Salmon Creek Falls
A massive surge in the number of visitors to Monterey County in general and Big Sur in particular has led to a large increase in the number of people camping along, and near, Highway One and other roads. While many of these people are, no doubt, careful to leave no trace of their visit, others light illegal campfires and leave their garbage strewn across the landscape. Read the rest of this entry »
17 Comments | 
Big Sur, On Foot, Santa Lucias | 
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Posted by xasauan
Yesterday morning, Friends of Garrapata, the volunteers who work tirelessly to keep Garrapata State Park wild and graffiti free, and its trails in usable condition, posted the above graphic to their Facebook page with the following text:
WARNING
Please stay clear of the Peak Trail until October.
While environmentally destructive backcountry marijuana grows are indeed a serious problem – that could be solved overnight by legalization – and it’s certainly worth being cautious while traveling off trail in places that might be attractive to growers, this post stands out as strange for several reasons. Read the rest of this entry »
8 Comments | Big Sur, On Foot, Politics | Tagged: Garrapata State Park, Marijuana Grow, Mexican Cartels | Permalink
Posted by xasauan
Here’s something you don’t see every day. Actual State Parks employees at Garrapata State Park. They showed up this morning with a CCC crew, coned off a lot of the parking area and fenced off the access points for the Stone Ridge and Soberanes Canyon trails. Read the rest of this entry »
3 Comments | Big Sur, On Foot, Plants, Santa Lucias, Wildflowers | Tagged: Ardea alba, Castilleja latifolia, Garrapata, Great Egret, Seaside Painted Cup, Soberanes | Permalink
Posted by xasauan
The Carmel River’s last major tributary, Garzas Creek, flows through Garland Regional Park.
Here’s some of what’s currently blooming along the creek and on the trail to the top of Vásquez Knob… Read the rest of this entry »
4 Comments | Carmel River, On Foot, Plants, Santa Lucias, Wildflowers | Tagged: Antonio María Vásquez, Garland Regional, Tiburcio Vasquez, Trillium chloropetalum, Vásquez Knob | Permalink
Posted by xasauan
State Park employees apparently visited Garrapata State Park recently and posted this new sign reminding users that the extremely popular Rocky Ridge/Soberanes Creek Loop remains closed.
Back in the 60’s and 70’s, a well-established use trail ran up Soberanes Creek and into the redwood forest, where it petered out into a rock hop along the stream as the canyon narrowed. Somewhere around the time Garrapata State Park was founded, in 1985, the park service, or someone acting with their blessing, extended this trail further upstream and then up to meet the Rocky Ridge Trail, forming a loop. Read the rest of this entry »
4 Comments | Big Sur, On Foot, Santa Lucias | Tagged: Garrapata State Park | Permalink
Posted by xasauan
Big Sur’s Cone Peak rises out of the ocean about as steeply as any mountain on the planet. It’s summit, at 5,155 feet, lies less than 3 miles, as the condor flies, from the beach. This delivers an average gradient of around 33%; steeper than the rise of Mt. Whitney from the floor of Owens Valley. Making the journey from the beach to the summit on foot takes only a little over 5 miles, thanks to the open slopes of Stone Ridge. And it’s one of the most spectacular walks in Big Sur. Which is saying something.
1 Comment | Big Sur, Insects, On Foot, Plants, Santa Lucias, Wildflowers | Permalink
Posted by xasauan
2 Comments | Big Sur, On Foot, Santa Lucias | Tagged: Big Sur, Big Sur River, Logwood Creek, Pine Ridge Trail, Sykes Hot Springs | Permalink
Posted by xasauan
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