Shuttle Help – Skyline to the Sea trail

Jacob, I live in Scotts Valley and can do it. Let me know when so I could plan

You're the man, man.

I'll work on getting my ducks in a row asap and get right back to you. I'll send a PM with my contact info.

all the hiker camps are shut down until may 1st as i was told.

if you start at castle rock you need to hike the 18+ miles down to big basin in one day, and pay 35 bucks for their car campsites. then hike the other 12 or so down to waddell the next day…

forgive me if i am wron. but i wanted to do the skyline to sea trail about a month back and ended up having to just do a day hike on the berry creek falls loop in big basin park…

Stealth camp?

Hammocks were invented for stealth camping weren't they?

you are so right…..

and quick getaways..i can have my hammock down and packed in two minutes thanks to the henessy hammock and it's wonderful 'snakeskins'…

as for sky-to-sea…thought i'd at least throw out a 'heads-up' ;-P

no comment, no comment, no comment :)

It's ridiculous that the trails are closed until May. I've been there in Jan before. Budget cut backs I'm sure.

Richard, the Gatewood can probably do stealth pretty good too… "what tent sir? this is my jacket".

The problem for stealthing is finding an appropriate place to park your car. All nearby street parking, as far as I know, does not allow for overnight stays.

Is fine at Wadell Beach/ Rancho del Oso, just not on the Ocean side, where the lot closes at night.

To the best of my knowledge the Castle Rock parking lot & campground are open year round, are first come first served, and self pay/register. I wouldn't think it would be a problem to pay for a couple of nights and "camp there" so long as you have a way to get back up there.

(if anyone knows of a problem with this plan, please advise!)

My concern is this: you park your car at the lot and they cannot account for your whereabouts, and so a SAR scenario ensues. They either find you stealth camping or you admit to "getting lost" or somesuch.

I don't think you'll be able to leave you car parked safely for several days down at the Waddell Creek end. However, as far as I can tell there is Santa Cruz bus service there:
http://www.scmtd.com/en/routes/schedules/systemschedule/40/20112?dir=1&schedule=1
So if you leave you car parked in Santa Cruz, get a ride to the Skyline end of the trail, are willing to stealth camp (and have a backpack that looks like a daypack if a ranger sees you), then I think you could pull it off.

While no place is really safe to leave your car for days, Waddell is actually safer than most. I live five minutes from there and the same people drive there every day to take their kids to school, or to the bus, and to work. Big Creek is just up the hill and the whole area is watched closely. Not a guarantee, but I have lived right around Waddell for 12 years and it is safer than Santa Cruz. Buses run twive a day, about 7 and 4 pm.

Kat, is right. I would feel better leaving my car at Waddell than in Santa Cruz….locals know

I couldn't help but read your last reply to Jacob about a ride. I too am traveling the skyline to the sea trail this Friday actually, and I'll need a ride back up to castle state park. Can you or anyone be of assistance? Of course i'll offer the same as Jacob; cash, gas or beer :)

Good luck Michael.

I ended up bailing on that trip. That week/weekend were some major storms and high wind so I didn't mind postponing. We ended up doing a 16 mile day hike in the Marin Headlands between storms and a 5 mile run in the mud that weekend. You will have much nicer weather!