The San Francisco call., 1910-01-01
DOWN no THE POTRERO
form

DOWN TO THE POTRER0
From the crest OF this cypress ridge
a rough trail drops down Go The right
around horn OF frost splintered rock
AS YOU descend this get there" short
cut the moor of the Potrero meadows
seems to rise up to meet you like u
carpet of lightest green velvet Later
in the season IL is ~sprinkled with an
unpicked multitude of golden flowers.
The name Potrero Us the poetical
Spanish way Of saying pasture. Turn
TO the right along its border until you
reach a sunny, cozy corner, where you
can look up to the ridge you have de-
scended.
The Expresses and spruces sprnging
up among the rugged ridges always
remind me of the Sierras near the TIM
ber line, and you won't have TO stretch
your imagination much TO make your
self feel very far from home. Several
streams course down these shaggy
northern slopes lingering among the
meadows or gurglng like a grooming
child about the roots of the madrones
until, with fresh energy they bound
down the wild, shadowy gorges or
Swede George gulch. This in turn pours
into the Lagunitas creek whose silent
solitary forests stretch far away into
the mysterious north country After
lunch YOU may explore the giant ma
the meadows, and among them you will
find a monster bearing the mystic blaze
IF" on its massive trunk.
Also in these unfrequented woods YOU
will suddenly come face to face with
the red eyed Heteromeles Arbutifolia.
Savage sounds it's name, but it is harm
less In plain and better English it is
your old friend the California holly or
toyon Usually the Christmas berries
bloom later and larger on this north
erly slope and they will make well
come New Years present Break two
or three long branches that you can
carry over your shoulder, then interlace
a number of foot and a half lengths in
such a manner that by stripping some
Of the leaves they will make compact
bundle. Tie them tightly so that the
ripe berries will not be whipped off as
you carry them newspaper or an old
flour sack will protect them best OF all.
OUT TO ROCK SPRING
Plan to leave the Meadows before
2, and, unless you prefer to return by
way of the Tavern, take the easier
route by Rock spring. You will pick
up the trail at the southwest corner
of the meadow, by ascending grassy
slope to beautiful spruce tree with
low dropping branches Above it, the
trail Is very distinct as 1t winds around
the western shoulder of the mountain
Do not stray down any gulches, for
several only lead into the chaparral.
Instead, your path is like a tunnel
through live oaks, madrones and Doug
lass spruces. In about a mile and
half you will emerge in a green glade
where a low mound of boulders marks
the location OF Rock spring. This is
a favorite picnic place for pedestrians
bound for Cataract gulch and the Bo-
linas ridge. which lie jus to the west
ward. Follow well beaten trail up
past a monster madrone tree 200 yards
to the east, where you will see the en-
tire southern slope of Tamalpais
spread before you. In a mile and
three-quarters, as you follow the
winding way through the manzanitas
you will come to West Point, from
which the remaining distance TO Mil
valley by the railway track and trail
is just four miles. If yod leave Rock
spring at p. m. you will descend the
Mill valley trail just at sunset, and
should reach the city by 6.
Next Saturday. January 8, shall tell
about splendid walk from Ffuitvale
past Joaquin Miller's, to Redwood
peak.