara Bender at (408) 225-3039.
Sweeney Ridge Hike
Golden Gate National Recreation Area,
National Park Service, San Mateo County
Friday, March 25, 2011, 10:00 AM

This hike was canceled due to bad weather.

Sweeney Ridge is a hilly hiking area of ridges and ravines between San Bruno and Pacifica with many surprises. As you hike on a paved fire road, there are views of the SF Airport, SF Bay and, from the top, Pacifica below out to the Farallon Islands, and from Montara Mountain north to Mount Tamalpais, with the Golden Gate Bridge in the foreground. This (minus the bridge) is what explorer Don Gaspar de Portola saw in 1769. The ridge's 1,200-foot-high summit, covered with coastal scrub and grassland, slopes down to the bay on one side and to the Pacific on the other. A walk along Sweeney Ridge takes you through a history of San Francisco's 20th-century Nike coastal defense system. Look for the stone plaque honoring Portola's expedition. A nearby granite monument directs you to views from this scenic San Francisco Bay Discovery Site, including the Farallon Islands, Mt. Tamalpais, Point Reyes, Mt. Diablo, the Montara Mountains, and San Pedro Point.

This 5.7 mile out and back hike is moderately easy, with about 600 feet in elevation change takes about 2.5 hrs. Sneath Lane Trail climbs steadily, with one short steep section. Sweeney Ridge Trail is nearly level.

Getting there & meeting spot: From Interstate 280 in San Mateo County, exit Sneath Lane (exit 43b). Drive west about 2 miles to the trailhead at the end of the road where there is a parking lot. Lock all valuables in your trunk. Bring a lunch and water. Read more at Trails.com: http://www.nps.gov/goga/planyourvisit/upload/sb-sweeney-2008.pdf

Contacts: Bev & Jim Baker (408) 354-4850)

Los Alamitos Creek Trail Hike
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
This month’s hike is an easy, flat hike on a paved trail. The distance is between 5 and 8 miles, depending on how energetic and ambitious you feel. We will meet at 9:30 AM in the picnic area of Almaden Lake Park. This large covered picnic area is located off Winfield Blvd., south of Coleman. There is a charge for parking in the lot.  However, there is plenty of free parking on Winfield Blvd. just outside the park. There are also restrooms next to the Bocci Ball court. We would like to start the hike at 10:00 AM. We will follow the trail to Camden Avenue for a 5-mile loop. Those who wish to do a longer walk (approximately 8 miles roundtrip) can continue on to Harry Road then return. Bring lunch and water.

Contact: Pat Falkowski (408) 972-2877 or Lize Johannes (408) 373-8181
St. Joseph’s Hill Hike
Friday, January 28, 2011 TAR = 5
This month we will explore the St. Joseph’s Hill Open Space Preserve. Beginning in downtown Los Gatos, we’ll hike on the Los Gatos Creek Trail all the way up to the top of Lexington Dam. We will continue from there up to St. Joseph’s Hill – a 1,250 foot pinnacle. If we’re lucky, we will be treated to panoramic views of the Santa Clara Valley, Lexington Reservoir, and the impressive Sierra Azul mountain range. This hike will total around 5 miles, with plenty of fun uphills to work your cardiovascular system. But, hopefully, the views will make all that climbing worth your while.
We’ll meet at 10:00 AM in the Old Town parking lot on University Avenue in Los Gatos. You may want to park across the street in the underground lot, as there is a time limit in the University Avenue lot. To get there, take Highway 17 toward Santa Cruz. Exit at Highway 9, bearing right. When you get to University Avenue, turn left. Continue down University till you see Old Town on your left. Bring lunch and water.
Contact: Gil & Julie Feller, (408) 247-6769
Wilder Ranch State Park Hike
Friday, November 12, 2010 10:00AM
This month we have planned a longer hike (just under 8 miles.) However, for those of you who would like to visit the park and hike a shorter route, there is an optional out-and-back shorter hike that you can do. We will be leading the longer hike. 
The longer hike is a loop that takes us over hills and valleys on the park’s inland side. You can find a detailed write up for the hike at the following link: 
http://www.bahiker.com/southbayhikes/wilder.html
The shorter hike will be on the coast side, and is about 2 miles round trip, but according to the park web site you can go farther if you like.  The destination for this hike is Old Landing Cove.  You can read further about the hike at:
http://www.parks.ca.gov/default.asp?page_id=25126
Directions to trailhead: From Santa Cruz, drive four miles north on Coast Highway 1 to the signed turnoff for Wilder Ranch State Park on the ocean side of the highway. Follow the park road to its end at the large parking lot. There you will find restrooms and water. There may be a fee for parking.  We’ll meet at the parking lot at 10:00 AM. Bring lunch and water. The long hikers will eat lunch on the trail.
Contact: Gil & Julie Feller, (408) 247-6769
San Francisco City Walk, (please call to sign up for this hike)
Thursday, October 21, 2010, 10:00 AM
This month we will be walking across that iconic San Francisco landmark, the Golden Gate Bridge. The span is 1.7 miles across one way. We will be walking from Fort Point which is just under the bridge on the San Francisco side. From there we will walk up to the bridge and across. Once on the Sausalito side, we will either turn back at that point, or continue on to historic Fort Baker, another mile or so. The total mileage will vary from around 4 miles to 7 or 8 depending on what the group decides to do.

We will meet in the Fort Point parking lot at 10:00 AM. To get there using Route 280, drive north into San Francisco and continue on 19th Avenue. At the 19th Avenue/25th Avenue split (in Golden Gate Park) , bear left on 25th, then right on Lincoln, and once under the bridge take a left on Long to get to Fort Point. Bring lunch and water, and remember to dress in layers as the weather can be cold and windy.
Call Gil & Julie at (408) 247-6769 if you plan to join us and be sure to give us your phone number.

Joseph Grant County Park Hike
Friday, September 24, 2010 9:30 AM
Join us for a hilly hike in the area’s largest county park. Our 6.3-mile hike begins at a trailhead near the park headquarters.  After a steady, fairly steep uphill climb of about 2 miles we are treated to spectacular views of the Santa Clara Valley and the Mount Hamilton area. The trail continues along the park boundary before veering east and north, winding through meadows and woodlands.  The trails are wide and well maintained, but not flat in many places, so you will get a good workout.  There are no rest rooms along the trail.

To get to the park, take highway 680 north and exit at Alum rock Avenue, turning right.  After about 2 miles, you will come to Mount Hamilton Road, where you will make another right.  Continue on Mt. Hamilton Road for 8 winding miles, when you will come to the park entrance on your right.  Drive into the park until you see the Stockman picnic area, where we will meet at 9:30 AM.  Please note that there is an entrance fee per car, unless you have a County Parks sticker.  Bring lunch and plenty of water.
Contact: Gil & Julie Feller, 247-6769,  giljulief@gmail.com

Coal Mine Ridge Hike
Friday, August 27, 2010, 10:00 AM
The August hike will be a 4.5 mile loop in the Portola Valley area. The route is of moderate difficulty with a little climbing, and is mostly shady. There are a couple of promontories with great views of the bay. We’ll stop for lunch  along the trail.
Directions to the hike: from Interstate 280 in San Mateo County, exit Alpine Road. Drive southwest on Alpine Road about 3.6 miles (past the junction with Portola Road), to a small roadside pullout on the right side of the road, just before Willowbrook.  If there are no spaces available, turn right on Willowbrook and park on the roadside.
Contact: Gil & Julie Feller, 247-6769,  giljulief@gmail.com
2010 South Tahoe Big Hike
July 25 - July 30, 2010
The 2010 Big Hike will be based in South Lake Tahoe.
The trip consists of 4 days of hiking, with several choices of hikes of varying length and difficulty each day.
Rancho Canada Del Oro Hike
Friday, June 4, 2010, at  9:30 AM
This hike will be a 4.3 mile loop that includes a long (about 2 miles) uphill, but the climb will be worth it as the scenery in this relatively new addition to the Open Space Preserve is lovely. We’ll begin the hike at 9:30 and eat lunch at the end of the hike.
To get to the preserve: from Highway 101 or Highway 85, turn west onto Bailey Avenue. At the intersection with McKean Road turn left. Where McKean Road becomes Uvas Road, turn right onto Casa Loma Road. Rancho Cañada del Oro Open Space Preserve is near the end of the public access portion of the road. There is a parking lot with a restroom on the left.
Contact: Gil & Julie Feller, 247-6769,  giljulief@gmail.com
Pinnacles Hike
Friday, May 14, 2010, at 10:00 AM
We will be hiking a fairly strenuous loop route of about 5.1 miles, beginning at the Bear Gulch Visitor Center on the east side of the park.  The route involves about 1300 feet of elevation gain, and there will be a bit of rock climbing with metal handholds (be sure to wear your hiking boots!).   Much of the hike is out in the open with few trees, so we recommend a hat and sunscreen.  We’ll meet at 10:00 AM at the Bear Gulch Visitor Center.  Allow 1-1/2 hours to get there from San Jose.  Bring lunch and plenty of water – it may be quite warm.
Directions to the Visitor Center can be found on the following link – use directions to the EAST entrance.
http://www.nps.gov/pinn/planyourvisit/directions.htm
Contact: Gil & Julie Feller, 247-6769,  giljulief@gmail.com
Santa Teresa Park Hike
Friday, April 23, 2010, 9:30 AM
In April we will go to nearby Santa Teresa County Park where, if we are lucky, we will be treated to some spectacular spring wildflowers. We will be hiking about 5-1/2 miles, with enough uphill trekking to get the blood pumping. At the highest point, we will be atop 1155-foot Coyote Peak. The trail is mostly out in the open with little shade, so be sure to bring your sunscreen. We will follow a loop route, taking a lunch break after about 4 miles at the Pueblo picnic area. The trail can be muddy, so we recommend that you wear hiking boots. There is a rest room at the picnic area.
We will meet at a parking area on Fortini Road at 9:30 AM. To get there, take Almaden Expressway south until it dead ends at Harry Road. Go right on Harry Road and then left on McKean Rd. About a mile or so you'll see the sign and left turn lane for Fortini Road. Take Fortini until it ends (at San Vincente) and go left. You'll see the dirt parking area almost immediately on your left.  Bring lunch and water. See you there!
Contact: Gil & Julie Feller, 247-6769,  giljulief@gmail.com
Uvas Canyon Hike
Friday, March 26, 10:00 AM
Our March hike takes us to lovely Uvas Canyon Park in the southern part of Santa Clara County. The park has some great waterfalls which should be spectacular with all the rain we have had this year. There are a couple of options for this hike. The first is an easy, mainly flat loop route of about 1-1/2 miles along the Waterfall Loop Trail, which follows Swanson Creek. At a trail junction at about ¾ mile, the Waterfall Loop goes back to our starting point. 
At the trail junction, those preferring a more difficult hike (translation – hilly!) can continue with the hike leader on the Contour and Alec Canyon trails.  Manzanita Point along the Alec Canyon trail offers a great view. Total distance is about 4.5 miles for the more difficult hike.
To get to the park, travel south on Almaden Expressway and turn right onto Harry Road. Almost immediately, turn left onto McKean Road.  McKean turns into Uvas Road after about 6 miles. Continue on Uvas for about 3.5 miles, and turn right onto Croy Road. Drive a little over 4 miles to the park entrance at the end of the road.  About 0.4 miles before the entrance you will pass through Sveadal, a Swedish vacation retreat.  Note that the speed limit is only 5 miles per hour on this narrow road. You’ll have time to look at the quaint little cottages where Swedish flags still fly and you are reminded to look out for the trolls!
We will meet at 10:00 AM at the day use parking area. After going through the entrance ($4 fee unless you have a county parks sticker) drive up the road a bit and look for the “day use parking” sign on the right side.  There are restrooms available near the lot. Bring lunch and water.
Contact: Gil & Julie Feller, 247-6769,  giljulief@gmail.com