Pre-Thanksgiving hike at Windy Hill Open Space

November is one of my favorite months for hiking in the Santa Cruz Mountains. The rainy season has started and the plants are coming back to life. The banana slugs and newts are on the move. The forest is colored by madrone and toyon berries, and most of all by the brilliant yellows of the falling bigleaf maples leaves.

The Wednesday before Thanksgiving I built up my appetite with a 10.8-mile hike at Windy Hill Open Space Preserve with my Wednesday hiking group. This is a hike for people who want beautiful fall colors, great views from the ocean to the bay, and a serious aerobic workout. This route requires an elevation gain of more than 2,000 feet.

We started at the preserve parking lot off of Portola Road in Portola Valley, next to The Sequoias retirement home. We headed south, passing Sausal Pond, and continued on the Eagle Trail and then charged uphill on the Razorback Ridge Trail. We had to watch our step to avoid crushing migrating newts. The forest is lush and green, with lots of healthy sword ferns along the way. At the top of this trail we hiked north on the Lost Trail for lunch at the picnic tables at the Skyline Boulevard entrance to the preserve. You can cut eight tenths of a mile from the route by eliminating this part of the hike. We then headed downhill on the Hamms Gulch Trail. Be sure to pause to examine the magnificent weathered old Douglas fir trees near the top of the trail.

At the bottom of the hill we headed north on the Betsy Crowder Trail and back to where we started.

TO GET THERE... from Highway 280 take Alpine Road south to Portola Road in Portola Valley and turn right. The trail head is at the parking lot just north of The Sequoias retirement community.

Long Ridge Open Space Loop

Yesterday was the final field trip for the fall session of my Foothill College hiking class. We met at the Grizzly Flat entrance to Long Ridge Open Space Preserve, which is along Skyline Boulevard about 3 miles south of the intersection with Page Mill/Alpine Road and about 3 miles north of the intersection with Highway 9. I arrived early and stood by the road so that the students would know where to park. The day was chilly but mostly sunny.

Our 4.9-mile loop took us downhill from Grizzly Flat, stopping to examine an abandoned apple orchard that was planted more than a hundred years ago. The trees still bear fruit, but they have all been picked by now. It is best to pick the fruit in early October. We then followed the Peters Creek Trail, which is on the bed of the old Summit Road. This route was constructed in the nineteenth century, long before Skyline Boulevard was built in the 1920's.

We next paused to enjoy a beautiful pond, which is just beyond the preserve boundary in the Jikoji Zen Center property. The pond was created in the early 1960's. This land hosted Pacific High School beginning in 1965. Students built their own residences, including tee pees and geodesic domes.

After a short stop to examine the pond, we charged uphill to the Long Ridge Road trail on the ridge top. We enjoyed beautiful views into the Pescadero Creek watershed and all the way to the blue Pacific beyond. Our group arrived at the Wallace Stegner Bench just in time for lunch. This is a very scenic spot for lunch. In addition to sweeping views, it is also a place to appreciate the contribution author and historian Wallace Stegner made to the preservation of wild lands. In addition to writing fiction and non-fiction about the American West, Stegner was an active conservationist, who was assistant to the secretary of interior during the Kennedy administration. He was instrumental in the formulation of the Wilderness Act of 1964. He also helped to found the Committee for Green Foothills, which lead to the creation of the Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District.

After lunch we sampled brownies made from the roasted nut of the bay laurel tree. We completed the loop by taking the Long Ridge Trail to the Peters Creek Trail and back to Grizzly Flat.

TO GET THERE... The Grizzly Flat parking lot is along Skyline Boulevard about 3 miles south of Page Mill/Alpine Road and 3 miles north of Highway 9. There is a small sign that says Upper Stevens Creek County Park. A Palo Alto City Limits sign faces north bound traffic on Skyline Boulevard.

Pescadero Creek County Park Tarwater Trail Loop

You couldn't ask for a more beautiful day than today for a 5.6-mile hike through the shady second-growth redwood forest of Pescadero Creek County Park. Twenty-three students in my College of San Mateo class showed up for the adventure.

We met at the parking lot on Camp Pomponio Road. From there we headed downhill on the Tarwater Trail, pausing to examine a banana slug and a huge old-growth redwood with several substantial reiterations. It was spared the saw because one side is hollowed out by fire. Farther down the trail we stopped to check out the remains of the Moore, Fisher, & Troupe lumber mill, built in 1915. There is an old iron boiler used to power the one-piston steam engine that ran the circular saw.

From there we headed downhill to the Bridge Trail and proceeded south to check out the Tarwater Trail Camp and to pause for lunch on the south side of Pescadero Creek. After lunch we retraced our steps to the Tarwater Trail, pausing at the bridge over Tarwater Creek to read the sign warning that alcohol, firearms and illegal substances are not allowed in the County Jail, a short distance beyond. This jail, which housed Ken Kesey for marijuana possession during the 1960's, is now closed.

We charged uphill along Tarwater Creek on the Tarwater Trail, taking a short detour on the Canyon Trail to find out how the creek got its name. Some of the students stuck sticks into the gooey black tar that seeps into the creek. We then returned to Tarwater Trail and ascended the remainder of the route back to our starting point.

TO GET THERE... From Skyline Boulevard, take Alpine Road west, about half a mile past the turnoff to Portola State Park. Turn left at Camp Pomponio Road, which can be identified by 7 mailboxes and a sign that says:
"Men's Correctional Facility
Pescadero Creek County Park

7546"

Henry Cowell State Park Redwood Ramble

Today I lead my Foothill College class on the same Henry Cowell Redwoods State Park route that I took my College of San Mateo class last Spring.  This is a wonderfully diverse 5.5-mile walk, which took us through a magical old-growth redwood grove, along the banks of the only real river in the Santa Cruz Mountains, to a sunny overlook with sandy soil, a unique ecology, and views of Monterey Bay.

We started at the parking lot near the park entrance, and continued on the Redwood Grove Loop Trail, stopping to admire some magnificent trees and to go inside the hollowed out John C. Fremont Tree, where Lieutenant Fremont is reputed to have camped in 1846.

We then proceeded south on the Pipeline Trail and uphill on the Eagle Creek Trail, stopping to admire a gnarly old-growth redwood which was spared the ax because of its gnarly condition. The trail then climbs above the redwoods and into the sand hills, which have a unique ecology all their own. Manzanita, knobcone pine, chinquapin, and ponderosa pine predominate in the sand hills. A right turn on the Pine Trail took us to the Overlook, where we stopped for lunch.

After lunch we headed downhill on the Ridge Fire Road and north on the Rincon Fire Road and the River Trail, which took us back to the Pipeline Trail. Just before returning to the Redwood Grove Loop Trail we stopped to examine a rare albino Redwood. This pure white phantom of the forest is a genetic mutant that lacks chlorophyll and is unable to photosynthesize. Because it cannot make its own food, it survives as a parasite by connecting its roots to a nearby redwood.

After returning to the parking lot, we crossed the railroad tracks and walked to the right to see a nineteenth century steam donkey and a steam-powered sawmill.

The big surprise is the entrance fee to the park. Since I was here last Spring the state has raised the entrance fee to $10.00 per car ($9.00 if you are over 62). It is still a bargain, especially if you carpool.

TO GET THERE... the main entrance is just south of Felton on Highway 9. The Rincon parking lot is 3.3 miles south of the main entrance on Highway 9.

Skyline Ridge Open Space Figure-8 Ramble

Yesterday was a good day to lead my College of San Mateo class field trip at Skyline Ridge Open Space Preserve. The weather was sunny and mild, though the coastal fog to the west obscured some of the best views this preserve has to offer.

Starting at the main parking lot, which is just west of Skyline Boulevard about a mile south of the Page Mill/Alpine Road intersection, we charged uphill on the Ridge Trail and continued on, past Rattlesnake Point, to Alpine Pond. Near the pond we examined a bedrock mortar stone where Ohlone Indian women pounded their acorns centuries ago. We looped around the pond, looked at natural history exhibits at the David C. Daniels Nature Center next to the pond, and then stopped for lunch at the nearby picnic tables.

After lunch we visited the cluster of buildings that are now used for MPROSD maintenance. In the early 1930's this was the vacation retreat for California governor James "Sunny Jim" Rolph. Nearby is a dead Douglas fir tree which is home to a lively colony of acorn woodpeckers. They are now busy collecting acorns and fitting them into holes they made in their granary tree for later consumption.

We then made a steep ascent up the ridge and descended downhill to Horseshoe Lake. On the way we saw the feral Christmas trees that were not chosen decades ago when this land was a Christmas tree farm. Both Alpine Pond and Horseshoe Lake were created in the 1950's to provide water for John Rickey's hog farm. We then looped around the reservoir and back to our starting point, for a figure-8 loop of about 4.5 miles.

TO GET THERE... The main entrance is on Skyline Boulevard about a mile south of the intersection with Page Mill/Alpine Roads. There is one parking lot each for equestrians, handicapped, and all others. You can also access the preserve from the Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve parking lot on Alpine Road just west of its intersection with Skyline Boulevard. Take the trail through the tunnel under Alpine Road south from the parking lot.

Purisima Creek Open Space Preserve

Yesterday was a gorgeous sunny day for a six mile field trip at Purisima Creek Open Space Preserve. This is a great destination for Summer and early Fall because fog drip keeps the forest moist and verdant all through the dry season.

My Foothill College class met at the main parking lot along Skyline Boulevard. We then carpooled about 3 miles south on Skyline Boulevard to a smaller parking area at the uphill end of the Purisima Creek Trail. Our one-way hike took us 1.6 miles down the Purisima Creek Trail, where we got a close look at some exceptionally large banana slugs. We then turned north on the Craig Britten Trail and followed it for 2.6 miles, stopping for lunch along the way. This stretch of trail offers a wide variety of scenery, from shady redwood canyons to sunny chaparral slopes with great views of the ocean.

We then turned right (uphill) on the Harkins Ridge Trail for a steep ascent and lots of beautiful views into the forested canyon and on to the blue Pacific. Some of the class walked off trail a couple of hundred feet to get a close look at the legendary Ohlone Whisper Tree, which is a large and gnarly old fire-scarred giant which was spared the ax long ago because of its wounds. Legend has it that if you approach this tree quietly and listen carefully, the tree will whisper to you the words you most need to hear.

Our group then headed to the North Ridge Trail and uphill to our original meeting place. The total distance of this hike is 6 miles.

TO GET THERE... The main entrance is on the west side of Skyline Boulevard about 4.5 miles south of Highway 92. 

A One-Way Ramble on Long Ridge

Here is a wonderfully diverse and scenic one-way 5-mile hike at Long Ridge Open Space Preserve. I tried out this route with my College of San Mateo class yesterday.

First, meet at the Grizzly Flat turnout, which is along Skyline Boulelvard, about 3.2 miles south of the intersection with Page Mill Road/Alpine Road. Leave some of the cars at Grizzly Flat and carpool about 3 miles south to the parking lot at Saratoga Gap (at the intersection of Skyline Boulevard and Highway 9). If the parking lot is full there is legal parking along the Highway 9 roadway west of the intersection.

Then cross Skyline and walk a short distance to the beginning of the Skyline-to-the-Sea/ Toll Road trail. Take the old nineteenth century toll road trail downhill (to the west) and turn right on the Skyline-to-the Sea Trail, which crosses Highway 9. On the other side of Highway 9 take the Achistaca Trail north for 1.7 miles in Long Ridge Open Space Preserve. This trail was named after a band of Ohlone Indians who once inhabited this area.

The Achistaca Trail takes you through shady stands of Douglas fir and bay trees, and into open grasslands and chaparral which offer sweeping views of the mountains all the way to the ocean. Continue north on the Hickory Oaks Trail, with a side trip to the left that takes you to Turtle Rock, at the highest point in the preserve. This is a great place for lunch, with wonderful views.

Continuing north, on the dirt road trail, take the narrow trail to the right, which connects with the Long Ridge Road Trail. Turn right (downhill) on the Peters Creek Trail to the edge of a beautiful pond, which is on the Jikoji Zen Buddhist property. Look for turtles in the pond. Continuing north on the Peters Creek Trail, you will pass an abandoned apple orchard on the right, which bears delicious fruit in the fall. Then head uphill to your awaiting car(s) at Grizzly Flat.

San Mateo County Memorial Park

San Mateo County Memorial Park is a small redwood park with just enough trails for a 5-mile hike with my College of San Mateo class. The route we took offered views of old-growth redwoods, Pescadero Creek, and a ascent into a chaparral and oak woodland on a ridge top.

We met at the parking lot on Wurr Road, which is between San Mateo County Memorial and Pescadero Creek County Parks. We then walked down the road, across the creek to the trail into the park. At the Legion Flat Picnic Area we saw tables and stone fireplaces built by the WPA in the 1930's. Some of us entered a hollow redwood log which I used to play in when I was a kid. After checking out the old swimming hole, we examined the largest tree in the park before heading on to the amphitheater.

On our way through the Azalea Flat Campground we found some azaleas in bloom. After crossing Pescadero Road we headed up the Pomponio Trail. I found a couple of baby newts and an ensatina salamander under a log. We then ascended the Pomponio Trail for some good views of the Pescadero Creek watershed. The trail is quite overgrown in places and needs some work. After eating lunch along the Mt. Ellen Summit Trail, we headed downhill to the main entrance and back to our cars. On our way we walked through a hole in a large old-growth redwood.

The weather was perfect. A good place for a moderate hike.

TO GET THERE... From Skyline Boulevard, take La Honda Road west past La Honda and turn left on Pescadero Road. Follow Pescadero Road west and turn left on Wurr Road and continue to the parking lot on the left side of the road; or continue on Pescadero Road to the entrance to San Mateo County Memorial Park.

A Foggy Day on Windy Hill

The weather did not cooperate today for my College of San Mateo field trip at Windy Hill Open Space Preserve. It was foggy and windy and fog condensation dripped from the Douglas fir trees as steady as if it were a rainy day. The spectacular views that normally greet hikers could only be conjured in our imaginations. On the bright side, there were lots of wildflowers, especially columbines, and the forest is still lush and green.

I had never lead a field trip at Windy Hill before because there are no loops that are under six miles. Plus, it is very steep terrain. To avoid that problem, we met at the preserve entrance on Portola Road in the town of Portola Valley. The parking lot is next to The Sequoias retirement home. We then carpooled to the northernmost Windy Hill Parking lot on Skyline Boulevard. We then started our five mile trek almost all downhill to the Portola Road parking lot. Our route followed the Anniversary Trail, Lost Trail, Hamms Gulch Trail, Meadow Trail, and the dirt road trail that goes to the east side of Sausal Pond. From start to finish we descended about 1,200 feet.

This turned out to be an outstanding route. It would be even better had the weather been more like it should be in late May instead of what you would expect in January.

Castle Rock State Park

The weather was near perfect today when my College of San Mateo class explored Castle Rock State Park. It was such a great day that the parking lot filled up and there were only a few parking places left along Skyline Boulevard.

From the parking lot we headed west and downhill  and then uphill on the Ridge Trail to Goat Rock. After watching rock climbers from the bottom of the rock, we hiked up the trail to the backside of the rock, which is a much easier ascent. The more adventurous students scrambled to the top of Goat Rock for spectacular views of the San Lorenzo River Valley. We then headed down the trail and made a detour to Hole-in-the-Wall Rock. The truly adventurous among us climbed to the top of the rock and then lowered themselves down a small hole and into a cave in the middle of the rock. On our way to the lunch stop I caught a big alligator lizard.


After lunch we cut over to the Saratoga Gap Trail, which has lots of spectacular views. After pausing at Castle Rock Falls, we headed uphill and took a side trip to Castle Rock. The namesake feature of this park looks like it was designed for recreation. It has lots of caves and overhangs which make it a favorite with rock climbers. On the way to the rock we came across a display of a beautiful native orchid called spotted corral root.

TO GET THERE... The main entrance to Castle Rock State Park is along Skyline Boulevard about 2.5 miles south of its intersection with Highway 9.

Springtime on Sweeney Ridge

Sweeney Ridge can be a risky place to conduct a field trip because it is often foggy and windy.

Today, however, was sunny and mild, and wildflowers were blooming in abundance. The second session of my CSM class met at the west end of Sneath Lane this morning. We then carpooled about 4 miles to parking lot F at Skyline College. The trail begins at parking lot C, but it is closed on weekends. Our one-way 3.75-mile hike began at Skyline College and took us along Sweeney Ridge to several Nike Missile radar stations left over from the Cold War era. We enjoyed lots of beautiful views of the ocean and the bay and many wildflowers, especially cow parsnip, blue blossom, checkerbloom, Douglas iris, hedge nettle, monkey flower, and Indian paintbrush, to name a few. The deep purple iris were the star of the show.

We stopped for lunch at the stone monument that marks the place where the Portola expedition first sighted San Francisco Bay on November 4, 1769. After lunch we headed downhill on the Sneath Lane trail, crossing the San Andreas Fault, and back to where we started.

TO GET THERE... from Highway 280 in San Bruno, take Sneath Lane west to where it ends at a locked gate. From Skyline Boulevard (Hwy 35) take College Drive west to Skyline College and park at parking lot C on weekdays or parking lot F on weekends. No parking permit is required on weekends.