Pine Ridge Trail

[Betsy M]

Date Hiked: March 18, 2023
General Condition: Wilderness Freeway (Heavily used and/or well maintained)

VWA trail crew volunteers cleared the two complex trees that were obstructing the trail, and sketched in a route above the slide, so it is possible to get by if you are super careful. This section remains closed to the public, and this slide section is due to get a full reconstruction, cutting the bench far back into the hillside. Additionally, the State Parks section of the Pine Ridge Trail remains closed.

[VWA Admin]

Date Hiked: March 10, 2023
General Condition: Impassable (completely overgrown or tread obliterated)

Please note that the entirety of the Pine Ridge Trail is NOT impassable. However, the section of the PRT between the cutoff down to Ventana Camp and the junction with the Terrace Creek Trail remains closed (by forest order) due to a slip out. Repairs are planned but it is too soon to determine when the Forest Service will reopen this section. Until then, a workaround would involve the use of the North Coast Ridge Road (NCRR) and the Terrace Creek Trail to access camps east of Terrace Creek. Another option is to take the NCRR to the Big Sur Trail at Cold Spring to connect to the eastern PRT. See this link for forest closure order updates:

https://www.fs.usda.gov/lpnf

Note: the 1.7 mile section of the Pine Ridge Trail located in Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park is closed due to road work to repair a slip out on the road in the campground and pending State Parks' survey of the trail.

[VWA_Ranger]

Date Hiked: January 25, 2023
General Condition: Impassable (completely overgrown or tread obliterated)

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

Description:

VWA/USFS Volunteer Rangers, USFS Forest Service and other agencies continue to patrol the Monterey Ranger District Road and Trails Systems for damage after the recent storms. The below report indicates the Pine Ridge Trail is impassable. Here are a couple of pictures of the impassable section, which is being evaluated for safety and a possible solution to the problem. Be patient and plan accordingly as sections of the LPNF open up to the general public again.

The goal here is to keep the public informed of potential hazards. If you want to help with potential projects with the VWA/USFS be sure to sign up with their Meet Up Group to be notified of future outings.

[crockettonearth]

Date Hiked: January 25, 2023
General Condition: Impassable (completely overgrown or tread obliterated)

I did not hike this trail, but two fellow Wilderness Rangers did, and they encountered a 20-foot section of trail halfway between the Ventana Camp junction and Terrace Creek Camp that had collapsed 80–100 feet, with no safe workaround (except possibly well above). An adjoining 30 feet of trail is on the verge of failing similarly

It sounds like you are saying the trail collapsed around these coordinates 36.24959, -121.73736

https://www.gaiagps.com/map/?loc=13.8/- ... 1cf61201da

Do you know if they took photos of the damage?

Also, what can the volunteer community do to help reroute or repair this segment of the trail?

[annevoi]

Date Hiked: January 25, 2023
General Condition: Impassable (completely overgrown or tread obliterated)

I did not hike this trail, but two fellow Wilderness Rangers did, and they encountered a 20-foot section of trail halfway between the Ventana Camp junction and Terrace Creek Camp that had collapsed 80–100 feet, with no safe workaround (except possibly well above). An adjoining 30 feet of trail is on the verge of failing similarly. Currently, access to Sykes Camp seems to be clear only via Terrace Creek Trail off the North Coast Ridge Road. And then, care must be taken crossing the river at Barlow Camp. Do not try to cross when the river is running high!

[LoJo100]

Date Hiked: August 8, 2022
General Condition: Wilderness Freeway (Heavily used and/or well maintained)

We hiked this trail 8/7/22 - 8/9/22 and stayed at Terrace Creek Camp. This trail is absolutely wonderful. The crew did such a great job getting it back online, and I'm so appreciative.

We did hike about half way down to Ventana Camp before deciding to stay at Terrace Creek. The redwoods were calling me! The trail to Ventana Creek is more overgrown, but there were two people who showed up with big clippers and said they were going to be doing some clean up work, so my guess is that it may be a bit better now.

Terrace Creek is a great little campground, and was perfect for a two night home base. The creek is flowing very well. If you're headed to Sykes, but want a night break before continuing on, this spot can be a nice in between.

Overall, we were thrilled with our time on Pine Ridge Trail and look forward to visiting again!

[Guest]

Date Hiked: May 29, 2022
General Condition: Clear (no obstacles and tread well defined)

Hiked on the Pine Ridge Trail from China Camp out to Pine Valley / Pine Falls, looping back through Church Creek Valley and back up Church Ranch Road on Sunday, May 29th. Conditions were perfect and caught the last of the lupine bloom on Pine Ridge and a spectacular bloom in Pine Valley. Church Creek initially is a little rough but clears up once you get down into the valley. Views from Church Ranch Road are surprisingly awesome too. Water in both creeks. Tassajara Road good up until China Camp, unsure after.

Full write-up and photos here: https://medium.com/@david-w-yocom/pine- ... cf57cd2bed

[crockettonearth]

Date Hiked: May 28, 2022
General Condition: Clear (no obstacles and tread well defined)

TLDR: Overall this trail is in good condition. Wear long sleeves to protect skin from poison oak. Bring Garden clippers to help cut vegetation that is growing across the trail. There is water every 5 miles on the trail at the time of this writing.


I hiked the Pine Ridge Trail 3E06 from Big Sur TrailHead to Pine Ridge Camp

1. The conditions of this trail are good overall. It is clear that a lot of work went into brushing every mile of this trial. I only encountered 1 section of bad deadfall which I cut away with a hand saw and removed from blocking the trail.


2. There is water every 3-5 miles along this trail. Between Pine Ridge Trail Head and Pine Ridge camp. The following creeks have water flowing currently, Bad Gulch, Terrace Creek, Big Sur River, Redwood Creek, and pine ride spring. There is also potable water at the Big Sur Trailhead and the campsites in the state park campground you hike through as you are approaching the wilderness heading east on Pine Ridge trail.

3. Poison oak growth along the trail is moderate.
From Sykes to Redwood camp the trail is moderately overgrown with grass and vegetation.

4. Bugs are minor but present near water and at camps. Flies are worse than mosquitoes.

5. We kept random stuff covered in the car parked at Big Sur Trail Head for three days and did not experience any theft or vandalism. The parking lot at Big Sur TH was full at 8:07 AM Saturday morning 05/28/2022. Do not expect to get a parking spot in this lot if you travel to this area on a busy summer weekend. You may need to park on the side of the road and hike to the trailhead from there adding up to a mile to your trip.

6. Most of the trash and toilet paper I picked up was in the first 4 miles of this trail.

A mapped-based talk-through of this trip report is here --> [youtube]https://youtu.be/zrwLf_bWGJM[/youtube] or here --> https://youtu.be/zrwLf_bWGJM

[Betsy M]

Date Hiked: May 10, 2022
General Condition: Wilderness Freeway (Heavily used and well maintained)

The Forest Service funded an ACE trail crew to perform work on the Pine Ridge Trail. After 3 years and numerous trips - starting from Terrace Creek Camp working up to Pine Ridge Camp, and this spring from Divide Camp towards Pine Ridge Camp - the trail is clear. VWA volunteers have worked the sections from the State Park boundary to Terrace Creek Camp, and from China Camp to Divide Camp. Remaining: about 1,000 feet of moderately brushy section before you reach the Black Cone Trail junction, and a half mile beyond the Black Cone Trail junction to Pine Ridge Camp.

Section: China Camp to Church Creek Divide - Wilderness Freeway
Thank you to the many VWA volunteers for your help with this 3.6-mile section. Plus the Gabilan Conservation Camp for the first .6 miles out of China Camp.

Section: Church Creek Divide to Divide Camp - Wilderness Freeway
Again, VWA volunteers brushed and treaded this section. Plus ACE corpsmembers improved the tread.
Note: there is water in the tiny creek just before you reach Divide Camp. There is water on the trail above Divide Camp where it crosses a patch of Woodwardia ferns. But no water at Divide Camp itself. There is also good water a half mile beyond Divide Camp and at the next small creek after that.

Section: Divide Camp to the Bear Basin Connector - Wilderness Freeway
VWA volunteers cleared 74 trees from the trail between Church Creek Divide and Pine Ridge Camp. At the time of this report the trail remains clear of fallen trees.

Section: Bear Basin Connector to the Black Cone Trail junction - Wilderness Freeway
Except for about 1,000 feet where the brush is moderate.

Section: Black Cone Trail junction to the Pine Ridge Camp Trail - Clear
Pine Ridge Camp has been brushed out and there are numerous bedsites. Not too much of a view, however. There is still a wall of brush blocking most of the view.

Section: Pine Ridge Camp Trail to Redwood Camp - Wilderness Freeway (hiked in January, 2022)

[KatherineF]

Date Hiked: April 18, 2022
General Condition: Wilderness Freeway (Heavily used and well maintained)

We hiked the Pine Ridge Trail to the Church Creek divide and continued on the Carmel River Trail to Pine Valley. The entirety of that section of the Pine Ridge Trail from China Camp to the Divide is a wilderness Freeway. The VWA volunteers have done an amazing job making this trail a joy to hike. There is no encroaching brush or deadfall obstructing this trail whatsoever. Thank you Volunteers!