Tag Archives: biking

Trail: WELCOME TO THE TOP OF THE WORLD – Mount Tamalpais Summit

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After Paying the Toll, the summit of Mount Tamalpais is almost within reach.  The last stage of the Mt. Tam assent is grueling and sometimes just plain cruel! The steepness of the first mile will push you to your limits before you reach the first of three peaks.  At the summit, take a breath, enjoy the view and brace yourself for a tough climb back to the first peak before you make the descent back to the Bay.

Distance from San Francisco Ferry Building (see Golden Gateway Trail) 27.42 miles; from the Marin Crossroads 12.99 miles; from Somewhere Over the Rainbow 8.91 miles; from A Panoramic View 4.42 miles; from Paying the Toll 2.99 miles

Difficulty: If you’re not prepared for a tough slog back from the summit as well, you might be spending the night on the mountain!

Climbing on Route: 630 feet (192 meters)

Total Elevation Gain from Marin Crossroads: 2641 feet (805 meters)

Download your route sheet here: Directions – Welcome to the Top of the World

Download your route sheet for the entire Mount Tamalpais Route here: Directions – There and Back Again

FOR A MORE DETAILED LOOK click here for the full Geoped Map provided by g-map-pedometer.com.

Elevation Map for the Route provided by MapMyRide.com

From the top of Paying the Toll, make a right onto East Ridgecrest Boulevard and follow it all the way to the third peak which is the summit of Mount Tamalpais.

Make a right onto East Ridgecrest Boulevard to Summit Mt. Tam

The first peak is the hardest to reach.  This peak is next to the Doppler Radar station at the top of a 1.25 mile climb.  Though less steep than the climbs on Pan Toll Road, this first climb is lengthy and difficult. By the time you finish the first climb, your legs will be Jello!

View from the top of the first peak

Make sure to pause at this first peak and take in the views of Mill Valley below.  Get some energy back as you take the first descent and start making the climb toward the next peak.

Stand and push up the second climb and take another break at the top of the second peak.

The view from the second peak gives you better views of Tiburon and Sausalito

From the top of the second peak, the views of Tiburon and Sausalito get closer.  One last peak to climb before heading back.

Another short descent and the last peak is all that stands between you and the summit.  The last climb is steep.  Once you make it to the summit, take in the views and know you’ve climbed over 2,500 feet on your way to this point!

View of Tiburon, Belvedere, Strawberry, Mill Valley and Sausaltio from the summit of Mount Tamalpais

On a clear day, you can see San Francisco, East Bay and all over Marin County from the summit of Mount Tamalpais.  At over 2,500 feet in altitude, you can see above the fog as it rolls over San Francisco Bay.

The historic Mt. Tam Fire Lookout and Ranger Station

At the summit, you can lock up your bikes and take a stroll up the stairs to the Fire Lookout and Ranger Station.  On a clear day, you can see not only San Francisco and East Bay, but also out to the Farallon Islands (to the west and 25 miles off-shore in the Pacific Ocean) and it’s even been reported that you can see the snow-capped peaks of the Sierra Nevada range 150 miles to the east.  At the parking lot, there are bathrooms and a water fountain at the top so you can relieve and refill.  Enjoy your time at the summit, because once you are ready to go, you have more hill climbing awaiting.

Elevation Map for the Route provided by MapMyRide.com

Another 300 feet of climbing over two more hills looms once you leave the summit of the third peak.  The return to the second peak is a breeze compared to the climb back to the first peak.  The climb to the west peak is almost a half-mile long and is very steep.  Push through this tough climb and then it’s all down hill from there.

Once you’ve gone there and back again, the summit of Mt. Tam allows you have options of where to go next.  You can continue on Ridgecrest Boulevard and head towards Fairfax-Bolinas Road, or you can turn back down Pan Toll Road and go to Mill Valley or Sausalito. If you’re feeling particularly adventerous that day, you can even head to Stinson Beach from where A Panoramic View and Paying the Toll meet. No matter which way you decide to go, after reaching the summit of Mount Tamalpais, you have entered a club with others who have pushed themselves to conquer this beast! Enjoy the journey, but make sure to stop and enjoy the view as well.

Trail: A PANORAMIC VIEW – Mount Tamalpais, Part 2

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The second stage of the Mount Tamalpais climb contains some of the most breathtaking views in Western Marin County.  Follow Panoramic Highway as it winds and climbs from Sequoia Valley Road to Pan Toll Road.  Topping out at just over 1500 feet, climbing the 6.5 miles to the crest of Panoramic Highway is an achievement alone. No matter what direction you choose to go next, you’ll feel like a rockstar when you arrive!

Distance from San Francisco Ferry Building (see Golden Gateway Trail) 23.00 miles; from the Marin Crossroads 8.57 miles; from Somewhere Over the Rainbow 4.49 miles

Difficulty: If you think you can huff it out with some of the Bay Area’s seasoned cyclists, give it a shot!

Climbing on Route: 925 feet (298 meters)

Total Elevation Gain from Marin Crossroads: 1529 feet (493 meters)

Download your route sheet here: Directions – A Panoramic View

Download your route sheet for the entire Mount Tamalpais Route here: Directions – There and Back Again

FOR A MORE DETAILED LOOK click here for the full Geoped Map provided by g-map-pedometer.com.


Elevation Map for the Route provided by MapMyRide.com

 

At the end of Sequoia Valley Road, turn right on Panoramic Highway.

After a brief break from climbing as you pass the Yoga on the Mountain sign, a half mile of very tough climbing begins.

Yoga on the Mountain at the Muir Woods Community Center

The climbing begins

The initial two hills are broken up by a short flat where you have your first views of the valleys below.

Passing over the valleys and climbing through the mist

The second climb, as you reach the curve signs, you are almost there

At the top of the second climb you reach the only descent on this stage.  Enjoy this pedal-free section as you take in spectacular views.  The fog will break and views of the peaks around Mt. Tam and Muir Woods below will open.  Though the route is sparsely populated, the Mountain Home Inn sits about halfway through this part of the trail.

Take a break and glide down the descent

If it starts out foggy, you

 

The peaks around Mt. Tam start to appear at this point along Panoramic Highway.

Muir Woods is visible in the valley below

Mountain Home Inn

If you are seeking a break or food before the next part of the assent, the Mountain Home Inn is a great place to stop and eat lunch.  Amazing views of Mill Valley, Strawberry and Tiburon await you at the outdoor seating.

Follow the sign and keep climbing along Panoramic Highway.  The next mile and a half of the route takes twists and turns through the woods.  With flat to moderate climbing along this section you can pick up the pace.

You will notice the beginning of the major climb when you start slowing down and your legs begin to burn.  This last mile and a half of the route is a tough, steep slog through the woods up to the crest of Panoramic Highway.  Bootjack picnic area signals the last quarter mile of the climb.

At Mount Tamalpais State Park, Panoramic Highway reaches its peak and signifies the end of this section of the Mt. Tam trail.

Entrance of Mount Tamalpais State Park

To the left, the descent to Stinson Beach. To the right, Pan Toll road and a continued assent of Mount Tamalpais looms.

With the final climb on Panoramic Highway over, you have a few options of what to do next. If a descent is calling your name, you can take a break, enjoy the spectacular descent into Stinson Beach and the views that go along with it.  Just remember that what goes down, must climb back up.  If your legs are still feeling strong, there are two more stages of climbing to summit Mt. Tam.  Watch for our trail “Paying the Toll” detailing this assent coming soon.

If you are done climbing, the descent back to Sausalito down Panoramic Highway is seven fast and furious miles of twists and turns skimming the ridge above Muir Woods.  You’ll easily keep up with the 30 mph speed limit and only be slowed down by the Sunday drivers.

Trail: SOMEWHERE OVER THE RAINBOW – The Gateway to Mount Tamalpais, Muir Woods and Stinson Beach – Mount Tamalpais, Part 1

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When biking in the Bay Area hill climbing is inevitable, but there’s hill climbing and then there’s mountain climbing. The mountain looming the background most everywhere in Marin County is Mount Tamalpais: the pinnacle of mountain climbing not only in Marin County, but the Bay Area.  There are multiple routes to reach the top of Mt. Tam, as it’s affectionately known to locals, but a favorite is to approach it from Mill Valley.  This route allows you to climb Mt. Tam in four separate stages.  From the finish of each stage, you have the ability to turn back and descend into Mill Valley or Sausalito depending on how far you are prepared to climb.  The first step in climbing Mt. Tam is arriving at Panoramic Highway, the gateway to Muir Woods and Stinson Beach.  The first stage of this challenging assent includes 712 feet of climbing over the last two miles with spectacular views from Panoramic Highway.  Whether you set your sights on conquering Mt. Tam or developing some serious hill climbing skills towards this goal, the vistas along this route will distract from the pain.

Distance: from San Francisco Ferry Building (see Golden Gateway Trail) 18.51 miles; from the Marin Crossroads 4.08 miles

Difficulty: No pain, no gain.

Climbing on Route: 712 feet (230 meters)

Total Elevation Gain from Marin Crossroads: 712 feet (230 meters)

Download your route sheet here: Directions – Somewhere Over the Rainbow

Download your route sheet for the entire Mount Tamalpais Route here: Directions – There and Back Again

FOR A MORE DETAILED LOOK click here for the full Geoped Map provided by g-map-pedometer.com.

Elevation Map for the Route provided by MapMyRide.com.

 

This route has a lot of twists and turns to it, so we’ve broken down the map into parts in order to make it easier to follow.

Marin Crossroads to Miller Avenue

Starting from midway through Marin Crosroads, look for the traffic circle where Route 8 turns to the right towards Tiburon.

 

Make a left at the traffic circle, the opposite direction of Tiburon and follow Route 10 towards Mill Valley.  This is Sycamore Avenue.

Heading down Sycamore Avenue

Go through the light and stop signs until you get to the intersection of La Goma.  This is a five way stop and you will make an immediate left.  You’ll see the orange house on the right, keep following La Goma until you get to Miller Avenue.

Left on La Goma

Follow La Goma

Miller Avenue to Presidio Avenue

At the first stop sign on La Goma, make a right on to Miller Avenue.  As you head down Miller Avenue you’ll see Mt. Tam in the foreground.

Right on Miller Avenue

Heading down Miller Avenue towards Mt. Tam

You’ll know you’re on the right path when you pass the “village”, seemingly lost in time…Riding down Miller Avenue, you’ll see palm trees and redwoods growing side-by-side, perhaps an oddity unique to Northern California.

Presidio Avenue to Old Mill Park

Follow Miller Avenue until you approach the Mill Valley Cabinet Shop on your left.  Here, you’ll make a quick right onto Millwood Street and then an immediate left onto Presidio Avenue.

Mill Valley Cabinet Shop on left, signals a right onto Millwood and left onto Presidio (the red car is on Presidio)

Follow Presidio Avenue and Route 10 where you’ll ride by Mill Valley’s namesake…the mill.

Mill Valley Lumber Company

After passing the mill, you’ll come to a bend in the road where you follow the Route 10 signs through a bend to the right.  Follow the directions of the “little green man” around the bend.

The little green man signals the route

and then a quick left onto Laurelwood…

Follow Laurelwood until it ends at Sunnyside Avenue.  Then make a left onto Sunnyside Avenue.

Follow Sunnyside Avenue through the center of Mill Valley.  Look at the map above and just remember to follow the Route 10 signs if the turns in this part of the route get a bit confusing.  The twists and turns in this section are to keep you off Miller Avenue where it has high-speed traffic and no shoulder.  Once you arrive at the stop sign with Miller Avenue, this signals the end of Route 10.  The rest of journey to Panoramic Highway you’ll have to watch for the street names as this next part of the journey is not part of a marked bike route.

The stop sign at Miller is the end of Route 10

The green sign (pictured above), below the stop sign at Miller Avenue, indicates “Mt Tamalpais, Muir Woods and Stinson Beach” to the left, these are directions for cars, not cyclists.  Instead, you will make a right on to Miller Avenue.

Another look at the map from Presidio Avenue to Old Mill Park

A look down the last section of Miller

At the next stop sign, you will encounter another five-way intersection (pictured below).  Make an immediate left down Throckmorton Avenue.  You will pass the Throckmoroton Theatre on your right.

The intersection at Throckmorton

Making a left onto Throckmorton

Follow Throckmorton until you reach Old Mill Park.

Old Mill Park to Edgewood Avenue

Make a left at the intersection onto Cascade Way/Old Mill Street and into Old Mill Park.

Intersection of Old Mill Street/Cascade Way and Throckmorton

 

There is a little slope you can glide down trough Old Mill Park

Old Mill Park has a little stream that runs through it that you will be passing as you travel along Cascade Drive.  At the end of Old Mill Park, make a right onto Cascade Drive.

Traveling through Old Mill Park

Make a right at the intersection with Cascade Drive

Follow narrow Cascade Drive through the redwoods.  Stop to enjoy the views of the redwoods and the stream on your right through the last relatively flat section of this route.

A narrow road takes you through the woods

At the intersection of Cascade Drive and Marion, make a left at Marion Avenue.  This is beginning of the hill climbing.

Make a left at Marion and…

…let the hill climbing begin

Keep left on Marion Avenue at the intersection of Marion and Monte Vista.

Make a left to follow Marion when you get to this intersection with Monte Vista

Follow Marion’s winding path up the mountain.


After following Marion for a bit, you will arrive at the intersection with Millside Lane, which looks like this…

Y-Intersection with Millside Lane

Keep to the right and keep on climbing.  We made the mistake of going to the left the first time we did the climb.  The road dead ends at a home about a quarter of a mile down the way, which means more climbing to get back to this intersection.

Keep on going up

Marion Avenue will keep climbing until just before you reach the intersection with Edgewood Avenue.

Edgewood Avenue to Panoramic Highway

Once you reach the intersection with Edgewood Drive, make a right for more hills.

 

Though your route along Edgewood is only a little over a quarter mile, it is steep.

After a quarter mile along Edgewood Drive, you’ll come to the intersection with Sequoia Valley Road.  Follow the natural curve of the road to the left and onto Sequoia Valley Road.  This intersection has a wide shoulder under the green sign (pictured below) which is a good place to take a break from the climbing and get some pictures.

Keep left on Sequoia Valley Road

Follow Sequoia Valley as it climbs through the homes.  Be careful at this point as the car traffic begins to increase.  This is one of the paths that cars take to Mt. Tam, Muir Woods and Stinson Beach as well.

Starting with Edgewood Drive and Sequoia Valley Road, this is a main path for cars to Mt. Tam, Muir Woods and Stinson Beach

There are many picturesque views as you climb Sequoia Valley Road.  Just remember to pull over to a safe place to take them, as the road can be narrow and cars are more frequent on this part of the journey.

View along Sequoia Valley Road

Sequoia Valley winds up the mountain

The route along Sequoia Valley is about 0.75 miles long and mostly climbing.  There are mile markers along the way to let you know how far you’ve going.  You known you’re getting close to the end when you see the gap in the trees and the mirror on the telephone pole on the left hand side of the road.

Bikers take this route both to and from Mt. Tam, notice the break in the trees, you

The 0.66 mile marker and the mirror on the left let you know you

Once you follow the bend to the right, you can see the intersection with Panoramic Drive just ahead.

The stop sign signifies the end of this route.  You are now at the crossroads of a great descent back to Sausalito along the Panoramic Highway, a trip to Muir Woods, or continuing to climb up Panoramic Highway on your way up Mount Tamalpais and beyond.

Whether this is your first trip up the mountain, or you are seeing how far you can go up the mountain in stages, this is one of the most rewarding climbs you’ll have in the Bay Area.  Very few views can compete with those you see from Panoramic Highway.

The further you travel along Panoramic Highway, the more it lives up to its name.  As you approach the Pacific Ocean, there are switchbacks reminiscent of the Alpine car chase scenes in James Bond films with views to match.  The route to Panoramic Highway isn’t only for those seeking to climb Mt. Tam, it’s for everyone who wants a challenge with a fitting reward.  The reward for climbing in the Bay Area is both in spectacular views and amazing descents.  The higher your go, the better the views and the longer the descent back to Earth.

Here are the Route Directions, print them to take them along with you

Trail: THE JAWS OF LIFE – Tiburon

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Distance: from San Francisco Ferry Building (see Golden Gateway Trail): 22.21 miles, from Marin Crossroads: 7.78 miles
Difficulty: Enough to give you saddle sores but not enough to break a tourist on a comfort bike.
Download your route sheet here: Directions – The Jaws of Life
FOR A MORE DETAILED LOOK click here for the full Geoped Map provided by g-map-pedometer.com.
From Marin Crossroads: 
There are two routes to Tiburon: Strawberry & The Quick Fix.  This is decision-time, do you have time to go the scenic route?  Or are you cutting it close to the last ferry?  If you have the time, take the Strawberry route! It is worth the time!
SCENIC ROUTE: Strawberry Fields of Heaven
 
If you make the decision to go the scenic route through Strawberry, you will make a right off of the bike path and follow Route 8 over a bridge and onto Hamilton Drive.
All you have to do in this section is stay on Hamilton Drive until it dead ends at Redwood Highway Frontage Rd, a road running parallel to US-101, at the stop sign pictured below. At the stop sign, make a right and head towards the water.
This path will wind you once again under a US-101 bridge and then back in the opposite direction.  Just watch the signs for Route 8 as you go along the road.
 
Emerging from the underpass you will reach a strip of gas stations Keep following the road here until you see the 7-Eleven.
 
Pay attention for the Route 8 sign, this will be at the corner of Seminary Drive.
Make a right on Seminary Drive and you have entered the town of Strawberry!
Though you will keep following Seminary Drive, this gets a bit confusing at the first intersection because instead of going straight, you will make a right.
 
Once you are into Strawberry, you will see marsh lands to your right, and then just up the road, you will see the bay with the US-101 bridge off in the distance.
After passing the Golden Gate Baptist Seminary on the left (yep, there is actually a seminary on Seminary Road, go figure) you will then wind around and find yourself with San Francisco in the distant foreground and Sausalito marina to your right.
This is one of the most beautiful parts of the ride to Tiburon, so take it in and take plenty of pictures!  As you can see, we did!
The Undertow Hill
 

Following the road will lead you to a hill that looks deceptively short and easy. It encourages you to charge right up only to suck you in. Fatigue at this point in the ride only makes this worse. However the lack of traffic make it manageable if you need to take it slow and you have a nice downhill ahead of you.

Once you have crested this hill, there will be a fork in the road, head to the left, this will take you towards tennis courts and Strawberry drive.

After a few more hills you will reach a point where the road becomes one lane in either direction.  Make sure to stay to the right and go in the same direction as the car traffic.

The next decision comes toward the end of Strawberry Drive, right after the road comes back together.  At that point, you will see a very inviting SuperFast downhill!

If you choose to go this way, be warned, you will have to apply your brakes quite soon after you reach the bottom because the path you take around the small peninsula is very narrow and tends to have joggers and dog walkers along it.

f you do choose SuperFast Downhill, just keep following the path until you get to the parking lot, there just head toward the 76 gas station and make a right on Greenwood Cove Drive.

 

If you chose to forego SuperFast downhill and stick with Strawberry Drive, you will go down Strawberry Drive and then intersect Tiburon Boulevard at the stop light.

At Tiburon Boulevard, make a right and enjoy the downhill section of this trip. At the next light, make a right at the 76 gas station onto Greenwood Cove Drive.

I’ll finish the route on the other side of Option 2.

OPTION 2: The Quick Fix 

If you are running a little short on time and you choose to stay on Route 5, then about half a mile from the Route 8 intersection you will come up on East Blithedale Avenue and a stop light.

 

The signs for the bike paths are a bit confusing, but just enter the road in the bike lane and follow East Blithedale Boulevard.

Be careful along this route as there are a few different intersections where cars will either be exiting the road onto a highway ramp, or just exiting the highway onto the road.  Keep following the road as it goes over US-101.  Once you have passed all of the intersections around the US-101 overpass, the rest of the ride is less dicey.

Keep straight on Tiburon Boulevard and you will intersect Strawberry Drive at a light.  At the next light, make a right at the 76 gas station (Greenwood Cove Drive), the bike path sign signals Route 10 to the right, and the rest of the route is the same for everyone (pictured above).

Options Merge:

Following Greenwood Cove Drive you will encounter another uphill area before gliding down to the end of the court.

To the left side of the court is an entryway for a path over to a parking lot.

This lot leads to Route 17 and the Tiburon bike path.  When you first enter the bike path to the right of the parking lot, you’ll see the path fork to the left and to the right.  If you head to the right, you better have a mountain bike! This is a gravel path that leads along the shoreline.

Your better option is to veer to the left and up the next hill.  Once up the hill you will see the bike path and, more than likely, a whole lot of pedestrians! Just take it easy through this section and if you have a bell, use it!

Follow this nice and easy path all along the shoreline.  Take in the beautiful scenery, take some pictures and just enjoy how much fun bike riding in this area can be!

 

The path will cross a road at a stoplight, so you’ll have to watch for cars coming around the bend.  Cross the road and the path continues for a little long, or if you’re confident enough, go ahead and get back onto Tiburon Boulevard, the rest of us will be joining you soon.

If you stayed on the path, just keep going along the path.  Eventually, you’ll make it to another intersection where you’ll have to make sure to stay to the right for the short split and just head down the path.

 

Just a bit down the way the path will end and you’ll have to merge back on to Tiburon Boulevard.  Once you’re back on the road, it’s just a straight shot to the end of this run. No worries, as a bike lane is provided the whole way to the ferry terminal.

 

From the Ferry Terminal at the round-a-bout, you have a great view of Angel Island, San Francisco and the marina.  Once you reach the ferry terminal, park your bike and enjoy one of the local restaurants before the ferry ride back to Pier 41.

Our favorite restaurant is Sam’s Anchor Cafe.  Here, there is both indoor and outdoor seating.  Be warned though, on a nice day in the spring and summer, the wait can be an hour and a half for a table outside, while you may be able to walk right in to one inside.  Just be aware of how much time you have before your ferry arrives.

 

On nice days, you’re likely to run into a long line of tourists and cyclists.  Beware that the Tiburon Ferry stacks bikes one top of one another because there is only one bike rack!! We call this the bike massacre!  It also doesn’t help that the ferries from Tiburon stop in Sausalito as well most of the time.  Even more bikes will be piled up in that mess.  Just put your gears into 1-1 in an attempt to protect your derailers. For more on how to fend for your bike read about “The Hat Trick“.

Make sure you take plenty of pictures from Tiburon.  You’ll pass by Angel Island, Sausalito, the Golden Gate Bridge and Alcatraz.

 

Fisherman’s Wharf

Once you make it back to Pier 41 at Fisherman’s Warf, you have a lot of restaurants to choose from.  We enjoying going to the outdoor stalls for dungeness crab.  When this becomes our dinner of choice, we go to Nick’s Lighthouse.

These guys have their fresh, live crab out at the steaming stall on the right.

 

It can be prepared either just steamed, or if you ask nicely at the counter, they also can prepare it in garlic butter, or our favorite, the spicy garlic butter!!!

Make sure to try not only the crab, but the crab chowder or lobster bisque as well!! Both are just amazing on a cold day.  You can get them in either a cup or a Boudin Bread Bowl.  They also serve beer and wine outside, you can see my Anchor Steam in the brown bag.  Nick’s is a great place and the service is awesome!

You might ask, “Hey, what did you do with your bikes?”  That’s a good question! The closest bike racks are down the street in front of the Boudin Bakery.  That’s a bit of a hike when you’re hungry! So what we did to ensure that our bikes were not only safe, but visible, is to lock them to the anchoring chains around the parking lot across the street.

Using the U-Lock and cables, just run the sides of the U-Lock through the chain links and your cables after connecting your cables to your rear wheel, frame and front wheel.  This is as secure as the bikes can get.

Just think of dinner as your reward for making it through the jaws of life!