Seniors hike for health in Bay Area open preserves

By Clyde Noel, Town Crier Staff Writer

Each week more than 40 rugged seniors pack their lunch, lace up their hiking boots and take off to the Bay Area open space preserves. Walking sticks in hand, they participate in a class called “Hike for Health.” Last Thursday, they started their hike in the Long Ridge Open Space Preserve.

Hike for Health was started in 1985 by Los Altos environmentalists Mildred and Tony Look. Mildred led the group for years, until the couple moved to Davis, and then Paula McFall and Joan Spannagel assumed the class leadership.

Currently, 46 seniors are enrolled in the class. Attendance varies on the weather.

“The class meets every week, and if it’s raining then only about 15 hardy individuals show up,” McFall said. “In the spring and fall we might have 50 hikers.”

Margaret Appling, a Los Altos resident, has been hiking for 17 years.

“The class is wonderful, and I love the people and facing nature on the hikes,” she said. “I learned where all the major open space preserves are. It’s a shame more people don’t hike and enjoy nature.”

The class is sponsored by Mountain View-Los Altos Adult Education and limited to adults over 55. The average age of the hikers who meet at the Los Altos Senior Center weekly is over 70. Every member must be willing to drive or carpool to the trailhead.

“Since class members have different hiking abilities, they divide themselves voluntarily each week into three groups,” McFall said. “The leisurely group travels at a slow pace and goes about one to two miles. The middle group stops to rest, examine flowers, look at birds and walks about three to four miles. The fast group enjoys climbing hills, doesn’t stop a lot and covers seven to eight miles to the top of the ridge.”

Bob and Fran Stainton, Los Altos residents, started hiking with the Looks seven years ago. “We really enjoy this,” Bob said. “It gets my wife and I outdoors, and we get good exercise hiking.”

Why do people join the class? McFall said it’s the exercise the class wants; it’s healthy, and they get a look at nature firsthand. There is also a lot of camaraderie among the hikers because they talk as they walk along.

Spannagel said the instructors see that each group has a designated leader and a sweeper (the person who brings up the rear). The leader keeps the group together and is certain everyone is accounted for. No one passes the leader or the instructor during the hike.

Hikers carry a knapsack, their lunch and drinking water. Most have a personal first-aid kit, a whistle and a waterproof or water-repellent lightweight jacket. They wear layered clothing and traction-type footwear.

“We hunt for fair weather in the Bay Area when we make up the trips,” McFall said. “When the weather is hot, we look for trails with a lot of trees.”

Spannagel provided a comment on what to expect on Long Ridge Open Space Preserve. “It’s a long climb today, and they have no toilets on the ridge,” she said. “They do have a lot of bushes and trees, though.”

For more information about Hiking for Health, call the Los Altos Senior Center at 947-2894 or Mountain View-Los Altos Adult Education at 940-1333.