Trip report
The Black Cone Grand Loop
Backpacking DATE: 05/19/2016 - 05/22/2016
Trip/Event Location: Los Angeles, CA
US
Trip Leader(s): CJDGO
Max # People: 6
Trip Guiding / Event Fee: Yes, but only to cover shared expenses, and I too am paying
Difficulty Level: Strenuous
The Black Cone Trail is a ghost of a trail – abandoned for decades but resurrected in 1999 after a fire revealed its long-forgotten tread. A corps of dedicated volunteers fights a never-
...We’ll meet up to consolidate our carpool at the Camarillo Park-and-Ride (Pleasant Valley Road x US101) at 7:00am (SHARP!) on the morning of Thursday, May 19 in preparation for our long (4-hour) drive to the trailhead. L.A.-based hikers should plan on leaving L.A. no later than 6:00am.
Trip Report/Photos
Almost half of the 60 miles we hiked over the course of four days were on pretty bad trail - choked with brush and poison oak, teeming with rattesnakes and ticks, and slumping away into oblivion at nearly every turn. So why do we do it?
The truth is, when you're with the right bunch of guys - strong hikers with a good attitude and a yearning for adventure - there's not much you can't accomplish or even savor. Around sunset, you finally arrive in your camp for the night, set up your tent, gather some wood for the night's campfire, and maybe take a few sips of box wine as you prepare your dinner. And you start to talk with your friends about the things you saw on the trail that day - things you've never seen before or even imagined. Sweeping views of the coast and mountains, beautiful wildflowers, mysterious rock formations, or even just some new perpsective on things back home.
Big Sur is one of those blessed places with legends written about it and a clear image in most people's minds. But if you were one of us, hiking its backcountry over a long weekend and discovering the secrets it saves for the hardy few, you found a new strength in the place and a new strength in yourself.
There are 3 photos in Album (Note: Move mouse pointer over larger pic and click on NEXT for better viewing)
|
||