Sykes Guidebook addenda
The guidebook I used for the trip last weekend was
Jeffrey P. Schaffer's
Hiking the Big Sur Country.
He does mention that this hike (Pine Ridge Trail, from
Big Sur up to Sykes Hot Springs) is the most popular by
far in the whole Ventana Wilderness Area.
We had a few points to add to the description:
- He mentions an unseen 80 foot cliff that the trail
traverses above, but doesn't mention the several stretches
a bit later where it appears to be over 150 feet very
nearly straight down to the river.
- The "short plunge" down to Terrace Camp seemed like
a long descent. My toes were complaining.
- The sign for Barlow Flat Camp is easy to miss —
it is eight feet up a tree, at a time when your trail
is gently descending but there is a large root/stump
to negotiate. So your eyes are on the trail, and not
looking up where that sign is. We were a bit worried
when we had gone farther than seemed reasonable without
seeing the turnoff.
- Best to set up camp at Sykes Camp, and then head downriver
to the hot springs sans backpack. Some of the use trail
sections that go down to the springs definitely require
a bit of scrambling.
When we get this kind of weather in February, you'd have
better luck mid-week for finding one of the downstream
camps unoccupied.
10:37:35 PM
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