Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Hike (Sunday 9/23/01)
Subj: [Sun 9/23] Purisima Creek Redwoods 
Date: 9/18/01 1:59:04 PM Pacific Daylight Time
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Dear friends,
 This Sunday we will repeat a hike that was done about two months ago - Purisima Creek Redwoods.  That time, we had 19 people and had lunch afterwards at Pescadero beach.  It's a favorite for many so let's do this again.  The entrance is off Rt1 just south of Half Moon Bay and parts of the hike overlooks the great Pacific - IF the fog has dissipated.  The hike is all up in one direction (starting) and all down in the other direction, and covers about 3.5 miles each way for a total of about 7 miles.  The trail is about 2/3rd shaded and 1/3rd in open space overlooking the valley and the ocean.  Altitude change will be about 1400 ft or so.  The terrain is mostly redwoods and moist moss at the bottom alongside a lovely flowing creek, and open space with views of the ocean at the top.  After the hike, we can will head to downtown Moon Bay for lunch, so you dont have to bring lunch unless you want to.
 Because it takes about an hour to get to the park and the park entrance is not very clearly marked, I'd recommend that you follow us from Bijan.  We'll leave Bijan at 8 AM PROMPTLY this time - so please dont be late!!!  We'll start hiking at 9 AM.  If you know how to get there, feel free to drive yourselves.  But either way, please let me know by Friday if you're coming, how many, and if you'll meet us at Bijan or at the park. 
 It may be very foggy and a little cold so bring sweatshirts but keep a tee-shirt handy.  Same goes for sweatpants and shorts - bring both and we'll see how the weather is when we get to the park.
 Information about the hike and pictures of the previous hike are on the site: http://www.signite.com/hiking. Pictures from the 9/9 Castle Rock hike has also been posted.  See you all on Sunday!

paul
P.S.  In celebration of the mid-autumn festival, we will have a Mission Peak moonlight hike next Saturday (9/29) following a Trung Thu pot luck at Anh Tuan's residence.  Details have not been confirmed yet but preliminaryly, the potluck will be something like from 4pm - 6:30pm and the hike from 6:30/7pm to 10 pm. 



Schedule for this hike:

Trail Information

Location:  About 6 miles from Rt1/Half Moon Bay.
Distance: 7 miles (all up in the first half, all down in the second half)
Elevation change: +/- 1600 ft, starting elevation is about 500 ft.
Time: ~3 to 4 hrs, depending on breaks taken.
Difficulty:  Moderate
Trail conditions: Lots of shade and some sun.  ~2/3 shade, 1/3 shade.  Trails range from single man-width to car-width.
What to see:  The terrain is mostly redwoods and moist moss at the bottom alongside a lovely flowing creek, and open space with views of the ocean at the top (if it's not too foggy).

Park information: http://www.openspace.org/PURISIMA.html
Trail map: http://www.live.com/mtb/rides/Purisima.html



Map/directions
 
Bijan Bakery

The Bijan bakery is in the Saratoga Square plaza (Lions Supermarket).  It is just off 280, a few miles south of 85 and a few miles north of 17.  This is our main meeting place where carpool will be arranged. Unless indicated otherwise, please meet here.

1. From 280 North or South, get off on Saratoga Ave, towards North (from 280 North, it would be right turn, from 280 South, it would be left turn). 
2. Make a left on Kiely Blvd, it is about 1/4 mile from 280.
3.  Make a left into the plaza driveway.  You'll see a store with the sign "Bakery" closest to Kiely Rd.  Burger King is across the parking lot in the same plaze.
4.  We'll meet in front of the bakery, by some outdoor cafe tables.
 

Use this link to get directions from your starting point: Directions

Purisima Creek Road parking

1. Take 280 North for about 20 miles, then take 92 West towards Half Moon Bay.
2.  On Rt 92 west, go all the way till you reach Rt 1. 
3.  Go on Rt1 south (left turn from 92) for just about a mile - to the outer-edge of town.  Turn left (you'll see the Half Moon Bay Fire station on the left) onto Higgins Purisima Road.
4.  Higgins Purisima Road is small and can be quite windy so drive carefully.  Stay on it for about 5 to 6 miles. 
5.  When you turn a very sharp corner (almost 180 degrees), you'll see a small parking lot on your left.  The park name may not be immediately visible, and the trail map post is actually not visible at all from the road but recessed in a little.  If the parking lot is full (it only holds like 6 cars), you can park on the right side of the road just outside the parking lot.

If you are meeting us here, please wait by the trailmap post, about 50 steps beyond the parking lot. 

Click on the map on the right to zoom in/out of the area.

Trail Map
We will follow the blue-arrows, starting at the Purisima Creek Road parking lot (lower-left on the map).  We'll take the Harkins Ridge Trail for about 3.5 miles up to the North Ridge Parking lot (upper-right on the map).  This half of the hike is mostly all uphill, with a total elevation gain of about 1400 ft.  There is a restroom at this midpoint.  After a break here, we'll head down via the North Ridge Trail, followed by the Whittemore Gulch Trail.  This half is also about 3.5 miles but almost entirely downhill and in shade, so it should be quite comfortable.



Notes about this hike

General notes about hiking trips

Probable next hike

9/29 (Sat) Mission Peak - sunset/moonlight hike, potluck.



Pictures from previous Purisima hikes