Hamms Gulch - Skyline Loop

Distance: Medium/short - approx 10 miles
Trail: single track, with a little section of road, switch backs
Vertical: approx 2000 feet
Start: Portola Rd / Alpine Rd
Route:
- Run up Alpine Rd past school, and past car parking, and another 1.5 miles up Alpine Rd
- Turn right across bridge over creek (sign says Private road - but it allows passage to trail)
- After 1/4 mile enter right onto trail, follow switchbacks for approx 3 miles to close to Skyline
- Continue trail north, cross dirt road, and to trail Y-intersection
- option 1: go right to return back down, to Alpine Rd - and return to PV along Alpine Rd
- option 2: go left to add an extra 2 miles for swing around Windy Hill, and down along main trails, at bottom of trail go right to return over bridge to Alpine Rd

Note: both the down trails can become seriously muddy in rain...

A great map for reference - from great site: http://www.durt.org/main.html

and a further link http://www.openspace.org/preserves/pr_windy_hill.asp

and map at http://www.openspace.org/preserves/maps/windy_hill_map.pdf

JF

Huddart-Wunderlich Loop

Distance: medium run - approx 17 miles
Trail: single track trails
Vertical: approx 2500 feet
Start: Woodside Old Store
Route:
- Run north approx a mile to lower entrance on Huddart park
- Continue up into Huddart park on trails along creek (Richards Trail)
- Climb up to Skyline on Crystal Springs trail
- Continue along Skyline trail to Wunderlich park
- Decend down on Alambique trail all the way to "Ranger Station"
- Return along Hwy 84 North to start at Woodside Old Store

Note: Parking at Old Store may close at sunset, pick other parking to avoid getting locked in...

JF

Western States run Solo

Distance: very long run - approx 60 miles
Trail: firetrails, single track, rocky trails
Vertical: approx 10000+ feet
Start: Squaw valley

Logistics
- Get an early start from Squaw Valley, to help avoid worst heat in canyons
Equipment:
- Dual water bottles + hydration pack+ water treatment tablets
- Salt tablets + food + energy drink mix
- Headlamp + extra batteries
- Cap + sunglasses
- Extra socks
- First aid kit
- Wind breaker
- Extra map and route description
- Plan in advance for where water will be along the trail

Have someone pick you up in Forrest Hill

JF

Over Skyline Loop

Distance: long run - approx 20 miles
Trail: mixed trail and streets
Vertical: approx 3500 feet
Start: Windy Hill trail head in Portola Valley
Route:
- Windy Hill up to Skyline Rd
- North on Skyline Rd to Old La Honda WEST
- Down for a few miles until dirt road right down to Hwy 84
- Up Hwy 84 to Skyline
- North along Skyline to Bear Gulch Rd EAST.
- Down on Alambique Trail all the way to "Ranger Station"
- Return along Hwy 84 South, and Portola Rd, to Windy Hill trail head

Note: Windy Hill trail head parking may close at sunset, find other parking to avoid get locked in...

JF