Pine Ridge Trail to Sykes Hot Springs

In California where the Santa Lucia Mountains Rise from the Pacific Ocean, there is Big Sur. It's peak is the highest coastal mountain in the lower 48 states. It ascends nearly a mile above sea level within three miles of the ocean. With the many Micro-Climates in the area, it offers several different variables to experience. It's no wonder this destination is a favorite for hikers and backpackers alike.  Even the great writer, Jack Kerouac retreated to a cabin in Big Sur in search of solitude from fame and wrote a book about his fictional alter-ego Jack Duluoz in 1963 which included a poem about the sounds of Big Sur.

Although we would not be in view of this beautiful coast, this trek would take us high up into the Ventana Wilderness of the Los Padres National Forrest in the San Lucia Mountains, where the vista views are sure to take the very breath you're trying to catch right back out of your mouth. We would be hiking to the head of Big Sur River, which runs roughly 15 miles through the forest and eventually drops out as a waterfall into the Pacific Ocean known as the Pfeiffer Falls. This trek is rated extreme, but who pays attention to that anyway?

John and I at the Trailhead

This would be a special trek for a couple reasons. First, it's Big Sur, my favorite place to backpack thus far. Second, I would be hiking with one of my best friends, whom I don't get to see that often, my Brother In Law, John. This is his very first introduction to backpacking, so I'm honored that he chose to go with me. And my comrade Shaun, who moved back to Sacramento and I hadn't seen since before winter would be joining us.

After a three hour drive west we pulled into the Ranger Station to collect our permit to burn our stoves. Then headed to the trailhead to park and fill out our camping and car information. I asked a girl in the car parking lot who had just pulled in if she had a pen I could borrow, and she found me one to use while she went to get her permit. When she returned I told her that I added the two of them to our group so she wouldn't have to get a burn permit from the Ranger Station. She said thanks and we headed down the Pine Ridge Trail on or way to the Sykes Hot Springs! 

Stopping along the trail to catch our breath and take pictures of each other and the views from the ledge as we climbed. The wildflowers were in full bloom and little lizards were keeping us on our toes as the darted out in front of us while we anticipated a rattlesnake encounter. We were in "full push," as John called it, heading up to the Redwoods!

In the early morning, the first person on the trail has to, "break the webs." There are a couple ways you can do this.  You can hold your hands in a, "stick em up," position in front of your face and allow the webs to collect on your hands and arms, wiping them off between bushes. This can become hard when your arms start to burn, but sometimes it's necessary to take your mind off of your legs burning when climbing a terrain.
A simpler way though is to use a thin medium length stick, hold up in front of your face, chest and arms with your wrist relaxed at your waist. The webs collect on the stick. Once you're done breaking, toss the stick.

During our hike the three of us pretty much stuck together for the first few hours, stopping to take water breaks and pictures of each other in front of the vista's before continuing on the push. To keep our mind off of the climb we talked about our philosophies for backpacking. My concept for backpacking light so I can enjoy the actual hiking part of the experience. And Shaun mentioned being able to push yourself despite being outside of your threshold for comfort. Which I totally agree with. We all have to experience this while backpacking, otherwise everybody would do it...

John on one of the many vista's.

Before the hike, I gave my brother the spill about trying to keep his backpack as light as possible and offered him my extra packs as a starter so he would already be packing light. But he informed me that he already had everything, and not to worry. 
The day before the hike, I mentioned getting a couple of canned beers. One for each night, and he said he was going to get canned stew too. I warned him against it, as ounces turn to pounds so every ounce counts! Canned stew would be too heavy for the trail, in my opinion. But as all men do, he did it his way.
On the trail, while struggling to get to the start of the wilderness, I asked him how much his pack weighed. And he replied about 40 or more pounds. And that he had those two BOTTLES of beer, and that stew!  My brother did what all beginning backpacker do, he over-packed! 40 lbs may not seem like a lot, until you are hiking uphill on a ledge, in the wilderness, with another eight miles to go! That's when your 40 pound pack feels like 60 and you want to give up before you even get started!  But I give him this, despite his bag weighing more than both mine and Shaun's put together, and hiking an extreme trail, he didn't complain, not even once! And he did his best to keep up with us. I bet those beers were the best tasting beers ever! 

Shaun at the start of the Wilderness.

We stopped at Ventana Camp for lunch and decided that we would not push on for Sykes until morning, but instead hike a couple miles more to Barlow Flat Camp and spend the night there. After a little exploring and lunch at Ventana Camp we pulled back on our backpacks and started hiking again. This time we hiked separately, giving each other time to do what you do on the trail, reflect. And watch for snakes!

John's camp. His bag is not even empty!

Once we arrived in camp, we scoped out our places and started setting up right away. We found a camp right before Barlow Flat Camp that was secluded and had it's own private swimming pool with small trout swimming around. Once we set up our camps, I went off to do some exploring. When I returned the girls from the trailhead had arrived, and as it turned out, they were really going to say in our camp with us. I helped Alana set up their tent in my spot then relocated my tent to a new and even better location. This is the first time that I have made trail friends! And since these chicks are super cool. It was pretty awesome! 

My camp in contrast to John's.  No really, this is it.

We all cooked our meals, talked and joked about our hike to camp. We talked about the things we saw and new things that we had added to our packs this year. I had purchased a new cup and stove set from Target for $15.oo for solo treks. And while I'm super stoked about finding quality items at outstanding prices in today's market, I'm worried about Target carrying backpacking supplies in general. They are such a mainstream store, it makes me wonder, is backpacking somehow in demand now? Shaun had a few additions to his backpack as well, in fact his backpack was new!
John had brought along a constellation map downloaded on his phone. (Always take your phone folks, it's a GPS!) And from where we were positioned, we would be able to climb to the top of the ridge and see the Peacock. We were both excited for the stars to shine that night because we both have went to the Dark Side of the Moon Star Show, and were well aware of what we would be looking for above us. Unfortunately when the sun dropped and the stars shined the Peacock was nowhere to be found. But we did get to see the Lion and the Bear (with a tail) from our position, which was really cool.

Our trail friends, Alana and Toni. Good times.

The next morning during breakfast we decided to hike back to Ventana Camp later that afternoon so we could be back to the car in time to drive home and catch my flight at four. I'll never do this again. I'll always leave the following day from here on out! It was just way to stressful. But John had the force and Shaun was right, we made it to the airport with time to spare. 
After breakfast and coffee, I packed my day bag and walked around camp to see if anybody was still up to complete this mission to Sykes Hot Springs before having to pack up and hike back to Ventana Camp for the night. I refused to give  up on making it to the hot springs. But everybody else decided to stay back and hang around camp. So I pushed off once again on this mission to the Sykes Hot Springs, only now I was alone on it.

Once at the top of the ridge, I could see why we were encouraged to continue on from Ventana Camp to Barlow Flat. The trail swiftly drops down to the base of huge redwood trees, and swimming pools from the Big Sur River. I took a few pictures and pushed on to reach Sykes Hot Springs.  With the trail rising and dropping as it did up to Barlow, I packed a full bottle of water, a candy bar, a sweater and headlamp in case I didn't make it back before dark. Hiking along I stopped to take breaks and pictures of weird holes in the trees, and refilled my water at a natural spring. Then preceded to scare the crap out of myself for a good ten minutes because I thought I was being stocked by a Mountain Lion. It turned out to be my Altoids making walking sounds in the bushes behind me that stopped every time I stopped and spun around to see what was going to eat me! The tricks your mind will play on you! Dang.

Big Sur River Head

 Finally, the trail dropped down one last time to the head of Big Sur River. I stood across from the best camp in the house by far! Across the river pool was a sandy beach with a tent on it. They were so lucky to have that camp! I took several pictures then moved on to try and find the trail again. I crossed the river and found more camp sights but not a trail to follow. I spotted a girl down at the end of the camps, so I walked down to her camp and asked her where the hot springs were. She pointed and stated that I needed to follow the river for about 15 minutes then the rocks to the hot springs. I said thanks, and then jumped in the river to walk down it to the hot springs, crisscrossing from one side to the other taking pictures and dunking my head to cool off. I turned a bend and spotted a guy that I had talked to at Ventana Camp during lunch the previous day. I walked toward him and saw that he was happy to see me, so I entered his camp, "I'm shocked at how few people are down here!" I said as I approached him. He said, "most people give up at Barlow. Where're your friends?" I swiftly replied, "they gave up at Barlow." We laughed. I asked him if he knew where the springs were since there wasn't a trail. And he pointed and said follow those rocks. I saw the rocks that he and the girl at camp had mentioned and started off to them when I heard him say, "Enjoy!" I spun around, waved to him and said, "Damn straight!"

 Hopping around like an old ball player, taking pictures of the stacked rocks and sometimes flat out inspecting some of them in amazement as to how they were standing. I slowly continued to move along down the river in search of the hot springs that I had come so far for.

The guide

I started to smell the hot springs before I saw them so I knew I was getting close. In fact I didn't actually walk to them, I more or less just stumbled upon them from above. And to my delight, they were empty! "Don't mind if I do," I said to myself and slid down the hill onto a rock
beside the spring and stripped down to my skivvies and climbed in! The temperature was perfect, not too hot. And the smell wasn't as bad as I anticipated it being. They we pretty much perfect! As beautiful as the rest of the wilderness that I had experienced. I was happy to be sitting there, relaxing in the Sykes Hot Spring, finally! I stayed in the bath for a good 10 to 15 minutes before getting back out and jumping back in the river and swimming around for a good 10 minutes. Then I climbed back out and put my clothes back on and started my push back to Barlow Flat and pack back to Ventana. In total I hike nine miles that day, seven of them completely alone and two of them with my 20 pound pack on. For it I received one blister. But it was totally worth the miles and fear of hiking alone that I have. And in the end, I felt more comfortable trusting that I was capable of taking care of myself without anybody else being around.

My camera died just after I took this last picture of myself in the spring. It's not a very good picture, but I can see how content and proud of myself that I am, having accomplished what I had set out to do. For this it is one of my favorite "selfies" taken.
   

The biggest rewards in life are the ones you work for.

                        NEVER GIVE UP!