Completed: July 3, 2023 | Elevation: 2,572′ | Trail: Ridge Trail | Distance: 1.4 miles (roundtrip)
We started our hike to Borel Hill from the Russian Ridge Staging Area. Had it been a cooler day we could have combined this hike with our earlier hike to Mindego Hill as a big loop but it was pretty hot, and I don’t think we would have enjoyed being out in the sun longer than necessary.
From the parking lot it was a quick out-and-back on a well-trodden trail. It paralleled Skyline Boulevard for the first third of a mile before turning up onto a low, exposed ridge. This was a busier trail; we came across several groups of casual hikers and a few bikers.
A spur led us to the barren, windswept top of Borel Hill where we had nice views up and down the peninsula. Stanford’s sprawling campus was the most noticeable feature in the near distance.
After enjoying the scenery a little longer, we turned back. It had taken us a leisurely forty minutes to complete the second Nifty Ninety peak of the Russian Ridge Open Space Preserve.
Follow our progress bagging the Bay Area’s Nifty Ninety here
Coda
I had been really concerned about hiking this weekend due to the high temperatures but the almost continuous breeze on this short hike actually made it reasonably pleasant. However, like Mindego Hill, it’s exposed with no shade so a hat and sunscreen are a must.