Purisima Creek Redwoods Preserve

DATE: Saturday, January 23, 2021
DISTANCE: 4.36km / 2.71 miles
ELEVATION GAIN: 266m / 872 ‘
TIME TAKEN: 2 hr
PURISIMA CREEK REDWOODS PRESERVE
SAN MATEO COUNTY CA
SOUNDTRACK: Deep Purple: Maybe I’m A Leo

PHOTO ALBUM
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FULL HIKE DESCRIPTION COMING SOON!

Montara Mountain

DATE: Saturday, December 19, 2020
DISTANCE: 15.34km / 9.53 miles
ELEVATION GAIN: 719m / 2359’
TIME TAKEN: 4:25
MCNEE RANCH STATE PARK
MONTARA STATE BEACH
SAN PEDRO VALLEY COUNTY PARK
RANCHO CORRAL DE TIERRA
SAN MATEO COUNTY, CA
SOUNDTRACK: Hirax: Imprisoned By Ignorance

SUMMITS:
• Montara Mountain South Peak: 2949m / 1833’
• Peak Mountain: 2937m / 1825’
• North Peak (attempt): 3055m / 1898’
• Middle Peak: 3026m / 1880’

PHOTO ALBUM
MAP




FULL HIKE DESCRIPTION COMING SOON!

Portola Redwoods

DATE: Sunday, December 13, 2020
DISTANCE: 18.97km / 11.79 miles
ELEVATION GAIN: 819m / 2686’
TIME TAKEN: 5:30
PORTOLA REDWOODS STATE PARK
SAN MATEO COUNTY, CA
SOUNDTRACK: Lesbian: Forestelevision

PHOTO ALBUM
MAP

FULL HIKE REPORT COMING SOON!

Sweeney Ridge

DATE: Thursday, November 19, 2020
DISTANCE: 6.6km / 4.1 miles
ELEVATION GAIN: 207m/ 679’
TIME TAKEN: 1:16
SUMMIT: Sweeney Ridge: 378m / 1240’
GOLDEN GATE NATIONAL RECREATION AREA
SAN MATEO COUNTY, CA
SOUNDTRACK: Ancient Empire: The Ridge

PHOTO ALBUM
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Sweeney Ridge protrudes over 1200’ feet above the Pacific Ocean and San Francisco Bay, a semi wild area south of San Francisco, between the towns of Pacifica and San Bruno.

It was November of 2020, and my two younger brothers and I had begun staging regular meetups at Axell's practice space in San Francisco's Tenderloin to write songs for a new Owl record. There was no clear path forward for our the last album we had recorded to be released, so we just decided to write a new one. The pandemic putting a halt on any gigging or touring possibilities gave us unlimited time to compose new music for the time being.

Today I was on my way from San Jose to the band writing session in San Francisco, but I had time, on purpose or accident, I don't remember, to squeeze in a short hike before the day's light was lost. I pulled off 280, up through the orderly suburban homes of San Bruno, and arrived at the Sneath Lane Trailhead just before 4:30PM, time for a clean, quick execution of the hike. There was no challenge presented, the route was a paved road, and I made quick work of it, gaining elevation and soon catching a glimpse of San Andreas Lake, coiled down in the depression of the San Andreas Fault like a snakeinthegrass. Dusk and the aromatic scents of coastal shrubs swirled around me as I went higher still on the utility road, now seeing the crown of Mount Diablo in the eastern distance. The next thing to come into view was the San Bruno Mountain ridge and the city of South San Francisco in a pile at it's feet. Making the crest of the ridge, I caught the sunset, what was left of it at 4:56pm, as the fiery glow dissolved into the pacific fog down by Montara. It was quite a magical sight I must admit. From here it was only a few minutes to the Sweeney Ridge high point, which was just slightly off the road, and seemed to be marked by a stick in the ground. After this, and one final glance around at the panorama, I quickly descended to the van and continued on to band practice in the unsavory depths of San Francisco.

FURTHER READING 
• Bay Area Hiker: Discusses Sweeney Ridge
• Hiking Project: Useful information
• Sweeney Ridge on PEAKBAGGER 

Butano State Park

DATE: Tuesday, August 11, 2020
DISTANCE: 10 miles, total?
BUTANO STATE PARK
SAN MATEO COUNTY, CA
SOUNDTRACK: Gates Of Slumber: To Walk The Night

PHOTO ALBUM

I was too depressed to write this report for many months. Shortly after my first visit to Butano State Park, it burned down in the 2020 CZU Lightning Complex Fire, along with Big Basin. It is not known what condition it’s in at this point.

Butano State Park encompasses a secluded redwood canyon on Little Butano Creek in the Pescadero Watershed. Amber and I showed up early, before Fern and Greg, at the campsite, so we got settled in and then went on a little walk around the area to become oriented. When Fern and Greg showed up, we went on another hike together, this time down towards the park entrance area. Then it was time for dinner, drinks and drugs, the hallmarks of a Fern and Greg camping trip! Oh, how I love them. That night, we went out again, basically repeating the first hike of the day, going out to find an open area to try to see the meteor showers. It wasn’t exactly cloudy, but there was a fine. marine haze that impaired stargazing significantly. Amber and I left the next morning, and five days later began an early, long and intense California fire season, in which Butano would be one of the first sites to succumb. 

FURTHER READING
• Redwood Hikes: The usual big photographs and quality description
• Bay Area Hiker: A dissenting opinion on Butano!

Windy Hill

DATE: Monday, May 18, 2020
DISTANCE: 17.28km / 10.74 miles
ELEVATION GAIN: 559m / 1834 ft.
TIME: 4:00
SUMMIT: Windy Hill: 588m / 1930 ft.
WINDY HILL REGIONAL PRESERVE
SAN MATEO COUNTY, CA
SOUNDTRACK: R.I.P.: In The Wind Pt. I

PHOTO ALBUM
MAP

 

 

 

 

Windy Hill stands out along the ridgeline of the coastal hills of the San Francisco peninsula as one of the few unforested spots. It’s pretty much directly southwest of the Stanford University campus. Easily ascended via Skyline Boulevard (Highway 35), or you can hike up from the bottom via Portola Road in Portola Valley.

It was my turn to visit San Jose (it usually is), so the ball was in Amber’s court to pick out a hiking activity. We had noticed Windy Hill a few weeks earlier, driving past it, so it came to pass that we returned to give it a go. Amber brought her friend Korrine, we parked in the main parking lot, masked up, took some shots of whiskey, and powered up Windy Hill, which lived up to it’s name. The day was cool, especially on the exposed windy hilltop, and the sky was partially filled with billowing clouds. From the top of the hill, there was a panoramic view across the South Bay, and even over to Mount Diablo. With the ladies, i completed the quick loop around Windy Hill, and back to the parking lot. Amber took Korrine home, and left me to my own devices for about three hours.

From the parking lot, I began my next adventure by heading south on the Lost Trail, which went immediately through a gate, and into some rather thick vegetation on both sides of the trail. A sudden contrast to the windswept grasses I’d just left behind. Lost Trail curved along the hillside, roughly parallel to, but out of sight of Highway 35. I was quite impressed by the variety and thickness of plants, and the moss that decorated the trees. A lot of moisture from the Pacific Ocean must pour over the hill in this particular area. There was by now a good view back up at Windy Hill from along the trail, Before too long, I reached the intersection with the Hamm’s Gulch Trail. I regret to inform you there was no Hamm’s Beer available. At this point, the route began winding and switchbacking it’s way downhill, and the trees grew thicker and mossier. Quite spectacular, actually. Into the gulch!

I was mostly in the woods, but there were a few glimpses out, even another sighting of Mount Diablo. At the bottom of the hill, I came to a crossroad, but I remained on Hamm’s Gulch Trail, and soon crossed a shady creek. Reaching now the eastern extremity of my journey, I joined the Meadow Trail and turned north, then east, suddenly the landscape changed again, to rolling oak studded fields. Meadow Trail soon put me onto Spring Ridge Trail, and from there it was gentle but steady uphill on a fire road, back up to the ridge and Windy. I was able to have a look back over at the forested area from whence I had just descended. Spring Ridge Trail mostly keeps to the open, but ducks into the occasional oak grove now and then. Majestic clouds blew in from the coast, trying to penetrate the interior of the land. Before I knew it, I was back up by Windy Hill. I didn’t return to the top, but circled around the west side next to the road. I had overestimated the time it would take me to do the loop hike, the internet had provided inaccurate mileage or something. I still had about an hour until I was due to be picked up, so I started hiking down the Lost Trail again.

This time, I kept going past the Hamm’s Gulch turnoff, and continued through the splendid vegetated forest. I was hoping to find a shortcut to get up to the highway, and make another loop out of that, but I couldn’t, and I had to turn around, going almost all the way back to Hamm’s Trail again, but turning southwest on a fire road that took me up to the highway, but in a very roundabout manner. I walked north along Highway 35, just to see something different, but of course, it sucked. Either having to walk in the tall grass, or right by the side of the road, getting buzzed by Teslas. All of my blundering about in the final hour explains my path, if you are trying to interpret my course on the map. All this fuckery also made me late for my pickup rendezvous time, and I was scolded sternly, being sent to bed without any beer that night.

FURTHER READING
•BA Hiker: Good descriptions and photos
•Alltrails: This is pretty much what I did, except I started at the top
•Long Green Tunnel: Another one from the bottom

Devil's Slide / Pedro Point

DATE: Saturday, February 15, 2020
DISTANCE: 5.44 MILES
ELEVATION GAIN: 1024 ft.
TIME TAKEN: 2 hours
SUMMIT: Point San Pedro Headland,  620 feet
POINT SAN PEDRO HEADLANDS
SAN MATEO COUNTY, CA
SOUNDTRACK: L7: Slide

PHOTO ALBUM
MAP 1
MAP2

I was traveling solo to meet up with Deathgrave at the Poseidon's Revenge Festival in Pacifica. Most of the gear was backlined, so I didn't have to bring much, or participate in a load in. I knew there were a lot of trails and hills around Pacifica, so I decided to hike up something before the gig. In my minimal research, I settled on exploring Pedro Point Headland, the massive bluff overshadowing Devil's Slide, but didn't exactly know the best way to get there. It being a stunningly beautiful Saturday afternoon on the California coast, there was traffic everywhere, I didn't know where to park, and I got a bit flustered and drove out of town,  through the Tom Lantos Tunnel down Highway 1. I decided to walk up the old Devil's Slide Highway, and check that out as well, but the parking lot right by the tunnel was totally full. I drove down the highway to the next parking lot, Gray Whale Cove State Beach, which had some open spots

Walking back up along the coast to my destination, I saw a cool looking trail, with a wooden staircase, leading down to the beach. I found it irresistible and went down. It's a really cool beach beneath towering cliffs, and it was pretty crowded. Back up, I continued my march up the road toward's Devil's Slide. Which honestly kind of sucked, even though it was incredibly scenic,  because Highway 1 has barely any shoulder in this stretch, and cars were zooming by me within inches!  This didn't last too long, and soon enough I was at the entrance to the Old Devil's Slide Highway. 

HERE is a little history of what Devil's Slide was and is. 

Devil's Slide was the old course of Highway One. Not surprisingly for a place of that name, the old road used to fall into the ocean all the time. So they built a tunnel through the mountain and re-routed the highway through there. But they also retained the old road as a bicycle and pedestrian path, for all to enjoy. Now you you can take a leisurely stroll along this magnificent stretch of coastline, which is exactly what I did. The last time I was on this road is hidden back in the murk of my childhood memories, so it was nice to see it again with my adult eyes, and be able to enjoy it on foot, not from a speeding automobile. There was a mix of hikers, bikers, dog walkers and pram-pushers up and own the road. 

Now for my next trick… there didn't seem to be a trail on any map that connected the northwest corner of Devil's Slide Highway to the trail system up in the Pedro Headlands. So it looked like I would have to walk all the way down to new Highway One, and catch the South Ridge Trail at the bottom, losing a lot of elevation, and then have to climb all the way back up again to the headlands. OR perhaps there was an unofficial trail or a not too bad bushwhack that would take me up to my destination. Just after Devil's Slide Highway makes a turn to the east, there's chain link fence with an open gate, and just on the other side of it, a steep use trail goes up the hill. My prayers were answered! It was a loose pebbly track, with brush growing close in, but it served it's purpose and delivered me up at the South Ridge Trail. I had gained sufficient elevation to see out to the east. Turned left on that, and then took the Bluff Trail all the way to the top of Pedro Point Headland. From there, I had a sweeping vista of Pacifica, Montara Mountain, and as far north as San Francisco and Mount Tamalpais. I feel like I'm running out of descriptive words at this point to describe the magnificence of the California coast, so just have a look at the photographs and think of your own. 

I was hoping to find a different way to get back to my point of origin, and I investigated, on my phone, what looked like a fire road on satellite imagery, and google maps had labeled as a trail, branching uphill on the south side of of Old Devil's Slide Highway, but it was blocked off by a very intense locked gate, so I had to retrace my steps down the road. Probably better to get back sooner than later anyway, It was time get to the gig at Winter's Tavern. And I returned back, past the coastal cliffs and waning golden sunlight, back along the no-shoulder treachery of the highway, and back to the van. At Winter's Tavern that night, it was a fun gig and a great party, with lots of free food and bands. We were even hooked up with a hotel room in Pacifica so we didn't have to drive home after the show!




FURTHER READING
•Bay Area Hiker: Devil's Slide
•Hiking Project: Pedro Point Headlands

Peters Creek Falls

DATE: Monday, March 26, 2018
LONG RIDGE PRESERVE
MIDPENINSULA REGIONAL OPEN SPACE
SAN MATEO COUNTY, CA