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!
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Diamond in the Rough: Santa Barbara Potrero
d/b/a Station to Station No. 5: Sierra Madre Guard Station CCC Boys at Santa Barbara Potrero, 1938 (more on Company 2925-C later). And yes, the enamel sign reads “Santa Barbara Potrero Camp.” In the summer of 2011, the RSO endeavored to walk and reconnoiter the Sierra Madre Road and a number of its curiosities from…
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Lion Canyon Trail Project
National Trails Day on the Ojai District It’s summertime! That of course means the miles are few for me and the uber-hund, but that hasn’t kept us from the Los Padres. Lately we’ve been getting our volunteer on! Early last month, the Ojai Ranger District of the Los Padres NF celebrated National Trails Day with…
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Fox Canyon Part I: Labor and Legacy
Regular readers of this obscure little Los Padres blog may recall the exploratory-cum-trail recon in which the RSO, DAW-G, and I took part last New Year’s Eve. It was a little endeavor we dubbed Project Meriadoc, and it was a supremely satisfying day of bloodletting, brush-busting, and — naturally — a few pints. At the…
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Divide Peak
On Memorial Weekend 2013, the RSO and Perry in the Morning and I opted for a less-lazy-than-average Sunday stroll. Some traditions come and go or are met with exceptions, but for the past few years I’ve managed some pretty good treks on this weekend (usually with both the RSO and DAW-G and the uber-hund). This…
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Alder Creek Worktrip
A Cut Above In late April of this year, I received an email from the Ojai RD that a small crew was being assembled to slay some downed trees along the Alder Creek Trail in the Sespe Wilderness. It was admittedly a long-shot for most of the prospective volunteers … a three-day mid-week sojourn via…
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Diamond in the Rough: Agua Escondido
Hidden Water, Hidden Camp In something of a segue for me, a few weeks ago I found myself along a contested stretch of San Luis Obispo County road in Huasna Valley. That’s right, the Santa Lucia RD, wherein I spend very little time. There are two abandoned USFS campgrounds along this route, one of which…