Purisima Creek Redwoods (7-14-2013)

Hike: Purisima Creek Redwoods
Santa Cruz Mountains, California

Hike starting PC05 Gate, Purisima Creek Road,
Whittemore Gulch Trail & Harkins Ridge Trail
Sunday, July 14, 2013

By Peter Y. Chou
WisdomPortal.com

Preface: After the hour hike at Cowell-Purisima Coastal Trail (2:20-3:20 pm), we went to the northern Cowell Ranch Beach Trail. Since the parking lot was full, we came to Purisima Creek Redwoods through the western PC05 entrance. On July 4, 2013, we came here through the northern PC01 entrance, hiking on the North Ridge Trail seeing mostly giant Douglas Firs, many looking like samurai swords warriors. Unlike the July 4th hike, there were no Checkerspot butterflies fluttering around. However, there were banana slugs crawling on the trails (1, 2, 3) as well as on a tree (1, 2) by Purisima Creek. There were several Redwood stumps (1, 2) on the Harkins Ridge Trail resembling Devils Tower. While the hike by the ocean coastal cliffs was refreshing, the walk along Purisma Creek was scenic and serene. Sunlight (1, 2, 3) coming through the Redwoods was like a shower of blessings. On the drive back on Purisima Creek Road, I missed photographing a baby deer by the road (bushes where the fawn appeared & disappeared). Searching through Google Images, a similar fawn was found and was photoshoped to recapture that moment. A phallic plant by Verde Road caught my attention which turned out to be Echium Wildpretii that proliferated on the roadside (1) on Highway 92. Passing by Crystal Springs Reservoir, managed a few photos through the car window (1, 2), as well as fog banks over Half Moon Bay (1, 2).

Field of Yellow Mustard

Purisima Creek Redwoods Info Boards

Purisima PC05 Signpost

Purisima PC05 Trailhead

Redwoods at PC05 Entrance

Bridge over Purisima Creek

Fallen Log in Purisima Creek

Purisima Creek under Bridge

Purisima Creek View from Bridge

Bridge at PC05 Entrance

Creek View (Right of Bridge)

Creek View (Left of Bridge)

Whittemore Gulch Trail Signpost

"Faces" in Rock Wall

"Lion Head" in Fallen Trunk

Whittemore Gulch Trail

Branches Reaching for the Sun

Arching Tree on Whittemore Gulch Trail

Sorrel & Ferns on Whittemore Gulch Trail

Banana Slug among Sorrel (Oxalis)

Banana Slug and Ferns

Sunlight on Purisima Creek

Log over Purisima Creek

Ferns by Whittemore Creek

Whittemore Creek

"Boomerang" Banana Slug

Arching Tree on Trail

Whittemore Creek

Harkins Ridge Trail Signpost

Sunrays on Trident Tree

Sunlight on "Samurai" Redwood

Sunrays on Trident Tree

Sunlight on Purisima Creek

Sunrays on Trident Tree

Sun on Samurai Redwood

Sunshine through Redwoods

Stump through Redwoods

Curvaceous Tree by Creek

Sunlight into Purisima Creek

Purisima Creek by Harkins Ridge Trail

Sunlight into Purisima Creek

Wall of Leaves by Purisima Creek

Log over Purisima Creek

Ferns by Purisima Creek

Ferns & Sorrel by Purisima Creek

Fallen Log on Harkins Ridge Trail

"Slithering Serpent" Log

Fallen Log on Harkins Ridge Trail

"Devils Tower" Redwood Stump

Sunlight on Redwood Stump

Sun on "Lambda Λ" Trees

"Lambda Λ" Trees by Creek

Purisima Creek

Fallen Log on Trail

Stump between Redwoods

Fallen Log on Harkins Ridge Trail

Cheney-Hart Grove

Logs & Rocks in Purisima Creek

Gurgling Brook in Purisima Creek

"Whale Head" in Fallen Log

Mini-Waterfall & Rocks in Creek

Ferns by Purisima Creek

Sun through Redwoods

Purisima Creek

"Devils Tower" Redwood Stump

Orange Ferns over Purisima Creek

Throne-like Redwood Stump

Rocks in Purisima Creek

Sunlight into Purisima Creek

Log over Purisima Creek

Trees over Purisima Creek

Throne-like Redwood Stump

Cross-like Tree

Sunlight on Harkins Ridge Trail

Sun through the Redwoods

Banana Slugs on Thin Tree

Two Banana Slugs on Tree

Closeup of Two Banana Slugs

Sun through Redwoods

Curving Redwood by Creek

Sun on Curving Redwood

Sun through Redwoods (1)

Baby Deer Appeared Here (1)

Baby Deer Disappeared Here

View on Purisima Creek Road

Hills on Purisima Creek Road

Wild Mustard (Sinapis arvensis)

Echium on Roadside Highway 92 (1)

Echium Wildpretii on Verde Road

Closeup of Echium Wildpretii

Sideview of Echium Wildpretii

Echium Wildpretii by Eucalyptus

Nursery at Half Moon Bay (Highway 92)

Christmas Tree Farm on Highway 92 (1)

Bull Statue at Sun Studios on Hwy 92 (1)

Crystal Springs Reservoir from Car (1)

Fog Bank at Half Moon Bay on Hwy 280

Fog Bank from Car on Highway 280

— Photographs by Peter Y. Chou, July 14, 2013