San Mateo County High Point Trip Report
Date: September 1, 2002
Author: Christopher Randall
I was able to successfully complete this highpoint with the wonderful help of Loro Paterson. We had been
corresponding some six months or so and my schedule, Loro's schedule and the property owner's schedule
finally coincided. Loro met me at the intersection of Portola Heights Road and Skyline Blvd.
She asked me to get in and follow her in her Ford Bronco, and we drove Portola Heights Road until it
became Long Ridge Road. I could see the electric fence Roy Wallen mentions in his 6/3/2000 trip report as
we approached the private property containing the highpoint. The gate to the property was open, so we drove in.
We drove in and parked next to a trailer that was covered with a man-made structure that looked
like a patio cover, but was much nicer.
We walked around the property and finally met up with the property owner, who was talking with workers
who were working on his property. His name was Ron, and he has actively begun the process of building
his house. The cement foundation has been laid, and it looked like they had begun the process of framing.
The house will actually be located below the highpoint.
We walked around the property and Ron was very gracious, and happy to have me there. It was very refreshing.
He and Loro have a great relationship and get along really well. He was very nice to me as well,
and I was really blessed by that. He showed us all around the property, showing off all the really neat things
he's building for the new house. I was particularly impressed with his fire suppression setup. I was not
aware that houses in such rural locations were required by law to keep, in tanks on the property, enough
water to fight fire if it broke out on his property. I would imagine this is so that the public fire authorities
don't have as much work to do in fighting the fire if it breaks out there.
We talked for some 20-30 minutes, and wandered all around his property, and finally made it up the mound
to the highpoint location. The view is really incredible looking toward Mount McPherson (Santa Cruz
County highpoint) and Copernicus Peak (Santa Clara County highpoint). Loro took my picture up at the top,
and then we left. She drove me back out to Skyline Blvd., and I made my trip home to Pacific Grove.
It was a really nice and warm day, and LOTS of people were out riding motorcycles and bicycles.