Whittemore Gulch and Purisima Creek Loop Trail
Details
My favorite hike on the Purisima ridge.
08:30AM START. PLEASE BE ON TIME.
Sorry but dogs are NOT allowed in this Preserve.
PARKING
Park in the Purisima Creek North Ridge Trailhead. It is located on Skyline, ~4 miles south of Hwy 92.
DETAILS
9.3 mile loop. Some consider it a challenging route.
The first 3.3 miles are downhill, mostly shaded with a few spots to see the coast. The return is a gradual climb uphill.
The temperature is forcasted to be in the high 50s so wear layers and bring at least 1.5 liters of water.
WHAT YOU WILL EXPERIENCE
Most of the hike will be in second-growth forest with some Oak Woodlands. Depending on what we encounter, I'll provide brief overviews of the Moss that isn't, an R rated review of Banana Slugs (they are kinky...), the pre-bed rituals of Acorn Woodpeckers, how wasps hijack oaks to create galls, a painfully familiar member of the Sumac family and why you should never bite a California Newt... If the Manzanitas are blooming (it's a bit early in the season) we'll conduct a quick experiment on pollen collection.
Details of the trail are available here:
https://www.alltrails.com/explore/trail/us/california/whittemore-gulch-and-purisima-creek-loop-trail?mobileMap=false&ref=sidebar-static-map
IMPORTANT
Read trail reviews to ensure you are physically fit to do the trail. Carry at least 1.5 liters of water.
HOW TO GET THERE
Make sure to enter "Purisima Creek North Ridge Trailhead" into Google Maps, not the address of the Assoc. in Los Altos that manages the area (that Google lists). The parking lot is on the west side of Hwy 35 - Skyline, about 4 miles south of 92.
ABOUT ME
I've been leading day hikes and backpacking trips for several years now and been hiking and rucking since before GPS was a thing. My first priority, above all else, is your safety. If you show up without water, I will ask you to leave.
BY PARTICIPATING IN THIS ACTIVITY (EITHER AS MEMBER OR AS GUEST) YOU ASSUME ALL RISK & DISCHARGE ORGANIZERS OF ANY & ALL LIABILITY
Please read up on rules on our main club page, be on time at meeting point, meet at the meeting point shown below, wear hiking shoes and bring walking sticks (as needed). By attending/ responding to this event you agree to all the disclaimers on our main club page and discharge organizers of all liability. Note that this is a CASUAL/ SOCIAL hiking group (not for either competitive hikers or weekend strollers)- as such the group accommodates to conditions and skill levels of participants to maintain reasonable pace (~2 - 2.5 miles/ hr) with stops.