Sometimes trudging up the trail to the top of Windy Hill I am passed by someone jogging. This either inspires me or I'm left wondering—how can someone run up that hill? Definatly one of the steepest climbs on the peninsula if you start at the Portola Road entrance and head up the Spring Ridge Trail to Skyline.

So far, this is the only trail I have taken to the top. It would be a good work-out trail before doing something more strenuous. I don't go here in the summer and it seems as though this winter is flying by. Busy at work and all sorts of other excuses, plus what little hiking I have done has been at Monte Bello Open Space Preserve.

I was there in the lower portion some of months ago and the sky was a bright blue without a single cloud.

There are basically four trails at Windy Hill—three that go to the top and one that runs along the ridge. Spring Ridge Trail starts at Portola Road where there is a parking lot and potty stop, heads south past Sausal Pond before splitting. Take a right to head up the hill or left to go around to Hamms Gulch Trail for a different route to the top. If you head up Portola road there is an entrance past Willowbrook Drive that is close to Hamms Gulch or you can walk farther and pick up Razorback Ridge Trail, another steep climb to the top. All three of these trails stop at the top where they intersect the Anniversary Trail (which goes around the top of Wind Hill and gives access to the bench at the top) or the Lost Trail which continues on south. Both of these trails are segments of the Bay Area Ridge Trail.

You may need a map to follow this description and fortunately the Mid-Peninsula Regional Open Space District has a great one on their web site. The map requires the Adobe Acrobat reader.

Maps are also available at the entrance on Portola Road which affords a good view of the bottom of Portola Valley (left). From here it's over and then up. Looking for a shorter hike, I went over and not up, over to the start of the Hamms Gulch Trail. The beginning of the trail out of the Portola Road parking lot (right).

On the way to the Hamms Gulch Trail gate there is a very pleasant area of oaks which is easy to get to and a good place to read a book or snooze under a tree.

The Hamms Gulch Trail gate is reached after crossing Corte Madera Creek. Not much to look at but the start of another stiff climb.
	Next time it's thru the gate and up the hill to the top.