From Montara Beach to 3 tops of Montara Mountain
I hadn't done this hike for at least 9 years even though I drive by it working in Half Moon Bay a few times a month.
So the regular route up from Hwy. 1 by the beach was in order last weekend. It follows a few well worn use trails up to a fire road that winds it's way up the northwest ridge to the scattering of small summits that comprise Montara Mountain. There were quite a few others coming and going on this popular mountain just south of San Francisco on a clear warm fall day.
From Marin County to the north 3 high points stand out along the coast 15 miles south of the Golden Gate: The North Peak is the highest 1,898'. A shout to the northwest is the unnamed middle peak (1,860+') the most popular. Both support barbed wire fenced in radio towers. Then there is the less traveled and uncluttered Peak Mountain (1,806') a stones throw to the west which has the best views of the coast and arguably the best all around views. The other 2 high points, the South Peak (1,833') and Montara Knob (1,614') fall outside the legal hiking boundaries.
The round trip was 8 miles and over 2,000' gain taking in the 3 easy peaks,
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