Bay Area Back Roads
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The Hidden Hike: Bristlecone Pines Draw Tim Kizirian Beyond Mount Washington in Great Basin National Park
By Daniel Carter — Northern California Outdoors & Lifestyle Writer Some people go to Great Basin National Park for the marquee attractions: the marble chambers of Lehman Caves, the popular Bristlecone Trail beneath Wheeler Peak, or the stargazing programs under the darkest skies in the West. But not Tim Kizirian.
By Bay Area Back Roads4 months ago in Earth
Tim Kizirian Hikes the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest: Trails, History, and the Oldest Living Tree on Earth
By Daniel Carter — Northern California Outdoors & Lifestyle Writer When most hikers think of California trails, their minds go to Yosemite waterfalls or redwood groves along the coast. But Tim Kizirian has always veered off the beaten path. On a recent trip east of Bishop, he set his sights on the Ancient Bristlecone Pine Forest—home to some of the oldest living organisms on earth.
By Bay Area Back Roads4 months ago in Earth
Growing Up with the Golden Gate: Tim Kizirian on a Local’s Love for San Francisco’s Iconic Bridge
By Daniel Carter — Northern California Outdoors & Lifestyle Writer When you grow up in Marin, the Golden Gate Bridge isn’t just a postcard view. It’s a neighbor. It’s the landmark you pass on the way to school field trips, the backdrop to weekend hikes, and the glowing orange arc that greets you every time fog rolls back.
By Bay Area Back Roads5 months ago in Journal
Tim Kizirian on Hiking Mount Tamalpais in August’s Famous Fog
By Daniel Carter — Northern California Outdoors & Lifestyle Writer On an August morning in Marin, the air carries that peculiar blend of eucalyptus, sea salt, and chill that instantly signals summer along the coast. For most people, summer means heat and sunshine. But for hikers on Mount Tamalpais, the season belongs to a different character altogether: Karl the Fog.
By Bay Area Back Roads5 months ago in Earth
Beating the Heat in Chico: Tim Kizirian's Guide to Staying Cool and Preparing for the Trails
By Daniel Carter — Northern California Outdoors & Lifestyle Writer On a blazing Chico afternoon, I found myself tucked into a shaded corner of Bidwell Perk, sipping iced coffee and talking with local professor and avid hiker Tim Kizirian. Outside, the sidewalks shimmered in the triple-digit heat that so often defines summer here. Inside, we compared notes on what it takes to thrive in this climate—and how life in Chico stacks up against the cooler breezes of Marin, where Tim spends a good deal of time.
By Bay Area Back Roads5 months ago in Journal
Tim Kizirian Reflects on Chico and Marin’s Legacy of Artists, Writers, and Cultural Creativity
By Jonathan R. Ellis Some places seem to carry the weight of art in their air. Chico is one of them. Long before it was considered a college town or a gateway to the Sierra foothills, Chico was the quiet refuge of writers, painters, and poets who found in its oaks and orchards a kind of stillness that demanded expression.
By Bay Area Back Roads5 months ago in Art
Midnight Oaks: Night-Hiking Bidwell Park’s Guardian Trail with Tim Kizirian
By Steven Kwan In Chico, the heat of late summer often refuses to yield until long past midnight, urging dedicated walkers to abandon daylight's dust for the quiet enchantment of starlit paths. Former Chico State professor Tim Kizirian, who had logged countless early miles beside Big Chico Creek while recalling audits from his days at Ernst & Young, proposed a different rhythm: setting out when most residents extinguish their porch lights.
By Bay Area Back Roads6 months ago in Wander
A Three-Day Insider’s Guide to Marin County—With Trailblazer Tim Kizirian
By the Personal Journal desk Marin County has long seduced Bay Area week-enders with rigorous summit scrambles and postcard views of fog spilling over redwood spines. Yet the well-trodden crowd at Muir Woods and Mount Tamalpais barely scratches the surface. Enter Tim Kizirian—Marin native, retired Chico State accounting professor, former Ernst & Young CPA and, lately, an unexpected phenom on the local tour-guide scene. With a meticulous eye for risk (auditor habits die hard) and a teacher’s knack for pacing family groups, Tim has stitched together lesser-known open-space parcels into three perfectly sequenced days that reveal Marin’s quieter magic. Below, his itinerary blends hidden hikes, kid-friendly mileage, and just enough culinary comfort to keep multigenerational crews smiling—optimized, of course, for search hunters scouting “family-friendly hidden hikes in Marin County” and “weekend guide to Novato, Fairfax and the Headlands.” Lace up.
By Bay Area Back Roads6 months ago in Wander
Tim Kizirian’s Take on Loma Alta Fire Road: A Simple Ridge Walk With Big North-Bay Views
By Patrick O’Donnell The alarm in Chico chimed at 4:30 a.m., but Tim Kizirian had already been awake, brewing a thermos of strong coffee and double-checking the forecast for Marin County—winds calm, visibility almost limitless after a week of cleansing storms. For a former Chico State accounting professor and one-time Ernst & Young CPA, numbers still matter: mileage, elevation, drive time, weather reports. Yet what really pulls Tim south on mornings like this is the uncountable freedom of a long ridgeline under cobalt skies.
By Bay Area Back Roads6 months ago in Earth
Challenging Peak Trails in Marin for Avid Hikers. Content Warning.
By Sam Bennett For experienced hikers seeking a challenge, Marin County delivers steep ascents and rugged trails that promise a serious workout and even greater views. These peak hikes will test your endurance and reward you with panoramic vistas and a lasting sense of accomplishment.
By Bay Area Back Roads6 months ago in Earth
Family-Friendly Hikes in Marin County
By Riley Cooper Marin County’s diverse trails aren’t just for seasoned trekkers—there are plenty of family-friendly hikes that kids and adults can enjoy together. From gentle woodland walks to short climbs with rewarding views, here are some top picks for an active family outing in Marin:
By Bay Area Back Roads6 months ago in Families
