Description:
We will start out on the Purisima Creek Trail at the Higgins Road trailhead amongst the redwood forest, climb the ridge along the Craig Britton Trail and eventually descend via the Harkins Ridge Trail.  The route is described in detail here: http://bahiker.com/southbayhikes/purisimahiggins.html

More information about the Purisima Creek Redwoods OSP can be found at their website:
https://www.openspace.org/preserves/purisima-creek-redwoods

The trailhead can be found on Google maps by searching for "Purisima Creek Trail, Higgins Road Trailhead, Higgins Canyon Road, Half Moon Bay, CA".  We will meet in the parking area near the entry where maps are available and a primitive toilet (basically an outhouse).  Please note that we are starting on the west side of the park and are not starting at the trailhead from Skyline
Blvd (Rte 35):  https://goo.gl/maps/FbRvtFjErkx

Note: Dogs are not allowed on this preserve.

Warning:
This is a moderately strenuous hike.  Please be sure that you are comfortable with this level of effort before joining us.  And be sure to eat a nutritious breakfast, so that you arrive well fed, well hydrated and ready to hike.  Anyone who feels they want a shorter hike can double back when we reach the first intersection.

What to Bring:
Bring water (at least 2 litres per person), lunch, and some snacks.  Sunblock is a necessity especially in the second part of the hike which is somewhat exposed. Hats and sunglasses are recommended.  Rain gear and warm clothes may be advisable depending on the weather.  Use layers.

Driving Directions:
From the junction of CA 1 and CA 92 in San Mateo County, drive south 1.2 miles, then turn east onto Higgins Canyon Road (formerly Higgins-Purisima Road).  Drive on this narrow road about 4.2 miles, to the trailhead on the left side of the road (just past the tiny white bridge).

Carpooling:
Carpooling is a good idea as the parking area is limited.  If people want to getinto a carpool, we've set up an unmoderated discussion group you can use to set up carpools.  To join it, go to:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mitcnchikers_carpooling and then send a message to mitcnchikers_carpooling@groups.yahoo.com, or post from the web interface at the above address.  This requires you to get a free yahoo account; sorry about this, but in our experience, they've been harmless and respect your spam preferences.  Unfortunately (cynics cackle here), the old email signup interface seems to have stopped working.  In any case, in the message, be sure to include where you're coming from, contact information and how many of you there are.

Rain policy:
If there's any ambiguity about the weather on the day of the hike, you can checkthe forecast the morning of the hike.

If it's raining significantly, the hike is off.  If the weather is ambiguous, we will send out an email to the mitcnchikers@yahoogroups.com list on the morningof the hike.  You can easily join that email list by going to the   http://groups.yahoo.com/group/mitcnchikers/ web page and clicking on the "Join This Group!" button.  After you're on the list, you'll receive emails about each upcoming hike ~1 week in advance.  The volume on that list is very low (~2 emails/month), so spam won't be a problem.

Disclaimers:
Joining any hike is entirely voluntary and participants assume any and all risks associated with the activities.  By registering or attending this event, participants agree to the conditions posted at: http://northerncalifornia.alumclub.mit.edu/s/1314/images/gid25/editor_documents/event_documents/liability_waiver.pdf