Haven't been out much lately, but some 5 years ago while doing a survey trip around the Big Pines Trail and Carmel River we saw a lot of what looked like bear scat to me. Some thought I was crazy, maybe not so much.

Date Hiked: September 20, 2017 General Condition: Difficult (brushy and/or many deadfalls, faint tread) We took a peek at the South Fork trail, after having spent the night at Strawberry camp and before heading to Willow Spring. DSCN1143.JPG DSCN1144.JPG DSCN1145.JPG This trail had recently seen ha...

Date Hiked: September 20, 2017 General Condition: Passable (some brush and/or deadfalls, tread evident) We began hiking from Strawberry Valley, en route from the Black Cone trail, while performing a survey for the USFS in the Soberanes Burn area. As noted in other trail reports, the herbaceous plan...

Date Hiked: September 19, 2017 General Condition: Passable (some brush and/or deadfalls, tread evident) I recently hiked the infamous Black Cone trail as part of a survey of trails within last year's Soberanes Burn area for the USFS. (I have hiked this trail in 2013 and also 2014, both being some o...

Date Hiked: September 18, 2017 General Condition: Passable (some brush and/or deadfalls, tread evident) We started at the upper end of the trail at Tassajarra Road/China Camp. We were out on a Trail Survey for the USFS of the Soberanes Burn Area. The trail has been well maintained recently and asid...

Date Hiked: August 25, 2017 General Condition: Passable (some brush and/or deadfalls, tread evident) Section: Hiding Canyon Camp to the Los Padres Dam This trail is a magnificent experience, I really enjoy this area of the Ventana, I especially like all of the alders. This was the final leg of our ...

Date Hiked: August 24, 2017 General Condition: Difficult (brushy and/or many deadfalls, faint tread) Roundrock Camp is one of the more remote feeling camps that I've visited in the Ventana Wilderness. It's in a cul-de-sac of its own and takes a special effort to get to. Continuing our Soberanes Bur...

Date Hiked: August 24, 2017 General Condition: Passable (some brush and/or deadfalls, tread evident) Section: Hiding Canyon Camp to Pine Valley via Hiding Canyon Continuing our Soberanes Burn Area survey hike, we traveled from Hiding Canyon Camp to Pine Valley. This trail traverses the the steep ri...

Date Hiked: August 23, 2017 General Condition: Difficult (brushy and/or many deadfalls, faint tread) Puerto Suelo has been, and may always be, a rugged hike. We approached from the VDC at the top (the preferable direction to hike a trail like this) and began by searching for the tread, well, after ...

Date Hiked: September 23, 2017 General Condition: Passable (some brush and/or deadfalls, tread evident) Section: From Little Pines to the Puerto Suelo trail junction We reached the Ventana Double Cone (VDC) trail hiking up from Rattlesnake camp, having attempted to survey the historic Rattlesnake t...