Weekly Walker: Two Amazing Hikes Coming Up in September

[Editor's Note: Watch for this column each week Patch by local walking enthusiast Tom Davids. Below are two hikes scheduled for September: El Corte de Madera Open Space Preserve, and the western part of San Francisco, starting at Lands End.]

By Tom Davids

Greetings Hikers:

We have two swell hikes  planned for September.  A nature hike in one of my favorite preserves and our annual hike in San Francisco.  So read below and I'm sure you will want to join in.

On Wednesday, Sept 11, we will hike at the El Corte de Madera OSP.  This is a 6 mile hike on the Tafoni Tr. to the sand stone formations, continuing down to the Resolution Tr., and returning past the 1953 crash site of a DC-6 in bound from Hawaii. This hike offers not only beautiful forest but interesting geology and the tragic story of "the failure of the crew to follow prescribed procedures for an instrument approach".

This hike is six miles, is rated strenuous and will take about 3 hours. There are no toilet facilities and no water on the way.  Dogs are not allowed.

We will car-pool from the San Carlos Adult Community Center, leaving at 9 a.m. and returning about 1:30 p.m.  If you drive direct, we will meet at Skeggs Point, located on Skyline Blvd., about 2 miles south of Kings Mountain Rd. at 9:30 a.m.

On Saturday, Sept. 14,  we will walk through the western part of San Francisco, starting at Lands End; continuing on the Coastal Tr. to the Palace of the Legion of Honor;  through the Presidio to Arguello; then through the Inner Richmond neighborhood to Golden Gate Park.  Turning back we go  west visiting Stow Lake, Lloyd Lake, Spreckels Lake, and North Lake on our way to the Dutch Windmill; then over Sutro Heights and back to Lands End. It's a little hard to estimate mileage but I predict a 10 mile walk which will take about 5 hours. City walks are great fun and riddled with interesting happenings and this is no exception.

Plenty of snacks along the way, toilets here and there, and dogs are always welcome.

We will carpool from the Sam Trans Garage in San Carlos, leaving at 8 a.m. and returning late afternoon.

Please email me if you plan to join either of these hikes, or have any questions: tomdavids@comcast.net, or 650-703-4827

A few notes from Tom about the Weekly Walker:

Patch, your hometown online news site will distribute Weekly Walker each week, just in time for you to make your weekend hiking plans. Some readers have clipped and saved previously run newspaper columns over the years and you will find that many titles are the same. While the content may be similar, I have updated the hikes as necessary and included links to web sites for additional information including up to date maps.

• I am a nature education docent at Filoli and enjoy working with children on nature hikes.

• I lead two hikes each month sponsored by the San Carlos Park and Recreation Department.

• I wear a FitBit and average 120,000 steps a week.

• I have trekked in Nepal and Peru and Veralyn and I hiked coast-to-coast in England and village- to -village in Switzerland.

• This summer I hiked in Austria with two grandsons who graduated from high school.

• I prefer a 12 mile hike but Veralyn  and I now negotiate the end point.