Tom Hnatiw April 2020 Los Padres National Forest
Perhaps not quite the title I would have liked to use for this post but considering some recent circumstances it will have to do. A few years ago our pal Tom Hnatiw dreamed this up. Unfortunately Tom passed away before we could see it through. There were several places he and I along with Nathan Wickstrum were putting together logistically that Tom wanted to visit. I promised him we would go and dammit we plan to keep those promises. My friend Stephen recently told me that he felt a person never truly dies as long as they are remembered. Well, we remember you pal. There isn't a hike that goes by without some reminisce of the good times. Hnatiw will see these places now through our eyes. This one was for you buddy.
Into the abyss
This post will have no directions, no track to follow. Nothing will be said of the details aside from the fact we walked (bushwhacked/crawled) fought or way through rain and dense fog down the south sloping, "iron hard" (stole that from Jack) chaparral hills of the Santa Barbara front country (Santa Ynez Mountains). Starting at West Camino Cielo and ending on Cathedral Oaks Rd. We were gifted a unique encounter with a zebra and got to see several newts, a Red Legged frog (protected species), great horned owl and a bobcat. While many of the images wont be shared I have selected a few that you might enjoy.
How pretty is that?
Crazy Difficult to navigate these hills in such fog
California Newt Taricha Torosa
Love the yellow feet on these little guys. Video Credit NW
"The California red-legged frog is a rare amphibian species found almost exclusively in this state."
Bartlett Canyon
African Safari in the Los Padres?
Video of our friend the zebra. Audio featuring Nathan Wickstrum, Jack Elliott and Lost In The Los Padres.
That's pretty much it for this post, short and sweet. I know several of you have most likely read between the lines and figured out more of story here. I tried to "tell you what we did, without actually telling you." Tom we still miss you my friend.
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