Exploring Musk Rat Nest Area and an Old Road to Goat Rock

Tuesday September 16, 2014 Jenner CA.

It looked like it was going to be another nice day kayaking around in the Russian River Estuary as I arrived this morning. The sun was out and the wind was down. Off I went across the river to Penny Island were I sat for a bit, as I watched Ray putting his boat in the water.

When he caught up with me, we decided to head on up to the musk rat nest area and get out and do some exploring. We headed on up that way, at our slow pace, stopping along the way and enjoying the day.

More geese are showing up across the river on the shore. There were more today than yesterday. The little spots across the river are the geese.geese

 

As you can see, the water was real nice as we paddled along.kayaking

 

Looking for the old trail

We were headed to this spot and wanted to hike up to the left of that rock I call buzzard rock. I think there is an old overgrown trail up there that I was on about three years ago, but I need to find it again.

We landed just to the left of those rocks on the shoreline.buzzardrock

 

Here is the spot we landed, musk rat nest beach.kayaks

 

We headed on up the hill exploring and looking for the old trail. Right through this area and it was loaded with poison oak that could not be avoided.walk

 

Here is Ray, sorta on a trail as I looked back towards the river.bridge

 

We made it to this little grassy spot and took a break for a bit, looking down to the little town of Jenner.russianriver

 

We worked our way up the hill a little further, but didn’t find the old trail I was looking for, but we found some other trails that look encouraging.

Our view from the highest spot we hiked to before heading back down for the day, looking out over the Russian River towards Jenner.jenner

 

And looking up the river from that same spot.upriverview

 

Here is Ray going down the hill in one of the better parts of the trail.trail

 

The old road to Goat Rock

Just past that spot, I crossed a trail and realized it was an old road that went on down to the Goat Rock area, which we’ll have to explore some time. This would likely be the very first road down to the mouth area on the south side of the river, a time before the modern day roads. It goes through a lot of brush now.

We made it down the hill and got back in our boats and headed on down the river, very leisurely.paddle

 

We paddled by eagle’s landing, headed down the river.paddling

 

Tired out

Ray said he was tired from all the work exploring and was going in for the day. I agreed, I was tired out too, so took a zoomed picture of the river’s mouth and went in for the day too.rivermouth

I went on home for a good nap, then got the energy to work on the stuck back brakes on my little quad runner, which was a bear, but I got it apart, greased it up and got it back together with only minimal trouble.

That was my day.

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