Spring Break 2018: The Lower Sisquoc Loop

[Brad Young]

The Young family had a great time on our spring-break San Rafael Wilderness backpacking trip. We enjoyed perfect weather, just-right water flows, and great conditions.

The itinerary this year was the same as for our 2012 "twentieth anniversary of getting engaged" trip: the lower Sisquoc River loop. In 2012,  the trip took five days. Six years have passed since then though. This means that on this trip Vicki and I are older. Vicki in particular is coming up on 60. Nowadays her first choice for vacation isn't backpacking; however much she loves the wilderness, the hard movement takes a physical toll. But Katie and Tricia have gotten bigger and tougher in six years. The combination of older, bigger and tougher means that, with careful planning and weight distribution (more on the girls, almost nothing on Vicki), we were able to do the loop again, this time in six days.

At Nira Trailhead parking:




Getting started (notice the girls' packs):






I started out this trip with a little less weight than in 2012 (big loads but relatively short distances so that that Vicki can join us - it's all so, so worth it):




The San Rafael Wilderness is one of the real gems of California's back country venues. It's relatively unknown (I've gone for literally days back there solo without seeing another person), and just gorgeous. Its lower reaches, along Manzana Creek look like this:




The first ten miles of this loop trip are on Manzana Creek. The first day ends at Manzana Schoolhouse Camp, where this creek joins the Sisquoc River. There's little elevation change in that ten miles, but the trail crosses the creek 33 times (!!). We wore river-type shoes the whole day:
















This shot shows the last hundred yards of the trail into Schoolhouse Camp. Wheat Peak is in the background. On our 1992 "engagement" backpacking trip, Vicki and I continued a quarter mile past the campsite to a bivy on the south bank of the Sisquoc, under Wheat Peak. That's where we got engaged:




Manzana Schoolhouse is a wonderful springtime destination. We got there early enough for the girls to "chill" (to use the vernacular favored by our now 22 year old recent college graduate):




End of the day stretches:




Setting up camp:

[clink]

Chill or chillax? Where is Hurricane Deck in relation to this hike?

[Brad Young]

Chill or chillax? Where is Hurricane Deck in relation to this hike?

The trip makes a loop all the way around Hurricane Deck.

And you've got more daughter experience than I do. Which "hip" phrase is better? (And, speaking of "hip," does anyone here know how to drown a hipster?)

[Brad Young]

Day two started with a pretty but chilly morning:







Then we were off, across Manzana Creek and up the Sisquoc:







In 1992 and 2012 the obvious trail out of Schoolhouse stayed on the river floodplain. This route gained no elevation, but required repeated river crossings. In early 2018 the Los Padres Forest Association Volunteers re-worked the old trail for three miles. The old trail takes a higher route on a bench above the river. The new trail requires some 150 feet of elevation gain, but overall is easier:







One advantage of hiking higher is that there are really great views of the river (the disadvantage was that, unlike on the 2012 trip, this year we did not pass the site where Vicki and I were camping when we got engaged):




As always the trail along the middle part of the lower river is sporadic. This is understandable though; the floodplain here is broad, and floods come every 10 or 20 years. Keeping a trail in existence along the floodplain is hard. So in part the trail moves up on benches and in part it just crosses the river a lot:










I realized on this trip that, after all these many years of hiking and backpacking, the two girls could easily, easily do a trip like this without me, just the two of them. Or either could go solo and be just fine. Continuing with the thought: in a way, this was a dream trip. Not only did I have all three (five) girls along, Katie and Tricia were both totally "on" all the "chores" involved in a trip like this. From finding the trail to finding and making a campsite (including set-up, clean-up and cooking, all of it), both girls did their "share" plus, plus.

Of course one "disadvantage" that arises from their skill and strength is that they did not always wait up for us (and sometimes got as far as three miles ahead before letting Vicki and I catch up). Here they are on a river bench, way, way ahead (squint for this shot, looking for two little blobs just up and left of center):





We lunched in Mormon Camp, on rock benches that others had left:




We're off up-river after lunch:




Not all river crossings are alike. Some are easy:







Some not so much:







We spent our second night at Miller Base Camp. Grass, oaks, and afternoon sun:







Oh, and removing sticker-burrs from thick retriever fur:

[mynameismud]

Good times.

[Brad Young]

Three beauties in the morning sun:




Food scraps to rule them both, food scraps to find them, food scraps to bring them both and in the morning bind them:




Day three started with a river crossing right out of camp (surprise). Here are Vicki and Tricia getting going again, after changing shoes:




And then the girls (four of them) were off, at their own pace:




We all tended to gather again when the river crossings got close together:




Recent rains left interesting drying mud:




Above Cliff Camp the pattern changed and we followed trails up on the canyon slope for almost three miles:




Sometimes though the side-of-the-canyon trails go way into side canyons. The distance is longer then, but the hiking is way easier:




Looking up-canyon at some of the least crowded large wilderness in California:




A perfect rest rock:




Parts of the Sisquoc were sparsely settled up to around 100 years ago. Ruins (and some non-ruins, like the 101 year old schoolhouse at Manzana Schoolhouse Camp) remain:




As with our 2012 trip, we spent night three in Sycamore Camp.

[Brad Young]

Sycamore Camp was chilly on our fourth morning. We knew that the cold wouldn't last though:




We started the morning with a river crossing, regrouped afterward, and then two bad-ass daughters headed up the trail:







While me and my beloved moved out at our own pace:




The Sisquoc canyon narrows in this area, an area centered on the Forrester's Leap side-canyon. Cliffs make hiking on the river hard. Instead, the trail moves up the canyon wall and then down to a crossing. The pattern repeats about five times. We knew we'd see the human girls at the next crossing when we spotted this retrieving fanatic in the river, expecting a stick (NOW!):




And yep, there are the humans. And there goes a stick:




We do a lot of climbing and hiking with our friends the Dawsons. They've never been on the Sisquoc River with us though. But the oranges that they give us from their wonderful tree now have:




There were lots and lots of zenas (I think that's what these are) this year:




And then up and out of the river. Vicki is easy to see in this photo. Check out the background though for two monster hikers that she and I raised; they're already across the river again and heading up switchbacks:







Vic enjoys the trips at her own pace:




The afternoon heat got to Vicki this day. I wetted her bandana and hat when I could:





And used the river to cool myself down too:




We finally met up with the girls again near South Fork Camp:




Although Vic wasn't looking forward to it, we also decided to grind out the 2.5 miles of uphill to White Ledge Canyon now, after the heat of the day was done. But it was still warm. And exposed:




Of all the times I've been through and camped at White Ledge Camp, I've seen other people there (or nearby) on one occasion. This evening was different though. Nine people shared the camp (all were very pleasant neighbors). Is word getting out about this secluded and perfect "off-season" backpacking area?

[mynameismud]

really like the pic of St. Vicki on the trail leaning against her pack.  Nice shot.

[Brad Young]

In 2012 we made it from Sycamore Camp out to the car in two days. The effort ground me to a pulp then, and all three girls were pretty tired too.

This year, the shorter hike from Sycamore to White Ledge Camp was a push, but we were all OK afterward. The next morning we were fresh and ready again:




Some morning reading (with friends):




Tricia got new hiking shoes just before the trip. Before that she'd gotten a new pack, one that fits her perfectly (thanks for the help Rosie).  This trip she was very pleased with both:




She also thought my "hat hair" was pretty funny:




The morning was taken up by the hike up out of White Ledge Canyon:




Soon we were on the edge of Manzana Creek's canyon (it is a loop trip):







Switchbacks lead down into the canyon and then to Manzana Narrows Camp:




When Vicki and I were halfway between the bottom of the switchbacks and Narrows Camp, we heard the funniest and certainly strangest comment of the trip.

We'd come across four frenchmen hiking up-canyon. One spoke English well. Another, one whose English wasn't as good, started asking us what we knew of ticks and Lyme disease. He'd had a tick bite him and he was a little worried. Vicki and I explained that only certain ticks carry the disease and that it was unlikely to be passed on from a tick that hadn't been "in" for more than 24 hours.

Vicki carried on further, explaining how to clean and sterilize the wound. She advised using alcohol for sterilizing. "Do you have any alcohol?" Oh yes, they had some. However the fluent English speaker looked concerned. After a moment's thought he exclaimed, with alarm: "but that is for drinking!"

Oh well, I guess priorities are priorities. And partners may not always come first

Narrows Camp is well-shaded and has nice, deep pools. I've never not at least stopped there for a break (and I've camped there many times):







We made Ray's Camp that afternoon, with extra time left over for relaxing:







Ray's is only five miles from Nira Trailhead, so this fifth day set us up for an early exit (and food - we were running a little short by this point).

[Brad Young]

Gear is an odd thing. Sometimes it lasts forever. And then it doesn't. This trip a plastic bowl and two small lighters that I've backpacked with since the 1980s all failed/broke on the same day. And a pair of reading glasses I've used for more than 10 years did too.

At least I was able to salvage the reading glasses for the rest of the trip (to, of course, serious eye-rolls from the daughters):




We’d had just enough food left for a light dinner last night. This morning we had enough for a light breakfast (but with coffee - Vicki always gets her coffee), and nothing more. We were literally out of food, not a morsel left after the last meal on a six day trip (in retrospect, another freeze dried dinner and about six bars would have been perfect). Luckily we only had five miles to hike to the car.

With a five mile hike, there aren't many photos of our last day. I took a few though of one tree.

I've been hiking through this part of the Manzana Canyon since 1980. I've been up and down it 25 times or so. And every time I've been there I've seen one "out of place" big cone spruce, right on the canyon floor. Big cone spruce usually grow up at higher elevation, and in cooler, north-facing draws. One can only imagine the flash flood 75 or 100 years ago that likely carried tons of rocks and debris and thousands and thousands of seeds down this far into the Manzana. And of all the seeds, one grew.

This is one of my favorite trees anywhere, this big cone spruce:




We drove home after finishing the trail. We cleaned up and got ready to enjoy Sunday, April 1 at home. Easter Sunday. And April Fools Day. But, more importantly, Tricia's 16th birthday. For her birthday we went to a matinee production of "Mama Mia" at our local (and excellent) Sierra Reparatory Theater. Here's proof that yes, my girls can clean up:

[JC w KC redux]

We cleaned up and got ready to enjoy Sunday, April 1 at home. Here's proof that yes, my girls can clean up:

I swear I saw some PO in the corner of the retriever pic 

Nice dessication cracks in mud in that other pic. No mud puddle thread is complete without some mud.

I think you meant spruced up 

[mungeclimber]

OMG! They didn't actually waste the booze on a tick bite, did they?

[NOAL]

At least I was able to salvage the reading glasses for the rest of the trip (to, of course, serious eye-rolls from the daughters

Can't see the buttons on your shirt but without a doubt they are buttoned "wrong" to complete the look.

Nice photos. Looks like you guys had a great trip!

[JC w KC redux]

Tell Vicki I like the socks 

[Brad Young]

Tell Vicki I like the socks 

I did. She got it. She also remembers where she got them and that it's your birthday Thursday....

[Brad Young]

Can't see the buttons on your shirt but without a doubt they are buttoned "wrong" to complete the look.

Nice photos. Looks like you guys had a great trip!

Who says they were buttoned at all? 

Yeah, trips don't get much better than this one.