Here's a brief account with lots of photos of Thursday's traverse of the Coast Ridge Road in the Santa Lucia Mountains, Big Sur, California. The solo 30 mile run started from the summit of Cone Peak, which stands nearly one mile above sea-level, three miles from the Pacific coast. My parents and I camped out near the top. The weather was fantastic.
Sunset and sunrise were incredible from this airy perch. Views stretched far out to the North and South along the coast, and the Sierras were just barely visible to the East.
After caching my overnight gear, I set out into Ventana Wilderness to meet my parents at the Ventana Inn, a good ways to the North. The Santa Lucia Range is one of the youngest and fastest growing mountain ranges in the world.
This photo shows Cone Peak with its fire lookout, the starting point of the traverse. The dynamic nature and youthful vigor of these mountains can be intoxicating.
I was blown away by the beauty of the boulder gardens encountered early along the route. They reminded me a lot of the eastern sections of the Colorado Trail. I made a mental note to return someday to explore Rodeo Flats further.
Here's a shot of what I encountered for many desperate miles: completely overgrown trail, covered in thick scrubs and blow downs, which scraped at flesh. This was not what I had anticipated and it seemed to go on forever.
For miles and miles, the tread vanished into the chaparral. The occasional dilapidated sandblasted signpost provided encouragement. By this point I was very dehydrated and was staggering around like a fool. The weather out here is way too dry!
I had stopped taking photos for a while because times were getting a bit rough. I came to a spring site listed on the map, but found no water. Foolishly I continued on a short ways before collapsing into the shade. I knew I needed water immediately, so I returned to the spring site and followed it downhill till I came to a sweet delicious pool.
Prospects began to improve dramatically. The trail gradually opened up. No longer was I contemplating a bushwhack down to Hwy 1 along the coast!
The miles flew by with the Santa Lucias to my right and the Pacific Coast to my left.
I ran out of film on the final descent to the coast, but it was the most incredible finish I've ever experienced. This photo shows the road as it winds in and out of the expansive hillsides under the hot sun. Eventually the road enters into a large redwood forest where small streams cascade dramatically into the fern coves.
Happy and thankful to be done!
In time for the sunset, a waxing gibbous rises in the East.
This was the perfect ending to a great day.
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