Submitted by Bruce Jensen (not verified) on Tue, 2008-01-29 16:41.
Hi - Thanks for the great article on Fern Ledge! I used your directions to try to attain Fern Ledge a few weeks back, and I had trouble early on. My son and I got up to the top of the rockslide all right, but where to make the left turn onto Sunnyside Bench - and what we would see at that point - just didn’t gel for us. After climbing the trail along the right side of the left arm of the slide by the dry streambed, we did come across a spot where some cairns were in the woods on the right/east side of the streambed/slide/cliffs, and were able to turn left across the cliff face where they intersected the cliff (a snug turn - had to use both hands, both feet and a sturdy manzanita bush to sneak around that rock!), and found what looked like a trail, which we followed - apparently onto the bench…
…but after about 100 yards, we came to a spot that *resembles* your photo of the “grapevine forest” but with no trail visible. Instead, just a large steeply slanting area of loose, deep soil and rocks. No trail on the other side. Per your suggestions, we decided not to go beyond that spot and risk ruining the vegetation or cause erosion (to say nothing of endangering our lives on that loose mass of stuff). My son saw a rattlesnake acting sliggish in a hole, so we did see some wildlife…
If you please, does this match your recollection of the correct way to go, or did we turn left too soon/too late? I’d really love to try that route again…
Sunnyside Bench directions - confused!
Hi - Thanks for the great article on Fern Ledge! I used your directions to try to attain Fern Ledge a few weeks back, and I had trouble early on. My son and I got up to the top of the rockslide all right, but where to make the left turn onto Sunnyside Bench - and what we would see at that point - just didn’t gel for us. After climbing the trail along the right side of the left arm of the slide by the dry streambed, we did come across a spot where some cairns were in the woods on the right/east side of the streambed/slide/cliffs, and were able to turn left across the cliff face where they intersected the cliff (a snug turn - had to use both hands, both feet and a sturdy manzanita bush to sneak around that rock!), and found what looked like a trail, which we followed - apparently onto the bench…
…but after about 100 yards, we came to a spot that *resembles* your photo of the “grapevine forest” but with no trail visible. Instead, just a large steeply slanting area of loose, deep soil and rocks. No trail on the other side. Per your suggestions, we decided not to go beyond that spot and risk ruining the vegetation or cause erosion (to say nothing of endangering our lives on that loose mass of stuff). My son saw a rattlesnake acting sliggish in a hole, so we did see some wildlife…
If you please, does this match your recollection of the correct way to go, or did we turn left too soon/too late? I’d really love to try that route again…
Thanks,
Bruce Jensen
San Lorenzo, CA