Dick Smith – Los Padres Forest Association

Alamar Canyon Overview

AlamarOverview

The LPFA is proud to announce that we’ll be hosting our third consecutive National Public Lands Day (NPLD) project during the weekend of September 25-27. NPLD is officially Saturday September 26. NPLD is the nation’s number 1 day for volunteerism. You can learn more about NPLD here. In 2013 we hosted a project in the Mt Pinos Ranger District along the Boulder Canyon Trail and in 2014 we worked the Davy Brown Trail in the Santa Lucia Ranger District. This year we’ll be doing sawyer work and trail maintenance on the Alamar Trail in the Santa Barbara Ranger District.

Details will be announced as the date approaches but the plan is to drive into either Bluff Camp or Alamar Saddle on Friday September 25 and set up a basecamp. Dinner will be provided for the volunteers. On the morning of Saturday September 26, we’ll get to work clearing the trail of downed trees and brushing as needed. The hope is to work approximately 2miles down the canyon to where the trail reaches the headwaters of Alamar Creek. We’ll reconvene Saturday afternoon back at basecamp, where once again dinner will be provided for the volunteers. Sunday morning will be set aside for exploring the area and Sunday afternoon we’ll pack up and head back home.

This years NPLD Alamar Trail Project will be a great opportunity to work on a remote trail within the Dick Smith Wilderness, meet like-minded volunteers, give back to the trails you love and get involved in the effort to help the Los Padres National Forest. The project is open to all levels of trail volunteers and will be limited to 20 volunteers. For more information contact the LPFA at INFO@LPForest.org.

We’ll be working the section shown in BLUE heading down-canyon from Alamar Camp into the Dick Smith Wilderness.

Hi Everyone,

The weekend of April 11 is going to be a busy weekend on the Forest. There are quite a few volunteer activities and events scheduled. Of course, our big event is the Wheeler Gorge Open House along Hwy 33. COME TO THAT, OF COURSE. Here is a list of some of the projects and today we’ll be focusing on the Alamar Hill Trail Project, more to come:

April 10-13: Alamar Hill Trail Project, Dick Smith Wilderness
April 11: Wheeler Gorge Open House, Ojai
April 11: Lion Canyon (Sespe) Trail Project, Ojai
April 11: State Trails Day, West Fork Cold Spring, Santa Barbara
April 17-26: Working Vacation Upper Sisquoc

Alamar Hill Trail Project
April 10-13
The LPFA is hosting a trail project in the remote Dick Smith Wilderness along the Alamar Hill Trail. We’ll be starting the trip by driving in Friday afternoon April 10 through the locked FS gate at PBar Campground in the Upper Santa Ynez Recreation Area. This is about a 1.5hr drive from Santa Barbara. From there we’ll drive the Loma Pelona Don Victor Fire Road (4×4 only) out to the Dick Smith and our camp. Starting Saturday we’ll be working the 1.2 miles of trail from Loma Pelona down to Pens Camp along Indian Creek. This is the focus of the trip, to work from the Lomas down to Pens Camp. Work will be primarily cutting brush, reestablishing the tread and logging out any trees across the trail. Work will continue Sunday along the same stretch. Of course, some strategic swimming in Indian Creek will help keep the workers refreshed and there will be time for exploring the nearby trails and features. This is not a backpacking trip, we will be car camping each night. The LPFA will be providing dinners Saturday and Sunday nights. We’ll be returning Monday morning and should be back in cell range by the early afternoon.

This is a great opportunity to explore an extremely wild, rugged, beautiful and seldom visited corner of the Dick Smith Wilderness. If you would like to sign up or have any questions, please contact Rick Humphrey: rhsbsurf@cox.net

Here are some photos to help entice your participation.

Lomas in Spring
SpringLoma