Cone Peak - Big Sur

June 9, 2007
Big Sur
4.5 miles
1,200 elevation gain
Hiking time: 2 hours
Weather Man Steve, Trespassing Julie (me), Backseat Julie

The most difficult thing about this hike is getting to the trailhead.
It’s six miles back on a dirt road that rivals Lompico – blind hairpin curves, no pullouts and steep drop offs. The road itself is not too bad, but my car doesn’t like gravel roads. Fortunately, Steve was willing to take his new truck.

We were camping at Kirk Creek and had talked about getting an early start. However, we woke to fog and decided to wait and let it burn off a bit. My other rationale was I was enjoying reading on my lounger too much to rush the morning.

Julie and Mike showed up at 10:30 from Lompico. Julie wanted to go on the hike – so we told her we’d pick her up at 11:00. I packed extra water (after the Mt. Manuel hike) and a snack for the peak. Julie brought a walking stick and a small bottle of water.

The Naciemento-Ferguson road is a twisty, steep grade with incredible ocean views. It was foggy as we left, but Steve predicted it would all burn off, right when we reached the top of Cone Peak. We drove seven miles up and the fog started diminishing. Then we turned onto Cone Peak for another six miles of door clutching terror. (Just kidding – Steve is a great driver). The view is spectacular from Cone Peak Road.

I had hiked to Cone Peak on my first backpacking trip to Big Sur in 1994. I remember one of the women on that trip had a fender bender on a blind curve of Cone Peak Road. We had climbed Cone Peak at the beginning of the backpacking trip. At that time I was doing a topless-on-mountain-tops ritual and I ended up leaving a very powerful medicine pouch on the top of Cone Peak. I always said it wasn’t lost – that I knew where it was – in the center of the Ventana wilderness, but I had a secret fantasy that I would find it after all these years – perfectly preserved.

When we came to the second pullover on the road, there was a couple there and we asked them what turnout this was. They pointed to a trail sign clearly reading “Cone Peak”. The sun was out in full force and Julie was wearing a long sleeved fleece and knew she was going to boil. I gave her my long sleeve capilene shirt which would at least wick and dry fast. I tried to convince her to take a larger water bottle, but she thought the little one was enough.

I was ready to take the first picture of our fearless driver and his blindingly blue truck and we discovered the camera wasn’t working. What? No pictures for the blog? Terrible. But what can you do? I decided to try and always bring a throw away camera as a back up.

We started up the trail. It is similar terrain to Mt. Manuel. Chaparral. Dry. Rocky. Manzanita bushes and brush. We saw trees that were scorched in the 1999 Kick Complex fire. Also like Mt. Manuel, the bugs and flies were nasty. I donned my sarong. Julie wasn’t too bothered in her long sleeves and jeans. But poor Steve in tank top and shorts was exposed and slapped away at them on the whole hike. He eventually used my hat as a bug swatter. I should have brought the bug spray, which I actually had in camp!

We curved around to ocean views and as Steve had predicted the fog was clearing. We reached the intersection with Cone Peak Trail. It gains 324 feet in just .03 miles. The trail was wide, but the drop offs were steep. Julie has a fear of heights, we discovered. On two of the switchbacks which were narrow, she didn’t think she could go on – but she overcame her fear. The hike was a challenge for Julie – the heat, height, elevation and she has been struggling with foot pain as well - but she came through like a champ.

We reached the summit pleased with our success until we saw Stella, a tiny Chihuahua with several young girls. Stella had made it to the summit on her four inch little legs and was happily running around. Julie said it put our accomplishment into a different perspective that such a tiny dog could make it to the peak.

At the top of Cone Peak is an abandoned fire station. Unlike Eagle Rock, this one is in good shape and hasn’t been vandalized. The views were spectacular without a wisp of fog.

We snacked on cherries, figs, oranges and drank lots of water. I filled Julie’s little bottle with my extra bottle and lightened my load. We walked the fire tower enjoying views of the Santa Lucia Mountains and Big Sur coast.

Then I saw the spot where I had left my medicine pouch. It was way out on the farthest point. The trail was quite eroded and overgrown. Part of it was a narrow saddle with drop-offs on both sides. I started climbing out there, but it got beyond my comfort level. I’d had an experience climbing around the cliffs at the beach the day before with Steve that made me more cautious. I realized I wasn’t going to make it to that point, but it didn’t matter. I knew the pouch wasn’t there. And regardless, the pouch and what it represents and the power it gives is already in my heart and in my love for Big Sur.

As usual the hike down was easier than the hike up. We passed the couple from the trailhead who were still working their way up the trail. Julie talked about a new therapy she is using to overcome fear. It’s definitely working for her. We were back at the truck in no time.

So where did these lovely Cone Peak shots come from? I ended up going to Flickr to grab some representative shots. I’d give credit under the photos, but my blogging skills aren’t that sophisticated. If you go to Flickr and look under Cone Peak, there are many beautiful shots. I’ll still bring a back up camera next time!

I am so glad that Julie joined us on this hike. It was a nice little adventure.

Lessons Learned: Fear is in the mind and can be overcome. You can’t lose the power of the heart. Improvise!

Mt. Manuel Trail

Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park
11 miles
3,200 elevation gain
Hiking Time: 6 ½ hours
Jane and Julie

This hike was a challenge hike and Jane and I met the challenge! 3,200 elevation gain over 5 miles. I have wanted to do this hike for several years. One of the Big Sur hiking book said “you can do this hike – but is it worth it?” Jane and I would both say, “Yes!”

When I was backpacking to Sykes Host springs two years ago – I had seen a trail cutting across the mountain and first thought – “My God, that’s not our trail, is it?” But then I realized it must be the Mt. Manuel trail. You can actually see the trail from Highway 1.

We have been trying to schedule this hike since May, but just haven’t found the time. If we hadn’t done it this weekend, I would have put it off until fall. My new Big Sur Hiking Book say summer months are foggy and the best months for hiking peaks is mid-November to April. Now, we find out!

I picked Jane up at 6:30 a.m. We were determined to get an early start on the hike. As was the case four days ago for the Garrapata hike – it was foggy and I had to have the windshield wipers on all the way to Seaside. My stomach was upset and we had to make several unscheduled bathroom stops. I hoped I would feel better before the hike. This is not the kind of problem you want on the trail, especially this trail! We got to Pfeiffer and stopped in the camp store. I bought two maps and a Big Sur medallion for my hiking stick. It took a couple of false turns to get to the trailhead, but we packed up and were still on the trail at 9:00 a.m.

Jane had brought plenty of water. I had brought three nalgene bottles full and that would not have been enough without Jane’s additional bottles. The trailhead starts on a paved road which climbs to John Pfeiffer’s Homestead Cabin. We climbed up a dirt trail and got our first peek of an ocean view. By this time it was starting to clear.

Part of the trail went through a little tunnel of undergrowth, including plenty of poison oak. I’m not sure why they didn’t clear this part of the trail since it was right at the beginning. The next part of the trail went past a giant fallen oak tree. Unfortunately, many of the oaks in Big Sur are succumbing to Sudden Oak Death.

Further up the path we came to the junction of Mt. Manuel trail. The sign gave us pause because we knew it was a 3,200 elevation gain overall – which means that we had already come 400 feet. 2800 elevation gain over 4 miles is nothing to laugh at. We were ready for it or at least ready to begin! My book says the grade is 11% for most of the trail. It didn’t seem that steep to me, just steadily uphill. The trail was pretty well maintained by Big Sur standards – though we were in for a couple of rough spots.

Mt Manuel is named for Manuel Innocenti an Esselen Indian who had a cabin near the peak in 1886. The first part of the trail clings to the edge of the mountain, with steep drop-offs. The trail is wide enough, but you want to watch your footing. It wouldn’t be hard to go plunging off the side of the trail. I was thankful for my walking stick which was extremely useful for balance on this hike.

You could definitely see the trail traveling the contours of the mountain. The question was what was beyond that farthest point? I could look across the valley and see the trail to Sykes Hot Springs. Now I was seeing it from the other side. It’s amazing when you are hiking how quickly you can cover territory. You turn around and are amazed how far and how high you have come.

There were plenty of flowers for Jane to study. She had brought several guides. There were many lizards and two snakes slithered quickly off the trail. The air was filled with the buzzing of honeybees busy among the flowers. The sun had come out. This trail lived up to my expectations of being hot and exposed. We were looking for a good place to stop. Jane was starting to get a blister which needed treating and I wanted to put on more sunscreen. There were two shaded gullies full of trees. The rest of the trail was exposed chaparral and the morning sun was getting hot. The second gully had a nice stopping point with rocks to sit on. It’s so easy when hiking to stop just short of the perfect stopping place – five minutes before the giant waterfall or grand vista – but sometimes you just gotta take a break.

Jane treated her blister, we had water, trail mix and put on sunscreen. Onward. We finally reached that furthest point and turned the corner to see the Santa Lucia Mountains. We entered a forest and Jane stopped to treat her second blister. This is when the biting flies and bugs showed up. We discovered another use for sarongs – wearing them as veils completely covering head, arms, shoulders and backs worked as both a sunscreen and a bug screen. I don’t think we would have made it to the top without our sarongs – the bugs were nasty.

We thought we were pretty close to the top. Jane pulled her left groin muscle which was painful but not debilitating. Being a trooper she did not complain. She was ready to reach the top, however. As we climbed, the Santa Lucia mountains became more impressive. Jane was busy noting the wildflowers. We stopped to take this picture. Jane had to climb up the hillside and lay on her back. You can see her legs and water bottle at the bottom of the picture. I am demonstrating proper sarong bug protection. We kept thinking we were close to the top, but then there would be another curve.

Finally our destination came into view. It was definitely the top and there was a tree there for shade! We crossed a saddle and the ocean came into view. You could see all the way north to Pt. Sur Lighthouse – with the fog hanging off the coast. To the south you could see the whole coast, but shrouded in fog.

We stopped to take a picture next to an Our Lord’s Candle that was in bloom. These Yucca plants dot the mountains in Big Sur. I just learned their name in my post hike reading. Quite apt. We climbed around the bend, up a last little hill and we were there. We had summited! What a feeling. We reached the top at 12:30 p.m. after 3 ½ hires of hiking.

We ate our lunch in the shade and enjoyed our hard earned view. I took a water inventory and thanks to Jane’s extra bottles we had enough. Jane had brought a protein drink which we shared and is a great idea for future hikes. There was a black “reflector” thing that we never discovered the purpose of.

In addition to the ever present bugs – there were many butterflies. As we ate lunch they circled around us; Swallowtails, little white and blue ones. I tried to use mind control to make one land on me, they came close, but they didn’t land. Jane and I must have looked like two giant flowers in our purple and pink sarongs. On the trail down Jane had a Swallowtail land on her briefly and take a taste of her sarong. He didn’t like it so he didn’t stay long.

After lunch we headed down the trail. The trail seemed a bit different and Jane kept saying – I don’t remember this. Sure enough we ended up at the Reflector. Still don’t know what it is. Retracing our steps – Jane spotted a Horned Toad (Horny Toads we used to called them as kids) in the bushes. It was only the second one I have seen in the wild. It wasn’t listed in the book as being native to Big Sur. We were excited to see him. There was a reason for our extra little side trip.

We had not seen a soul all day and figured we were the only two fools brave enough to hike it in June.
We were wrong. The first person we met on the trail was a young woman with a full size pack. Turns out she was training for the John Muir Trail. We had her take our picture while we had the chance. Next we met a pair of older hikers. Jane was looking more closely at the flower leaves after spending time with her identification book on the summit. She was noting the shape of the leaves and how they came off the stem. I though I’d be lucky to remember the color of the flowers.

We kept winding our way down. We met two more pairs of hikers. It was 3:00 p.m. and they had a far ways to go and hadn’t hit the bugs yet. We knew they were going to be eaten alive, but wished them luck.

Coming back was a breeze. Of course, it took longer than we remembered. We saw a giant blue nosed honey bees amongst the flowers. We couldn’t tell if his nose was naturally blue or if it was from the pollen of the flowers. It took us three hours to hike down. When we stopped for a pee break, Jane got bit on the butt by one of the biting flies. The Noive!

When we finally got to the Homestead Cabin we started down the paved road. Jane remembered the road being dirt, so we went back and circled around several times before pulling out the map and realizing we were right in the first place. Nothing like a little detour at the end of the trail. My dogs were barking (an expression Jane and had never heard) and we were both anxious to change out of our hiking boots.

We drove to Nepenthe and stopped at the Phoenix – a store I always love to visit. Jane started talking with one of the salesmen who was extremely knowledgeable about the area. I had a long talk with him about backpacking and hiking. He had been everywhere in Big Sur. Jane ended up buying me the book Hiking and Backpacking Big Sur by Analise Elliot which has been really informative. We thought about having drinks at Nepenthe and went up to see the view.

Instead, we decided to go to my favorite – the River Inn. We got our Bloody Marys and took them down to the river. They have Adirondack chairs set up in the river itself. So we went and soaked our feet in the cold water. Heaven after a long hike! We stayed for a nice dinner and then headed home completely satisfied.

We had expected to be challenged and we were, but in spite of the fog and the sun, the blisters and pulled muscle, the biting flies and bugs, the poison oak and 11% grade – we had accomplished our goal! There is something so empowering and fulfilling in being out in nature. I feel it on every hike. This hike made me thankful as well – for a hiking partner like Jane and for a strong, healthy body.

Lessons Learned: A sarong is effective bug protection. Training helps for a big hike like this. Climb Big Sur Peaks November to April. Protein drinks work great on hikes. Go to the River Inn after all Big Sur hikes and soak your feet in the river!

Garrapata State Park

Memorial Day Hike
May 28, 2007
Rocky Ridge – Sobranes Canyon Loop
6 Miles – 1,600 elevation gain
Hiking Time: 4 hours
Jan, Marianne, Julie

I decided to do a Memorial Day hike since it was my only open weekend until July. I knew it was risky – I usually try to stay off the road for the entire weekend and ideally don’t leave the house. I hoped everyone else had the same idea. It could either be really crowded or not. Jan said she was in right away. I talked Marianne into coming on Sunday afternoon. It’s our first hike together, though we have known each other many years.

Marianne has done Garrapata several times, while I had only done it once, years ago. Jan had some concerns about the elevation gain, since her knees can be problematic. I told here it would probably be hot and exposed. I shared a memory from the hike years ago – where the trail was badly eroded and one of us got stuck in a bad spot. It fed into Jan’s fears from her own past scary stuck-on-a-cliff experience in Big Sur, so she was expecting the worst on this hike. She decided to go for it anyway.

We met at the Soquel Park and Ride at 9:00 a.m. on Monday. It was foggy and overcast and we wondered whether it would clear. It would be a bummer to do this hike and not be able to see the ocean. It has happened to me before in Big Sur. The Memorial Day traffic was very light as we headed for Monterey. We exchanged life stories and reached the Garrapata pullout in no time it seemed. There weren’t too many cars and still several parking spaces.

We were on the trail by 10:30. We left the book in the car with the map. Marianne was confident to be navigator on this trip. We crossed the highway to the trailhead. There was a holder for maps – but sadly none inside. The bulletin board had information on whales – but no map of the park. We weren’t worried since there aren’t too many side trails on this hike.

We followed the trail which began by crossing Sobranes creek, then clung along a ridge above the creek. The weather was still foggy and cool.

The trail followed the ridge. Eventually it dipped back down to the creek with lovely ferns and redwoods. I never found the spot that had been so scary so many years before. We passed a mother and daughter hiking, but otherwise there was no one on the trail.

We started climbing out of the forest and up the hillside. Marianne and Jan were busy discussing marathons past (for Jan) and future (for Marianne). It was a steep climb and the path was often eroded. It was easier going up then it would have been coming down. Marianne in her Go Light sneakers has a bit of trouble finding traction on the slippery sand slope.

As we climbed the sun started coming out. The wildflowers were growing in profusion. I was afraid that we had missed the season – since it has been such a dry winter. I needn’t have feared. I wished Jane as our botanist-in-training and Barbara as our staff photographer was there to properly document them. They were lovely. We saw Indian Paint Brush, Sticky Monkey Flower, Morning Glories, Purple thistles, Lupine, Poppies and possibly Delphinium to name the few we knew. Yellow, purple, red, orange, white, blue flowers, everywhere.

As we climbed higher up the hill you could see the hills in the distance. We stopped to admire the flowers and put on sunscreen. The mother – daughter team caught up to us. The mother looked rather winded and both were concerned about how much more elevation gain there was. They had obviously taken on more than they expected, though we didn’t see them again, so they must have made it.

We kept climbing to the top of the hill. We followed the crest to our lunch spot, a rock outcrop with a great view of the ocean. We arrived at 12:15. The sun was out, but it was windy up top. Out came the fleeces and Marianne (who runs cold) put on her gloves. As we got ready to hike again – I noticed that the fog was rolling in from all directions. I wanted a photo with a slice of ocean in case we didn’t see it for the rest of the trip. (shades from the Montara Mountain hike). I needn’t have worried.

The path came around a bend and there it was. The path led down with ocean views on one side and hills in the other directions. The flowers became even more intense on the ocean side – perhaps because of the ocean mist and fog. This hike was definitely about the flowers.

We stopped at this bench which would make a great lunch spot. My hiking book recommended coming up Rocky Ridge – then circling down to the canyon. I liked having the ocean views as we came down. We ate dark chocolate and wished for a glass of red wine to go with it. The bench overlooks Highway One and you have a good overlook of Garrapata and Sobranes Point. From here it was just a hop, skip and a jump to our starting place.

We got back at 2:15 and Jan and Marianne were anxious to hit the road and avoid the Memorial Day afternoon traffic. I convinced them to take a quick jaunt to the ocean side of the Garrapata. A very short trail led to coves and beaches. The steps to the beach were completely eroded away. The water was that lovely turquoise unique to the Big Sur Coast.

We walked to the other point and watched waves crash against the rocks. We were all refreshed and knew we would bring this joy back with us as we faced the Tuesday after a three day weekend.

We headed out and once we got turned around the traffic was not bad at all. We decided to go to Manuel’s Mexican restaurant in Aptos for a bite to eat and the celebratory post hike Margaritas. The food and company was good (though the margarita was weak) but it was a nice way to end the afternoon. The traffic was light all the way back to Santa Cruz.

Garrapata is the quintessential Big Sur hike – creek with redwoods, wildflowers and beautiful coastal views. All our fears about this trip were unfounded: heavy traffic, crowded trails, too hot, no view due to fog, too hard, too scary. Instead it was a lovely uplifting day. Once again nature did its magic.

Lessons Learned: Fear naught. Stop and enjoy the wildflowers while you can.

Big Basin to the Sea

May 12, 2007
12-13 miles
Hiking time: 6 ½ hours
Graciela, Barbara, Julie

This was another amazing hike. I did it once years ago and we had chosen the higher route to Howard King Trail – which was hot and dry chaparral terrain. Reading a book the night before I got really excited about taking the other route which sounded much greener.

The date didn’t work for most of the hikers, though Jane and Tara tried really hard to make it happen. In the morning I thought it would just be Graciela and I, but Barbara called at the last minute and then we were three.

Barbara and I caught the bus at 9:05 in Felton. Graciela was already on the bus, which was quite crowded. There is only one bus in the morning that goes all the way to Big Basin.

I noticed a young couple with a big suitcase, the kind with wheels. I wondered where they had arrived from. When they didn’t get off at Boulder Creek, I asked him if he was staying at a cabin in Big Basin. He replied, “No, we’re camping”. He was a UCSC student and didn’t have a backpack – so they were camping out of a suitcase. What a unique approach – as Barbara said later – he will probably have an interesting life.

We reached headquarters at Big Basin at 9:45. The line was too long to get a new map. The store wasn’t quite open, so we decided to just use my old map. I hadn’t brought the best map, since I always try to get new trail maps – it’s interesting the see how they change.

We stopped and tried to determine how to begin. The beginning is always a little confusing. There the sign says 12 miles to Waddell Beach – though other signs had said 10.5. We saw the young couple rolling their suitcase off to their campsite, cute as can be.

We walked through the campfire circle at Big Basin which was very nice. Then we climbed up to Skyline to the Sea trail. Barbara and I shared
memories of previous trips – both of us wanting to avoid past trails that were less than pleasant, but not sure what those trails were. When we got to the top of the ridge we debated one last time about taking Sunset trail – but decided on the more direct route of Skyline to the Sea.

Big Basin has trail maps at trail junctions, but the most relevant area is always blanked out. An odd piece of vandalism – which I had forgotten about. Once again, I wish I had brought the better map.


This part of the trail was through beautiful redwoods. The trail wound up and down. Banana slugs were plentiful – though Barbara worried about the dry conditions for them. She “watered” one as an experiment, but couldn’t tell if it helped.

People describe this hike as being all “down hill”. The hiking book had an elevation loss of 1100’ feet, but let me tell you – there is definitely some elevation on this hike. It was beautiful and much more picturesque than I remembered. When we reached Kelly Creek the ferns were incredibly lush. We stopped to look at some dead redwoods and tried to determine what killed them. If anyone knows –please respond in the comments box.




Barbara’s son wanted photos to make into screen savers for his two computers, so she was on a mission. Taking continuous shots in different areas. Graciela was
always trying to take alternate routes – climbing over logs and inside of trees.

We took a quick break at a lovely spot beside the
creek. We were moving at a fairly leisurely pace, stopping along the way. It was four miles to Berry Creek Falls and we figured that we would have lunch there. We came to the trail junction a little before noon – but this was the Timm’s Creek junction. That meant we were only ½ way to Berry Creek Falls. It was a freak out moment.

Barbara remembered that this first part took a long time – but the second part after the falls went quickly. It was like being in the Bermuda Triangle of hiking - time and distance was becoming distorted.

We picked up the pace and reached the bench across the creek from Berry Creek Falls at
12:20. The bench was open so we chose this as our lunch spot. It has a nice view of the falls.

A group of high school backpackers came
up and I told them about the platform under the falls. After a quick lunch, Barbara wanted to go to the base of Berry Creek Falls.

The platform was completely covered with teenage bodies and equipment. Barbara said, “It’s a shame not to see the other falls – they aren’t that far away”. I felt we were already short on time, but everyone was willing to push on up to the waterfalls – so I said sure. I do love
waterfalls.

Some hikers on the trail told us, we were probably about 30 minutes away. Up we went.The trail followed the creek. Barbara remembered Golden Falls as being spectacular, but they weren’t as golden with the red mud at this season. To get there you climb up stone steps cut out of the rock. The last time I did this hike the water was rushing right next to the steps. This time there was plenty of room. The waterfalls had enough water in them to make them pretty, but they weren’t overflowing.



We climbed up the steps holding onto the cable. It was sunny at Golden Falls, so I stripped down, put on sunscreen and wet my sarong for around my neck. Graciela was already
settling down – thinking we were going to stay awhile – but this was
just a quick visit. It was back down the steep steps for us.




The second time we came to Berry Creek Falls the platform was completely empty. We
stopped to enjoy the view.













Then back down to Skyline to Sea Trail. This next portion of the trail is next to the creek and was also lovely. The ferns were lush. We decided “verdant” was the word for this part of the trail.

We passed the bike rack. Many folks park at Waddell Creek and bike up Skyline to the Sea. It seemed a trail that even I could do on a bike. It’s an easy ways to have access to the waterfalls.
Several bikers passed us on the way down.

There are three “backpacking” camps along Waddell Creek. The first was filled with the high school kids we had seen on the trail. I was thankful I wasn’t camping there. We were pushing our time limit to catch the bus. I couldn’t remember if it came at 5:00 or 5:15.

On the road there was a sign saying “hikers take trail, bikers and horses take road”. Barbara wanted to stay on the road, but I thought it would be better to take the trail. No bikes.

The trail led us back through the camp and over a bridge. Up we climbed. Elevation? Where did
the creek go? The trail also seemed to go off in the opposite direction. We kept climbing higher. It was 4:30 and we could see we had a long way yet to go. We caught a view of the beach in the distance. Quite a far distance for 4:30. I liked the trail, though I was pushing up the pace. Barbara was less happy with the terrain. This was a nature trail – with numbers that must correspond to a handout. We just knew we were getting closer to the end. I was finally calling out the last numbers. “Here’s number four.” “Here’s number three,” "Number two.”
“Number one!” and we were out.

Of course out was just the parking lot – we still had to walk a mile out to Highway one and the
bus stop. We got to the bus stop at 4:55 and found out the bus didn ’t come until 5:15 p.m. Twenty minutes to run into the ocean. We had made it! The ocean was filled with kite surfers. We had someone take our victory photo.

A moment I always look forward to is taking my
boots off after a long hike. I stripped them off and ran down to the icy surf. It felt great on the tootsies. Graciela joined me in the surf. Barbara sat on a log serenely eating fruit. We had done it.

The wind was so strong I felt I could hold out my sarong and nearly lean back into it. I changed into my Tevas. Graciela teased me about all the unnecessary weight I was carrying in my daypack. It is true – it “go heavy”. But I loved not having to put those boots back on.

We got on the bus. The view out of the window was nice. Pleasant to just sit and look at the ocean. We had a few minutes at the metro center, bid farewell to Graciela and got onto the bus to Felton. The seat was very hard. There were “interesting” people on the bus. It was all part of the journey.

Barbara and I went to the Trout Farm for Bloody Marys. She was instantly spotted by a friend’s son and had some guy quickly join her when I went to get the drinks. We toasted a successful hike and called it a day.

This hike exceeded my expectations and memories. It was interesting and challenging. I love that we pushed ourselves to see the waterfalls. I will gladly do this hike again.

Four Lessons Learned: Bring your best map. This particular trail enters a space time continuum with ever-changing distances and times - expect to be confused. Push for the waterfalls. A hot bath is just the ticket after a long hike!

Fall Creek - Henry Cowell State Park

Cinco de Mayo 2007
Fall Creek Trail to the Barrel Mill – Limekiln
5.5 miles - Hiking time: 2.5 hours
Julie and Bill

Bill actually wanted to go on a hike so I started thinking about where to go. I thought of Butano because Bill coming from the Canadian Rockies likes forested hikes with lots of water. The morning was getting away from us though, so I didn’t want to drive too far. Finally, I thought – Fall Creek!

Bill’s been here four years and I can’t believe we haven’t gone to Fall Creek. It is so his kind of place. He loved it. I can’t believe that with all the local hiking I’ve done since moving to Lompico – Loch Lomond, Quail Hollow, and Henry Cowell – that I hadn’t come back to Fall Creek. With hikes I can have a “been there – done that” attitude. So many hikes, so little time. I’ve hiked in Fall Creek several times over the years, but now that I live in Lompico I really view it more as part of my backyard.

We loaded up the daypacks, stopped at Safeway for a sandwich. In my pack – I had the book with map, sunscreen, extra sarong and clothing and another bottle of water. I told Bill to put the sandwiches in his pack. I switched into my hiking boots and we were off.

There were only two other cars in the parking lot. I think of Fall Creek as being a crowded, popular spot. The trail begins heading down to the creek. There isn’t much elevation gain on this trail. We came down to the creek and the trail runs alongside it almost the whole way. “Water” Bill said. He was happy.

We hiked for perhaps a mile when I though about putting on sunscreen – even though we were in the shade. That’s when I noticed – I’d forgotten my pack! I couldn’t believe it. I had my fanny pack – but was it. We were too far along to back, so I decided to make the best of it.

We came to a split in the path – to the left Lime Kilns to the right Barrel Mill site. We headed to the right. The trail rambled next to the creek. Forget Me Nots were in bloom, ferns and some plant with huge leaves grew along the creek.

I dipped my sarong in the water to cool off my neck – figuring I could switch into my dry one – if it got cold. Until I remembered I didn’t have a dry one – it was all in my pack. We were getting hungry so we found a perfect little lunch spot. Right next to a deep watering hole – fed by a waterfall cut through the rocks. There was comfortable rock searing and dappled sunlight. I could see spending the day here reading, listening to the creek and sunbathing. The hole was big enough you could take a dip in it and sit in the “jacuzzi” waterfall on a hot day. This is going to become Julie’s special spot.

We had seen no one on our trail that day. I couldn’t believe it. After eating my sandwich, I told Bill I’d like to finish the hike to the Barrel Mill Site. I knew we were close. I left him scratching his lottery tickets and headed up the trail. There is something nice about hiking alone – it is like a moving meditation. The advantage of hiking with your husband is kisses on the trail and holding hands. The advantage of hiking with friends is the closeness that develops from sharing nature. Bottom line: hiking is always good.

I must say the signage at Fall Creek was very clear. Good thing since the map was in my pack. When I go to Barrel Mill the park has put up some nice bulletin boards explaining the site. There was rusted old machinery which was part of a lathe saw. At this site they would then bring down redwoods – cut them into chunks, core them and have the outside cut into staves. They would then ship these down to the Lime Kiln site – where they would build the barrels to ship the lime. This was from 1912-1927.

I walked back to the “spot”, then Bill and I walked down the road that the wagons used to haul the staves. We came to the Lime Kilns. We climbed up the path to see where they would dig out the limestone – then bring it to the kilns – break it up into pieces – fire it in the ovens and reduce it to lime. The lime was used in making brick mortar for San Francisco.

You could actually climb into one of the kilns. From this point on – we probably saw more then 30 hikers. This is the place everyone goes. It’s understandable – the trail back was beautiful. Hiking between narrow cliffs. This path followed the creek as well. When we got back to the parking lot it was filled with cars. This is such a beautiful spot and so close to home! I will definitely be coming here for evening strolls after work. Bill was ready to come back the next day! I’m glad I have found my spot.

As Dorothy says in the Wizard of Oz – “Don’t go looking for happiness over the rainbow because you’ll discover it was in your own backyard the whole time” or something like that. This hike made me appreciate what a great area we live with such wonderful hiking options close at hand.

Lessons Learned: Don’t forget your backpack. You don’t have to travel far to get an amazing hike.

Portola State Park

April 29, 2007
Portola State Park
Peters Creek loop
13 miles – 1200 ft. elevation gain
Hiking time: 6 hours
Julie and Jane

Jane and I were going to do a strategic hiking strike and pound out Mt. Manuel in Big Sur. Fortunately, Jane heard that the Big Sur Marathon was happening that same day, so we looked for another destination.

Jane has been chomping at the bit to do a more challenging hike – so I decided to do Portola State Park – Peters Creek Loop – one of my favorite hikes – but one I haven’t done in years. Fourteen years to be exact.

Long ago when I first started hiking – this was the first big hike that I did alone. Another fond memory is years ago, my friend Victoria and I skinny dipped in the creek without realizing how just close to the trail, we really were until multiple groups of hikers walked by.

This hike is out to a loop of old growth redwoods. The unusual thing is after five miles out you have to hike down to the redwoods – a 700 foot steep climb down and then you have to climb back up, of course. It’s always nice to get your elevation out of the way early in the day – but it doesn’t work that way on this hike.

Portola Sate Park is located off of Skyline Blvd. Jane grew up in Redwood City so this area is her old stomping ground. The area we drove through was full of memories for her from her bicycling and horseback riding days.

The way were planning to get to the park was closed – so Jane navigated us through Woodside and over to 84, then back on Skyline. I was confused, but Jane as always had it well in hand.

We hit the trail about 11:00 a.m. The summit trail was closed so we took the Slate Creek Trail to the trail camp. One of the things I love about this hike is that it is shaded almost the whole way. There is a bit of elevation – but it is so quiet and peaceful. The Forget Me Nots were in bloom – swaths of blue amongst the redwoods. They are so delicate – I love them. Jane told me these beautiful flowers turn into those annoying little burrs that stick to everything and that’s why you can’t forget them.

We saw many bana slugs along this trail. It took an hour to hike to the trail camp. It is a backpacking camp. I’ve never been impressed with the sites, but when we hiked out I went and closely investigated the campsites – some were quite nice in redwood groves. The problem is it’s a dry camp – no water source and a hot area. It would be a pain to carry in all the water.

From here there is a sign “strenuous 7 mile hike from this point – allow enough time to return.” You climb along a ridge through the forest. There is one exposed area of sunshine – a little meadow and then back into the blessed shade. One of the landmarks I was looking for was an old abandoned car from the forties. It has become completely covered with brush – never did find it – though we looked closely coming and going.

As you come to the edge of the descent, you have a few glimpses of a view – but no panoramic views. This hike is all about the trees. You do feel like you are descending in time. When you reach the bottom you are surrounded by lush ferns, a carpet of green clover between giant redwoods along a babbling creek.

We ate our lunch on a giant redwood that had fallen across the creek, next to a little bridge. A perfect dining spot. The peace and quiet of this place fills you. The redwoods just fill your heart and soul with awe. It’s a primal spot.

The loop is a secluded mile and a half loop. I would have liked to do it twice, there are so many beautiful groves. There were interesting burls about ten feet off the ground which looked like the tree trunk had swallowed a giant ball. In another spot the creek had washed away the soil to expose the elaborate root structures of the redwoods. Beautiful.

We saw a total of three other groups of hikers all day and they were all down by the loop. The trails were empty and quiet. Jane and I dipped our sarongs in the creek so we could have cool cloth against our necks for the hike up. I’ve been trying to convince Jane of the necessity of sarongs when hiking and this little trick helped. We started the climb out. It wasn’t as hard as I anticipated, but it was a good climb. It’s good to have to work for things – it makes you appreciate and value them more.

The hike out was a revisiting of wooded pleasures. We stopped to lay down and take this picture in the flowers. You can see a mosquito about to bite Jane. Richie (Jane’s husband) entitled this photo “High on Hiking”. It’s funny how coming back can always seem longer. Jane kept saying “this isn’t a really strenuous hike.” I say any 13 mile hike with elevation is good long hike. We got back to the car around 5:00 p.m. It had been a thoroughly enjoyable day.

I loved this hike as much as I remembered. It is indeed a special place. Jane and I took Highway 9 back. We stopped in at the Trout Farm for our traditional Bloody Marys. Quite a few cars in the parking lot. Turns out they have Karaoke from four to eight p.m. Quite a little scene. They were all regulars. Neither Jane or I can sing, - so we didn’t indulge – though that didn’t seem to stop any of the regulars. It is good to do the things you love.

Three Lessons Learned: You don’t know your own strength until you make the uphill climb. Challenges are good. There is Karaoke at the Trout Farm on Sunday afternoons. Who knew?

Castle Rock - April 2007

Castle Rock
Summit Meadows to Saratoga Toll Road Loop
Jane, Graciela, Julie
8 miles - 800 elevation gain
Hiking time: 4 hours

The original plan was to hike Garrapata and see the wildflowers and coastal views, but the weather forecast was 60% chance of rain. The Sea Otter Classic would make traffic a nightmare. We decided to stay closer to home and go to Castle Rock.

As the morning got closer, the group got smaller. It finally narrowed to Jane, Graciela, and Julie. We certainly missed having Barbara as our resident photographer, as my photos will attest. The rain was supposed to taper off in the afternoon so we decided on a later start time. We met in Felton at Safeway at 11:00. We headed up Highway 9. Jane had brought all sorts of stuff and outfitted Graciela in wool socks, gaiters, fleece and rain jacket. She also took over navigator responsibilities and actually read where we were supposed to park and monitored the hiking plan. I loved it!

I assumed we would start off on Skyline but Jane’s close reading had us starting on Highway 9 at Sempivirens point. It is located two miles before the intersection with 35. We pulled into a vista point with a parking lot and a bathroom. No sign saying Sempivirens Point, so we continued on. About a mile up the road, we saw a pullout with a trailhead and map. We got out, realized this was the furthest point of our loop. This map showed that Sempivirens Point had a bathroom – so we headed back down to the first pullout.

I had just copied down the details of our hike and the map– not the other Castle Rock hikes. Now at 4:00 a.m. as I read the descriptions of the other hikes I learn all sorts of interesting information, such as: “Sempivirens Point is named for the Sempivirens Fund, the nonprofit agency that has worked so diligently to add lands to Castle Rock and Big Basin Redwoods State Parks.” They are also especially close to our Lompico hearts since they are the one’s who purchased the Lompico Headwaters and saved our community from logging.

In January a honeymoon couple had gotten lost in Castle Rock for 4-5 days. I had been to the main part of Castle Rock with the waterfall and rock formations. I thought how could anyone possibly get lost for four days there? The park is 3,657 acres, running from Highway 9 to Skyline Blvd. After hiking there, I could appreciate how those hikers got lost there. They started late in the day and got lost when it got dark.

They were unprepared – we were not. We had rain gear, flashlights, emergency blankets and most importantly a map with written instructions. Jane had marked a copy of the map with our hiking plan and departure time which we left in the car. What an organizer! She kept saying, “Well, if we had to spend the night, we’d be prepared!” I in my last minute rush had left the bag with my rain pants and gaiters and I didn’t have as much food as usual. I was glad Jane had everything well in hand.

The long range view was obscured by clouds and fog, it was sprinkling, not raining hard. We were all well outfitted and fashionable, especially Jane in her bright yellow rain hat – a classic. (bad face photo for Julie, just couldn’t post it)

It took a bit of an extra loop to decipher the directions from the text of the hike – but we eventually found our way. With visibility so low, we paid much more attention to the map then usual. The trails were well marked but several spots were confusing with “private roadways” intersecting the trails.

Our trail, a loop was described in South Bay Trails by Rusmore/Crowder/Spangle as “Through Meadows to an Ancient and Historic Route”. We weren’t sure what was ancient and historic about it. Later reading, told me the Ohlone Indians used this route to travel from Santa Clara to the coast.

The trees offered some protection from the rain, but also dripped on us and slapped an occasional wet branch in our face. We started out on the Summit Meadows Trail. We left the foggy meadows and walked through a forest on a trail paralleling Highway 9. We saw the first of many wild irises. From the book I now learn they are “Yellow Douglas Iris named after the Scottish Botanist David Douglass who also named the Douglas Fir.” Who knew?

After a mile we crossed over highway 9 and were briefly on the Skyline to the Sea Trail. No horses or bicycles are allowed on this trail and Jane commented how all of these trails were nice and flat, unlike the eroded trails in Wilder Ranch. This portion o the Skyline to the Sea trail parallels Highway 9 closely. Again upon reading “the book” I learn that this is because the State Parks owned a strip 150 feet along Highway 9 and 235. When the concept of Skyline to the Sea was born, they used that easement to create the trail.

It was pleasant to walk in the woods. Some of the trees were covered with moss and had Spanish moss hanging from the branches. I didn’t like being so close to the Highway and unfortunately there was a bit of litter up the hillside that we just couldn’t get to.

We crossed back over Highway 9 (at the spot we had originally driven to) and got on Saratoga Toll Road. I learn now that “The Saratoga Toll Road was built in 1871 to haul people, lumber and supplies between Saratoga and the logging camps all down the western slopes of the Santa Cruz mountains. When Highway 9 and 236 were built in 1915 and 1930 the toll road became obsolete.”

The section of the Toll Road we were walking was an easement through private property. We were walking through a subdivision, but the fog obscured all the houses, fortunately.

Walking in a forest in the fog is a closed in experience. Rather than the expansive views you focus on the trees and flowers. We came across Buckeye, Douglas Fir, California Bay and Tan Oaks. The wildflowers – lupine, sticky monkey flowers, Douglas iris and many that we couldn’t identify. I am an experiential hiker – not knowing the names of most trees and flowers – just enjoying them.

I also enjoyed the conversation with Jane and Graciela. We Talked about our childhoods and our relationship with nature. We were getting hungry and kept looking for a good lunch spot. We passed an old Porsche that had crashed or been dumped down the mountainside many years before (not an uncommon sight to us Lompicans, unfortunately). We crossed back into the state park boundary, passed a landslide and broken bridge. We finally found our lunch spot – perched in an open area. Right when we sat down the sun broke through the clouds to warm us.

Three backpackers passed us – the only other hikers we saw all day.

After lunch, we continue on to Beekhius trail half a mile up to the Skyline to the Sea trail. This was the most elevation gain of the hike. Skyline to the Sea once again paralleled Highway 9 and we started picking up litter along the way. We came across an old Douglas Fir that had fallen over. Jane counted the rings showing how the distance between rings reflected rainy or draught years. The tree was over 120 years old.

Graciela was having strange physical and emotional symptoms. She started crying, but couldn’t explain why. She said that sometimes if those she is close to are suffering, she can feel it. She needed to stop and rest and cry. We weren’t sure if she would be able to complete the hike. I offered to go get the car, since we were so close to Highway 9, but she insisted on pushing on. Sadly, I learned yesterday that her ex-husband who Graciela is very close to had died the next day. It is clear to me now, that this is the sadness she was feeling.

When we returned to Sempivirens Point – we could see a much further vista. The sky was clearing which gave you a taste of the view on a clear day. It was a good day in the woods. Jane and I went for the traditional post hike Bloody Marys at the Trout Farm.

The downside to Castle Rock is that the trails are too close to the road; you’re passing through neighborhoods and the main section is adjacent to a gun club. On the plus side, horses and bikes are not allowed so the trails are not eroded and the signage was pretty good. On a clear day, the views would be great. I would choose a different trail next time.

We didn’t hear the gun range on this hike which was nice. Jane shared her fond reminiscences of her experience at that gun club years ago. Now if I hike in the adjacent portion of the park rather than being annoyed by the sounds of gunshots I will think of Jane and her dear friend Wayne going there for the first time together.

I have enjoyed reading after the fact about the history of the park. I like hiking books for recommending new hikes, but like movie reviews I don’t like them “giving away” the best parts. This morning I realize it would be good to do a little research before hand and that won’t take away from the beauty of the moment. This hike left me excited for more hiking.

Four Lessons Learned:
It doesn’t hurt to do your homework ahead of time.
A walk in the wood sis always a pleasure, regardless of weather.
Leave a map behind in the car for the rescue team.
Some things are beyond knowing.