Lost In The Los Padres
One of the earliest Forest Service topographers, in an endeavor to convey a written description of this mountain country, said: "The relief of the Reserve (Los Padres National Forest) is very high, rugged and precipitous, and the study of such a broken surface, even with the aid of a contour map, will not be easy for the laymen”. William S. (Billy) Brown 1945
Sunday, November 26, 2023
38 Special Series - Lost Knife Camp (M46)
Saturday, February 25, 2023
Thoughts on the Los Padres National Forest Closure (Storm Damage January 2023)
Regarding the recent closure I have been silent thus far. These days working as a USFS Volunteer with The Partners In Preservation I thought it best not to inject my personal opinion into such contentious matters. I still stand by that. Plus what's done is done, as they say no use in crying over spilt milk. While I have been able to get into the field during the closure doing official site assessments I like most all of you, don't enjoy the current situation, and look to propose future solutions.
Sunday, January 8, 2023
Bailey Trail recon via Slide Mountain
As far east as one can venture into the Los Padres (Sespe Wilderness) on the border with the Angeles National Forest is the seldom used Bailey Trail 18W02. According to former maps along this path approximately here N34° 38.912' W118° 48.200' was the historic Bailey homestead site. Since the closure of Hardluck Campground this area has been notoriously hard to access and as such the trail gets almost zero use and has fallen into complete disarray. Historically 18W02 ran southeast from the junction with Buck Creek Trail past the homestead, down Beartrap Canyon and terminated at Lake Pyramid. I'm guessing actually at the time perhaps Piru Creek before the lake was installed. Another prominent feature at this terminus was what Lopez described as Bridgeport Flats #4. "A high terrace on the west side of Beartrap Canyon Creek where it flows into Piru Creek. 16 bedrock mortars" I feel comfortable disclosing this as I'm certain the feature now lies forever hidden under the lake. Perhaps time to dust off the old scuba gear. Bailey has been on my mind for several years, why it has taken me this long to begin recon I don't know, but better late than never.
I don't have an FS gate key and I despise the road walk to Hardluck, so much in fact I vowed not to do it anymore. I've done it on a bike and on foot, it's a pain in the ass. So with that said I decided to give it a go from Frenchman's Flat. Spoiler alert we did not quite make it to the old homestead nor the terminus of 18W02 At Pyramid. We were very close but no cigar. No matter though we gathered excellent intel for the second attempt and there will indeed be one. Perhaps I can beg a kind sole who has access to drop me at Hardluck.