Ventana Wilderness Forums

Date Hiked: February 16, 2021
General Condition: Passable (some brush and/or deadfalls, tread evident)

*** VWA/USFS Volunteer Ranger/Trail Crew Report ***

Forest/Trail Status: PARTIALLY OPEN, Los Padres Monterey Ranger District is partially open per Forest Order 05-07-51-21-02
Current Fire Restrictions: Campfires and Stoves are permitted in the backcountry with a valid Campfire/Stove Permit.

Description:

The Monterey Ranger District Forest has partially reopened, VWA/USFS Volunteer Rangers continue to prepare opening other parts of the closed forest and are continuing their regular patrols. This weekend volunteer Rangers and Ranger Trainees patrolled from Highway 1 to Estrella Camp. They cleaned Spruce and Estrella Camps. Removed inappropriate fire rings and trash. They put out an unattended fire left by carless campers. They talked to over 100 individuals, removed 6 trees that had fallen across the trail since the last storm. Water is available at both camps.

Trail conditions are as follows:

Highway 1 to Spruce Creek Jct. - Passable, the trail is for the most part clear, but there are still some downed trees to negotiate.

Spruce Creek Jct. to Spruce Camp - Passable. There is one 4 foot diameter tree across the trail just before the camp.

Spruce Camp to Estrella Camp - Passable. The trail is clear, but there are a few trees that one needs to negotiate.

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DISCLAIMER: This report is for informational purposes only. Trail conditions may change at any time. The Ventana Wilderness Alliance assumes no liability for the use of this information.
The Los Padres National Forest Website can be found here: https://www.fs.usda.gov/lpnf/
To learn more about the Volunteer VWA/USFS Ranger and Trail Crew Programs visit https://www.ventanawild.org/stewardship.

Date Hiked: February 14, 2021
General Condition: Wilderness Freeway (Heavily used and well maintained)

Smooth sailing all the way from the highway to the ridge road. Beautiful trail!

Date Hiked: December 24, 2020
General Condition: Clear (no obstacles and tread well defined)

*** VWA/USFS Volunteer Ranger/Trail Crew Report ***

Forest/Trail Status: CLOSED, Los Padres Monterey Ranger District is closed per Forest Order 05-07-51-20-22
Current Fire Restrictions: No Campfires, No Stoves in backcountry. Cold Camping Only.

Description:

With the Monterey Ranger District Forest still closed, VWA/USFS Volunteer Rangers continue to prepare for its reopening. Today volunteer Rangers were rebuilding drains near the lower section of trail. This will help keep the trail drier after winter rains.

Trail conditions are as follows:

Highway 1 to Spruce Creek Jct. - Clear with no obstacles



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DISCLAIMER: This report is for informational purposes only. Trail conditions may change at any time. The Ventana Wilderness Alliance assumes no liability for the use of this information.
The Los Padres National Forest Website can be found here: https://www.fs.usda.gov/lpnf/
To learn more about the Volunteer VWA/USFS Ranger and Trail Crew Programs visit https://www.ventanawild.org/stewardship.

Date Hiked: December 3, 2020
General Condition: Clear (no obstacles and tread well defined)

*** VWA/USFS Volunteer Ranger/Trail Crew Report ***

Forest/Trail Status: CLOSED, Los Padres Monterey Ranger District is closed per Forest Order 05-07-51-20-22
Current Fire Restrictions: No Campfires, No Stoves in backcountry. Cold Camping Only.

Description:

With the Monterey Ranger District Forest still closed, VWA/USFS Volunteer Rangers continue to prepare for its reopening. Today volunteer Rangers patrolled from Highway 1 to Spruce Camp. They cleaned Spruce Camp and removed a snag just past the top of the switchback entering the canyon. Water is available at Spruce Camp. The Creek is easily crossable at this time.

Trail conditions are as follows:

Highway 1 to Spruce Creek Jct. - Clear with no obstacles

Spruce Creek Jct. to Spruce Camp - Clear with encroaching brush.

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DISCLAIMER: This report is for informational purposes only. Trail conditions may change at any time. The Ventana Wilderness Alliance assumes no liability for the use of this information.
The Los Padres National Forest Website can be found here: https://www.fs.usda.gov/lpnf/
To learn more about the Volunteer VWA/USFS Ranger and Trail Crew Programs visit https://www.ventanawild.org/stewardship.

Date Hiked: November 12, 2020
General Condition: Clear (no obstacles and tread well defined)

*** VWA/USFS Volunteer Ranger/Trail Crew Report ***

Forest/Trail Status: CLOSED, Los Padres Monterey Ranger District is closed per Forest Order 05-07-51-20-22
Current Fire Restrictions: No Campfires, No Stoves in backcountry. Cold Camping Only.

Description:

With the Monterey Ranger District Forest still closed, VWA/USFS Volunteer Rangers continue to prepare for its reopening. Today volunteer Rangers worked around the Salmon Creek Falls area cleaning up trash, removing graffiti from the trailhead sign and upgrading a sign helping people find the Falls. They talked to many individuals who were glad to see them out on the trail keeping an eye on things.
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DISCLAIMER: This report is for informational purposes only. Trail conditions may change at any time. The Ventana Wilderness Alliance assumes no liability for the use of this information.
The Los Padres National Forest Website can be found here: https://www.fs.usda.gov/lpnf/
To learn more about the Volunteer VWA/USFS Ranger and Trail Crew Programs visit https://www.ventanawild.org/stewardship.

Date Hiked: October 12, 2020
General Condition: Clear (no obstacles and tread well defined)

With the Monterey District being closed. Volunteer VWA/USFS Rangers spent two days cleaning up around the Falls Area. We took out over 25lbs. of trash that had been needlessly tossed around the falls. Removed lots of graffiti and took out an old water pipe that used to service the Ranger Station.

We talked to several groups about the forest closure. They understood the reason and went on their travels.

On an earlier trip one VWA/USFS Ranger removed a huge bay tree that had fallen across the trail at the very beginning.

As always do your part to help keep things nice. Take out all your belongings and trash. Leave a place nicer than you found it.

Unfortunately, the MRD remains closed for now until the Dolan Fire is declared out. Hope it rains soon.

Have a great day.

Date Hiked: June 21, 2020
General Condition: Clear (no obstacles and tread well defined)

Section: Hiked from Salmon Creek Trailhead on Highway 1 to Lion Den Campground

Great trail conditions. Lots of people leaving from camping overnight on Saturday. No one at Lion Den Campground.

Large water source (flowing river) at estrella camp.

Small, but flowing water source at Lion Den Campground. Good for refilling water and water needed for dinner.

Date Hiked: June 21, 2020
General Condition: Wilderness Freeway (Heavily used and well maintained)

Section: Trailhead at Highway 1 to Spruce Creek Camp
The good news: trail is in excellent shape.
The bad news: trail was EXTREMELY CROWDED and Camps (Spruce and Estrella) were CRAZY OVERLOADED.
This was Sunday of Father's Day Weekend and we were doing a day hike to Dutra Flat to, among other things, inspect the Spruce Creek/San Carpoforo Trail regarding the reported damage in the Spruce Creek drainage. We encountered about 60 people who were either backpacking out (and who reported having stayed at Spruce or Estrella Camps) or were still camped at Spruce Creek Camp. Among the 10 or so remaining campers at Spruce Creek Camp when we got there was a group of 4 who gave me a deja vu of Sykes Camp: they had at least one ginormous tent and tons of gear and a very big cooler that they'd obviously hauled up there.

Date Hiked: June 18, 2020
General Condition: Clear (no obstacles and tread well defined)

A VWA/USFS Volunteer Ranger Patrolled this trail from South Coast Ridge Road to Highway 1. The trail is for the most part clear all the way with encroaching brush. There are a few loose sections above Estrella Camp. The slide above Spruce Camp is still passable as well.

Date Hiked: March 8, 2020
General Condition: Wilderness Freeway (Heavily used and well maintained)

I cleared most of the mess below Estrella Camp. Six trees came down across the trail from a landslide above. I was able to remove all the small stuff and clear the tread so you can walk upright on the trail.

Before:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/kD6eeJ49vCrJkRpu8

After:
https://photos.app.goo.gl/f2LhhDU3x9nGr6qA8

Saw some young people interested in volunteer trail work. Check https://www.meetup.com/Ventana-Wilderne ... ce-Meetup/ for opportunities.