Mt. Tamalpais

Marin Conservation League Walk Into (Conservation) History #12 Saturday, September 22, 2012 Mt. Tamalpais Marin Conservation League 1623–A Fifth Avenue, San Rafael, CA 94901 415.485.6257 marinconservationleague.org Marin Conservation League was founded in 1934 to preserve, protect and enhance the natural assets of Marin County. Marin Conservation League Walk Into (Conservation) History # 12 MT. TAMALPAIS—STATE PARK AND MMWD WATERSHED SEPTEMBER 22, 2012 – 9:30 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Introduction to In 2009, MCL initiated a series Walk Leaders: of Walks into lands in Marin that Nancy Skinner, Mt. Tam Interpretive Association Today’s Walk people with vision recognized Jack Gibson, Director, Marin Municipal Water District This year marks the Centennial would not survive for future Anniversaries of both Marin generations unless they were Arlin Weinberger, Mt. Tam Interpretive Association Municipal Water District (MMWD) permanently protected. Every acre Nona Dennis, Marin Conservation League and Tamalpais Conservation Club of public open space that we now Larry Minikes, Tamalpais Conservation Club (TCC). To help commemorate these enjoy is a testament to human effort events, Marin Conservation League and generous funding from many David Schnapf, Marin Conservation League (MCL) is pleased to conduct its 12th sources, but mainly to persistence. Karl Baeck, Mt. Tam Interpretive Association Walk into (Conservation) History Since its founding in 1934, MCL on Mount Tamalpais, affectionately has played a significant role in known as “Mt. Tam,” where the many of these stories, as either conservation efforts of thousands leader or partner. During the have converged to protect this decades in which Mt. Tamalpais remarkable natural eminence for was transformed gradually from the enjoyment of millions who visit private into public land, leaders the Mountain. like William Kent, TCC and MMWD The conservation history of Mt. Tam charted the course for saving Mt. is about some of the most beloved Tam and accomplished the first lands in Marin: Muir Woods, Marin major land acquisitions. MCL was Municipal Water District, Mt. Tam a partner in later campaigns to State Park, the Golden Gate complete Mt. Tamalpais State Park National Recreation Area and the and led the campaign to establish Marin Open Space District. While Marin County Open Space District, innumerable people were involved which began with the mountain’s in these efforts, one person, Northridge area. MCL also wrote a William Kent, stands above all set of criteria in 1966 that guided others in preserving the Mountain appropriate use of Mt. Tam for for future generations. many years. Route of today’s Walk shown in orange. 2 Today’s Route mountain’s history, emphasizing At an elevation of about 2,600 Mt. Tam is a prime example of the those events and actions that feet, Mt. Tam is the quintessential Franciscan Formation, described Experiencing Mt. Tam’s history marked its conservation as public landmark of the inner Bay Area! by one geologist as a “complex, actually begins with the drive up land. The mountain consists of a primary disrupted assemblage – in other to the Rock Spring parking area three-mile-long ridge with three words, a heap of rubble . the at the junction of Pantoll Road and Views of Mt. Tam distinct peaks, of which the West upthrust from the grinding together Ridgecrest Boulevard. (See the list was tallest at 2,604 feet (before of tectonic plates.” Salem Rice, It is impossible to miss Mt. Tam of “noteworthy Mt. Tam spots to be 30 feet were shaved off for a eminent Marin geologist and from most vantage points in the seen on the drive and the walk.”) military base) and the East peak is former board member of TCC, Bay Area. To the Coast Miwok 2,571 feet. Several ridges descend once said of the mountain that “Any The walk route is from Rock who inhabited Southern Marin from the main ridge, among them two pebbles you pick up may have Spring to the Mt. Theater, then to for at least 8,000 years, it was Bolinas Ridge, Throckmorton Ridge, started a thousand miles apart.” Bootjack Camp by way of Easy inhabited by evil spirits. Mountains and Blithedale Ridge (Northridge). Grade Trail, on to West Point Inn were places of power inhabited Mt. Tam also plays a significant role The exact boundaries are hard by way of Old Stage Road, and by the supernatural and they were in controlling area precipitation. to define, but the mountain is returning on the Rock Spring Trail. to be avoided, although the lower The highest annual rainfall is on estimated to encompass anywhere slopes yielded acorns and other the north side – about 53 inches At several points along the way from 25,000 to 60,000 acres, vital plant food. Many years later, average annual rainfall at Lake we will share various pieces of the depending on one’s geography. Harold Gilliam, San Francisco Lagunitas, dropping to 30 to 40 Chronicle science writer for 50 inches on the south and west- View of Bon Tempe Lake and Lake years, described seeing Mt. Tam facing exposures. Compare this to Lagunitas from East Peak from the East Bay as “Vesuvius” average rainfall of 22 inches in rising above the Bay of Naples. For San Francisco. Several permanent Mill Valley, it stands as a kind of and seasonal creeks descend the sentinel, dominating almost every slopes, in particular the extensive view. Flora of Mt. Tam—(L—R): Manza- nita (Arctostaphylos manzanita ), Chamise (Adenostoma fascicula- tum), Madrone (Arbutus menziesii) Photo credits: Dru Parker, Dennis Marelli / Calflora, Beatrice F. Howitt © California Academy of Sciences Dru Parker 3 Lagunitas Creek watershed on the have been spotted on the mountain. north. Springs and creeks provided Sir Francis Drake was the first to water supply long before the first report on plants in Marin. Later of four dams was installed on a explorer-naturalists Douglas, branch of Lagunitas Creek in 1873. Menzies, Eschscholtz, Hartweg, and The variety of plant and animal life others are remembered for the on Mt. Tamalpais is extraordinary species named after them. and reflects its many microclimates For Alice Eastwood, Curator of and soils. Shrubby chaparral Botany at the California Academy species such as chamise and of Sciences from 1892 until 1949, manzanita predominate on the when she resigned at age 90, rocky south and east-facing slopes, Tamalpais was a favorite haunt. with oak, bay and madrone in She was known to trudge thirty ravines; redwood and fir are miles a day carrying heavy plant common on the north side and on presses on her back. John Thomas slopes that face the Pacific Ocean. Public Library Valley Room, Mill Little History of the Lucretia Courtesy Howell followed in her footsteps Broad exposures of serpentine and wrote the first comprehensive have created their own unique flora (Marin Flora, 1970, revised the old-growth redwoods in Muir flora. Mt. Tamalpais Interpretive in 2007). Vegetation has gone Woods, no original timber still Association (MTIA) estimates through notable shifts, however, as stands on Mt. Tam. that over 750 species of plants fire has been largely suppressed, grow there. Bobcats, foxes, deer, and invasive species like broom Pieces of History: raccoons, the occasional mountain have moved into disturbed lands, Conserving Mt. Tam lion and over 150 bird species especially those cleared for fuel breaks. With the exception of Tamalpais has been visited and used by explorers, loggers, hunters, dairy ranchers, hikers, artists, botanists, and tourists since the 19th century, and more recently runners and mountain bikers. In the 19th century it was exploited by hunters, Native fauna of Mt. Tam (L—R): who shot hundreds of deer for American badger(Taxidea taxus), commercial purposes, and loggers, Red-tailed hawk (Buteo jamaicensis), who cut timber for construction and Bobcat (Lynx rufus) for firewood, primarily from the lower slopes and gulches. Photo credits (all from flickr.com): Yathin, Danny Perez, Len Blumin Until the 1830s and ‘40s, Mt. 4 Tamalpais was split among four climb a few steps for refreshments holdings. In 1903 he called a (five according to some sources) at Tamalpais Tavern. 1902 saw meeting at Ross’ Lagunitas Club huge privately owned Mexican the advent of “gravity cars” which with the intention of promoting land grants. As pieces of the grants coasted down the mountain in 21 Mt. Tam as a national park. Kent’s were sold off, private ownership minutes. The growing use of the vision to establish a national park continued to prevail until the early Mountain by the public played a based on the Yellowstone model 20th century. considerable role in pushing the was prompted by his fear of what By the turn of the century, the transition of private to public land. might become of the mountain if it remained in private hands. As he mountain attracted more than William Kent hunters, loggers and dairymen. No one played a bigger role in stated in his speech at that meeting: Mill Valley had become a primary that transition than William Kent, “Never was such a spot for the destination for hikers from all over who came to Marin with his parents enjoyment of man. Never a spot the bay area who came to hike on in 1871. Lands donated or sold at where heedless exploitation (would) Mt. Tam. The opening of the Mill highly discounted prices by Kent work more loss. .Subdivision, Valley & Tamalpais Scenic Railway were critical to the establishment building of houses, and ordinary William Kent in 1896 changed the history of of Muir Woods, MMWD, Mt. Tam so-called suburban improvements on the mountain almost overnight. State Park, and the Mountain Mt. Tamalpais will do more to ruin acres to today’s 559 acres.

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