Ventana/ Big Sur/ Sykes Hot Springs?

Mention that it is around 2000 feet of elevation gain, if you start from the coast.

It sure isn't flat.

In the old days, we used to hike in there at night in order to beat the heat.

–B.G.–

I'd be interested. When do you want to go?

I am interested in anywhere that does not have poison oak. Too many places to backpack here without need to torture myself with that stuff.

I would Kat…Do you have date in mind?

I was thinking either Saturday the 21st or the 28th? Could even push it to a Friday after work.
Poison oak….it's there, I am very allergic, I still go and do my best to avoid it and wash.

Both those dates are good Kat- Maybe the 28th?

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It's 7 miles, it's not that bad of elevation gain. I went there mid december and there were literally about 50 people at the hot springs.

28th sounds good.
Yeah, there can be a lot of people in the Springs….
It is 10 miles each way.

I've been contemplating a trip to Ventana this winter for a while. Would be fun to join, but – how do you all feel about dogs?

Love dogs. Come along and bring the pup. Speaking for myself here, I am not uptight at all about dogs on the trail. I would just watch out about getting poison oak off the dog.

If there’s still no snow in tahoe, then I’d be interested in this if there’s room. By any chance is this coming 3 day weekend a possibility? I was already planning on heading down to do this hike out of Bottcher’s Gap towards Pat Springs and Ventana Double Cone. If the 28th is better for everyone, then I’ll probably just do both.

I'd be interested as well. I was hoping to get out this month somewhere around here.

Hammocks are a great option in this narrow, possibly busy canyon. I have an extra set up if anyone wants to try this out. Also, I am thinking about making some bread at camp :)

Is anyone interested in doing a point to point, vs in and out, and looking into what our options are there? I could be into a Friday night camp at either end and then an early start on Saturday morning. Any input ?

It looks like a shuttle from the Big Sur Station to China Camp would be about 2 hours

google directions, hopefully

an option with less driving might be Miller Canyon or Carmel River Trail to Los Padres Dam. Just a thought; I haven’t read up on either of those routes yet.

(sorry about all the edits: can’t seem to insert a link correctly.

I will be heading out early, early Saturday morning with James. I am not exactly sure when we will get to the TH but would like to do a out and back when attacking those 10 miles.

I am interested in going. I am not certain about the time on Friday as I don't get off work until 5:00. I have an untried hammock although I think I lack sufficient bottom insulation for the current temps.

I'd be interested in going, except that I'll be at a mandatory company "retreat" (consisting of two days of all-day meetings) then. Ironically, it's being held in Carmel. :/

going a little overboard on researching this probably, because I’m pretty new, but yikes!

http://www.backpacking.net/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=157768#Post157768

Thanks for all your work Sharon. Let's see what others think on this. I would be fine with either doing an in and out, since I know the way, or trying something different.

Somebody wrote that who must have been smoking something. You need to apply a sanity check on it.

No, it isn't 5000 feet of gain from the highway to Sykes. I've traced it out on different mapping programs, and I get anything from 2000 feet to 2500 feet of gain. It varies according to the different mapping methods used and the different ways that GPS receivers average things. I've seen mileage anywhere from 8.3 to 10 miles.

The last time that I hiked it, it was at night, so I was not measuring a lot.

–B.G.–

What's with hiking it at night? That seems to be a recurring theme. Twice I have been there and both times we night hiked in to the first camp. Recently we did it on a full moon… that was awesome!
I highly recommend going to the hot springs and camping at barlow. You will be lucky to find a flat spot to camp at sykes, but barlow is amazing. Cross the stream twice and a little ways after the big fallen redwood are some really good, barely used flat areas if you want solitude.

"What's with hiking it at night?"

The air temperature is cooler at night. That trail can be awfully hot during daytimes from April through the summer.

A full moon is helpful, but only for about half of the trail. For the other half, you are back into some of the side canyons with trees overhead, so headlamps are essential.

I recommend hiking in by night, and then hiking out during a day.

–B.G.–