LOS PADRES LOST BOY: Passing the torch to myself?: Carrying on a legacy + some misc. photos

If you want to skip the boring stuff & get right to the cool pictures just scroll down a ways.

This blog is intended to be a collection of my travels through the Southern Los Padres. It is my hope that this can be a source of inspiration for some to get out & see what all our wild places have to offer & why they are so special to me. Ventura County & the SLP (Southern Los Padres) have a rich history & it think its important for people my age to learn about it. I would like to start off by giving thanks to the writers who motivated me to do this. First & foremost the legendary David Stillman, a Sespe Brush Ninja like no other. If you haven't already i highly recommend giving his blog a read http://davidstillman.blogspot.com/ you will not be disappointed he has done some seriously remarkable stuff. I learned a ton just from reading the comment sections. When i fell in love with hiking & backpacking his blog provided me with invaluable insight to places I had already been & places I want/wanted to go. Hats off to you Mr.Stillman. I would also like to give a shout out to Jack Elliot, Craig Carey, Christopher Lord, Nico & many others for contributing to the online catalog of SLP backcountry info that is now available at the click of a button. You can find there respective blogs here
https://yankeebarbareno.com , http://christopherplord.blogspot.com/ , http://www.craigrcarey.net/ , Craig Carey also sells a book called 'Hiking & Backpacking Santa Barbara & Ventura' it is hands down the most comprehensive collection of local hiking trails i have ever came across. Another great resource is the HikeLosPadres website http://www.hikelospadres.com/ I give a big thanks to all of you for aiding me in my adventures. I hope i can do my part to contribute.

I would also like to pay my respects to the original inhabitants of this land, The Chumash. Their modern day presence here is sadly scarce, only a lucky handful of people stumble upon rock art or other indicators of their existence but no doubt there spirits & energy can be felt from the highest peaks to the deepest canyons around. I ask that anyone who goes out after reading this please respect our wild places. We have very few undeveloped areas left on this planet, it is our job to take care of them. Leave the spray paint for the streets & if you pack it in, PACK IT OUT!!!

My insatiable desire to roam our local backcountry has been in me my entire life but the spark that really lit the flame was my first overnight backpacking trip to Santa Paula Peak in August/September of 2017. So this was before the Thomas fire & oh man the chaparral was like nothing I had ever seen before, thick as can be. I had no clue what I was in for. I thought I was going to died hauling 60 lbs up that god forsaken mountain in 93 degree heat. Miraculously however, I survived & with a shaking arm proudly signed my name in the summit register. It was a group of 5 & my good friends older brother was leading the charge. We had planned on staying at the famed Camp Cienega but we managed to roll right on by it in search of somewhere to refill our dangerously low canteens. We ended up building a guerilla camp down on a sandy bank in the East Fork of Santa Paula Canyon. I was amazed how efficient 5 people all collecting firewood at once can be. After 30 mins we had a pile that could of lasted 3 days. We had a perfect little spot just yards away from the water which we cooked & cleaned ourselves with. None of us brought tents, we all laid out our tarps & sleeping bags & spent a warm night under the stars laughing & passing around some Jameson. I do have to add that my pack was significantly heavier than my pals due to the fact i was carrying a make shift ice chest containing a filet mignon. I was the only one with fresh food & it was well worth it.

The next morning we cleaned up, said adieu to our home away from home & made our descent down the trailless East Fork Canyon. Ive heard there was once a trail here but this canyon is constantly rearranged by winter storms & the flash floods that ensue. The evidence of there fury surrounds you. Downed trees, smashed boulders, the sheer power that is evident puts you right in check. But that was it, i was hooked. We've done about 4 or 5 trips to Santa Paula Peak since then & managed to locate the holy grail that is Camp Cienega. Up until recently i didn't do much documenting of my ventures due to the fact its super inconvenient to stop & pull out your phone while your trying to cover some ground, especially when traveling with others. These days ive been doing a lot more solo hiking & have had the sense to take more pictures.

I will be creating separate posts for my last few trips but here is a bunch of photos from previous hikes that weren't well documented enough to warrant their own posts. I hope you enjoy: