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Not all ritzy plans come to fruition. Such is the case for the crumpled idea to build a high-end glamping experience in the quiet suburbs of San Marcos

As some of you may know, my roots are in Northern California, so any time I have the opportunity to visit home, I try my best to hike the trails in the east bay area. I was introduced to Las Trampas Regional Wilderness years before, but have never taken the time to truly get to explore it more until this fall

The Corte Madera trailhead can be found about 5 miles down on Corral Canyon Road, a bumpy dirt road that is better suited for 4WD vehicles. The trailhead is marked by a large green metal gate, where you’ll find a few parking spots on the left side of the road directly across from the gate. You’ll want to follow the trail to the right to reach Corte Madera Mountain. As you begin to climb uphill, you’ll be rewarded with a stunning view of Corte Madera’s rock face in the distance, and soon begin to understand why it is compared to Yosemite’s iconic Half Dome.

The snow has begun to blanket the ground in white, the temperature has dropped 10 degrees overnight, and day light is shorter; it’s officially winter. This is why most hiking trails are nearly desolate by the time it’s officially winter. Taking a winter hike gives you the opportunity to have a different perspective on a trail that you may have explored already or perhaps one that you’ve never explored before. Between Thanksgiving and New Year’s, there isn’t any other time of year that most work places give their employees holiday time off.