- Santa Cruz Island Camping-Cinco de Mayo Weekend 2024Channel Islands National Park, Ventura, CA
Cover Picture: San Pedro Point, Anacapa Island and (in distance) Santa Monica Mountains viewed from East Montanon Ridge
A. TRIP SUMMARY
This 7th "almost consecutive" (we skipped '20 (COVID!) and '22 (weather)) Cinco de Mayo Weekend at Santa Cruz Island will be a 3 day/2 night trip which will be a "first" joint outing of the MBAHG and my Central Cal. group the Weekend Hikers. The total group size (including MBAHGers and WHers) is limited to ~22 total. Cost per person is $10.00 to cover the cost of the 2 campsites. Once you're added to the trip pay me via Paypal at jlezlanc@gmail.com or Venmo at @jlezlanc1 [the "z" is not a typo in these addresses], and (in Paypal) use the "Send to friends and family in the US" option.The campground includes potable running water, pit toilets, picnic tables, and food lockers.
Important notes:
- BRING ALL YOU NEED TO BE SELF SUFFICIENT
- WE MUST PACK OUT ALL GARBAGE
- NO CAMPFIRES
- SINGLE USE PLASTIC BAGS, CORRUGATED BOXES and STYROFOAM COOLERS NOT ALLOWED ON THE ISLAND
- DON'T COUNT ON CELL RECEPTION ON THE ISLAND
- PLEASE HEED WARNINGS REGARDING ANIMALS-THE FOXES/RAVENS WILL AGGRESSIVELY GO AFTER FOOD/CLOTHING/OTHER LOOSE ITEMS, AND THEY APPARENTLY KNOW HOW TO OPEN ZIPPERS
B. HISTORY AND BACKGROUND
Santa Cruz Island, the largest and most easily accessed of the Channel Islands, has a long and storied past. See this link for some fascinating background, including how the island was named:
HISTORYC. TRIP "411"
1. Meeting Place/Transport
We meet at Island Packers in Ventura, 1691 Spinnaker Drive, for the ferry ride to Scorpion Harbor, which takes ~1 hour. You need to make your own boat reservation through Island Packers at this link (see itinerary below): BOAT RESERVATIONS
Cost is $88.00 round trip ($83.00 over age 55). Cancellations allowed 120 hours prior to sailing. See CANCELLATION POLICY. Free parking is available at Island Packers.
Book this itinerary:
- Friday May 3: boat from Ventura to ScorpionCove. You need to be on the 8am or 9am boat if you want to participate in our Friday hike.
- Sunday May 5: there are currently return boats at noon, 4PM and 4:30PM, I intend to take the last boat.
2. Island Packers Information and Policies
It is critical that you review the ISLAND PACKERS CAMPING INFO for all pertinent instructions/requirements/information.*NOTE-the "official" weight limitation is 60 lbs per person excluding water and fuel!
3. Campground Information:
The area we'll be visiting is in the Channel Islands National Park and is managed by the National Park Service. For detailed information about our campground and park, please review the NPS WEBSITEWe're in group sites D&E, which are in the "Upper Loop"; these are ~3/4 mile on a slightly uphill dirt road from our boat landing.
4. Activity Information:
- Friday (arrival day): Once we've done preliminary setup in camp and had lunch, there'll be some sort of hike TBD depending on weather, trail conditions and the interests of the group. We may have a naturalist to give us a personalized tour.
- Saturday: Planned hike TBD, it will be in the 10-12 mile range and as always will include some off-trail sections and be adventuresome
- Sunday: Open day, on prior trips folks have done solo or small-group exploring. There's lots to see and do. Me, I'll be kayaking!
- Kayaking: Kayaking is an available option and Scorpion Anchorage is a great kayaking spot (there are tours, rentals (which need to be transported to and from the island) or you can bring your own kayak for an additional fee, see this link for KAYAKING INFO.
5. Meals
Everybody should bring sufficient food for the entire trip (including lunches on the trail), and if you need cooking equipment, bring it or arrange with someone else to share with them. I encourage folks to group up to coordinate their food/camp kitchen. We'll have a Cinco de Mayo potluck on Friday night for those who want to participate. Alcoholic beverages are allowed and STRONGLY ENCOURAGED, we don't want to run out!
D. ATTENDANCE AND RSVPs
To attend, please RSVP to the Waitlist. Attendance limited to ~22 people total of which about half will be MBAHGers and the other half will be from the Weekend Hikers. If you are interested in attending, place your name on the wait list. Priority will be given to active participants in the MBAHG who will enjoy the experience with the group, and who don't have a history of "No-Shows". I do not allow "+1"s on this trip, anyone who wants to attend must be a member of MBAHG.Once you are moved to the "yes" list, I strongly recommend making your boat reservation because the boats can sell out. IF A TRIP IS SHOWN AS SOLD OUT ONLINE, CALL ISLAND PACKERS, THEY OFTEN HAVE SPACE.
E. WHAT TO BRING
- Everything you need for self-sufficient camping (shelter, sleeping bag, headlamp, food, cooking and eating gear, booze etc.)
- Appropriate clothing for day, night and beach use (include layers); weather can be variable between hot and cold, wet and dry
- Sturdy hiking shoes or boots with good tread for participating in hikes
- Sun protection (hat/sunscreen)
- Trekking poles always advised
- If joining on Saturday hike, MAKE SURE TO HAVE THE CAPACITY TO CARRY AT LEAST 2 LITERS OF WATER PER PERSON!!
- Camp chair (we do a lot of sitting around camp with wine/beer/etc.)
F. RESPONSIBILITY/DISCLAIMER:
“The Monterey Bay Area Hiking Group” ("MBAHG") and its event/assistant organizers (the "Organizers") are not responsible for your safety. Outdoor activities are inherently dangerous. By signing up for these events, you agree to release MBAHG and its Organizers from ANY responsibility, liability or claim in law or in equity. If you DON'T agree to these terms, DO NOT JOIN THIS MEETUP EVENT. MBAHG doesn't certify the expertise of the Organizers. The Organizers are volunteers. You are responsible for yourself. We expect you to take responsibility for your safety during our activities. Joining activities with MBAHG is entirely voluntary and participants assume the full risks associated with the activities. It is each participant's responsibility to ensure that he/she is in sufficient fitness and health to participate in the activity, and to bring appropriate water, food, clothing, first aid, and navigation equipment for the conditions. MBAHG and individual Organizers make no representation or warranties about the quality, safety, or supervision of these activities. By making a "Yes" RSVP to this event you acknowledge and agree to the foregoing as well as all of the Meetup.com terms and policies.Not open - Cone Peak Area Series #13-Valley to Sky (and Back) (~14 miles, ~4,000')Indians Road, California, CA
COVER PIC: Mile-high Cone Peak (and Twin Peak to its left) viewed from Highway 1 near Pacific Valley
This hike is rated "EXTREMELY DIFFICULT" due to distance, elevation gain and steep and offtrail nature of parts of the route.
This is a Limited Space Event (~12 participants), if interested RSVP to the Waitlist.
On Memorial Day Weekend '15, we did the memorable and never repeated "Valley to Sky to Sea" hike from the San Antonio Valley up to mile-high Cone Peak and then down to the ocean at Limekiln State Park.
On the ninth anniversary of that trek, let's do half of that by hiking to and from Cone Peak (where, due to fire and rain and resultant trail damage and road closures, I have not been since the last Cone Peak Series hike way back in December '17!)THE ROUTE: We'll take the Carrizo Trail from the San Antonio River up to Carrizo Springs Camp and the rocky saddle above it, through the infamous "Brush Bowl" (where we may have to push through some brush) and a beautiful forest of Sugar Pines to the NCRT, which we'll then follow to the turnoff to the unmarked Cone Peak North Ridge track. We'll jump up onto that and follow the knife-edge north ridge of Cone Peak to the summit, where we'll stop to take in the views and enjoy a relaxing lunch. We'll then turn around and go back the way we came.
This hike provides incredible views of most of the iconic Big Sur Peaks (including Junipero Serra Peak just across the San Antonio Valley) and of the coast and ocean.
MEETING TIME: 8:30am
MEETING PLACE: On Indians Road at the Road 6 Junction (from which we'll drive a mile down to the trailhead at the bridge across the San Antonio River).
RAIN will reschedule.
RSVP: This is a waitlisted event and will be limited to a total of about 12 participants, so RSVP to the waitlist. I must know you to be a strong, seasoned hiker able to maintain a moderate pace over distance and on steep and sometimes treacherous terrain, and you must be comfortable with the trail conditions described above. I will check in (via Meetup messages) with those who sign up with whom I haven't hiked previously before adding them. Also, this is a group hike--we start together, stay together as a group through the entire hike, and come out together.
Bring:
- Sturdy hiking shoes or boots with good tread
- Layered clothing for protection against wind and cool temperatures
- Sun protection (hat/sunscreen)
- Water (2-3 liters)
- Lunch (and other food/snacks for extra fuel) (we are going to stop for a leisurely lunch on Cone Peak)
- Trekking poles are strongly advised for the steep up and down sections
A Couple of Requests:
- Don't Be A No Show - if you can't make it, please remove your name from the attendee list in advance of the start time (there's no cell service at trailhead)
- Know Your Own Capabilities - Please don't sign up for a hike that is beyond the limits of your health & conditioning. This is not fair to others who expect to enjoy the hike at the level it was described.
RESPONSIBILITY: “The Monterey Bay Area Hiking Group” of Meetup.com (“MBAHG”) and its event/assistant organizers (the "Organizers") are not responsible for your safety. Outdoor activities are inherently dangerous. MBAHG doesn't certify the expertise of the Organizers. The Organizers in this Meetup.com group are volunteers. Neither MBAHG nor the Organizers make any representation or warranties about the quality, safety, or supervision of this activity. You are responsible for yourself and your own safety and assume all risks associated with the applicable activity. By signing up for this event, you acknowledge and agree to the foregoing and to the release set forth in Section 6 of the Meetup Terms of Service (and you specifically agree that such release applies to MBAHG and the Organizer(s) of this event) and you expressly release MBAHG and the Organizers from ANY responsibility, liability or claim in law or in equity in connection with this event."