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Sub 24: Los Padres NF. 5/9-5/10.


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Home Forums Campfire Member Trip Reports Sub 24: Los Padres NF. 5/9-5/10.

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  • #1328864
    W I S N E R !
    Spectator

    @xnomanx

    I often daydream and hope that there are limitless creatures on this planet that will never be found by a human, hiding in the ocean depths or thick jungle canopies. And I hope that there is a bear that will never be witnessed, living quietly in the forest that is so familiar to me. While seeing them will always feel special, I tend to prefer the unseen bear, the one leaving tracks, scat, causing the rustling in the night, producing low groans drifting from the forest at dawn. I savor the mystery, a beast floating through the darkness, hovering somewhere between reality and the mythical. I’m not sure the paths of people and bears are supposed to cross; it’s better for the bear to remain a ghost.

    We found fresh prints encircling our camp in the morning, wandering up and down the creek and around the remains of our fire and kitchen area. I vaguely remember hearing it, stirring around in our site, the sound of its large pads creeping through pine needles mixing with the sound of wind in the trees.

    It’s good to know we are not alone. I would find this world unlivable if surrounded by nothing but humanity and our monuments. That something exists, a creature large and dangerous and uncontrollable, serves to keep my sense of self-importance in check. I can see it in my son as he witnesses the signs; the mix of wonder, fear, and respect as he kneels and places his hand within the large footprint, tracing the claws with a finger. We saw many tracks coming in; I didn’t dwell on the topic, but I know it was on his mind as night fell and we retired to our sleeping bags. I suppose it’s been on the minds of people since the beginning. There may be trails and roads within a day’s walk from here, but evidence of the bear ushers in a feeling of wildness.

    I’m increasingly finding that the beauty of hiking with my children lies in the fact that we are family, and as such, we know how and when to leave each other alone. There is no such thing as uncomfortable silence, I am content merely watching, they are content simply being. My son leaves the fire to go read in his sleeping bag and I’m left alone with a pencil and poetry. There is no pressure to entertain or be good company, we intuitively understand each other’s moods and needs. That the trips with my children are slower in nature and require a different sort of work and pace on my part, I’m finding this matters less and less relative to the quality of being out with my kin. There can be no better partners.

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    #2199065
    twig .
    BPL Member

    @bretthartwig

    Locale: Australia

    Always love reading your well thought out words and seeing your images. Thanks.

    #2199100
    Kattt
    BPL Member

    @kattt

    Poetry with images…beautifully written.
    Thanks for the write up . Makes me wish my daughter joined me on more trips because, as you mention, it is comforting and easy to share the experience with someone so close to you.

    #2199102
    BlackHatGuy
    Spectator

    @sleeping

    Locale: The Cascades

    Thanks for the thoughts and pictures. I assume that was an established campsite, were there many other people around, or did the bikes allow you to get away from others?

    #2199106
    Ben C
    BPL Member

    @alexdrewreed

    Locale: Kentucky

    Great post. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and images.

    #2199115
    Ken Thompson
    BPL Member

    @here

    Locale: Right there

    Thanks for posting Craig. So brown there already. Glad you were able to get out while there was still some green. i miss the smells down there. The older I get the more I miss being able to do things with my brother. Enjoy your time together, sounds like you are.

    #2199139
    W I S N E R !
    Spectator

    @xnomanx

    Thanks everyone.

    Yeah Doug, it's an established campsite, but a trail camp. It's at least 6 or 7 miles from the nearest parking area, which in turn is reached after ~10 miles of dirt road driving, so it doesn't get much traffic until deer hunting season opens. We didn't see a single other person on this entire trip. Not a single car either. This area closes for vehicle traffic to and from trailheads in the "winter" (as if we have that here!), having just reopened after nearly 6 months. Which is why I love it. The trails are pretty overgrown after getting shut down for so long. You can still access the area during the closures, just not by car. During the closed months it becomes one of the more isolated areas we have, if you're willing to hike or bike in from the road.

    The bikes were a great fit for this one. We didn't have time for the hike, leaving late Saturday and needing to get out pretty early Sunday. What's usually a ~3 hour hike out got cut in half on the way out. There was plenty of lifting bikes over deadfall and a good deal of stretches where we simply pushed, but they were worthwhile in saving us the time.

    Ken, the place was definitely pretty green. I thought it would be far worse already. I'm preparing to see everything turn into desert here. I'm wagering we're going to start seeing the worst fire seasons in modern history pretty soon…

    #2199163
    brent driggers
    BPL Member

    @cadyak

    Locale: southwest georgia

    Great looking scenery. Thanks for posting. I am hoping to get both the wife and kids on more trips with me this year.

    #2199236
    Sean Westberg
    Spectator

    @theflatline

    Great post and great pictures. Thanks for sharing. It's nice to see there's still water in the LP after the winter we've had. There's still a surprising amount of green compared to the dead brown foothills.

    However…

    Stage 3 Fire restrictions went into effect on the 6th. I don't think campfires were permitted at that point outside of "developed" campgrounds like Wheeler Gorge and Middle Lion Campground and the ilk.

    #2199283
    Anonymous
    Inactive

    Beautiful, Craig. You have a wonderful perspective on being in wild places that is a priceless gift to your son and daughter.

    And I find myself looking forward even more to Milestone after reading this.

    #2199287
    Nico .
    BPL Member

    @nickb

    Locale: Los Padres National Forest

    Perfect window for a short overnighter. I was just a few canyons away the same night. You chose well… our destination had company. Love that camp; much better than the ones just upstream closer to its namesake.

    Saturday felt like a beautiful early spring day after a rain. By Sunday morning, it was back to normal early summer-ish, baked-almost-dry Los Padres down at the lower elevations. Alas.

    I've had unusually good luck with encountering bears around there; looks like they visited you too. This trip we lucked into some bighorn sheep instead. And snakes. Lots of snakes.

    Glad you and your child got out there and took advantage of the now-open road. It's a great stretch of LP.

    #2199322
    W I S N E R !
    Spectator

    @xnomanx

    Yeah Nick, I have had more bear encounters in Los Padres than I have had in the Sierra. I know you know the area we were in; I love it there during the "winter" closures…MTB in on the dirt roads, then hike. The whole vast area to yourself.

    As for fire restrictions, I was once told by a ranger that the camp we were at constituted a "developed campsite" because it has a permanent fire pit with proper clearing so I thought we were still legal. But maybe not. (Interesting how legal vs. safe can be two entirely different things) At any rate, it'll be the last fire I have in So. CA for the next….? With the way this drought is going, I doubt even "winter" will be safe in the coming years.

    #2199325
    W I S N E R !
    Spectator

    @xnomanx

    Thank you Tom. I'm looking forward to it as well. I've been wanting to go back and draw that rock with the ship's prow since I saw it with you 2 years ago.

    #2200494
    Sean Westberg
    Spectator

    @theflatline

    It's entirely possible you were in the right. I'll defer to the ranger in this case. I'm happy to hear you asked up on it :)

    I'm particularly twitchy about it since my family contained a couple firefighters and they drilled respecting fire restrictions into me pretty hard.

    #2201266
    Adan Lopez
    Spectator

    @lopez

    Locale: San Gabriel Valley

    Very well said, my friend. You're story gets me excited for summer, for time with family on trails and along creeks, and for time with your crew. Lets talk summer plans soon.

    #2202331
    F. R.
    BPL Member

    @fugitiveride

    Locale: Syldavia

    Great stuff! I love your trip reports (Adan's too)!

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