Category Archives: Seasons

Rain, Rain, Please Stay AND Come Again Another Day!

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Filed under Seasons, Trail Maintenance, Weather, Winter
Waterfall on Holstein Hill Trail, Montini Preserve

Today, the second day of an “atmospheric river” storm, I hiked the Montini and Overlook properties to check out how well the water was getting off the trails. More water was running off than I recall ever seeing before, although I had missed the October storm which by all accounts was a gangbuster.

You know it’s a major storm when the waterfall on the Holstein Hill trail on the Montini Preserve is running as it was today (see photo).

Most of the trail structures put in place to get water off the trail were working as intended, although a few need to be cleaned out or enhanced. The properties are so rocky, however, that in places water seeps from the hill above and sheets over the trail. In other words, there’s just no getting around having water on the trail, so be careful.

Season of Joy. . . and Thanks

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Filed under Fall

Before you hit the trail, check out the Hikers Gallery at the kiosk for gratitude quotes from Overlook Trail Hikers.

“What a way to top off a great trip to Sonoma, 25th anniversary!” 

“Being in the moment with family & friends is pure love. Nature is a part of our soul.”

“What you see is what you get. And what you get is awesome.”

“My husband and I both survived traumatic health issues. Coming to the lookout is the best way for

us to celebrate and conquer.”

You, Overlook Hikers, have been writing in the Hikers Notebooks for nearly 20 years! Go to our past blogs for more Gratitude quotes that Roy has posted from the Hikers Notebooks. 

And while you are at the top, write YOUR thoughts in the notebook. . . .It’s on the stone bench at the top of the trail.

And So it Begins…

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Filed under Invasive Species, Italian Thistle, Plant Life, Seasons, Stewardship, Winter

IMG-1011Today I realized that the invasive species removal season had started — earlier than it ever has during my tenure. The earliest I had started removing Italian thistle from the Sonoma Overlook and Montini Preserve properties had been in December. But now, with our early rains this season, the thistle has already started coming in (see pic).  This essentially cuts my “down time” from four months to three, meaning the thistle removal season is going to be nine months long this year. Ouch!

One nice thing, though, is that I will have a three-week “vacation” in May, when I put in on the Colorado River rowing an 18-foot raft for 17 days. Since I just recently got off a 19-day trip doing the same thing, call me one lucky guy!

But mostly I’ll be out there, day in and day out, pulling these plants so that we can eventually eradicate them, as we almost have with the Yellow starthistle.

Dia de los Muertos ~ Day of the Dead

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Filed under Events, Fall, Hiking, History, Mountain Cemetery

Walk Sonoma History through Sonoma Mountain Cemetery

Saturday, October 30
Times: 10:00 OR 12:30
Suggested Donation: $35.00

dayofdeadTHIS EVENT IS NOW SOLD OUT!
Please join us next year….
The Sonoma Overlook Trail Stewards are thrilled to invite you once again to a lively, informative tour through our historic cemetery with our own amateur historian Fred Allebach!

Each year (except 2020) Fred has led this walking tour where we meet cowboys and Indians, ranchers and real estate tycoons, farmers and farriers, carpenters and stone masons, quarry-men, grocers, butchers, bakers, maybe a candlestick maker, and many more!

Fred will host 2 walking tours, one at 10:00am and another at 12:30. Both will be limited to 25 guests. We will be observing current Covid-19 protocols so please bring your mask.

Coming in Hot

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Filed under Invasive Species, Land Maintenance, Seasons, Stewardship, Summer, Yellow Star Thistle

You guessed it, yet another invasive species post. You can check out right now if this doesn’t appeal. I would be the last person to fault you for it. For those of us who do it, we recognize it as the obsession that it is. We don’t expect anyone else to be so afflicted Like, EVER.

If you’re still here, this is what’s happening. I’m laser-focused on pulling all of the Yellow Starthistle I can possibly find, as it is blooming now, and racing into seed. And yet we have a window of opportunity to make a serious dent in it this season. We are down to just some areas along Norrbom Road, and after hitting it hard last year, the impact is very evident. I’m finding much less than last year in these areas. 

This affords us the opportunity, for the first time ever, of potentially pulling every single plant we see. 

That’s why I’m fired up, and going out there every day I can, and pulling every single plant that I can, no matter how small. Because that’s how you reach your goal. Because that’s what it takes to completely eradicate an invasive species from 200 acres of public lands.

If you can’t do what’s required to come in hot, then you have no business taking this on in the first place. Just trust me on that.