Hike Sweeney Ridge – Cancelled

After this week’s rain, all of the trails are going to be very muddy. Therefore, I’m changing this Saturday‘s hike location to Sweeney Ridge. We can hike up a paved road to the top for fabulous views of Montara Mountain, the Pacific Ocean, the San Francisco Watershed, and SFO.

This six-mile out-and-back hike climbs 600 feet but we’ll take it slow and steady. Children and dogs (the latter on leash) can easily do this hike.

Meet at the Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of Redwood City (2124 Brewster Ave. at Lowell) at 9am to carpool. Bring lunch, water and warm clothes. If it’s really cold and windy on the ridge, we may not eat lunch but head home early. In any case, we should return to the Fellowship between 1-2pm.

Previous Description:

To start out the new year, we’ll go hiking up on the sunny ridges and into the shady canyons of Sierra Azul Open Space Preserve in Los Gatos.

We’ll start by climbing steadily but gradually up an east-facing slope and over the ridge down into a canyon with a small stream shaded by oak and bay trees. We’ll climb back out of the canyon and in and out of oak-madrone woodland and chaparral country. After three miles or so, we’ll reach the top of the ridge with views of Mt. Umunhum to the south and the Santa Cruz Mountains to the north.

Total distance is 7.5 miles with an elevation gain of 1,800 feet. However, it’s an out-and-back hike so you can turn around at any time.

We’ll leave from UUFRC (2124 Brewster at Lowell) in Redwood City at 9am, Saturday, January 7. Arrive early to arrange carpools. The drive to Sierrra Azul will take about 45 minutes. We’ll start hiking at the Kennedy Trailhead near 15266-15290 Kennedy Road across from Top of the Hill Road in Los Gatos. Let me know if you’d prefer to meet us at the trailhead.

Bring lunch and water.