In connection with John Muir's The Mountains of California, our reading for this week, we will hike to the most rugged spot on the central campus. This will involve steep clambering where there's no trail, so bring strong shoes for support, preferably boots. Also bring a backpack with water, windbreaker, journal, and camera and binoculars, if you have them. Before the hike please read the Geology chapter in Cal Poly Land: A Field Guide, pp. 25-40.
On the way we'll encounter: the horse unit, Indonesian reservoir--a wetland and lake, riparian community, grasslands, chapparel, serpentinite community. We'll see plenty of birds and wildflowers, get the best view of Stenner and Poly Canyons, encounter traces of sheep pens built in the nineteenth century and some archaeological artifacts.
The hike up should take about 40 minutes up and the way down should take about 30 minutes.
