Last weekend, my spouse and I had quite an adventure - and I'm not just referring to hiking with two misbehaving dogs.
Every time we go to Toro Regional Park outside Salinas, we get lost. Never fails. The first time was the first time I tried to make it to Seamas Peak and came across a locked gate along Cougar Ridge, had to double back and try going up Gibson Gap in the heat and ran out of water. The second time was trying to find the cave run trail, which was not marked at all. This time, it was after we took the Black Mountain Trail and ended up in some farmer's pasture instead of back at the parking lot, had to jump a fence, and call someone to pick us up in the back of some ritzy neighborhood. But, that was towards the end of our hike.
The day started early, with one of our younger dogs and a friend's shepherd mix heading up to Ollason Trail. At first it followed a dried up creek bed, then we had to go through some cattle gates. There were a couple places where the trail diverged, and there were no markers to say which way to go - but thankfully some local mountain bikers came by and told us which way to go. The only real difficult pitch on the way up to Ollason Peak was just after it crisscrossed with Gilson Gap. Just a quarter mile from the peak, we noticed a canine type creature between a couple oak trees. It was taller but skinnier than the Shepherd Mix we had with us, and had big pointy ears. Coyote? If I didn't know that we don't have wolves in California, I would have sworn it was a wolf.
Finally, we reached Ollason Peak (1800 ft) by noon, and took a short break and some pictures. We could see all the way from Santa Cruz to Lover's Point in Pacific Grove, and out over the Pacific. The only thing detracting from the beauty was the stinky cow patties atop the grassy hill top. Yuck!
Then, it was time to try to make it to Seamas Peak. First, we had to descend a steep hill side with loose silt to a saddle point where Coyote Spring Trail intersects with Ollason Loop. Then, we saw the awful pitch we had to go up to make it to Seamas Peak. By the way, hiking on slippery terrain with a dog is a real pain in the @$$. Mostly because, at the worst possible moment our dogs would want to lounge one way or the other and almost knock us off balance. Not that we'd fall to our deaths, but we would probably get really scratched up and be in major pain AND THEN have to hike 6 miles out of there. Not my idea of fun. Halfway up the really awful pitch to the Seamas Peak Trail, I had to sit down and collect myself, but then it was just that much harder to get back up. Eventually I did, and really, I thought this awful patch would just go on forever and ever, but it was less than 100m long. After that, it was a real gentle rise and fall until we reached Valley View.
There, we could see all the way down the Salinas valley, from the Ocean to King City. Amazing! 2030 ft in the air. We also thought we had reached Seamas Peak, but as it turns out we were ~.25-.5 miles away from Seamas Peak - not to mention the steep ascents and descents we'd have to make in between to get there. My hips hurt so bad, so we decided to bag it and head home and try to reach it another day. So, we went down the Black Mountain Trail, which was clearly marked at the beginning, but it was heavily forested, thick brush, and tons and tons of false trails which eventually lead us out into someone's cow pasture.
We hiked from 8 AM until 5 PM, and didn't get to summit Seamas Peak nor did we even end back up in the right place. But, at least we got to summit something - Ollason Peak - and we learned more about the trails that lead up to Seamas. I'll get there eventually.
The Black Mountain trail was really cool, but it sucked getting lost, and that there were several places that the trail diverged with no markings. How were we supposed to know which way to go if the entire trial is not even on the map? Gah!
Thursday, November 15, 2012
Sunday, November 4, 2012
Soberanes - Rocky Ridge Loop
Yesterday, I was able to cross of the Soberanes - Rocky Ridge Loop off of my bucket list. I had attempted it before, but my husband and I were so busy taking pictures that we barely got half way up Soberanes Canyon before we ran out of time and had to turn around. Yesterday, we started our endeavor at 8:30 AM and didn't have to be anywhere that evening.
Walking through Soberanes Canyon made us feel like we were walking through another time or another world. Much of the towering redwoods with carved out trunks that crisscrossed the Soberanes Creek looked like scenes out of The Lord of the Rings while they were trying to escape the black horseman of Mordor. I love the smell of Redwoods, and the sounds of the creek.
We passed a signpost that didn't have any actual wording on it, other than graffiti that said something like "save yourself." Although, otherwise ominous I figured it just meant that some out of shape hiker, like myself, was remarking on how strenuous the hike was going to be. I already realized this was supposed to be a "butt kicker" and that the state has abandoned maintaining the back country trail, so we pressed on. Thank GOD I brought my trekking poles, and there was one place through the redwoods where my husband had to boost my pack up so I could make it up a heavily eroded part of the trail that had exposed tree roots from where the rain washed out the dirt all around it. After we got passed the shade line, the flora changed from redwoods and lupines to maritime chaparral with no trees shading the trail. At least I had a hat!
There is a reason the trail connecting Rocky Ridge and Soberanes is closed! Mostly, it is because there has been zero maintenance done, and it is heavily heavily eroded. Lots of loose rock, and a fine silt of sandstone over harder sandstone which is then very very slippery. We basically had to make baby steps through most of the climb to avoid slipping backwards. There were several wide hard exposed faces with deeper caverns washed out where the steps used to be. We struggled with this short part of the trail for about two hours, even though it was only a mile long at the most.
After reaching the summit, all bad memories of the struggle to get there evaporated. My GOD what a view! We could see all the way to the Salinas Valley behind us, the Monterey Bay and Santa Cruz mountains to the north of us, and Carmel Bay, Point Lobos, closer to us to the north and all way way down the beautiful Big Sur Coast. The view took my breath away, and I felt like I was dancing on top of the world.
Eventually we had to leave Nirvana, and head down Rocky Ridge. I'm glad we were able to walk down towards the ocean on this trail, because otherwise there isn't much to see and it would be a whole lot of punishing climbs what looked like a never ending rock. Never could I have imagined how glorious the top was going to be, and I probably would have given up. Going down Rocky Ridge was no bargain either. More slippery silt, and loose rock that would easily twist an ankle, and even my husband was having a hard time with it. Yet, we saw people trail running down the trail - they must have better balance and more experience with the trail than us because there was no WAY we could do that.
All and all, I am so grateful we were able to make the trip. Not for the faint of heart, and maybe next time we go we'll add the Peak Trail to our excursion. We'll have to leave earlier, and not stop to take so many pictures.
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Trail highlights
While climbing up the connecting trail, we saw a deer acting as sentinel looking down the canyon. She was only there for a moment, saw all of the hikers and then disappeared back into the chaparral.
Lots and lots of turkey vultures, and we thought we may have seen a baby condor because it had white underneath the shoulders but it was way way too small to be an adult condor.
Red tailed hawks circling the redwoods. We could only see them from above looking back at Soberanes Canyon.
Hearing sea lions below while on the top of Rocky Ridge.
The bench overlooking the ocean on Rockey Ridge trail. you have to climb over a rock formation to get to it, and keep from tossing anything down the front of it by accident.
Walking through Soberanes Canyon made us feel like we were walking through another time or another world. Much of the towering redwoods with carved out trunks that crisscrossed the Soberanes Creek looked like scenes out of The Lord of the Rings while they were trying to escape the black horseman of Mordor. I love the smell of Redwoods, and the sounds of the creek.
We passed a signpost that didn't have any actual wording on it, other than graffiti that said something like "save yourself." Although, otherwise ominous I figured it just meant that some out of shape hiker, like myself, was remarking on how strenuous the hike was going to be. I already realized this was supposed to be a "butt kicker" and that the state has abandoned maintaining the back country trail, so we pressed on. Thank GOD I brought my trekking poles, and there was one place through the redwoods where my husband had to boost my pack up so I could make it up a heavily eroded part of the trail that had exposed tree roots from where the rain washed out the dirt all around it. After we got passed the shade line, the flora changed from redwoods and lupines to maritime chaparral with no trees shading the trail. At least I had a hat!
There is a reason the trail connecting Rocky Ridge and Soberanes is closed! Mostly, it is because there has been zero maintenance done, and it is heavily heavily eroded. Lots of loose rock, and a fine silt of sandstone over harder sandstone which is then very very slippery. We basically had to make baby steps through most of the climb to avoid slipping backwards. There were several wide hard exposed faces with deeper caverns washed out where the steps used to be. We struggled with this short part of the trail for about two hours, even though it was only a mile long at the most.
After reaching the summit, all bad memories of the struggle to get there evaporated. My GOD what a view! We could see all the way to the Salinas Valley behind us, the Monterey Bay and Santa Cruz mountains to the north of us, and Carmel Bay, Point Lobos, closer to us to the north and all way way down the beautiful Big Sur Coast. The view took my breath away, and I felt like I was dancing on top of the world.
Eventually we had to leave Nirvana, and head down Rocky Ridge. I'm glad we were able to walk down towards the ocean on this trail, because otherwise there isn't much to see and it would be a whole lot of punishing climbs what looked like a never ending rock. Never could I have imagined how glorious the top was going to be, and I probably would have given up. Going down Rocky Ridge was no bargain either. More slippery silt, and loose rock that would easily twist an ankle, and even my husband was having a hard time with it. Yet, we saw people trail running down the trail - they must have better balance and more experience with the trail than us because there was no WAY we could do that.
All and all, I am so grateful we were able to make the trip. Not for the faint of heart, and maybe next time we go we'll add the Peak Trail to our excursion. We'll have to leave earlier, and not stop to take so many pictures.
-------------------
Trail highlights
While climbing up the connecting trail, we saw a deer acting as sentinel looking down the canyon. She was only there for a moment, saw all of the hikers and then disappeared back into the chaparral.
Lots and lots of turkey vultures, and we thought we may have seen a baby condor because it had white underneath the shoulders but it was way way too small to be an adult condor.
Red tailed hawks circling the redwoods. We could only see them from above looking back at Soberanes Canyon.
Hearing sea lions below while on the top of Rocky Ridge.
The bench overlooking the ocean on Rockey Ridge trail. you have to climb over a rock formation to get to it, and keep from tossing anything down the front of it by accident.
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