Everybody has a place in our public lands.
It doesn’t matter if you’re steeped in the 805 backcountry or have never stepped foot on a dirt path in your life — we’ll discuss destinations, gear, local lore, flora, fauna, skills, etiquette, ethics, and volunteerism … and get out there!
Pick a post and head down the rabbit hole with me!
-
The Hunt for 26W03
“Climbing Up on Salisbury Hill …” Some time ago, the idea of exploring the old Salisbury Trail — last seen fading into obscurity on the 1988 quadrangles — was bandied about by a small crew of USFS volunteer wilderness rangers. Lead dog among these proceedings was Mark Subbotin, who in recent years has really led…
-
Old School Signage: Topatopa Lodge
In the wake of the Day Fire back in 2006, intrepid VWR Kim Coakley set out for a bit of recon in the upper drainage of Santa Paula Canyon’s Last Chance fork. Lo and behold: It seems that in the time between October 2006 and my visit to Topatopa Lodge four years later (see my…
-
Sheep Reunion
While the crybabies in Washington pouted, we went a’walkin A few months back my fellow wanderer of the backwood Bo — whom I met in Boy Scouts — and I hit upon the idea of organizing a reunion backpacking trip for all the old hats from our days as rowdy young Scouts. Naturally, we (I?)…
-
Sierra Club “Releases the Hounds!”
It’s no secret I hike with dogs, and the most recent issue of the Sierra Club’s Condor Call carries a piece I wrote for the Condor Trail-centric “Soaring the Los Padres” column discussing hiking and backpacking with dogs. You can view the entire issue here, but below I’m also sharing the content for those interested.…
-
Station to Station No. 6: Thorn Meadow Guard Station
Sometimes, I wish this building would just get bulldozed, or finally go up in smoke. Better that than suffer the ignoble crawl toward decrepitude to which the clowns subject it. Thorn Meadow Guard Station, 1950s. Image courtesy LPNF Archives. But anyway. Thorn Meadow was built (according to official USFS literature) in 1907, earlier than those…
-
Lookout! No. 13 Santa Ynez Peak
Another of the myriad of lookout towers set atop Los Padres points in 1934 (see Cuyama Peak and Thorn Point as examples), the Santa Ynez site is now — like its long-lost bethren — dominated by communications arrays. The 30′ K-braced tower with the classic C3 cab commanded outstanding views of the Pacific and —…