The Grand Purisima Loop

Harkins Ridge Trail, Soda Gulch Trail, Purisima Creek Trail, Whittemore Gulch Trail

"If you want to talk the talk, you've got to walk the walk." Proverbial

Directions: Go west on Highway 92 to Skyline Boulevard. Turn left and continue 4.5 miles south to the parking lot, west side of the highway.

Grade: Strenuous, 1,600-foot elevation gain.

Distance: 10.1 miles.

Time: Four hours.

Special Conditions: Watch for poison oak at upper elevation. Restroom available at trailhead and at Higgins-Purisima parking lot. Drinking water not available. Dogs are not allowed. Preserve administered by Midpeninsula Regional Open Space District, 650-691-1200.

With 3,107 forested acres and 21 miles of hiking trails, Purisima Creek Redwoods Open Space Preserve is a great place to get away. And after the tragic events of Sept. 11, it's time to set a day apart for some serious hiking.

I plan to lead a 10-mile hike through Purisima on Saturday, Sept. 29. We will start at 10 a.m. and should finish by 4 p.m. The hike is sponsored by the San Carlos Parks and Recreation Department. There is a $5 per person fee, and the group is limited to 30 hardy hikers. If you would like to join us, call 802-4382 for reservations.

The hike begins at the Purisima parking lot, located 4.5 miles south of Highway 92 on Skyline Boulevard. From the trailhead, we will follow the narrow "hikers only" trail, descending through a fir tree forest laced with ferns and forget-me-nots to the junction with the Harkins Fire Trail. Turning left, the trail continues laterally below the Skyline Ridge for the next half-mile, moving in and out of ravines at an elevation between 1,600 and 1,700 feet. As the trail swings through the last ravine, it ascends gently to a knoll and a fine rest stop with unobstructed views of the coastline north of Half Moon Bay and of the deep Purisima Creek Canyon through which we will hike. From the knoll, the trail (more of a fire road over this segment) drops steeply for .3 mile to the junction with Soda Gulch Trail. Soda Gulch is a trail for hikers only. Equestrians and bicyclists must continue on Harkins Trail another 2.1 miles to Purisima Creek.

However, we will turn left and continue on the Soda Gulch Trail for 2.4 miles. Once you hike this trail, I think you will agree that it is one of the best on the Peninsula. The trail begins in chaparral and ends in deep redwoods. We will pass by a wide-spreading oak tree and over seasonal streams, through forests of second-growth redwoods and along a few trailside giants that escaped the loggers pursuit a hundred years ago. We will explore the ins and outs of Soda Gulch and No Name Gulch, and at the end, we will join the Purisima Creek Trail.

The next 2.3 miles follow Purisima Creek as it winds along the canyon floor. Along the way, we will see cleared areas that once were sites of sawmills. Most of the mills were owned by the Borden and Hatch families. The original Borden-Hatch Mill was located at the bottom of the canyon, close to the junction with Whittemore Gulch Trail. Purisima Creek runs year-round, but it's at its finest after a series of winter rains.

The Whittemore Gulch Trail starts at Purisima Creek and ends at Skyline Boulevard, an elevation gain of 1,400 feet over almost four miles. After hiking about a mile along the gulch, we will come upon a small grove of giant trees, one of which is believed to the 1,200 years old. From here, the trail switchbacks up the south-facing slope. As the forest recedes, the views open up, and we can see across the gulch to the trails we hiked a few hours ago. The one-half mile North Ridge Trail brings us to Harkins Ridge Trail junction. From here, we retrace our steps to the parking lot on Skyline Boulevard.

A great hike and a grand loop. Hope you can join us on Sept. 29.

Walks for a Cause:

· "Walk for the Gold 2001" benefiting Special Olympics of San Mateo County - 10 a.m., Sat., Oct. 13, Bay Meadows. A non-competitive, fun walk. Each walker asks 10 people to donate $10 to sponsor. Includes barbecue lunch, prizes for all. Call Carol Plecas, 415-552-2662, ext. 22, for information.

· "Light the Night" Walks for the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society of Northern California on Friday evening, Sept. 22 in downtown San Jose and on Saturday evening, Sept. 23, in downtown San Francisco. Call 415-625-1100 for information.

· "America's Walk 2000 for Diabetes" on Sunday morning, Oct. 1, starting at El Camino Park across from Stanford Shopping Center, for 6.2 miles through beautiful and historic areas of Palo Alto. Call 1-800-254-WALK for information.

· "Make a Difference Memory Walk" for Alzheimer's Disease on Oct. 7 on Treasure Island. For information, call 1-800-660-1993 or e-mail: memorywalk@alzsf.org.

· Susan G. Komen Breast Cancer Foundation "Race for the Cure," with a one-mile Fun Walk (tagged onto the race) starting at 8:45 a.m. on Oct. 15 at Sharon Meadow, Golden Gate Park, San Francisco. Call 415-677-2222 for information.

· Second annual "Walk for AIDS" on Oct. 22, starting in downtown San Jose. Call 408-451-WALK for information.

Your comments and hiking suggestions are always welcome.

E-mail to: trekertom@aol.com.

Footnote: Check out the Weekly Walker Web site at www.weeklywalker.com.