A beautiful day in the making Read the rest of this entry »
Bicycle Tour to Lake San Antonio and the Pinnacles
May 31, 2010
2 Comments | 
Big Sur, Coastal Development/Erosion, Cycling, Gabilans, Plants, Santa Lucias, Wildflowers | 
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Posted by xasauan
Above the Fog: Boronda Trail & Cisco Creek
May 16, 2010
The Boronda Trail begins next to this debris flow barrier about half a mile south of the Coast Gallery. Read the rest of this entry »
12 Comments | Big Sur, On Foot, Plants, Santa Lucias, Wildflowers | Tagged: Big Sur Trail, Coast Ridge, Cold Springs, Logwood Creek, Logwood Ridge, Timbertop | Permalink
Posted by xasauan
Mt. Carmel in May
May 9, 2010When we visited the summit of Mt. Carmel (AKA Boulder Mtn.) two years ago, it seemed that the place had been forgotten and that all traces of the trail were destined to disappear into the brush. It hasn’t happened. Today, the climb from Bottcher’s Gap to Mt. Carmel has emerged as one of the most popular day hikes in the Ventana Wilderness (something we can easily see in the ever-increasing number of unwary net surfers who stumble onto this site by searching for “Mt. Carmel” or “Bottcher’s Gap to Mt. Carmel”). A summit register has even appeared!
When we visited again yesterday (May 8, 2010) we found a virtual parade of hikers lining the trail between Bottcher’s Gap and the summit. The trip seems especially popular among couples – and couples ranging in age from early twenties to late sixties were sweating their way up the hill.
Here’s a little of what we saw along the way …
A Canyon Oak (Quercus chrysolepis) blooms near Bottcher’s Gap. Read the rest of this entry »
2 Comments | Big Sur, On Foot, Plants, Santa Lucias, Wildflowers | Permalink
Posted by xasauan
Molera Wilderness Proposal Withdrawn
April 7, 2010
An unnamed stream flows through a trailless redwood forest deep within the proposed Molera Wilderness
In response to vigorous opposition from locals worried that the plan would interfere with future firefighting efforts, Assembly Member Bill Monning has withdrawn his proposal to give State Wilderness designation to a portion of the Molera State Park backcountry. Read the rest of this entry »
2 Comments | Big Sur, Fire, Flood & Apocalypse, Politics, Santa Lucias | Permalink
Posted by xasauan
Big Sur Residents to Hold Government Appreciation Festival
April 1, 2010The BSRUS (Big Sur Residents United for Socialism) announced plans today for a Festival of Appreciation aimed at thanking the many government agencies, and the state and federal taxpayers, who make the very existence of the community of Big Sur as we know it possible.
Precarious lifeline: The modern Big Sur community is completely dependent on a single, phenomenally expensive, highway. Read the rest of this entry »
7 Comments | Big Sur, Coastal Development/Erosion, Politics, Santa Lucias | Permalink
Posted by xasauan
A Look at the Uplands of the Proposed Molera Wilderness
March 28, 2010A bill introduced by Assembly Member Bill Monning would give State Wilderness protection to 912 acres in the northeastern portion of Andrew Molera State Park. This land is on the other side of the ridge – in the Little Sur River drainage – from the developed parts of the Park, as shown on the following map:
6 Comments | Big Sur, Fire, Flood & Apocalypse, On Foot, Plants, Santa Lucias, Wildflowers | Permalink
Posted by xasauan
Big Sur Sunshine
March 15, 2010
After months of cold, gloomy, cloudy, rainy weather, there’s nothing quite like the first really warm, sunny day.
Oh what a feeling!
2 Comments | Big Sur, Santa Lucias | Permalink
Posted by xasauan
Chanterelles & Cider
January 4, 2010
What better way to welcome the new year than to pick some chanterelles (Cantharellus californicus) … Read the rest of this entry »
1 Comment | Big Sur, Fungus, Santa Lucias | Permalink
Posted by xasauan
Chanterelles in the Rain
December 26, 2009Boletus edulis and the hearty cooking it inspires are just the thing for crisp fall evenings, but by the time we’ve finished our Yule feast we’re ready for something lighter and more delicately flavored. We’re ready, in other words, to eat some chanterelles. How good that the chanterelles oblige us by fruiting so heavily at just this time. Read the rest of this entry »
Leave a Comment » | Big Sur, Fungus, On Foot, Plants, Santa Lucias, Wildflowers | Permalink
Posted by xasauan
Cloud Seeding Program Hopes to Intensify Big Sur Rainfall
December 4, 2009
Keeping the highway open is a challenge even in good weather
While Big Sur residents and Cal-Trans pray for mild rains, the Monterey County Water Resource Agency is preparing to intensify this winter’s rains by seeding clouds off the Big Sur coast with silver iodide. The goal is to fill the San Antonio and Nacimiento reservoirs by producing heavier rain. Read the rest of this entry »
3 Comments | Big Sur, Fire, Flood & Apocalypse, Politics, Santa Lucias | Permalink
Posted by xasauan
Xasáuan Today 