The San Francisco call., 1909-11-13

To1On berries are turning req on tne
. hillsides, brown and bristly cones are
maturing on the branches of spruce and
pine while deep in the shadowy can
yons the golden leaves of the naples
glow In gorgeous contrast TO the more
somber shades OF the winter--awaiting
evergreens. Although this romantic
region whose height of land overlooks
brakes bay requires little more time
and money to reach il than most of the
other suggested outings, those who
journey to this real wilderness will be
well repaid. Think of a forest 20
miles long and averaging three in
width, still in an almost primeval state,
vet within three hours of the city, by
boat, train and trail! Deer abide and
abound in its parilike gladcs; coveys
of quail whirr away TO their leaty
coverts, while trout brooks tinkle mu-
sically- beneath the trunks of ancient
trees towering nearly 200 feet in air
But hold Nimrod Leave your trusty
rife or. fowIingpiece at home, for all
these wild creatures are protected by
watchful game keepers In the employ
of the Country club and you do not
want to meet the fate of a poacher
caught red handed in this preserve.
This sporting club controls $4,000 acres
in this corner of Marin county and
maintains q little city of luxurious
hunters lodges in the heart of the
forest When you draw near II You
may hear the baying of hounds in their
kennels, long before you burst suddenly
upon this settlement, which lies in the
midst of a grassy plateau, surrounded
by dense spruce woods. While the
public is strictly prohibited from hunt
ing or fishing on this preserve, picking
ferns or building fires, the Country club
generously grants to all good people
the privilege of roaming at will over
its vast estate
'fOff q Tocaloma."
If you leave the city at Sis a. m. for
SauSalito and there take the Cazadero
train, il will take you up the San
Anselmo canyon, through the long tun-
mel piercing Whites hill, then down
along the picturesque course of Paper
Mill creek to Tocaloma, 81 miles from the
ferry building. Arriving here at 1906. If
the train should happen to be on time,
you will alight on the left hand side
and follow a wagon road for three
quarters of a mile up a canyon until
you cross the northern end of the Bo-
linas ridge. Northwesterly the blue
arm of Tomales bay points toward the
ocean, 500 feet below this pass. while
before you to the west extends the
pine fringed Olema ridge. Down in
the foreground quaint old Olema basks
in the sunshine of Paradise valley,
whose western wall presents a solid
front of uncut forest, unbroken save
for the bald head and bare shoulders
of Mount Wittenberg, 1900 feet in ele-
walton. To it's left, or south, you will
see q nick in the hills, and there lies
Bear valley, where once the bruin tribe
were so numerous; but now only their
memory fingers. for the last survivor
was shot near by in 1885,
LEARN THE LAY OF THE LAND
Don't hurry. Rest five or ten minutes
so that you may learn the lay of the
land. Remember that for the time
being you are an explorer. On this
trip. or on any others where you view
new country for the first time stop to
get your bearings-'be sure you're
right, then go ahead" said great
slayer of bears. Who? Davy Crockett,
and he was usually 'all right" Stew
art Edward White in the beginning of
his Camp and Trail" says that a sense
of direction is the most important thing
man needs in the woods. good map
OF this region will prove a trustworthy
companion, and a compass its fitting
mate. Whether supplied with both, or
without either, it will be excellent
practice for you to carry booklet of
blank paper in which you may sketch
the course of canyons and the con-
tours of ridges. Outline from memory
the trails and roads you have followed
and their probable directions, and then
compare your own impressions with
some good map upon your return.
Leaving sthlS summit at or about 1880
you will follow the county road for q
mile and a half down hill to Olema,
through which you will pass at IL
o'clock. Turn to the northwest for
half mile until you reach the Skin
ner ranch. In the rear of it's ram
bling barn the great fissure which
opened and swallowed COW on the
neighboring Shafter ranch on that April
day of unhappy memory is still plainly
visible You may follow the fault"
for miles IL you wish and find that Ii
varies from five TO Is feet In width,
and that one side has dropped several
feet below the other.
SOUTHWARK THROUGH
FOREST AISLES