Los Padres Dam to Big Pine Loop
Ventana Wilderness
Los Padres National Forest
April 16-18, 1999
Trip Leader: Matt Hahne & Roland Wentz
Trip Report By: Roland Wentz
Cold weather and lack of sign-ups permitted Matt Hahne
and me to substitute this location for the rain-cancelled
March trip, Memorial Park to Cone Peak. On Friday we left
Los Padres Dam (elevation 1,000 ft.) and hiked the five
miles up to Rattlesnake Camp (elevation 1,600 ft.) and
camped for the night. We had to wade through 14 inches of
water on Rattlesnake Creek and climb some steep trail
sections going up and over two ridges to get there. But,
the numerous ceanothus bushes were in full bloom with
their white, blue, and dark-blue flowers making the hike
similar to a greenhouse visit. The weekend weather was
sunny and pleasant but not hot. Just before we reached
camp I spotted two striped racers (non-poisonous snakes).
Saturday morning, it was up many more stretches of steep
trail until we reached Little Pines Camp. From this point
to the Ventana Trail on the ridge, a couple of hundred
yards, huge trees had blown down across the trail and
also overgrown brush had taken over. Consequently we put
our tools (lopers and bowsaw) and muscles to work
clearing that section. In addition, we marked the trail
junction with a triangular shaped pile of small logs. It
had been previously unmarked. After hitting the Ventana
trail, we hiked northeastwards and camped at Pat Springs
(elevation 4,200 ft.) for Saturday night having done a
total of five and one-half miles.
Sunday morning we checked out Spaghetti and Big Pines
Camps (elevation 3,800 ft.) where the Danish Creek
tributaries were flowing with plenty of crystal-clear
water. Finally we hiked eastward on the Big Pines Trail
which paralleled Danish Creek down Blue Rock Ridge and
back to Los Padres Dam, for a daily total of nine miles.
This twenty-some mile hike followed trails which were
mostly on the ridges and afforded beautiful views of
surrounding areas including the Carmel River, Los Padres
Reservoir, Little Sur Creek and the ocean. A few ticks
were present but fewer than during the rainy month of
March.
While trucking fairly fast and quietly down the Blue Rock
Ridge Trail, I managed to catch half-a-dozen wild turkeys
off guard. They had been scratching for food in the thick
forest leaves. As soon as we saw each other, they rapidly
ran away from me downhill toward the north. In a few
seconds they were completely out of view.
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