Date Hiked: January 25, 2014
General Condition: Clear (no obstacles and tread well defined)
Hiked from Bottchers Gap to Pat Springs. The Trail is well marked and well defined, but I am marking this section as "clear" instead of "wilderness freeway" because there are a few sections where PO is most definitely encroaching onto the trail. With a little care it is easily avoidable this time of year while not in bloom. Pat Springs is still flowing despite the drought.
Skinner Ridge Trail
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jack_glendening
- Posts: 704
- Joined: Thu Oct 29, 2009 12:03 am
Re: Skinner Ridge Trail
Date Hiked: November 8, 2013
General Condition: Clear (no obstacles and tread well defined)
Re preceding post, water IS available at Turner Creek Camp, and at Apple Tree Camp - see http://www.ventanawild.org/forums/viewt ... 7540#p7540
Water is also available at Comings Camp - and of course at Pat Spring
General Condition: Clear (no obstacles and tread well defined)
Re preceding post, water IS available at Turner Creek Camp, and at Apple Tree Camp - see http://www.ventanawild.org/forums/viewt ... 7540#p7540
Water is also available at Comings Camp - and of course at Pat Spring
Big Sur Trailmap: https://bigsurtrailmap.net
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Wynn
Re: Skinner Ridge Trail
Date Hiked: October 12, 2013
General Condition: Clear (no obstacles and tread well defined)
Botchers Gap to Pat Springs. Water is available at Pat Springs with excellent flow. Some water also said to be available at Apple Tree Camp. No water at Turner Creek Camp, all dry. The trail is in very good condition and is not overgrown. There are several areas beyond Devil's Peak where the Ponderosa pine stands have been burned out with resulting tree falls. Though none currently block the trail.
General Condition: Clear (no obstacles and tread well defined)
Botchers Gap to Pat Springs. Water is available at Pat Springs with excellent flow. Some water also said to be available at Apple Tree Camp. No water at Turner Creek Camp, all dry. The trail is in very good condition and is not overgrown. There are several areas beyond Devil's Peak where the Ponderosa pine stands have been burned out with resulting tree falls. Though none currently block the trail.
Re: Skinner Ridge Trail
Date Hiked: April 29, 2013
General Condition: Wilderness Freeway (Heavily used and well maintained)
Section: Botcher's Gap to Pat Spring
Trail is clear and gorgeous, wildflower displays are going off with lupines, poppy, owl's clover, yerba santa, sticky monkey's and many more! Temps were up in the 80s and the flies have begun their pestering, the black ones that bite and the little annoying ones. Takes them a few minutes to find you once you stop for a rest, but when they do, it takes some zen to deal, or maybe a headnet. Saw some mozzy's too but not as bad as flies. Lots of snakes out right now, must have seen at least 3 or 4 gopher snakes, and one small rattler near Mill Creek just just before we made it back to Botcher's on the 1st. Pat Springs was our savior, the delicious water was flowing well from the spring.
Saw some ticks, good idea to check every once in a while. Not as bad as I saw on the Black Cone a couple weeks ago, where I was knocking them off constantly.
General Condition: Wilderness Freeway (Heavily used and well maintained)
Section: Botcher's Gap to Pat Spring
Trail is clear and gorgeous, wildflower displays are going off with lupines, poppy, owl's clover, yerba santa, sticky monkey's and many more! Temps were up in the 80s and the flies have begun their pestering, the black ones that bite and the little annoying ones. Takes them a few minutes to find you once you stop for a rest, but when they do, it takes some zen to deal, or maybe a headnet. Saw some mozzy's too but not as bad as flies. Lots of snakes out right now, must have seen at least 3 or 4 gopher snakes, and one small rattler near Mill Creek just just before we made it back to Botcher's on the 1st. Pat Springs was our savior, the delicious water was flowing well from the spring.
Saw some ticks, good idea to check every once in a while. Not as bad as I saw on the Black Cone a couple weeks ago, where I was knocking them off constantly.
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Carl Mounteer
- Posts: 105
- Joined: Thu Aug 28, 2008 9:51 am
Re: Skinner Ridge Trail
Date Hiked: April 23, 2013
General Condition: Wilderness Freeway (Heavily used and well maintained)
Hiking back from Pat Springs Camp, this trail was clear all the way to Bottcher's Gap.
Wildflowers are lavish and lovely.
Lots of poison oak at various parts of the trail, especially where it is shadier. Some of it is over five feet tall.
Weather was in the low to mid-80s.
The small flies that swarm your face when you stop are out, very numerous, and very aggressive. So a headnet is advised. The larger flies are still absent. Since the wildflowers are out there are many bees but you hear them more than see them.
Aside from what looked like a very small spider on my backpack that may have been a tick, I saw no ticks.
Ran into one black and very large rattlesnake about 1.5 miles from Pat Springs Camp. But I only heard him/her after I had just passed him. Then I saw his/her beautiful, venemous form slither gracefully further into the brush in which he/she was hiding, rattle raised and rattling.
There is water at Pat Springs Camp. It is running at the cistern adequately enough to fill a bottle or water bladder easily and quickly. Danish Creek, or whatever that stream is called that crosses the trail about 1/2 mile from Pat Springs Camp, is barely a trickle.
General Condition: Wilderness Freeway (Heavily used and well maintained)
Hiking back from Pat Springs Camp, this trail was clear all the way to Bottcher's Gap.
Wildflowers are lavish and lovely.
Lots of poison oak at various parts of the trail, especially where it is shadier. Some of it is over five feet tall.
Weather was in the low to mid-80s.
The small flies that swarm your face when you stop are out, very numerous, and very aggressive. So a headnet is advised. The larger flies are still absent. Since the wildflowers are out there are many bees but you hear them more than see them.
Aside from what looked like a very small spider on my backpack that may have been a tick, I saw no ticks.
Ran into one black and very large rattlesnake about 1.5 miles from Pat Springs Camp. But I only heard him/her after I had just passed him. Then I saw his/her beautiful, venemous form slither gracefully further into the brush in which he/she was hiding, rattle raised and rattling.
There is water at Pat Springs Camp. It is running at the cistern adequately enough to fill a bottle or water bladder easily and quickly. Danish Creek, or whatever that stream is called that crosses the trail about 1/2 mile from Pat Springs Camp, is barely a trickle.
Re: Skinner Ridge Trail
Date Hiked: January 19, 2013
General Condition: Wilderness Freeway (Heavily used and well maintained)
Used this trail on January 19th, 2013 from Botcher's Gap to its connection with the Ventana Trail. There were some large downed trees - about 3-5 - in the Spaghetti Camp zone - where all of the dead standing trees are. Other than that, the trail felt like a county park trail to me. Wide open and nothing to slow a traveler down. Lots of climbing and descending.
General Condition: Wilderness Freeway (Heavily used and well maintained)
Used this trail on January 19th, 2013 from Botcher's Gap to its connection with the Ventana Trail. There were some large downed trees - about 3-5 - in the Spaghetti Camp zone - where all of the dead standing trees are. Other than that, the trail felt like a county park trail to me. Wide open and nothing to slow a traveler down. Lots of climbing and descending.
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firestarter0082
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Mon Dec 31, 2012 4:28 pm
Re: Skinner Ridge Trail
Date Hiked: December 28, 2012
General Condition: Passable (some brush and/or deadfalls, tread evident)
We left on Dec 28th starting at Bottchers Gap campground along skinner ridge with our final destination being Pat Springs. If things went well we decided that Double Cone peak might be a possibility later on in the weekend. It was pretty sunny, clear skies, and the trail was "okay". Easy to follow although there were a number of downed trees and brush. Nothing you couldn't get over.
We made it to Pat Springs that night and it started snowing/sleeting throughout the entire night. Great time to be testing a new bivy/tarp
Woke up to probably about 4 inches of snow. The trek out was a bit more difficult due to the snow which at some points completely covered up the trail. As the temperature rose the snow turned to slush and the weather varied from rain, sleet, snow as we made our way out but nothing was impassible.
Needless to say we didn't make it to Double Cone Peak since we had prepared for rain but not snow. Next time! I am a bit curious as to how many mountain lions there are per square mile out there. Tons of cat prints on the way out.
General Condition: Passable (some brush and/or deadfalls, tread evident)
We left on Dec 28th starting at Bottchers Gap campground along skinner ridge with our final destination being Pat Springs. If things went well we decided that Double Cone peak might be a possibility later on in the weekend. It was pretty sunny, clear skies, and the trail was "okay". Easy to follow although there were a number of downed trees and brush. Nothing you couldn't get over.
We made it to Pat Springs that night and it started snowing/sleeting throughout the entire night. Great time to be testing a new bivy/tarp
Woke up to probably about 4 inches of snow. The trek out was a bit more difficult due to the snow which at some points completely covered up the trail. As the temperature rose the snow turned to slush and the weather varied from rain, sleet, snow as we made our way out but nothing was impassible. Needless to say we didn't make it to Double Cone Peak since we had prepared for rain but not snow. Next time! I am a bit curious as to how many mountain lions there are per square mile out there. Tons of cat prints on the way out.
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Re: Skinner Ridge Trail
Date Hiked: December 8, 2012
General Condition: Wilderness Freeway (Heavily used and well maintained)
Botcher's Gap to Turner Creek Saddle
Trail is wide open and well tread, recent trail work has made this a very pleasant stretch to hike. Mill Creek was flowing nicely and once to the ridge, we were blown away by the gorgeous vistas of Double Cone, the Window and Pico Blanco. Encountered only four other folks, not too bad for a sunny Saturday.
General Condition: Wilderness Freeway (Heavily used and well maintained)
Botcher's Gap to Turner Creek Saddle
Trail is wide open and well tread, recent trail work has made this a very pleasant stretch to hike. Mill Creek was flowing nicely and once to the ridge, we were blown away by the gorgeous vistas of Double Cone, the Window and Pico Blanco. Encountered only four other folks, not too bad for a sunny Saturday.
Re: Skinner Ridge Trail
Date Hiked: December 8, 2012
General Condition: Clear (no obstacles and tread well defined)
Skinner Ridge Trail
Twixt Botcher’s Gap
And Turner Creek Trail junction
• Trail: Wilderness Freeway
• People: 4
• Signage: Sign at Turner Creek Trail junction is informative but decrepit, on its last legs.
• Note 1: Lots of madrones and open space on ridge top trail. Trail work recently done, with some fresh cuts visible.
• Note 2: Flat spots that seem like camps but have no fire pits are present along trail.
General Condition: Clear (no obstacles and tread well defined)
Skinner Ridge Trail
Twixt Botcher’s Gap
And Turner Creek Trail junction
• Trail: Wilderness Freeway
• People: 4
• Signage: Sign at Turner Creek Trail junction is informative but decrepit, on its last legs.
• Note 1: Lots of madrones and open space on ridge top trail. Trail work recently done, with some fresh cuts visible.
• Note 2: Flat spots that seem like camps but have no fire pits are present along trail.
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K Vandevere
- Posts: 291
- Joined: Tue Aug 26, 2008 3:50 pm
Re: Skinner Ridge Trail
Date Hiked: November 12, 2012
General Condition: Wilderness Freeway (Heavily used and well maintained)
Bottcher's Gap to Pine Creek/Comings Junction
Obvious, unobstructed and heavily used trail.
General Condition: Wilderness Freeway (Heavily used and well maintained)
Bottcher's Gap to Pine Creek/Comings Junction
Obvious, unobstructed and heavily used trail.