Big Sur’s Cone Peak rises out of the ocean about as steeply as any mountain on the planet. It’s summit, at 5,155 feet, lies less than 3 miles, as the condor flies, from the beach. This delivers an average gradient of around 33%; steeper than the rise of Mt. Whitney from the floor of Owens Valley. Making the journey from the beach to the summit on foot takes only a little over 5 miles, thanks to the open slopes of Stone Ridge. And it’s one of the most spectacular walks in Big Sur. Which is saying something.
Cone Peak Directissima: Going Sea to Sky on Big Sur’s Stone Ridge
June 16, 2014
1 Comment | 
Big Sur, Insects, On Foot, Plants, Santa Lucias, Wildflowers | 
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Posted by xasauan
Is Overcrowding at Sykes Camp Getting Worse?
November 18, 2013
2 Comments | Big Sur, On Foot, Santa Lucias | Tagged: Big Sur, Big Sur River, Logwood Creek, Pine Ridge Trail, Sykes Hot Springs | Permalink
Posted by xasauan
Long Summer
August 31, 2013With the last rainy season fizzling out in January, it seems like it’s been summer for about eight months now. Plenty of time to paddle, pedal, and roam around in the hills — which is why we haven’t been posting here much. Don’t worry, though. We promise to turn our jaundiced eye back to water and development issues again someday soon. Maybe when the rains begin to fall.
In the meantime, here’re a few clues as to what we’ve been up to …
Trail near the summit of Cone Peak. Coast partially obscured by smoke from an escaped controlled burn on Ft. Hunter Liggett. Read the rest of this entry »
1 Comment | Big Sur, Cycling, On Foot, Santa Lucias, Transportation | Tagged: Cone Peak, Ft. Ord blight, Nacimiento River, outrigger canoe, pagani, sunset, The Indians, Wagon Cave | Permalink
Posted by xasauan
Mushroom Season on the Monterey Peninsula
December 19, 2012
Porcini (Boletus edulis) emerging from the rain-sodden forest floor. Read the rest of this entry »
3 Comments | Fungus, Living Wage, On Foot | Tagged: amanita calyptroderma, amanita muscaria, boletus edulis, Coccora, honey mushrooms, king bolete | Permalink
Posted by xasauan
Veteran’s Day at Mt. Carmel & Pine Creek
November 13, 2012
Bottcher’s Gap Read the rest of this entry »
9 Comments | Big Sur, On Foot, Plants, Santa Lucias | Tagged: black oak, Bottcher's Gap, Canyon Oak, Devil's Peak, Madrone, Mt. Carmel, Pico Blanco, Pine Creek, Ponciano Ridge, Ponderosa Pine, Skinner Ridge, Ventana Wilderness | Permalink
Posted by xasauan
Story Time: First Trip to The Window
November 3, 2012
As viewed from the Coast Ridge: The South Face of the Double Cone, with Kandlbinder Peak (AKA Pk. 4653) on the left, and a bit of The Window visible as a notch to the right of Kandlbinder
It was fall, 1974. I’d just turned 15 and, while I’d seen a lot of the Santa Lucia backcountry, I’d never been to The Window. Read the rest of this entry »
7 Comments | Big Sur, On Foot, Santa Lucias | Tagged: Big Sur River, Bottcher's Gap, Fox Camp, Happy Forks, Jackson Creek, Kandlbinder Peak, Pine Ridge Trail, The Window, Ventana Camp, Ventana Creek, Ventana Double Cone | Permalink
Posted by xasauan
Trail Work on the North Fork Little Sur
September 29, 2012Back in February we joined a Ventana Wilderness Alliance trail crew to work on the Little Sur Trail along the South Fork Little Sur. Today, in honor of National Public Lands Day, we returned with the VWA to work the other end of the Little Sur Trail, on the climb from the North Fork Little Sur to Launtz Ridge. Those with unnaturally good memories may recall that we posted some photos from a walk along this badly deteriorated trail back in November, 2010.
The crew gathers at the Pico Blanco Boy Scout Camp Read the rest of this entry »
3 Comments | Big Sur, On Foot, Santa Lucias | Permalink
Posted by xasauan
Pinnacles Picnic
June 24, 2012A sunny Sunday that’s not too hot. Perfect day to grab some food and drink, a pair of binoculars and a climbing rope, then head to Pinnacles National Monument.
Among the crags Read the rest of this entry »
Leave a Comment » | Gabilans, On Foot | Tagged: Pinnacles National Monument | Permalink
Posted by xasauan
Fooling Around on Skinner Ridge & Devil’s Peak
February 22, 2012
The views of Pico Blanco and the ocean from Skinner Ridge are at their best in the winter, when the black oaks (Quercus kelloggii) are leafless. Read the rest of this entry »
2 Comments | Big Sur, On Foot, Plants, Santa Lucias, Wildflowers | Permalink
Posted by xasauan
Fixing Up the Little Sur Trail
February 12, 2012
More than 20 volunteers turn out for a Ventana Wilderness Alliance sponsored work day on the Little Sur Trail. Read the rest of this entry »
4 Comments | Big Sur, On Foot, Plants, Santa Lucias, Wildflowers | Permalink
Posted by xasauan
Xasáuan Today 