Tag: LPFA Working Vacations

LPFA x Piedra Blanca Trail

Posted on by Addison Jerlow

Nothing quite like a sun-soaked view down the Piedra Blanca Trail.  photo, Jeri H.

LPFA x Piedra Blanca Trail

Does a trail get much more inviting than this? Piedra Blanca magic. photo, Jeri H.

A major goal for LPFA in 2026 will be continuing work on the Gene Marshall-Piedra Blanca Trail. This trail is not only part of the Condor Trail, but is one of only two National Recreation Trails (NRT) in the Los Padres Forest and sits high on the short list of the most iconic LP trails. NRTs are designated at the federal level and must demonstrate that they represent their region, support a diverse community, and are one of the best trails in the country. 

You’d be hard pressed to find a trail more representative of the Los Padres than the Piedra Blanca Trail. In just over 16 miles, it passes through a Wild & Scenic River, otherworldly rock formations, rich chaparral diversity, towering mixed conifer forest, and unobstructed panoramic views. But, this trail needs some serious work. The middle section is thick with brush, bramble, and downed trees, as well as several slides and washouts with consequential falls. We’ve been chipping away at the brush over the past few years, and now it’s time to finish the job. With your support this GivingTuesday, LPFA will get this nationally-recognized gem of an LP trail back into hiking shape!

Support the Piedra Blanca Trail!

And While We Have You….

The time to order your 2026 Los Padres Calendar is NOW! Each year, LPFA puts together a calendar featuring all the sights, seasons, and stunning diversity of the Los Padres Forest. It’s a great way to experience the beauty of the Los Padres every single day. And even better, all proceeds from calendar sales go directly toward trail maintenance in the Los Padres Forest. So next time you’re hiking a well-groomed trail, thank yourself for picking that Los Padres calendar for only $20…..

Calendar, PLEASE!

In case you missed it, a recording of LPFA’s Condor Trail Talk is now on the LPFA YouTube page! What a great night this was. Thank you to all our donors and supporters who made it happen. So good to see so many folks come out in support of the Condor Trail. This talk features an hour long, photo-filled slideshow of Addison Jerlow’s FKT thru-hike of the trail in March 2025, followed by a Q&A with Addison and the author of the Condor Trail Guidebook, Brian Sarvis.

To the Condor Trail!

LPFA’s fall Working Vacation is right around the corner! Join us December 5 – 14th for a car camping Working Vacation on the Pothole Trail near Lake Piru. This project has been in the works for some time now, and we are absolutely thrilled to be breaking ground on a reroute of the lower Pothole Trail! Come out and help make it happen. Haven’t volunteered before? No problem! We’ll train you on the job. There’s nothing better than workin’ trail all day, then sitting back while LPFA provides some cold drinks and dinner for you and all the new friends you made on the way.

To the Pothole Trail!

Lots of water flowing in the forest. And it’s only November….

LPFA Working Vacation, GivingTuesday & Seasonal Gates

Posted on by Addison Jerlow

The Santa Ynez River flowing strong again over the Sage Hill Crossing. photo, Chris O.

Hi Friends,

The Los Padres got a good and early soaking over the last 5 days. So early, in fact, it set the record for the most rainfall the Santa Barbara area has seen in November in recorded history. This storm seemed to focus heavily along the Santa Ynez Range, with rainfall totals in the mountains averaging about 11 inches, and San Marcos Pass (the lightning rod of LP rain accumulation) coming in just below 15 inches. Nordhoff Ridge saw over 10 inches, Cone Peak as well, and much of the backcountry and San Luis County LP got at least 5 inches. All in all a healthy and welcomed start to the season.

As tough as it is to do after a few days stuck inside, the best thing for the health of trails is to give them time to dry after significant rainfall. If your foot sinks down, turn around…. or something like that. With all that precip, we’re likely to see a few issues along the trails over the coming days. When you’re hiking around — after the trails dry out — let us know at INFO@LPForest.org if you come across any downed trees or trail damage and we’ll get out there to fix it up as soon as we can!

LPFA

For GivingTuesday this year, LPFA has our sights set on an epic network of trails through the Sespe Wilderness. We are raising funds to maintain the Ventura County section of the Condor Trail! The CT route through the Ventura backcountry begins at the Pothole Trailhead near Lake Piru, travels through the heart of the Sespe Wilderness, and heads up and over Pine Mountain to Ozena Station on Highway 33. Trails included in this project are: Pothole Trail, Agua Blanca Trail, Bucksnort Trail, Alder Creek Trail, Sespe River Trail, Piedra Blanca Trail, Reyes Peak Trail and Boulder Canyon Trail.

Got a favorite? Our goal is to maintain as many of the most overgrown, washed out and downed tree-covered sections of this route as we can in the next two years. If you use any of these trails, please consider donating to the LPFA 2025 GivingTuesday campaign, and share this fundraiser with your friends and family. Donations like yours are what keep us out in the forest, working hard, and ensuring these trails remain safe and open for all to enjoy.

Donate to the VC Condor Trail!!!

LPFA has spent a ton of time on the Ventura County Condor Trail the past two years, completing nearly 30 miles of trail maintenance to standard. Help us keep this project going strong! From left: Piedra Blanca Trail, Reyes Peak Trail, Alder Creek Trail with volunteers putting in the good work.

From up on the Pothole Trail….

POTHOLE WORKING VACATION, DEC 5 – 14

The fall LPFA Working Vacation will be from December 5 – 14th on the Pothole Trail! This is a project years in the making and a bit different from our typical Working Vacations. LPFA will be car camping and BUILDING NEW TRAIL by way of a reroute of the first 1.5 miles of the Pothole Trail! If you haven’t joined a Working Vacation in the past, they are an absolute blast. LPFA provides the food, drinks and tools and volunteers come out to work the trail, share some laughs, and have an all around great time.

If you couldn’t tell already, we are absolutely stoked to break ground on this project. Sign on up and let’s get out there!

Take me to the Pothole Trail!

SEASONAL GATES SWING SHUT

With the first major storm system of the year, many gates in the forest have closed for the season. Some gates are opened/closed on established dates (Grade Valley, Pine Mountain), others are opened/closed around weather events – open during dry times and closed when rain is forecast (West Camino Cielo, First Crossing). At this point, all dirt roads in the forest are likely closed for the season. But, we recommend doing your homework ahead of time. Here are a few resources:

Resources

  • The Forest Service has a page dedicated to road and campground closures. It may not be exactly up to date, especially following the shutdown, so give the Ranger Stations a call to confirm. Their phone numbers are also listed on the page.
  • HikeLosPadres.com has a page with status and location of the gates that often provide (or deny) the most access. If you have any updates or would like to see gates added, let us know INFO@LPForest.org.

Seasonal Gates

  • Grade Valley Rd
  • Santa Barbara Canyon Rd
  • Frazier Mountain Rd 
  • Rancho Nuevo Rd
  • Dough Flat Rd
  • Lockwood Creek Rd
  • Scott Russell Rd
  • San Emigdio Rd

Temporary Closures

  • First Crossing
  • West Camino Cielo (at Winchester Canyon)
  • Sage Hill Crossing
  • Sierra Madre Rd

The Santa Barbara high country after the storm. No snow accumulation, but lots of early season green….

LPFA’s Recently Worked Trails and Upcoming Events

Posted on by Addison Jerlow

And beneath the brush we found a trail! Before and after on the Alder Creek Trail, looking the best it has in 20 years….

ALDER CREEK TRAIL UPDATE

On April 20th, LPFA wrapped up its third Volunteer Working Vacation on the Sespe Wilderness’ Alder Creek Trail in the past 2 years. Prior to this effort, this trail hadn’t seen maintenance since before the 2006 Day Fire and was turning back even seasoned Los Padres backpackers. 8.5 miles of trail from the Dough Flat Trailhead to Sespe Saddle have now been worked to standard thanks to over 2,600 LPFA volunteer hours, as well as three separate hitches by LPFA’s professional Trail Crew. If you want to learn more about the Alder Creek Project and the history of this trail, check out this post! While we don’t believe trail maintenance is ever finished, we are definitely nearing the light on the other side of the brush tunnel; the worst of the overgrowth is behind us and the Alder Creek Trail is once again open for footprints. 

This project has been supported by individual donations to LPFA, as well as grant funding from Southern California Edison and the U.S. Forest Service. The larger goal of the Alder Creek Project is to continue work on the eastern Sespe River Trail and up the Johnston Ridge Trail to connect to its trailhead at Mutau Flat. 8.5 miles down, 11.5 miles left to go! It’s a lofty goal, but incredibly achievable with continued support from our donors and volunteers. Let’s make it happen. 

Team LPFA 

DONATE!
VOLUNTEER!

Clockwise from top left: These Working Vacations cannot happen without our volunteer packstock support! Interested in packing for a trip? Let us know! VOLUNTEER@LPForest.org; Nothing better than a warm fire and new friends after a full day of workin’ trail. Volunteers relaxing at Alder Creek Camp; Sespe Saddle, and the crew that finished the job! photo, Chris F.; Fillmore-based brewery Red Engine Brewing Company supported LPFA volunteers with an assortment of post-work beverages. Check them out after your next trip on the Alder Creek Trail!; Sure feels good to walk back to camp on your freshly worked trail….

WHEELER GORGE OPEN HOUSE,

TOMORROW!

The annual Wheeler Gorge Visitor Center Open House has arrived! Join us tomorrow (Saturday, May 3rd) from 10am to 2pm at the Wheeler Gorge Visitor Center, just 15 minutes up Highway 33 from Ojai. Explore the center, learn what other local non profits are doing for the forest, enjoy some lunch, climb the climbing wall, and enter the raffle to win gear from REI, Patagonia, LPFA and more! No RSVP required. See you Saturday…. 

FOREST HAPPENINGS

  • In case you missed it, many seasonal closure gates are now OPEN FOR THE SEASON! Popular roads that have opened up include: Grade Valley Rd, Frazier Mountain Rd, Santa Barbara Canyon Rd, Pine Mountain Rd, Cherry Creek Rd, Dough Flat Rd, and most of the OHV routes on the Mount Pinos Ranger District. Get it while the gettin’ is good! And reach out to INFO@LPForest.org if you have any questions…we’re here to help! 
  • The public comment period for the Los Padres National Forest’s Wildfire Risk Reduction Project is open from May 2 – June 2. The Forest Service states he project is designed to increase community/infrastructure protection and wildfire containment opportunities by establishing fuelbreaks, defense zones, and improve vegetation resilience and the health of forested areas from environmental stressors. The project documents and public comment portal can be found here. 
  • The LPFA will be holding a Volunteer Working Vacation on the North Fork Matilija Trail, May 14 – 18! Check out the details here and sign on up! 
  • National Trails Day is right around the corner! Stay tuned in the coming weeks from project announcements to celebrate our Los Padres trails. In the meantime, check out what we did last year for National Trails Day…. 

LPFA Working Vacations get you deep in the wilderness where you can enjoy panoramic views of our Los Padres Forest. It doesn’t get much better than this…. Photo, Brandy L.

LOS PADRES: Sunny Skies Ahead with Strong Chance of TRAIL WORK in the Forecast

Posted on by Bryan Conant

Sespe Wilderness Roaring – photo Mark H.

Hello Friends, 

Tis the season for Trail Work and we’ve got a lot of upcoming trail projects in the queue including two 10-day Working Vacations and an assortment of other fun volunteer opportunities. Take a look, hope you can join the fun and as always feel free to reach out with any questions you might have: VOLUNTEER@LPForest.org

Santa Barbara Canyon, Mar 21 – 30

The LPFA has been hard at work over the past year rerouting the dreaded Heartbreak Hill section of the Santa Barbara Canyon Trail. We are so close to wrapping this one up. Join us the last week of March to put on the finishing touches – sign up here!

SBC – Here I Come!

Alder Creek, Sespe, Apr 12 – 20

We’re headed back once again to the Alder Creek Trail for a full-scale Working Vacation based out of Alder Creek Camp in the Sespe! If you haven’t joined a LPFA Working Vacation before, they are an absolute blast. Check out this post for a bit more of what to expect from a typical Working Vacation. Details are still taking shape and the exact dates may shift depending on the weather, but sign on up and we’ll work out the details closer to the event!

ALDER CREEK WORKING VACATION!!!

Ojai Trail Work, Ongoing

The LPFA continues our regular weekly trail projects across Ojai. We’ve recently worked Rose-Lion, Lion Cyn, Cozy Dell, Gene Marshall – Piedra Blanca, Potrero John and of course we’ve been mostly working Matilija so that the trail is ready once the road reopens. Dates and times vary but click below if you’d like to get on the sign-up list. Thanks….. 

Oh Yeah Ojai!

Wheeler Gorge Open House, May 3

The LPFA will be hosting our annual Open House at Wheeler Gorge Visitor Center on May 3. Gonna be fun! We are currently looking for volunteers who might like to help with the event or get involved at the Visitor Center. Let us know if that sounds fun. We’ll be promoting the Open House lots more in the coming months, stay tuned and put it on your calendar…… 

A Sweet Before & After 

Sometimes it’s hard to see the forest through the trees, especially when restoring a very overgrown backcountry trail. Sit on your butt, cut brush, swamp – Scooch. Sit on your butt, cut brush, swamp – Scooch. Repeat, repeat…. Fortunately, nowadays we have access to really cool satellite imagery that is updated frequently enough to help show the progress we’re making along the trails. The image on the left is of the Sweetwater Trail in 2023 (no trail) and the image on the right is from fall 2024 (yes trail). The LPFA Trail Crew has spent many weeks cutting back the brush along this San Rafael Wilderness Trail and we’re getting really close to finishing it up. It’s a long backpack just to get to the Sweetwater but the rewards and views are amazing, and now the trail is too ~ at least for now….. Go check it out! 

Nine Trails Santa Barbara

For any of you folks running Nine Trails this weekend, we’ve got you! Among other SB Frontcountry trail projects, we just spent three days clearing brush, drains and removing sharp metal objects along the Rattlesnake and Tunnel Connector Trails. If you know that sharp metal object, it’s no longer there ~ yee haw! 

Good luck this weekend ~ have fun! 

Los Padres Trail Updates, Volunteering and Forest 411

Posted on by Addison Jerlow

Anyone else taking advantage of these unseasonably warm and clear February days? From Arroyo Quemado Trail….

  • This past weekend LPFA volunteers led our 3rd project on the beloved Gene Marshall – Piedra Blanca National Recreation Trail in the last year. We’ve been working up from Piedra Blanca Camp clearing the steep and overgrown section of trail to Pine Mountain Lodge. After last weekend we have cleared all but the final 200ft of trail below PML. So close! We’ll be back….
  • Another volunteer group spent the day finishing up clearing the Rose-Lion Connector Trail in support of the upcoming Coyote2Moon Trail Race. Thanks to Runners for Public Lands and all the volunteers who contributed nearly 250hrs towards the trail in February. The connector is looking tip top!
  • On Monday we cut out the dozen or so downed trees on lower Lion Canyon Trail and brushed a bit up towards East / West Lion Camps. The cherry on top of a trail maintenance-packed weekend! 
  • The LPFA Trail Crew recently completed a week-long project to clear brush along the upper 3.5 miles of the Arroyo Quemado Trail thanks to funding and support from the Santa Barbara County Trails Council. Head out and see the freshly worked trail yourself! It’s a seven-mile one-way hike from the trailhead at Baron Ranch to West Camino Cielo that offers extraordinary views of the Pacific Ocean and Channel Islands!

Volunteer trail maintenance overnights aren’t all about the work! Volunteers recounting LP adventures over a glowing LP sunset, photo Marcus I.

IT’S TRAIL WORKIN’ SEASON!

All smiles while swamping ceanothus on last fall’s Alder Creek Working Vacation, photo Karen O.

ALDER CREEK WORKING VACATION, APRIL 12 – 20

LPFA is headed to the Alder Creek Trail in the Sespe Wilderness this April for a full-scale Working Vacation based out of Alder Creek Camp! We have led not one but TWO Working Vacations on this trail over the past two years and cannot wait to get back out there. If you haven’t joined an LPFA Working Vacation before, they are an absolute blast. Check out this post for a bit more of what to expect from a typical Working Vacation. Details are still taking shape and the exact dates may shift depending on the weather, but sign on up and we’ll work out the details closer to the event!

ALDER CREEK WORKING VACATION!!!

And a few more upcoming projects….

Agua Blanca Trail, Mar 9

Alan Coles has been chipping away at restoring the Agua Blanca Trail over the past year. Following the big storms in early 2023, the trail needed a ton of work. It is looking GREAT out there. Come on out and support this rugged corner of the Los Padres!

Agua Blanca for Me!

Alder Creek Overnight, Mar 11 – 13

Join LPFA on an overnight project at Alder Creek Camp to put the finishing touches on the trail that will make it stock passable for our April Working Vacation! We’ll be leading a small volunteer crew on the Alder Creek Trail.  A great project for those looking for a little wid-week LP action. Email us VOLUNTEER@LPForest.org to get more info or sign up!

Alder Creek Overnight Please!

Santa Barbara Canyon, Mar 23 – 30

LPFA has been hard at work on rerouting the dreaded Heartbreak Hill section of the Santa Barbara Canyon Trail. We are so close to wrapping this one up. Join us the last week of March to put on the finishing touches. Dates for this project are still TBD, but sign up if you’re interested and we’ll finalize them over email in the coming weeks.

SB Canyon ALL THE WAY!

Forest 411

  • Fire Restrictions were lifted across the forest on Friday, February 21. This means that backcountry campfires are once again allowed. Hurrah! There are a few places with year round restrictions so make sure to read up on current orders before heading out into the forest. And as always, please make sure to have a valid California Campfire Permit, practice Leave No Trace Principles and don’t be an idiot: drown your fires!
  • The Los Padres National Forest is providing one more OHV public house on Thursday, February 27, 2025, from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm at the Santa Lucia Ranger Station located at 1616 Carlotti Dr, Santa Maria, CA 93454.The goal of this open house is for interested parties to discuss and provide input into the development of the 2026 Off-Highway Vehicle (OHV) grant applications.
  • The Los Padres National Forest has lost several staff members this month due to the recent federal layoffs. The Forest Service has worked hard to hire new staff over the past 2 years and this is a blow to the already under-resourced forest that is sure to affect everything from project approval timelines to forest access. We are saddened by the loss and our thoughts are with the affected staff and their families. LPFA will continue assisting the forest as much as we can while the Forest Service navigates the effects of these layoffs, as well as continue to seek out project funding and approvals to maintain access to the forest users. Wondering how you can help? Consider supporting our trail care fund or signing up to volunteer!
For the Forest!

It sure is looking like spring out there…. Sun is shinning, near the Ventana

#GivingTuesday for the Ventura Backcountry Trails

Posted on by Bryan Conant

Hello Friends, 

Let’s talk a little Ventura Backcountry. Highway 33, which is the primary road used to access the Ventura Backcountry, has been closed since January due to storm damage. Hwy 33 is used to visit many special places including Pine Mountain, Matilija, Rose Valley, Piedra Blanca and large portions of the Sespe Wilderness. The latest update from CalTrans is that Hwy 33 is expected to reopen sometime around the end of the year – that will be great, we can’t wait! 

Unfortunately, so many of the trails accessed from Hwy 33 remain in very bad shape. Not only are there trail-gobbling landslides, washouts and sinkholes resulting from the winter rains but the plants have also been growing like crazy, exploding with trail-guising regrowth. We’ve helped survey many of the trails off Hwy 33 and most of them need a lot of work clearing slides, brushing back the scub oak and helping to once again define where the trail should go.

We’ve started with some of the trail restoration work and have led trail projects this year on the Sespe, Piedra Blanca, Matilija, Chorro Grande, Reyes Peak, Boulder Canyon and Alder Creek Trails but we’ve just scratched the surface of what is truly needed for this amazing network of trails. 

With your support this #GivingTuesday, we’d like to make a huge push over the coming months to get as many of the gnarly sections of trail cleared and back in good shape.

Believe it or not, that is the trail, Kerr Spring Slide,
photo SoniaC

First on our trail priority list would be repairing the Kerr Spring slide along the Sespe River Trail. This section of trail just upstream from Kerr Spring has been a problem for decades but was hit exceptionally hard this past January. Over a hundred yards of trail was buried by a landslide of rock and mud. It’s a disaster and certainly hard to navigate in its current condition. We’d love to organize a combination of volunteers and hired trail professionals to camp at nearby Bear Creek and spend a couple weeks clearing this slide and reopening the Sespe. Please considering helping this #GivingTuesday. 

We’ll also be continuing our work on the Matilija Trail (come volunteer too!), we’d love to clear Lion Cyn again, work the GMPB up towards Pine Mtn Lodge and hack away at both Potrero John and lower Chorro. No shortage of work to be done, we can’t wait to get out there and do what we do best. 

Your support today goes a long way to helping repair the trails across the Ventura Backcountry. Thanks everyone! See you in the forest and on the trails…..

#GivingTuesday for the Ventura Backcountry

PROJECT FULL

We’ll be working the Alder Creek Trail in the Sespe Wilderness above Fillmore all of next week as part of a large scale Working Vacation. The project is full but we’re looking to clear the trail from Dough Flat out to Cow Spring and hopefully down a couple miles towards Alder Creek. Should be fun, with us luck! 

PROJECT FULL

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

We’ve been chipping away at the Matilija Trail for the past few months and are now up about 2 miles from the lower trailhead. We’ll continue our regularly scheduled Thursday and Saturday volunteer days. The canyon is beautiful and we really appreciate all the hard work from the volunteers. Join the fun! 

SIGN UP HERE!

VOLUNTEERS NEEDED

This coming Sunday will be the second of many trail days this season pn the Agua Blanca Trail. The ABT is located above Lake Piru in the Sespe Wilderness. Super Volunteer Alan Coles will once again be leading the charge and we’ll hopefully continue pushing up towards the Devil’s Gate. Hope you can make it! 

SIGN UP HERE!

Calling All Los Padres Photographers

Posted on by Bryan Conant

Hello Trail & Forest Friends, 

Like it or not, the clock keeps ticking and the calendar pages keep turning. In order to help with this Sisyphean cycle, the LPFA will be once again produce a Los Padres themed wall calendar. Originally conceived by LPFA President Jasonn, the LPFA calendars have become a staple for Los Padres enthusiasts to not only keep track of time but to also have twelve months of Los Padres wall candy to look forward to. This will be at least our 10th year of producing Los Padres calendars and we’re hoping to make 2024 the best to date….. 

CALLING ALL LOS PADRES PHOTOGRAPHERS

We are currently looking for photo submissions for the 2024 Los Padres Calendar. We’re sure most of you have some great Los Padres photos that hopefully you’d like to share. Interested? Here’s the details: 

  • All photos or art (paintings are good too) must be of or from within the Los Padres National Forest 
  • Ideally the images would be from within the past year or two but historic photos are okay too 
  • We’re looking for photos of scenery, mountains, valleys, canyons, trails, local flora & fauna, waterfalls, all forms of recreation and activities from across the forest (action shots are great) and anything else that would be awesome to see within a Los Padres calendar 
  • If you have any photos or images that fit the descriptions above, please email them to INFO@LPForest.org for consideration 
  • If your photo is selected, we’ll credit you for the photo within the calendar and mail you a complimentary 2024 Los Padres calendar sometime in the middle of December 

We see so many great photos on Instagram and Facebook, if you have any to share, please let us know. THANK YOU EVERYONE!

More Calendar Information
Order Your 2024 Calendar

Used Outdoor Gear Sale: Sunday Oct 22

The LPFA Used Outdoor Gear Sale is this Sunday October 22 at 11am, Tucker’s Grove Site #2. This event is a great way for LPFA members and supporters to pick up some really sweet deals on lightly used outdoor gear from Gossamer Gear and others including backpacks, tents, sleeping systems and all the fixings you might need for your fall journeys here in the Los Padres. See you there…. 

Manzana Schoolhouse Working Vacation

We are now just over a week away from the Manzana Schoolhouse Working Vacation! We’ll be out at the Schoolhouse from Nov 1-6 working to restore the roof at the Schoolhouse and maintain the nearby trails. If you are interested in helping, there is still time to sign up. If you’ve not been on a Working Vacation before, they are A TON OF FUN! Please email Volunteer@LPForest.org for more information…..

D13 Hunting Season

D13 general deer season has started in the southeastern Los Padres and will last through November 12. This is the second busiest hunting season in the LP. Click here to see a map of Zone D13 but it’s basically the Ventura Backcountry north of the Sespe Creek, east of Hwy 33 and west of I5 including most of the Mt Pinos Ranger District. If you are headed into D13 over the next couple weeks, expect to see quite a few hunters and busier trailheads than normal. Stay safe everyone and enjoy the fall colors!

Speaking of fall colors, they are starting to show in many of the higher parts of the forest AND there is still a lot of great water out there as well. Good time of year to get out and explore! Remember that www.HikeLospadres.com remains a great resource for learning the trails and camps across the Los Padres. You can always email us as well, we’re always happy to answer questions too. Get out there, have some fun and stay safe!

LPFA Working Vacation Season is Here!

Posted on by Bryan Conant
Still mostly Grass Mountain, March 24, 2023

Hello Friends,

Heading into 2023, the LPFA Program of Work was going to feature large scale trail projects on quite a few of the more remote trails located deep within the Los Padres backcountry. We had Working Vacations scheduled to work on trails including the Puerta Suela (Dick Smith), Sweetwater, Bucksnort, Hurricane Deck and what was sure to be an epic two-week Working Vacation based at South Fork Station restoring the Sisquoc Trail. Alas, the best laid plans often go awry and Mother Nature had other plans. Due to this years substantial storm damage it’s looking very unlikely that we’ll be able to make it out this season to these more remote locations. Bummer… but those trails aren’t going anywhere and we’ll get there eventually….

As a result of the storm damage, we have pivoted our Program of Work to focus on trails a little closer to home. We’re still finalizing dates and details but we’re hoping to host larger scale projects this season on the Manzana, the Sespe, Santa Barbara Canyon, Santa Cruz, Blue Canyon, Alder Creek (Sespe), Tinta and the trails located off the back of Figueroa Mountain. While we certainly love the backpacking style Working Vacations that come with pack support, the fancy gravity water filter and wetting canvas manties to keep the coolers cold; it’s looking that at least through April most of our Working Vacations will be more along the lines of car-camping. Car-camping is great too, don’t get us wrong and it’s much easier driving in coolers of ice as compared to packing them in on mules.

All that being said, our first larger scale trail project of the season is set for April 5-9 at NIRA working up and down the Manzana Trail. We are still finalizing details but we’re hoping to drive in to NIRA on Wednesday April 5, setup camp and work the next 5 days clearing slides, downed trees and brush. While we’d love each of you to come for the entire 5 days, we know that life sometimes gets in the way of trail projects and there will be opportunities for people to come for shorter periods of time as well. If you are interested in signing up or to learn more, click the link below and get on the email list – we’ll provide updates as soon as we can. Hope you can make it!

Exuberant Trail Volunteers  – Indian Creek Working Vacation, Spring 2022
SIGN UP NIRA WORKING VACATION HERE!

Downed Trees Everywhere!!!

So many trees have fallen this month due to a combination of super saturated soil, wind and snow load. if you come across a downed tree or any other obstacle along the trails or roads, PLEASE take a photo of the trail impediment, try to position an object or person in the photo for scale, record the location and share on HikeLosPadres, with the Forest Service or send directly to us: INFO@LPForest.org      Thanks….

Forest Hiring Opportunities

It’s certainly harder to get around the forest at the moment, but that just makes the rewards greater for those who do – photo Wayne Pooper
  • FOREST SERVICE: The LP Forest Service is looking for candidates who have an interest and passion for outdoor recreation and public service! Click Here
  • LPFA TRAIL CREW: The LPFA is currently hiring for our spring-summer Trail Crew. If you like spending time in the forest and working on trails, check it out! Click Here

So nice to see so much water flowing just about everywhere across the forest. It’s going to be a great spring. Photo Tommy