Surf: Powerful, consistent beachbreak, good during smaller, clean W swells; offshore on an E wind. Sometimes crowded when the Half Moon Bay crew make the trip. Montara can handle a bit of S wind and larger, peaky swells, when getting out can present a problem. Environment: Parking is free. Nasty rip currents and undertow are drawbacks. Surf: General: Montara Beach is less than a mile of open beach that faces directly into the Gulf of Alaska and takes a constant hammering from swell, wind, tide, fog and everything else the Pacific Ocean can throw. The good news is that the S winds that accompany fog and/or rain in this region blow straight offshore at Montara, so on those summer days when San Francisco's beachbreaks are gray, blown-out and infinitely uninviting, Montara can be smooth and sweet, albeit a little chilly.

During the winter, Montara is constantly shape-shifting and the bottom is always in a state of flux from the swell and tide. Montara on a big swell can be as spectacular as closed-out Pipeline. When the ocean mellows a bit, Montara ranges from deadly to excellent, depending on the bottom contour and swell direction. Montara is surfed mostly by beginners and intermediate surfers on the smaller windswell days. And on a sunny day in the fall or winter, sometimes the surf can be epic. In the summer, S and W swells dribble in at a point on the south end and along the beach. There's usually something to ride at Montara. Tides: Depends on sandbars. On small days, low is best. Size: Waist high-overhead Wind: E, SE, S Swell: W, NW, W, SW Bottom: Shifting sand. Paddling: Depends on size but generally a lot of paddling, especially when overhead. Spot Rating: Fun. Access: There's parking in the dirt on the north end and in the parking lot on the south end. For some reason, it's legal for beach-goers to park in the big Chart House lot, just north of the restaurant. Crowds: Crowd Factor: Lonely. Local Vibe: On the best peaks, sure. Environment: Mostly clean. Hazards: Major poundings when it's big. The occasional headless sea lion washed up on the beach suggests other hazards. There is a very high beachgoer-to-drowning ratio here. Season: January-December