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Adventures Backpacking

Backpacking Coast Camp, Point Reyes

Point Reyes National Seashore is one of California’s hidden gems. Outshone by more famous national parks in the state, it’s a bit of a local secret. That’s not to say it isn’t as equally busy, or as hard to score a campsite, as the state’s other national parks. The backcountry campsites at Point Reyes are always booked months in advance. I’ve day hiked there numerous times, but sleeping out there under the fog is something that I’ve never done until this past spring. After months of torrential downpour earlier this year, a site opened up at Coast Camp in for a Saturday in March. With no plans on the horizon, I grabbed it immediately.

Paulina Dao June 26, 2017

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Adventures Hiking

Hiking Peters Creek Loop

Nestled deep in the Santa Cruz mountains, down some twisty roads, is my favorite local state park: Portola Redwoods. Creeks, short waterfalls and old growth redwoods are tucked inside this lesser traveled park. The trees aren’t as large as the ones found in nearby Big Basin State Park, but more often than not, you’ll find them in solitude. Weekend obligations kept me in the Bay Area a few weeks ago so I popped over to this park for a bit of solo hiking and mileage in preparation for long missions this summer.

Paulina Dao June 2, 2017

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Adventures Hiking

Hiking Sugarloaf Mountain

Three day weekends are not for sitting around. With the constant downpour California has been receiving, there was no place dry this past weekend within a reasonable driving distance. Josh and I got out on Sunday for a little bit, and suddenly, I remembered what it was like to be outside and not sloth-y. Josh had school on Monday so I was stuck at home sans car. Try as I might, I laid in bed, watched TV, made biscuits… but by the time noon rolled around, cabin fever had hit. It was time to get out of the house. Luckily, there’s a good number of parks within walking and biking distance of where I live. I put on all the waterproof stuff I own and headed out into the downpour to Laurelwood Park.

Paulina Dao February 24, 2017

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Adventures Hiking

Hiking Purisima Creek Redwoods

It’s basically been raining in the Bay Area for the last 2 months. Save for a couple patches of sunlight here and there, I’m beginning to think I live in the Pacific Northwest. The gloomy weather has made outdoor climbing more or less nonexistent. Our favorite local crag, Castle Rock, is soaked. Yosemite Valley and Bishop have mostly been under snow, or just too wet to climb. Most of my free time has been spent training or hibernating or some combination of the two. Finally, this past weekend, we decided to get out and stretch our legs; rain or shine. Our pick was Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve just south of Half Moon Bay.

Paulina Dao February 20, 2017

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Gear

Life Wipes… the shower struggle is real

I hate showering. It takes forever and sometimes I just want to spend that time doing something else. When I’m camping or climbing, it’s totally acceptable because you know, outside and dirt and stuff. Back in San Francisco? Not so much. I mean, if I’m not really that sweaty, or if I’m just going to get sweaty again riding my bike, what’s the point? There’s still a drought, even with all this rain. For days like those or when you’re just playin’ outside, there are Life Wipes.

Paulina Dao May 6, 2016

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