A PERSONAL NOTE FROM JIM:
So, 20 years ago, a few now-familiar faces got together to do a one-time MITCNC hike.  We had so much fun that at the end, we were all standing around waiting for someone to volunteer to do another one.  Somehow I got the crazy idea it should be me.  After 11 years, my knee started acting up, and I handed off the project to a friendly mob of hike organizers, who have ably kept the tradition going ever since.  I especially want to thank John Keen, who has done much, much more than his share -- not just leading a number of hikes, but keeping the group together and motivated.  Thanks, John!

Anyway, my knee is better these days, so I've allowed myself to be talked into a return visit to the scene of the original hike: El Corte De Madera.  Hope to see a lot of familiar folks, plus some new ones!

HIKE DESCRIPTION:
El Corte de Madera Creek OSP is actually a nice, diverse park - one of the best on the Skyline ridge.  We'll see some nice vistas, an interesting rock formation, and many pretty groves of redwoods.

Web site for ECdMC OSP:  http://www.openspace.org/preserves/pr_ecdm.asp

Downloadable trail map, which highlights the route we'll follow:
https://www.alltrails.com/explore/map/el-corte-mitcnc-hike

Warning:  This is a moderately strenuous hike.  Please be sure that you are comfortable with this level of effort before joining us.  And be sure to eat a nutritious breakfast, so that you arrive well fed, well hydrated and ready to hike.

Two things to note:
- There are no restrooms or porta-potties at the trailhead.
- Dogs are not allowed on the trails at El Corte de Madera Creek OSP.

What to Bring:
Bring water (at least 2 liters per person), lunch, and some snacks. Sunblock, sunglasses, and rain gear and warm clothes may be advisable depending on the weather.  Use layers.

Where we will meet:
We'll meet at the Skeggs Point parking lot on the East side of Skyline Blvd, 5.4 miles north of the intersection of Skyline (Hwy 35) and Woodside Rd. (Hwy 84), and 8.3 miles south of the intersection of Skyline and Hwy 92.

Skeggs point is pretty obvious; look for a large parking lot with a low stone wall.  If you pass Tunitas Rd going north or Bear Gulch Rd. while driving south, you've gone too far.

Meet at the overlook at the back of the parking lot.

Directions:
From the north, you can reach Skyline in the least gut-wrenching way by taking Hwy 92 West, then taking Skyline (35) South.

From the south bay, you can take Woodside Rd (Hwy 84), Page Mill Rd., or Saratoga (Hwy 9) west, then Skyline Blvd North will work fine, but be a bit careful as the roads (especially Page Mill) are twisty.

Driving time: Should be around 25 minutes from Woodside Rd. or 92 and 280.

Carpooling:
Carpooling is always a nice idea.  If people want to get into a carpool, we've set up an unmoderated discussion group you can use to set up carpools.  To join it, go to   http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mitcnchikers_carpooling and then send a message to mitcnchikers_carpooling@groups.yahoo.com, or post from the web interface at the above address.  This requires you to get a free yahoo account; sorry about this, but in our experience, they've been harmless and respect your spam preferences. Unfortunately (cynics cackle here), the old email signup interface seems to have stopped working.  In any case, in the message, be sure to include where you're coming from, contact information and how many of you there are.

Rain policy:
If there's any ambiguity about the weather on the day of the hike, you can check the forecast the morning of the hike.

If it's raining significantly, the hike is off.  If the weather is ambiguous, we will send out an email to the mitcnchikers@yahoogroups.com list on the morning of the hike. You can easily join that email list by going to the http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mitcnchikers/ web page and clicking on the "Join This Group!" button.  After you're on the list, you'll receive emails about each upcoming hike ~1 week in advance.  The volume on that list is very low (~2 emails/month), so spam won't be a problem.

Disclaimers:
Joining any hike is entirely voluntary and participants assume any and all risks associated with the activities.  By registering or attending this event, participants agree to the conditions posted at:  http://northerncalifornia.alumclub.mit.edu/s/1314/images/gid25/editor_documents/event_documents/liability_waiver.pdf