Fog and Sun on Montara Mountain

Montara Mountain rises out of the Pacific Ocean just above Devil's Slide south of Pacifica at the northern end of the Santa Cruz Mountains. It's steep granite peaks form an ecological island of biological diversity that includes plants found nowhere else. It is also a great place to see an amazing variety of wildflowers late in the season when inland areas have already entered the dry season.

The source of moisture on Montara Mountain is fog. Yesterday I lead my College of San Mateo class on a field trip through sun and fog to the summit of Montara's North Peak. Because of the fog, and despite the drought, the mountain is still lush green, with lots of wildflowers. Unfortunately, the fog prevented us from enjoying most of the spectacular views of the ocean, mountains, and bay that are one of the big attractions on a clear day.

Starting near the visitors center in San Pedro Valley County Park, we headed uphill on the Montara Mountain Trail and then walked the Montara Mountain Road to the 1,898 foot summit of North Peak.
Along the way we saw sweet peas, ferns, bright orange fungus on the eucalyptus, Douglas iris, yerba santa, morning glory, sticky monkey flower, Indian paintbrush, lizard tail, madrone, lots of manzanita, pitcher sage, blue blossom ceanothus, lupine, chinquapin, stonecrop, salal, red elderberry, blue elderberry, silk tassel, and many others.

As we ascended the mountain blue sky and fog took turns dominating the sky. Near the summit we burst into the sun, and at the top we could see an ocean of white all around. The fog, however, was so close to the summit, that the only Bay Area landmark we could see was Mount Diablo to the east. We then retraced our route on the Montara Mountain Road and Trail until we reached the intersection with the Brooks Creek Trail, which we followed to the Old Trout Farm Loop Trail. From there we headed back to the parking lot.

This is the longest and most strenuous hike I lead for my CSM and Foothill College classes. The total distance is about 7 miles, with a climb and descent of about 1,600 feet.

TO GET THERE... take Highway 1 to Pacifica and head southeast on Linda Mar Boulevard to Oddstad Boulevard. From there, drive into San Pedro County Park.

El Corte de Madera Creek Open Space Preserve

I tried a new route today with my College of San Mateo class in Corte de Madera Creek Open Space. We met at Skeggs Point, as we have in the past; but then we carpooled south a couple of miles to the new parking lot along Skyline Boulevard near the south end of the preserve. This allowed us to walk one way for about 5.4 miles while visiting all the sights I wanted the class to see. Be aware that this preserve is very popular with mountain bikers. We had to step aside to let them pass a few times.

First we took the Sierra Morena Trail north to where it approaches Skyline Boulevard. We saw lots of banana slugs and some spotted coral root as we passed through a Douglas fir and second-growth redwood forest. We then crossed Skyline to visit the ancient old Methuselah Tree.

From there we hiked the Methuselah Trail to where it intersects the Manzanita Trail. (Un)fortunatlly I misinterpreted the map and guided our group the wrong way on the Manzanita Trail. The good part of this mistake is that we saw loads of chaparral pea in full bloom, magnificent manzanita loaded with berries, and golden chinquapins. After making our way back to the previous intersection, we sat on rocks for lunch and a tasty baynut brownie treat.

After lunch, we headed north on the Manzanita Trail and then east on the Fir Trail and on the Tafoni Trail to the turnoff for the Sandstone Formation. We viewed the amazing shapes and texture of the large sandstone outcropping. We also paused to admire some striped coral root, which is a saprophytic orchid. Then we walked south on the Fir Trail to the memorial to those who died on October 29, 1953 when a DC3 named Resolution crashed into the mountain nearby. From there we ascended to the Vista Point, though fog on the coast obscured much of our view. On the way we enjoyed the sight of many Douglas Iris and a few of the rare hairy star tulips.

From Vista Point we walked about 1.1 miles back to Skeggs Point via the Fir Trail. We stopped to look at a field of blooming flax and a dead Douglas fir that is used by a colony of acorn woodpeckers as a granary and nesting tree.

TO GET THERE...Skeggs Point is on the east side of Skyline Boulevard (Highway 35) about 4 miles north of Highway 84 and 1.5 miles south of Kings Mountain Road. There is a new parking lot a couple of miles to the south on the west side of Skyline Boulevard.

A Clear And Sunny Day On Windy Hill

The fog dispersed, the clouds parted, and the sun shined on my College of San Mateo field trip today at Windy Hill Open Space Preserve.

The only way to see this preserve from top to bottom while keeping the hiking distance under six miles is to organize a car shuttle from the parking lot on Portola Road in Portola Valley to the preserve parking lot on Skyline Boulevard. We met at 10:00 AM at the parking lot in Portola Valley next to The Sequoias retirement home. We then carpooled to the northern most Windy Hill parking area along Skyline Boulevard. From there we took the Anniversary Trail, with side trips to the top of both Windy Hill summits. The views of the Pacific Ocean to the west and the cities and bay to the east were outstanding. What was even more amazing was that the wind hadn't come up yet.

We then took the Lost Trail south and then proceeded downhill and eastward on the Hamms Gulch Trail. Despite the drought there were lots of wild flowers in full bloom, especially poppies and columbine. We also enjoyed the sight of checkerbloom, blue-eyed grass, yarrow, oyster root, cow parsnip, Hookers fairy bells, toothwort, Ithureals spear, and a buckeye tree in bloom. We also enjoyed the sight of magnificent Douglas fir and white oaks. We saw a couple of blue-belly lizards and a garter snake on the way down.

The Spring Ridge Trail took us north and back to the parking lot. On the way we paused at Sausal Pond, which is a sag pond on the San Andreas Fault. Sag ponds form where a curve in the fault creates a gap which causes the land to sag and fill with water. In the pond we saw frogs,

fish and a couple of  pond turtles.

The total distance of our adventure was 5.2 miles, mostly downhill.

TO GET THERE... from Highway 280 take Alpine Road  and then go north on Portola Road, or take Sand Hill Road and go south on Portola Road.

A Spring Excursion at Fall Creek

The Fall Creek unit of Henry Cowell Redwoods State park is a steep, forested, and magnificent 2,335-acre canyon, tucked into the rugged mountains northwest of Felton. Though this land is technically park of Henry Cowell, it is physically separated and has a different feel. It is much wilder, with no picnic tables, restrooms, campgrounds, or other amenities found in the southern unit of the park.

From the Felton Empire Road parking lot, my Foothill College class walked downhill on the Bennett Creek Trail to a trail junction with lots of thimble berry bushes. We then headed upstream on the Fall Creek Trail, pausing to enjoy the sight of Fall Creek as it tumbles over granite rocks. This is one of the most beautiful creeks in the Santa Cruz Mountains. We also stopped to examine second growth redwoods and how the forest has regenerated over the past century.

We then took the South Fork Trail up South Fall Creek to the lime kilns. Along the way we dipped our cups into a spring for a cold and delicious drink. In the 1870's this was California's biggest producer of lime, which is used to make cement. It continued producing until 1919. Near the powder magazine we left the trail briefly to watch goldfish swim around in a pool. From there we walked the Cape Horn Trail north to have lunch on the banks of Fall Creek.

After lunch, we headed upstream on the Fall Creek Trail to the Barrel Mill Site, where a water powered mill cut barrel staves to make barrels that was used to transport lime. We also sample baynut brownies. From there we hiked down stream on the Fall Creek Trail and then back up the Bennett Creek Trail to the parking lot. Our entire hike was a little over five miles.

TO GET THERE... From Highway 9 in Felton, the main parking lot is less than a mile northwest on Felton-Empire Road.

Butano State Park

After the heavy rain yesterday, Butano State Park was moist and bursting with mushrooms and banana slugs today. My College of San Mateo Class took a hike that combined a service road, Goat Hill Trail, Doe Ridge Trail, Olmo Fire Road, Goat Hill Trail, and another service road to form a scenic 5.7-mile loop. Just east of where the Doe Ridge Trail intersects the Olmo Fire Road we ascended the ridge for lunch with a view of both the Little Butano Creek watershed and the Gazos Creek watershed.

This route takes you through a lush green and shady

second-growth redwood forest and upward through Douglas fir to a sunny chaparral ridgetop.

Early on, along the park road, we enjoyed a cluster of spotted coral root, which is a saprophyte. These orchids have no greenery because they get everything they need from organic material in the soil. We then saw a spectacular display of Clintonia in full bloom. Because of the recent rain we saw lots of  mushrooms and banana slugs. We even saw one baby newt.

On top of the ridge we ate lunch among a grove of knobcone pines, which need fire in order to reproduce. We also enjoyed a flowering bush poppy. On the trail back to our starting point we enjoyed the sight of many blooming Douglas iris.

TO GET THERE... From Highway 1 take Pescadero Road east for about 3 miles (past the town of Pescadero) and turn right on Cloverdale Road. Look for the entrance to the park on the left.

Santa Teresa County Park

Above the amorphous sprawl of San Jose, this gentle, grassy park covers 1,688 acres of low grassy hills and can be explored by 14 miles of trails. On the dry east side of  the Santa Cruz Mountains, Santa Teresa County Park is best enjoyed in the winter and early spring, when the hills are green and the temperature is comfortable.

From the Pueblo Day Use Area, my Foothill College class enjoyed a 4.1-mile loop that included the Hidden Springs Trail, Ridge Trail, Coyote Peak Trail, and Boundary Trail to the top of Coyote Peak, where we enjoyed lunch and lots of views. We could see San Jose to the north, Mount Hamilton and the Diablo Range to the east, the southern Santa Clara Valley to the south, and Mount Umunhum and Loma Prieta in the Santa Cruz Mountains to the west.

After lunch we headed southwest on the Coyote Peak Trail and then west on the Rocky Ridge Trail through a beautiful garden of spring wildflowers on a serpentine ridge. Among others, we saw filaree, fiddleneck, tidy tips, gold field, blue dick, blue eyed grass, wild onion, and most of all, California poppies in great abundance. We also enjoyed the fragrance of coastal sage and black sage and the sight of blue oaks, white oaks, and live oaks.

Though the distance of this hike is shorter than usual, it has us huffing and puffing as we ascended the Boundary Trail to Coyote Peak. There is a half mile stretch that is very steep.

TO GET THERE... From Highway 101 or Highway 85 take the Bernal Road exit. Proceed west on Bernal Road into the park. Turn left on the road to the Pueblo Day Use Area.

A Loop through Stevens Creek County Park & Fremont Older Open Space Preserve

It was a beautiful sunny day today for a six mile loop through Stevens Creek County Park & Fremont Older Open Space Preserve with my College of San Mateo class.

We started at the main Stevens Creek County Park parking lot off of Stevens Canyon Road. From there we headed south on the Stevens Creek/Tony Look Trail, which passes through a forest of oak, bay, and buckeye trees, and lots of poison oak. Fortunately, the trail is wide enough to avoid the latter. It also passes by the Stevens Creek Reservoir, which is quite low, even after the recent rains.

At about noon we stopped for lunch at a group picnic area at the downhill end of the Lookout Trail. Unfortunately, the restrooms were locked.

After lunch we charged uphill on the Lookout Trail, which is the most strenuous part of the hike. At the top of this trail we pass into Fremont Older Open Space Preserve, where there is a lot less vegetation and a lot more views along the Coyote Ridge Trail. Though the wildflowers were not exceptional this year, they were not bad. We saw fat and slim Solomon's seal, wild cucumber in abundance, yerba santa, Indian paintbrush, Indian warrior, blue witch, larkspur, lupine, fiddleneck, blue-eyed grass, and many others.

A short side trip to the top of Maisie's Peak offered a good view of the Silicon Valley area. We continued north

on the Coyote Ridge Trail which makes a steady decent back into Stevens Creek County Park.

TO GET THERE... From Highway 280 take Foothill Boulevard south. It turns into Stevens Canyon Road before you see the Stevens Creek County Park entrance on the left.