Date: Wed Dec 4 08:50:47 PST 1996 From: "Medinger, John" Subject: Quad Dipsea FAQ ********************************************************************** 1. How do I get to the starting line? *From San Francisco and the Peninsula*: take the Golden Gate Bridge north. Exit at Stinson Beach, Highway 1 exit, about 4 miles north of the bridge. Proceed west-bound about 0.6 miles from the exit to the traffic light at Tam Junction. Turn right and the road becomes 4 lanes and the name changes to Miller Ave. Follow Miller Ave. for about 2.5 miles to Throckmorton. (note: just after crossing Sunnyside, you'll come to a stop sign that looks like the end of the street. Turn right here, it's still Miller Ave. The next intersection is Throckmorton. Turn left on Throckmorton and follow for three blocks to Old Mill Park. *From the East Bay*: generally it's quicker to take the Richmond/San Rafael Bridge than the Bay Bridge and going through the City to the Golden Gate. Take Eastshore Freeway (I-80) north from the Bay Bridge maze through Berkeley. Take the I-580 exit (left-hand exit) at Golden Gate Fields and follow it all the way to the Richmond/San Rafael Bridge. After crossing the bridge take the second exit, "Sir Francis Drake Blvd., Hwy. 101 South". Follow past San Quentin and Larkspur Landing to Hwy. 101 southbound (signs will say "San Francisco"). Follow Hwy. 101 about 2.5 miles to the East Blithedale Ave. exit. Upon exiting the freeway, turn right (westbound) and follow East Blithedale for about 2 miles to downtown Mill Valley. Turn left on Throckmorton and follow for six blocks to Old Mill Park. *From Sacramento*: Take I-80 to Vallejo and exit at Highway 37. Follow Highway 37 along the north side of San Pablo Bay for 21 miles to Hwy. 101. Go south on Hwy. 101 about 15 miles to East Blithedale Ave. exit. Upon exiting the freeway, turn right (westbound) and follow East Blithedale for about 2 miles to downtown Mill Valley. Turn left on Throckmorton and follow for six blocks to Old Mill Park. ********************************************************************** 2. Where do I stay? All of the hotels and motels listed below are within 15 minutes of the starting line: (1995 prices, subject to change) *Less Expensive* Fireside Motel, 115 Shoreline Hwy., Mill Valley, 415-332-6906, $48+ Fountain Motel, 155 Shoreline Hwy., Mill Valley, 415-332-1732, $48+ Tamalpais Motel, 680 Redwood Hwy., Mill Valley, 415-381-4775, $55+ Travelodge Mill Valley, 707 Redwood Hwy., Mill Valley, 415-383-0340, $56+ *More Expensive* Alta Mira Hotel, Bulkley Ave., Sausalito, 415-332-1350, $70-170 Best Western Corte Madera, 1815 Redwood Hwy, Corte Madera, 415-924-1502, $85-95 Casa Madrona Hotel, 801 Bridgeway, Sausalito, 415-332-0502, $105-185 Holiday Inn Express, 160 Shoreline Hwy., Mill Valley, 415-332-5700, $90 Mill Valley Inn, 165 Throckmorton Ave., Mill Valley, 415-389-6608, $125-$165 Mt. Home Inn, 810 Panoramic Hwy., Mill Valley, 415-381-9000, $131-215 ********************************************************************** 3. How do I get information on the other Dipsea races? There are two other races annually on the Dipsea Trail: The Dipsea (7.1 miles) is normally held on the second Sunday in June. It is a handicapped race (based on age and sex) and is usually difficult to get into. Entries are mailed on April 1 each year. For an entry, contact: Dipsea Race, P.O. Box 30, Mill Valley, CA 94942, phone 415-381-DIPC. The DSE Double Dipsea (14.2 miles) is normally held on the fourth Saturday in June. It, too, is a handicapped event. It is not a problem to get into this race, which starts at the Stinson Beach end of the trail. For an entry, contact: Joe Oakes, 415-903-0341. Unlike the Quad, both of these races are *open* courses, i.e., runners are permitted to take various short-cuts. This can add to the fun (and also to your chances of getting lost). ********************************************************************** 4. I don't know the trail, but would like to train for the race on the course itself. What do I do? The best bet by far is to contact someone who knows the trail and get them to show it to you. There are a lot of intersections and, while the Dipsea Trail is reasonably well-marked with permanent trail posts, it would be fairly easy to miss a turn. If you want to go exploring on your own, purchase a map of the Trails of Mt. Tamalpais by Olmstead Maps. These maps are available at many Bay Area bookstores and also at the Rand McNally Store, located at 595 Market Street in San Francisco. Using this map and the following verbal description, you probably won't get too far lost. Park on the city streets nearest the intersection of Throckmorton and Cascade in Mill Valley (and observe the parking regulations). Starting from the intersection of Throckmorton and Cascade Drive in Mill Valley: Proceed southwest on Cascade Drive. Old Mill Park is on your left. The actual Dipsea race starts on Throckmorton and Miller Ave. , but the Quadruple and Double Dipsea races eschew the three blocks of city streets (and the traffic control required to use them). At the end of the block, Cascade bears to the right, but go straight up what looks like a driveway. About 50 yards up the hill, you'll see the bottom of the infamous (there are 676 of them) stairs. At the top of the first stretch of stairs, turn right onto the street. At the first corner, turn sharply left. Look for the next stretch of stairs on your right. You may occasionally see "Dipsea" stenciled onto the street. All of these markings are accurate. At the top of these stairs again turn left and look for the next stairs on the right. At the top of these stairs, turn right (uphill) onto the street (Sequoia Valley Rd.). This is a fairly busy road, be careful. After a long block, bear to the right (Walsh) into the new sub-division. There is an open metal gate at the entrance to the sub-division. This used to be the Flying-Y Ranch, but was sub-divided in 1990. Stay on the cul-de-sac until the end. Go straight out the back and the trail briefly becomes dirt. After about 100 yards, it becomes paved again. This is Bay View Drive. Follow it to the end of the street. (Believe it or not, you've now travelled only 0.92 miles.) At the intersection (the cross street is Panoramic Highway), bear toward about one o'clock and you'll see the trail head across the street. The city part now ends and the trail running begins. About 150 yards down the trail there is a fork. Take the left hand fork (downhill) and follow it to the street below. This section is known as Windy Gap. At the street (Muir Woods Road), cross and look for the trailhead across the street. Follow this trail for a little more than half a mile. As you start to come out of the trees and into the open you'll come to a fire road. Cross the fire road (look for a bunch of mail boxes to your right). You'll see the trailhead directly across the dirt road. Follow the trail down the hill. At the bottom it widens and you make a hairpin turn to your right. You'll see some a park maintenance building on your right and a road (Muir Woods Road again) straight ahead. There is a water spigot on the side of the building; this water is drinkable. During the race there will be an aid station here (mile 1.82). Cross the road into the parking lot on the other side. On your right hand side you'll see a railing and some steps leading down to a creek (Redwood Creek). The creek may or may not be dry and there may or may not be a small wooden footbridge over it. If its dry the bridge is in; if there's a lot of water in the creek, they remove the bridge. Seems backwards, I know, but that's the way it is. If it has rained and there's a lot of water in the creek, there may be a sign showing a detour for the Dipsea trail. Ignore it. You'll get your feet wet, but this is the proper trail. Cross the creek and follow the trail (obvious) on the other side up the hill through the redwoods. After about a quarter mile of uphill you'll come out to a fire road (Deer Park fire road). The trail and the fire road criss-cross several times over the next couple of miles, but run essentially parallel to each other. The race route always follows the single-track trail. The trail heads are pretty well marked with permanent markers. After being out in the open for a while, you will go back into the deep woods again and cross the Deer Park fire road one last time, climbing a big hill (known as Cardiac) to the top, where it comes out into the open again. At the top there is an intersection with a fire road (Old Mine Road). Go straight across. There will be an aid station here during the race (mile 4.07). You also get your first view of the ocean here (if its not foggy). The next mile or so parallels another fire road (Dipsea Fire Road). Again the race route always follows the single-track trail. The trail heads are well marked with permanent markers. The trail eventually cuts off to the right into some trees. After about 200 yards you'll see a fence straight ahead, where the trail bends to the right. During the single Dipsea, you hurdle this fence and go straight down the hill (and I mean straight down) called Swoop Hollow. The Quadruple sticks to the trail (the park rangers don't like this short cut) to the right, which is somewhat slower but very scenic through more redwoods. After about a half-mile, the trail turns left and you go down a treacherous stretch of uneven landings, full of tree roots and often very damp from condensation of the fog. This is called Steep Ravine. Be careful here; 90% of the people I know who injure themselves on this trail do so here. At the bottom, there is a wooden bridge. After crossing it, turn left. After about 100 yards there is a fire road. During the single Dipsea everyone turns right and takes some poorly-marked short-cuts which involve considerable running on a paved road. It's quicker but you'll get lost if you don't know it. The Quadruple follows the single-track trail which goes straight across the fire road and up the hill (called Insult Hill). This brings you out into an open section called The Moors. From here you can see Stinson Beach for the first time. The trail crosses a couple of more fire roads, but just keep your same bearing and stay on the single-track trail. You drop back into the woods for the last time and come out to a road (Panoramic Highway). Cross the road and run down the dirt hypotenuse and you quickly come to another road (Highway 1). Turn right on Highway 1 and cross to the other side at your first opportunity (often lots of traffic here). Take the first left (Arenal Ave.) and follow it for about two blocks. You'll see a small cafe/snack stand on your left. Congratulations, you made it. This is the turn around (aid station here) for the Quadruple. The single Dipsea goes through the gate at the end of the street to a finish about 100 yards past it in Stinson Beach State Park. ********************************************************************** Revised 2/1/01