Marc's Public Blog

Here's the track that shows how close we got to making the normal loop, but the detour we had to take: (click on the garmin recording for more stats and a bigger map)

Here is the navigation track on google maps

we biked by the reservoir which had finally gotten a bit of water

and then made it to Garrods Farm just to find out that the trail access was closed :(

We ended up biking all the way around Eden Road, losing all the altitude we had just painfully gained, and took another entrace to the park, that was walking only:

at least the view was nice

After over an hour going around including a steep way back up we had to walk in parts, we got back to the same point we were had, had e been allowed to cross:

and we resumed the ride to an exit that was totally open to bikers

I plotted a route to McClellan and Stevens Creek Trail

We ended up with a much longer ride than planned, but it was still nice.

Weather was not ideal, but we wanted to go on a friday before San Mateo closes absolutely everything on weekends. Drive on skyline was foggy:

We had a look at the map, and went Whittemore Gulch Trail down to Higgins Canyon Road:

it was fogged in, gives nice views, even if it was cold and wet

half moon bay

It was caterpillar season:

Also lots of slugs:

And yes, redwood trees:

We finally got to the bottom after a bit less than 2h at leisurely pace:

San Mateo is nicely closing everything on weekends, and most everything the rest of the week

Quick lunch break, and 1h30 hike back up:

We didn't cross too many people on the trail, except on the top

surface streets to the Steven's Creek Trail entrance

we took the scenic route through another trail and a stream crossing :)

nice little chicks

can I boroow one? :)

fluffy and cute :)

the trash pile had a few landmowers :)

more babies

back through John Christian Greenbelt

in the meantime, I used a perfectly good parking spot, outside of the sign saying no to park there

We took a few pictures of the bay from the top:

Time for the hike:

this cute hungry bunny was there both times we walked by

FAA repeater which I've used while flying

We eventually got to the beginner backpacker camp, which was closed for covid-19 of course. A bunch of turkeys were roaming around:

We found a bit more wildlife, the deer were pretty skittish though:

interestingly, there are more squirrels in our yard that we found there

jennifer found a nice hummingbird

Nice flowers:

The trail was pretty nice:

by the time we got to skyline/pagemill, it got more foresty

getting to the Pagemill/Montebello parking lot

We ended up getting to skyline, and crossing over to horseshoe lake:

It was then time to get back to the Montebello trail back. I didn't quite plan for the elevation change, turns out we went down about a thousand feet before going back up:

trail back up

On the way back, we found our same little bunny, it was easy to recognize due to the neutering clip in the ear:

Eventually we made it back to the parking lot that is nicely closed to the regular public:

All in all, it was a 5.5h 13.5 mile hike, a bit more than planned with the extra loop I added, but worth it: