Sea to Sky to Valley (~13.5 miles / ~6,250’)

COVER PICTURE: Sea to Sky Route Profile

Sorry for the short notice!

On May 23, 2015, 10 years to the day before the day I am posting this, we did the done-only-once Valley to Sky to Sea hike from the San Antonio Valley over Cone and Twin Peaks and down to the ocean at Limekiln State Park.

The last MBAHG Sea to Sky hike was about 9 years ago (just before the Soberanes and Chalk Peak fires and subsequent torrential rains and the later Dolan fire that all rendered much of the customary return route down the Gamboa and Stone Ridge trails impassible).

I've been wanting to do Sea to Sky again very much since then, and now is the time! And this time we'll do somewhat the reverse of the Valley to Sky to Sea hike by taking the Sea to Sky route from Limekiln State Park up the Twitchell Road and Twitchell Elevator and the Stone Ridge use track to Twin and Cone Peaks (about 6.2 miles) and then descending on the inland side by taking the STEEP AND SLIPPERY North Ridge of Cone Peak to the NCRT to the Carrizo Trail which we'll follow down to the bottom to where the Valley to Sky to Sea hike started (this downhill section is about 7.5 miles). I recently hiked to and from Cone Peak on our planned downhill route and it is in relatively good shape by Big Sur standards.

WARNING-THIS IS A VERY ADVANCED HIKE! The ascent to Cone Peak has some very steep sections as it climbs about 6,000' in just over 6 miles, with much of it offtrail on little used tracks. The initial descent down the North Ridge is also quite steep along an often narrow ridge with long vertical drops on the sides, not great for anyone with a fear of heights.

This hike requires a car shuttle of about 1:20 which we'll need to coordinate in advance.

RSVP: This is a waitlisted event and will be limited to a total of ~10 participants, so RSVP to the waitlist. I (or someone I know) must personally 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. Also, this is a group hike--we start together, stay together as a group through the entire hike, and come out together.

MEETING TIME/PLACE FOR END OF HIKE SHUTTLE CARS: 7:00am at Carrizo Trailhead (detailed directions will follow)

MEETING TIME/PLACE FOR HIKE START: 8:30am on Highway 1 just south of the entrance to Limekiln State Park.

NOTE RE CAR SHUTTLE: This is a long and tricky car shuttle and the hike is only possible if all participants are committed to assist with it. When we did the reverse of this hike in '15, the participants with one of the cars at the end point reneged on their commitment to assist in getting people to their cars at the start point which resulted in a very crammed car back to retrieve the cars at the start point.

Bring:

• Sturdy hiking shoes or boots with good tread
• Layered clothing for protection against wind and cool temperatures (there will definitely be poison oak at some points along our route, so be prepared for that; I highly recommend gaiters!)
• Sun protection (hat/sunscreen)
• Water (2-3 liters)(no reliable water on our route)
• Lunch (and other food/snacks for extra fuel) (we are going to stop for lunch on Twin Peak)
• Trekking poles are strongly advised for the steep up and down sections
• Rain or the threat of rain or excessive heat cancels

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). THIS IS PARTICULARLY CRITICAL GIVEN THE CAR SHUTTLE!
• 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."