September 18 @ 9:00 am – 4:00 pm
$45
Mixed conifer forest at sunset near Reyes Peak. Photo: Bryant Baker
Please use the REGISTER button below to sign up before returning to this page to complete your payment and secure your space with the PayPal button or request instructions for mailing a check for $45.
If the event sells out, PayPal will not accept your payment. You will see a message that says this event “is not available at this time” and you will be returned to this page. If that happens, be sure to click on the REGISTER button below to sign up for the waiting list. If spaces become available they will be filled based on time of registration.
REGISTER
On Sunday, September 18, 2022, I will lead my 10th annual Fall Equinox Nature Hike in the peaceful Mixed Conifer Forest on the “sky island” known as Pine Mountain (elevation: 7000 feet). I promise that first time visitors to this area will be surprised and delighted to find a thick forest of pines, fir and incense-cedar so close to the Ventura coast. If we’re lucky, pine nuts will be falling as we walk.
According to Craig Carey, author of Hiking and Backpacking Santa Barbara and Ventura, the Reyes Peak Trail along the northern slope of the peak is “quite simply one of the most beautiful stretches in the southern Los Padres.”
Biogeographers include Pine Mountain in a select group of “sky islands,” defined as isolated mountains surrounded by radically different lowland environments. We can expect to see several high-altitude plants and trees like White Fir and Sugar Pine more commonly found in the Southern Sierra Nevada mountains. Weather and marine layer permitting, we will have panoramic views of the Cuyama Valley to the north and the Channel Islands to the south.
The outing will start at 9:00 a.m. with a car caravan (or carpool for those open to it) of about 36 miles up Highway 33 from the Maricopa Plaza, (1207 Maricopa Highway, Ojai, CA 93023) to the Reyes Peak trailhead. The last 6.5 miles include 5.5 miles on a narrow, winding, paved road and the very last mile on a dirt road. Trucks or SUV’s are preferred for the last stretch but most passenger cars with reasonable front axle clearance can make the drive.
We will start walking into the Sespe Wilderness from the trailhead (where there is a restroom) at about 10:30 a.m., stop for lunch (not provided) in the forest, and return to the trailhead by about 3:30 p.m., arriving back at the Maricopa Plaza by about 4:00 p.m. We will hike on a well-used trail through mixed conifer forest habitat, stopping often to identify and discuss native plants, birds and wildlife.
This intermediate level hike is suitable for fit, moderately experienced hikers or physically fit beginners. There will be some elevation gain and loss skirting the north side of Reyes Peak, sometimes traversing steep hillsides on a narrow trail. The total hiking distance will be about 3 miles. PLEASE NOTE: Those with respiratory or circulatory issues possibly affected by altitude of 7000 feet should consult with a physician before attempting this hike.
This hike is another in a series of backcountry walks and hikes under an Operating Permit from the Ojai Ranger District Office of the U.S. Forest Service designed for guides who provide recreational and interpretive services to the public. After the hike participants will receive a detailed follow-up email including a list of all plants and wildlife identified.
I will have copies of my new book, Medicinal Herbs of California, with me for sale and signing before the hike.
PLEASE NOTE: Light rain will not cancel. Heavy rain or thunderstorms will. Once you register you will receive weather updates. No dogs or smoking, please.
The cost is $45. Senior and student/teen discounts are available upon request. Participants under the age of 18 must be accompanied by a parent or guardian. Kids 6-12 can go at half-price, one per adult, pending request and approval. Children 5 years old and younger can come along for free, also pending request and approval. Toddlers need to be in a carrier due to the nature of the trail.