Stink-Foot? Twice now I have rolled my ankle while trying to complete this run. The name is fitting.
Across from Skeggs Point on Skyline is one of many entrances to the El Corte de Madera Creek Preserve. (015) marks the starting point for Stink-Foot. The El Corte de Madera Creek Trail begins with a short descent to the first bridge (002). Crossing this takes me to a trail that traverses the hillside without too much change in elevation. When I reach the Tafoni trailhead (003) I keep to the right to stay on my course and avoid heading back up. The next junction (004) is the Resolution Trail. There are some great Old Growth Redwoods along this path and even some remains from an old plane wreck. It's interesting to check out but for now not the way I will be moving. I head right and stay on the El Corte de Madera Creek Trail.
At the bottom of the trail is the creek itself. It looks like this area may have been used as a mill site during the logging years. This is where the journey back up begins. At junction (005) is where I get off the El Corte de Madera Creek Trail and begin running along the North Leaf Trail for a short distance till I reach (006), the start of the Methuselah Trail. Not far is the Giant Salamander Trail (008). For some reason this is my favorite part of the run. Maybe it's the dense forest or the taxing uphill section that connects to Timberview Trail (009). I usually take a break here for some water and a gel pack.
I start heading up Timberview, passing the Old Growth Redwood and the junction for Crosscut (010) and take Manzanita Trail (011). This trail skirts along the hillside and offers some great views (012) of the coast and landscape. The terrain here changes drastically to sandstone and the trail itself is full of ruts and solid rock. At the next junction (013), a four way, I cross Methuselah to get to Fir Trail (014) go right and start heading back to my starting point (015). That's it!
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= Degree of difficulty. 1 paw is an easy run. 5 could hurt!!
Better health for a lifetime!