Tiburon teen’s Eagle Scout project honors Dipsea Hike trailblazers

As a Tiburon resident for most of her life, Corinne Hunt was familiar with the Dipsea Race, the annual 7.4-mile trek from Mill Valley to Stinson Beach that began in 1905 and holds the distinction of being the oldest trail race in the country.

However, the 16-year-old junior at Redwood High School had never heard of the Dipsea Hike — a hike-in-name-only version of the run held annually from 1918 to 1922 to give women, who were banned from entering the men-only Dipsea Race, a chance to compete.

Corinne recalls being shocked when Mari Allen, a member of the Dipsea Race Committee, visited her Scouts BSA troop, Troop 1 Girls out of Mill Valley, and spoke about the event. She immediately wanted to learn more.

“I’m a naturally curious person, and it’s not something you really hear about, women not being able to race, especially now in this day and age,” she says.

When Allen asked if the girls troop might want to help out with a planned celebratory hike to mark the 100th anniversary of the last Dipsea Hike, Corinne saw an opportunity to make the event the cornerstone of her Eagle Scout project. The Eagle Scout ranking is the highest of seven ranks within the program and, in addition to earning nearly two-dozen merit badges and holding a position of responsibility in their troop, requires scouts to complete a community-service project to benefit a nonprofit group. Being named an Eagle Scout is a prestigious honor; just 4-8 percent of scouts earn the ranking, which must be achieved before the scout turns 18.

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