Dayhike and Class: Sierra Foothill Conservancy, Sat., March 20

Dayhike and Class: Sierra Foothill Conservancy, Sat., March 20 Hi everyone, It's a great time for a hike in the local Sierra foothills, when everything is green, the creeks are running, and wildflowers are starting to come out in force. This is a Sierra Foothill Conservancy class, organized by the SFC. I'm posting it as a meetup to promote it to all of you. Reservations and a $10 member/$15 non-member ($30/ non-member family) fee are required. You must make your own reservations. Just RSVP'ing "Yes" won't reserve you a place. Call the SFC at (559) 855-3473 to make your reservations. You can also make your reservations online on their website. Either way, mail in your check (details online) or pay at the gate on the day of the hike. Reservations are limited, and will go fast. You should make yours ASAP. As of this morning there were about 8 places out of about 20 left. Class Description: Natural History of the McKenzie Preserve Saturday March 20, 2010 9am to 3pmÂÂ-$10 members/$15 non-members "Join biologist Rodney Olsen, geologist Craig Poole and anthropologist Allen Beck as we explore the Natural History of the McKenzie Preserve. We will look at plants, animals, rocks and archeological sites on the preserve. This includes a 6 mile round-trip hike to the top of Table Mountain. Bring lunch and water." About the Sierra Foothill Conservancy and the McKenzie Preserve: The Sierra Foothill Conservancy was established in 1996 to provide local, community-based support and management for two outstanding foothill properties: the McKenzie Table Mountain Preserve and the Mary Elizabeth Miller Preserve at Black Mountain. The McKenzie Preserve consists of grassland, blue oak woodland, and a basalt table mountain on the north side of Auberry Road below Prather. It covers 2960 acres of land ranging in elevation from 800 to 1800 feet. Vernal pools at the top of the basalt formation provide critical habitat for rare plants and invertebrates. More info on the Table Mtn trail: Table Mt. Table TopÂÂ-There is a trail for most of the hike, which is about a 6 mile round trip with some level walking then a climb on a good trail to the top; elevation gain is 1000 feet. It takes about 5 hours allowing for lunch at the top. More information on the SFC and its hikes and classes: Sierra Foothill Conservancy http://www.sierrafoothill.org/ Directions on how to get there: http://www.sierrafoothill.org/table_mt__preserve_map.htm Meeting place: To encourage carpooling, let's meet at the Starbuck's in River Park across from REI at 7:45AM so we can be on the road by 8:00AM. If you're meeting us up there, trail time is 9:00AM. I hope to see some of you up there--it should be great. Questions? -Dave Smith (408) 425-4588