Three shorties in California - Oct. 13-17, 2014

This forum is used to share your experiences out on the trails.
Post Reply
User avatar
Bosterson
Posts: 2317
Joined: May 18th, 2009, 3:17 pm
Location: Portland

Three shorties in California - Oct. 13-17, 2014

Post by Bosterson » October 29th, 2014, 1:40 pm

For those who want to travel vicariously, here are three short hikes in California from a vacation earlier this month.

Maple Falls - Forest of Nisene Marks State Park

I grew up hiking through the redwood forests here. A fire road that's popular with mountain bikers runs straight through the park and up an incline to a viewpoint, with small trails weaving off to the side in either direction. Logging was big 100 years ago, and there are plenty of remnants scattered through the forest.

http://www.advocatesfnm.org/photos/history2.jpg
Photo: http://www.advocatesfnm.org/history.html

Image
From my last trip in 2012

Nisene is also notable as the epicenter of the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake that collapsed a section of the Bay Bridge in San Francisco.

Image
From my last trip in 2012

Image
Photo: http://earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/ ... _10_18.php

This trip we didn't have time to do a long hike, so we did a short 5 mi out and back to Maple Falls. EG was around 500 ft - the area is pretty flat, and even if you go to the viewpoint at the top of the incline, it's not much more than 1000 ft. Some of the trails are very wide, with a nice cushion of needles.

Image

Remnants of old railroad ties from the small trains used to transport cut lumber in the logging days.

Image

Big trees abound.

Image

Image

Walking across some large trees that made a railroad bridge back in the day.

Image

(This is to the left of where I was standing)

Image
Photo: http://santacruzareaproperties.wordpres ... alls-hike/

Maple Falls is a trickle in summer, and tiny by NW waterfall standards.

Image
I did not walk out on the log, despite the temptation...


Rocky Ridge, Sobranes Canyon, Garrapata State Park

Just south of Carmel on the way down to Big Sur, I used to do this hike in high school. Parking is free on the side of Highway 1. There is a loop up the ridge and back down the canyon (7 mi?), but we wanted to save time to explore some of Big Sur (lots of photo ops!), so we only went up the ridge to the viewing bench and back. It's short - maybe 3.5 mi, but steep - 1200 ft or so. Can't beat the view.

Image

Image

Image

Image

Image


Bishop's Peak, San Luis Obispo

Bishop's Peak is the tallest and most popular of the Nine Sisters, a chain of small volcanic cones on the central coast. The hike is around 4 mi round trip, with 1000 ft of EG.

Image

Image

I love California oaks...

Image

Image

Image

Looking NW towards the ocean.

Image

Bonus

Avila Beach

Image

Pit stop on the drive back north.

Image
#pnw #bestlife #bitingflies #favoriteyellowcap #neverdispleased

User avatar
adamschneider
Posts: 3710
Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:02 pm
Location: SE Portland
Contact:

Re: Three shorties in California - Oct. 13-17, 2014

Post by adamschneider » October 29th, 2014, 1:45 pm

I did Rocky Ridge (and Soberanes Canyon) in the early part of wildflower season this past spring. I went up the canyon and then down the ridge: http://adamschneider.net/photos/2014-04-bs/

User avatar
weathercrazy
Posts: 1478
Joined: May 28th, 2008, 10:03 pm
Location: Battle Ground, Washington
Contact:

Re: Three shorties in California - Oct. 13-17, 2014

Post by weathercrazy » October 29th, 2014, 4:17 pm

I love that shot overlooking the ocean. Though that trail looks like one to avoid when it's too hot!

Post Reply