McNee Ranch to Planet of the Apes

I’ll admit it; I was intrigued by the name of this hike: https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/mcnee-ranch-to-planet-of-the-apes

4.8 mile loop, about 1,200 feet elevation gain, per All Trails, although this one seemed longer and higher. Apparently, there is a “Planet of the Apes” bike ride, which starts in San Francisco and traverses San Pedro Mountain and/or Montara Mountain near Pacifica, in the Rancho Corral de Tierra, former Mexican ranch lands. This area, I have read (and would tend to agree), evokes a lost civilization; hence, the title. No Charlton Heston, or Mark Wahlberg, for that matter. Just a solid, moderately strenuous (although some of my fellow hikers yesterday might disagree) mid-day hike, with gorgeous views of the Pacific, Montara to the south, Whale Cove Beach below, and Pacifica to the north; abundant eucalyptus, pine, cypress, and manzanita; one of the few dog-friendly trails in the Peninsula (for my pup); a few hikers and mountain bikers; sun; haze at lower elevations (to be washed away, I hope, with precipitation promised to arrive later this week); deep blue sky at higher ones; fog rolling down the mountain; Martini Creek emptying into the Pacific; as perfect of a late November day as one could possibly find. Yes, we stopped short of North Peak, but that was the plan. That is a different hike, and one that I have done several times, with the local hiking club that I lead. We’re in the home stretch, with roughly one month remaining in 2023. Time to wrap up 2022, finish planning 2023 (or at least the first half of the year), and hike a few more trails. Comments welcomed.