Family Section
November/December 2004 Newsletter
Welcome to another Family Section newsletter! We have enjoyed getting outdoors and meeting adventurous and conservation-minded parents and kids via the Section, and we hope you have too! Our hikes up Bernardo Mountain, Mount Woodson, and Iron Mountain in November and December are sure to be fun. Also, we just discovered that the North County WBC course is open to anyone age 14 and up. This would be a great experience for families with older kids!
As always, we would like to have more events and outings. Any member can publish an event on the Family Section e-mail list any time, and any member who is a COL can publish an outing to the list any time. Also, if you send the information by December 28th, we can include it in the next newsletter. |
 |
Also, we are looking for a Newsletter Editor, Treasurer, and Chair for the Section. The main responsibility of the Newsletter Editor is to solicit events for and publish (via e-mail and the Web) the bi-monthly newsletter. The Treasurer maintains the Section checking account (not enough money for a trip to the Bahamas) and fills out a report on the Section finances once per year. Ideally, the Chair is someone who has a vision for building a great Section and the energy and enthusiasm to get others involved and active. Please let us know if you are interested in any of these positions!
We look forward to seeing you at a Family Section event soon!
Ensie and Matthias Blume
858-695-9675
November/December Activities and Outings
Notes: Contact information for the outing leaders and event organizers is included in our free newsletter, distributed via e-mail. It is not included on the Web so as to protect the leaders from spammers and to provide you more incentive to sign up for the newsletter!
Outings and events labeled with an '*' below are primarily Family Section activities. All others are Sierra Club activities that were not particularly designed for families but that definitely accept kids as participants.
NOV 13/SAT/6:00-9:00PM
Ray At Night
Ray at Night is an art event held at the Sierra Club office on Ray St. The office is open and surrounded by art galleries and delightful shops. Our whole street is alive with visitors, music, food and untold surprises. For more information, check out these Union Tribune and North County Times articles or call the Sierra Club office at 619-299-1743. Please join us for a delightful evening! |
NOV 13/SAT/E3A
Trail Reconstructions Part -- Warner Ranch
Leader: Rob Langsdorf
Assistant: Needed
Join us to reconstruct trail at the head of San Felipe Valley. We will be building a new rock wall where fire-caused flashfloods have damaged the trail. Our worksite will provide views of Whale and Granite Peaks. Call Rob for REQUIRED sign-up and directions to meeting point (somewhere on Thomas Guide p 409 L9). |
NOV 20-21, SAT-SUN
Foster Lodge Work Party
Volunteers needed to keep our lodge in great shape! Will work for food? We’ll feed you! |
NOV 26/FRI/E6A 3:00PM
Los Penasquitos Canyon Evening Hike-West Side
Leader: Ensie Blume
Assistant: Matthias Blume
Come and enjoy an evening hike through meadows in Los Peñasquitos Canyon west side, located in Sorrento Valley. Midway through the hike, we’ll reach a nice set of waterfalls in the canyon, where we stop for a break. Bring 1-2 qts water and a snack. Contact leader for required sign up. Rain cancels. |
DEC 5/SUN/M6B 10:00AM
*Bernardo Mountain
Leader: Ensie Blume
Assistant: Matthias Blume
Bernardo Mountain, near Escondido, has the nation's largest population of rare coastal white lilacs and is a foraging area for the last remaining breeding pair of golden eagles in the County south of Camp Pendleton and west of I-15. It also has eleven known nesting sites for endangered California gnatcatcher birds. Besides all that, it is endowed with much natural beauty.
|
 |
| It has a perennially flowing stream, Felicita Creek, and a waterfall. On a clear day you can see the ocean, down into Mexico, Volcan Mountain to the east, and the San Gabriel Mountains to the north. 5.5 miles, 900' gain and loss, all on trail. Bring two quarts water and a snack/lunch. Rain cancels. E-mail leader to sign up and for additional information. |
DEC 11/SAT/6:00-9:00PM
Ray at Night
Ray at Night is an art event held at the Sierra Club office on Ray Street. The office is open and surrounded by art galleries and delightful shops. Our whole street is alive with visitors, music, food and untold surprises. For more information, check out these Union Tribune and North County Times articles or call the Sierra Club office at 619-299-1743. |
DEC 19/SUN/M6C 10:30AM
*Mount Woodson Loop
Leader: Matthias Blume
Assistant: Ensie Blume
Join us for this hike up the Fry/Koegel Trail to the summit of Mount Woodson near Ramona. If the weather is clear, we'll be able to see all the way to the Santa Catalina and San Clemente Islands poking out of the great blue expanse of the Pacific Ocean in the West, as well as local mountains in all other directions.
|
 |
| We'll loop back to our starting point via the paved access road (closed to vehicles). This passes numerous popular rock climbing boulders -- we'll stop and watch the action. Bring at least two quarts of water per person, lunch, and extra clothing. 1500' elevation gain and loss. Rain cancels. E-mail leader to sign up and for additional information. |
DEC 26/SUN/M6C 3:00PM
*Iron Mountain Sunset/Moonlight Hike
Leader: Ensie Blume
Assistant: Matthias Blume
Hiking this trail on a crisp late autumn or early winter is a great experience. Because it is part of Poway's multiuse trail system, the trail has become popular among equestrians and mountain bikers as well as hikers. You can sometimes admire a true panorama of the Pacific Ocean, glistening beyond the sparkle of rooftops and take a closer look at the full moon through the telescope at the top of Iron Mountain. Bring flashlight, layered clothing, one to two quarts of water, and sturdy shoes. Rain cancels. E-mail leader for signup and details. |
JAN 18-MARCH 20
North County Wilderness Basics Course(NCWBC)
Organizer: Jeff Marchand jeffmmarch@aol.com
Location: San Pasqual High School in Escondido (near North County Fair)
The perfect way to learn how to backpack! This is a 10 week course, with lectures starting on January 18, 2005, and meeting every Tuesday night from 7:00 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. at San Pasqual High School in Escondido. In addition to these lectures, you will go on 4 overnight trips, guided by experienced Sierra Club Chapter Outings Leaders. The course has introduced hundreds of women and men to safe, comfortable wilderness experiences. |
 |
| After completing the course, you will be experienced in hiking and backpacking, and will be able to do it confidently and safely. Along the way, you'll meet some nice people, see some beautiful places right here in San Diego County, and may surprise yourself with what you can do. The cost of the course is just $95 (cash or check only), and includes a compass, guidebook, notebook, handouts, and admittance to all outings. Class size is typically 100 students. Age Limit is at least 14 and in the 9th grade. |
|
