Tag: Working Vacation

Call for Photos and November Volunteering with LPFA!

Posted on by Addison Jerlow

2025 Los Padres Calendar:  CALL FOR PHOTOS!

Hi Friends, 

We’re still looking for photos from Forest users to fill the pages of our annual Los Padres-themed Wall Calendar!Last year’s calendar was a smashing success, help us make this year’s even better. 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. So send us your awesome LP shots by November 3rd for a chance to be featured in this year’s calendar! Check out this post for more details on how to submit your photos. 

2025 Calendar PLEASE!

We also have the 2025 Los Padres Calendar available for preorder through our website! If you know you’ll be needing one for the LP-lover in your life, go ahead and click that button above. And remember, all funds raised from calendar sales go directly towards maintaining trails in the Los Padres National Forest! A win for you and a win for the Forest…. 

Team LPFA 

NOVEMBER VOLUNTEER 

 TRAIL PROJECTS

Lunch break with a view. Last December on the Alder Creek Trail….

The LPFA Alder Creek Trail Working Vacation is right around the corner! Join us November 16-25 at Cow Spring Campas we spend 10 days working the Alder Creek Trail in the Sespe Wilderness. This area of the Forest boasts some clear and epic views this time of the year, and is known to be one of the best places to spot Condors in the Los Padres. LPFA provides food, drinks and tools for the project, volunteers need only supply their personal backpacking gear. Click here for more info or to sign up for this sure-to-be epic Working Vacation! 

Santa Cruz Trail Day: Nov 6

Agua Blanca Trail Day: Nov 10

What better way to keep your mind off of November 5th than to have Los Padres plans on November 6th! Come join LPFA for a day project on the Santa Cruz National Recreation Trail. Plan to work from about 8:30am-2pm and spend the day brushing the trail between the trailhead and 19 Oaks Camp. Sign up here to join or get more info!

Alan Coles will be leading a day project on the Agua Blanca Trail on Sunday, November 10th! This is the perfect project for those who like some hike with their trailwork. Plan for about 8 miles round trip to work the trail between Log Cabin Camp and Potholes. And there’s still great water in the creek! Sign up here to join or get more info. 

LPFA Used Gear Sale, D13 and Call for Photos

Posted on by Addison Jerlow

THE LPFA USED GEAR SALE

HAS ARRIVED!

THIS SUNDAY, OCTOBER 13TH

Greetings Friends, 

The annual LPFA Used Gear Sale is THIS SUNDAY, from 11am to 1pm at Manning Park, site A/2. This year’s sale features ridiculously discounted NEW backpacks and tents from Gossamer Gear, tons of lightly used outdoor gear (tents, sleeping pads, clothing, cookware, you name it), as well as a sweet selection of LPFA swag. You don’t want to miss this one! Come get yourself some new-to-you gear to fill out your next Los Padres adventure, all while supporting the trails you love. All proceeds from this event go directly towards maintaining trails in the Los Padres. 

See you Sunday, 

Team LPFA 

 CALLING ALL LOS PADRES

PHOTOGRAPHERS:  

It’s LPFA Calendar Season!

It’s that time of year again when we ask for submissions to our 2025 Los Padres Wall Calendar! The submissions last year created what many have deemed our best calendar yet….can we do even better this year? Let’s see what you got…. 

  • All photos or art (paintings are good too) must be of or from within the Los Padres National Forest  
  • Preference given to photos 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  
  • Please limit your submissions to 15 photos and send them in by NOVEMBER 3, 2024. Google Photo Album link preferred. Email to INFO@LPForest.org. 
  • If your photo is selected, we’ll credit you for the photo within the calendar and mail you a complimentary 2025 Los Padres calendar sometime in December 

We see so many great photos on Instagram and Facebook, if you have any to share, please do so! 

If you already know you need 1, 2 or more calendars for the LP enthusiasts in your life, you can PREORDER them now. And remember, all proceeds go directly toward the LPFA Trail Care Fund, focused on maintaining trails across the Los Padres. 

ORDER YOUR 2025 CALENDAR!

 D13 Deer Season, and More Volunteer Days: 

D13 Deer Season, Oct 12 – Nov 10

D13 general deer season begins Saturday, October 12th in the southeastern Los Padres and will last through November 10th. 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 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! 

Schoolhouse Overnight, Oct 18 – 21

There are still a few spots left on our Manzana Schoolhouse Project next weekend, October 19 – 21! LPFA will be spending a few days at Manzana Schoolhouse Camp working on the Hurricane Deck and Sisquoc River Trails. Details are still taking shape but sign on up and we’ll follow up soon! It’s not often we get to CAR CAMP at Manzana Schoolhouse…. 

Agua Blanca Trail, Oct 26

Alan Coles is leading frequent day-long trail projects on the Agua Blanca and Pothole Trails starting SATURDAY, OCTOBER 26TH! This is an awesome part of the forest, as well as the southern terminus of the Condor Trail. Sign on up if you want to join on 10/26, or if you want to hear about the other weekend projects on these trails throughout the fall/winter season…. 

Alder Creek/Cow Spring

Working Vacation: Nov 16 – 25

Did we mention this is Condor Country?

Join LPFA in the Sespe Wilderness out of Dough Flat as we continue our work on the Alder Creek Trail, November 16th-25th! If you haven’t joined an LPFA Working Vacation yet, they are a TON of fun. We’ll be backcountry camping at Cow Spring Camp and working down towards Alder Creek. Meals, drinks, and tools are provided by LPFA pack support for the entire ten day project. Volunteers only need to carry in their personal gear. If you can’t make the full time, no problem! Sign on up and we’re happy to have you for as long as you can join…..

WORKING VACATION SIGN UP!

LPFA Hiring & Fall Volunteer Opportunities

Posted on by Bryan Conant

How cool were all those amazing clouds this past week? Photo Ron ‘always in the’ Noe.

Hello Friends, 

It sure has been hot this past week or so. Hopefully, despite the heat, you’ve been able to find some strategic trail time and ideally a visit or two to cool off in your favorite LP creek, river or swimming hole. It’s been a treat having so much plentiful water again after all those scarce drought years. Fortunately, we’ve got much cooler weather on tap in the coming days and beyond that autumn is just a few weeks away. All the ingredients are coming together for an epic fall and winter trail season here in the Los Padres. Now’s the time to start planning your next adventure. As always, HikeLosPadres.comremains an excellent source for forest information or you can always email us as well for any tips, advice or recommendations. They say that planning your adventure is half the fun, might as well get started on that right away!  

Speaking of planning, the end of summer also marks the start of the LPFA busy season. Over the next few months, before it starts to really rain, we generally aren’t living ‘weather forecast to weather forecast’ and have the somewhat rare ability to truly set and schedule trail projects. As we ramp up for a busy fall trail season we are hiring for our Trail Crew and sharing many upcoming volunteer trail projects. Be sure to check out those opportunities below and we hope to see all of you out on the trails with us for what is shaping up to be a great fall season. 

The LPFA is now in our 45th year of helping the Los Padres Forest and helping people enjoy the forest in a responsible and sustainable manner. While we’re mostly known for all the volunteer work we accomplish around the forest, we do also have employees who help grease the machine and make sure all the moving parts move. We are hiring right now for the two positions listed below. Please share with anyone who might be interested or email us with questions.  

LPFA Trail Crew 

For the past 6 years the LPFA has employed a professional Trail Crew who work year round on both trail and forest support projects. The Trail Crew works mostly within Santa Barbara & Ventura Counties and we work a schedule that includes both day projects as well as week-long car-camping and backpacking hitches. It’s very hard physical work but also very rewarding at the same time. Lots of time outdoors. For more information click the link below. 

SBRD Information Specialist 

This is a new position for us that we’re really excited about. This position will be based at the SB Ranger District office and assisting forest visitors who might have questions about the forest. At the same time this position will have flexibility to help with a variety of LPFA projects. Since this is a new role for us, there will be lots of opportunities to help steer the responsibilities and direction of this position. If this sounds like you, click below: 

Trail Crew Heck Yeah!
Totally Want to Learn More!

The LPFA will once again be hosting a Used Camping Gear Sale on Sunday October 13th at Manning Park in Montecito. More details to come. We would be honored to receive any gear donations you might have in the hopes of finding a new owner for your old gear. Let us know. All proceeds go to our Trail Restoration Fund. Thanks…. 

Sunset Valley after a National Trails Day project in June 2022 (left) and the same Sunset Valley after the Lake Fire in September 2024 (right)

So many trails, so little time. As mentioned, the LPFA has a full schedule this fall of day projects, multi-day car-camping projects and our famous 10-day Working Vacations. Feels weird to say this but we get this question surprisingly often: all our trail projects are free, we don’t charge for food or anything else. We love all the volunteers and try our best to make the trail projects fun, rewarding, adventurous and even more fun. We hope you’ll consider joining us and please let us know if you have any questions…… 

NPLD is our favorite nationally recognized volunteer day of service. For us, it marks the start of the fall trail season, which is reason to celebrate for sure. While NPLD is technically September 28th, this year we’ll be stretching NPLD into October by hosting and participating in multiple NPLD projects. Come join the party! 

For a full list of our projects, click here…. 

Want more…? 

In addition to NPLD, here are some other LPFA trail projects in the queue: 

  • While Matilija Canyon remains closed due to storm related road damage, we are working with the FS to maintain the Matilija Trail so that it’ll be ready to hike by the time the road reopens in summer 2025. We lead regular weekly projects along Matilija.
  • We’ll be making a push this season on the Santa Cruz Trail located off Paradise Road. We’re hoping to lead at least one volunteer day per week over the coming months. Our first project will be this Friday 9/13. 

Alder Creek / Cow Spring Working Vacation: Nov 16-24 

Last fall the LPFA maintained approx 5 miles of the Alder Creek Trail out from Dough Flat above Fillmore in the Sespe. This year we’ll be picking up where we left off and trying to punch the trail through down from Cow Spring to Alder Creek Camp. We’ll be out there for 10 days in November just before Thanksgiving and would love some company. As usual, food and supplies will be packed in to camp thanks to mule support and we’ll be spending our days in condor country fixing the trail. Last year we saw condors every day we were out there. So cool.  To learn more or to come along, click here.

In case you missed it, many of the roads and camps impacted by the Lake Fire have been reopened. This includes Davy Brown Campground. Check it out here.

TRAIL VOLUNTEERS: Return to Happy Hunting Ground, Working Vacation

Posted on by Bryan Conant

Happy Hunting Ground Working Vacation Continues 
April 22-28, 2024

Hello Friends, 

The LPFA and our wonderful trail volunteers just completed 3 miles of trail restoration (technically 2.9, but who’s counting?) within the San Rafael Wilderness as part of our Happy Hunting Ground Working Vacation. Woot woot! 

We had so much fun and it was so nice out there… we decided to do it again! Please consider joining us as we Return to Happy Hunting Ground ~ April 22-28 to continue our great trail work down towards South Fork Station. Here’s what you need to know: 

  • As usual, all food and tools will be provided for our volunteers. 
  • You’ll need to backpack in your own personal gear 10.7 miles from the NIRA Trailhead out to Happy Hunting Ground. It’s a beautiful hike with many creek crossings and most of our volunteers were completing the hike in 6-7 hrs. 
  • While we’d love people to come out for all 7 days, you are more than welcome to come for shorter stints too. We’ll work around your schedule. Sign up and we can work out the details from there. 
  • Our Working Vacations are really fun. A good mix of Work and Vacation. If you haven’t joined us before, check it out, you’ll have a great time! 
  • Be sure to pack your phone and a bathing suit. The views are terrific and this years water is incredible. 
  • To sign up please click the link below or email us at VOLUNTEER@LPForest.org with any questions. 

Thanks everyone, hope to see you out there…….

Volunteer on the Manzana Trail! SIGN ME UP!

Manzana Trail is Where It’s At!

Posted on by Bryan Conant

Hello Friends! 

It’s trail season and the LPFA will once again be hosting a Working Vacation to help maintain the backcountry trails of the Los Padres Forest. This season we are focusing on restoring the beloved Manzana Trail within the San Rafael Wilderness…..

Click Here to Help the Manzana Trail!

Starting April 6, we’ll be camping at Happy Hunting Ground Camp and spending the next week clearing the trail down towards South Fork Station. Happy Hunting Ground is a backcountry camp nestled between pines, oaks and rock outcrops along the eastern edge of the Hurricane Deck formation. If you haven’t been there before, it will be a great place to temporarily call home!

This will be a typical LPFA Working Vacation complete with pack mule support = all food and tools will be provided. Happy Hunting Ground is located 10.7 miles upstream from the NIRA Trailhead along the Manzana Trail. Each volunteer will have to only backpack in all their own personal gear while the mules will bring in the kitchen setup, food and tools for the week. 

The trail work will include crosscutting downed trees, tread repair, some rockwork and brushing. We could also use help with cooking and campground maintenance too, if that’s more to your liking. While we’d love to have you for all 10 days, there are absolutely options for shorter stays. If you’d like to join or to learn more, please email VOLUNTEER@LPForest.org or click the link below. We’ll be sharing more details over the coming week or so.

Happy Hunting Ground is an amazing place! It will be fantastic working the trail, spending time at camp, helping the forest and hanging out with friends. Hope to see you there….

Heck Yeah – Sign me up!

Backcountry Season is NOW! – Los Padres Forest

Posted on by Bryan Conant

Spring has sprung or is springing across the Los Padres…

The grass is green, the big mountains are covered in snow, the creeks and rivers are flowing strong and the mountains should be calling ~ we hope you are answering….

Prime backcountry season is now! 

LPFA SPRING TRAIL WORK UPDATE

A big focus of the LPFA these past couple months has been working to clear and maintain trail access within the San Rafael Wilderness, specifically out of NIRA. The LPFA Trail Crew has been hammering on the upper reaches of the Manzana Trail while we’ve simultaneously led multiple volunteer projects on sections closer to the trailhead. While most of our work has been along the Manzana Trail, we’ve also been working the Potrero Trail and along the Hurricane Deck Trail between Potrero and the Schoolhouse.

Our goals in the San Rafael for this season are to finish restoring the Sweetwater Trail, open up the Potrero – Western Hurricane Deck – Lower Manzana lollipop and maintain the Manzana Trail from NIRA to as close to South Fork as we can. 

Lots to do, lots of fun to be had, lots of opportunities for you to answer the call and help on an upcoming volunteer project…. 

We hope to see you out there!

Manzana Trail Working Vacation

Happy Hunting Ground Camp ~ April 6-14

Join us at Happy Hunting Ground Camp within the San Rafael Wilderness as we restore the Manzana Trail. Happy Hunting Ground is a backcountry camp nestled between pines, oaks and rock outcrops along the eastern edge of the Hurricane Deck formation. This will be a typical LPFA Working Vacation complete with pack support and all food and tools will be provided. Happy Hunting Ground is located 10.7 miles upstream from the NIRA Trailhead along the Manzana Trail. Each volunteer will have to backpack in all their own personal gear while the mules will bring in the kitchen setup, food and tools for the week. We’ll be focused on restoring the Manzana Trail from Happy Hunting Ground down towards South Fork Station. The trail work will include crosscutting downed trees, tread repair, some rockwork and brushing. We could also use help with cooking and campground maintenance too, if that’s more to your liking. While we’d love to have you for all 10 days, there are absolutely options for shorter stays. If you’d like to join, please email VOLUNTEER@LPForest.org or click the link below. We’ll be sharing details over the coming weeks. Happy Hunting Ground is an amazing place! It will be fantastic spending time at camp, helping the forest and hanging out with friends. Hope to see you there….

Sign Me Up – Trail Volunteer!!!

Potrero Trail: March 22-24

Join us as we continue work along the spectacular Potrero Trail within the San Rafael Wilderness. We’ll be camping three days at Potrero Camp and working up from there. Feel free to help all three days or come for a day! It’s all good. To sign up or with questions please email or click here.

St. Patty’s on the Manzana: SUNDAY

We’ll be out on the Manzana this Sunday on St. Patricks Day working to make the first mile of the trail stock passable. Should be a fantastic day! We’ll be meeting at NIRA at 0900 and should be off the trail by mid-afternoon. Please RSVP via email. Oh, and don’t forget to wear green! 

And while we have you… a few more volunteer events!

Frontcountry Volunteer Days

We have regular volunteer days scheduled across both the SB and Ojai frontcountry trails. We’ve been working every Thursday and Saturday in Ojai and have a Trailwork Tuesday project on Rattlesnake Canyon in SB scheduled for Tuesday March 19. To signup or learn more please email or click here.

Forest 411

• Highway 33 has reopened providing access into the heart of the Ventura Backcountry, the Sespe Wilderness and most importantly the Wheeler Gorge Visitor Center. Quick heads up that we’ll be hosting our annual Wheeler Gorge Open House on Saturday May 11. Get it on your calendar! 

• Due to a significant landslide near Barlow Camp, the Pine Ridge Trail may be impassable to Sykes dependent on water levels. Please contact the Monterey Ranger District or the Big Sur Station with questions. 

• The Forest Service is accepting public comments through March 31 on the Piru Creek Wild & Scenic River Comprehensive River Management Plan. Check it out here. 

• The Santa Barbara Ranger District has extended the campfire ban across the Santa Barbara Frontcountry. To learn more click here. 

• The Forest Service has revised the 2023 Storm Damage Recovery closures. Some trails have reopened, some remain closed. Click here to see the order and full list of closures. 

• Earlier this month the Court of Appeals ruled in favor of the Forest Service’s planned Tecuya Ridge Shaded Fuelbreak Project. You can read information about the project here and about the recent ruling here. 

• The Forest Service is set to receive nearly $38,000,000 as part of the Thomas Fire recovery settlement. The funds should be used to “repair roads, trails, bridges and recreation sites damaged by the fire, as well as ecological recovery activities such as native plant restoration and invasive plant treatments.” For more information click here. 

• The Forest Service is planning a series of prescribed burns along Camino Cielo above Santa Barbara starting in March. Information can be found here and here. 

• Camping will be temporarily banned at San Carpoforo Beach along northern SLO County. More information – click here. 

• What a wonderful winter of rain we’ve had this year and two years in a row! Most of the forest has received well over normal rainfall totals and we should be looking at a nice summer with plenty of pools for cooling off. Great news! Enjoy the spring everyone and don’t forget to sign up to volunteer on some of the upcoming trail projects.

Los Padres New Years Information, LPFA

Posted on by Bryan Conant

A Big Sunset Across Little Pine, no Photoshop or filters needed….

Hello Friends ~ Happy Holidays!

You’re likely getting inundated with year-end emails so we’ll keep this short but we needed to share a couple Los Padres updates before the end of the year. Let’s do this…..

Highway 33: OPEN

CalTrans reopened Hwy 33 after it had been closed for the previous 11 months. While the highway is open, there are lane closures and some campgrounds and trails remain closed. For more info click here….

Fire Restrictions

The Forest Service lifted fire restrictions; campfires are now allowed in most parts of the forest with a valid California Campfire Permit. See details and more information here….

Ventura Backcountry Updates

  • Earlier this month the LPFA was able to successfully complete a 9-day Working Vacation along the Alder Creek Trail within the eastern Sespe Wilderness. Thanks to the efforts of our volunteers and Trail Crew, we were able to maintain 5.5 miles of wilderness trail. 
  • Thank you everyone who contributed to our #GivingTuesday campaign to raise money in support of the Ventura Backcountry trails. We were able to exceed our goals and will be leading a volunteer trail project on the Sespe River Trail as soon as we get a clear weekend. Stay tuned….
  • Please join us on Saturday Jan 6 as we continue helping efforts to restore the Agua Blanca Trail within the Sespe Wilderness. Led by Alan Coles, volunteers will be meeting at Lake Piru and heading up the Agua Blanca clearing brush and downed trees. To sign up, click here. 
  • With the reopening of Highway 33, the LPFA was also able to reopen the beloved Wheeler Gorge Visitor Center. If you haven’t visited Wheeler Gorge, stop by next time you are in the neighborhood. We’re open weekends and holidays; just 15 minutes up from downtown Ojai. See you there….

Last but certainly not least, we need to thank all the dedicated LPFA volunteers who spend their free time in support of the forest. This includes volunteers at the Visitor Centers, our Board of Directors and of course all of you who spend time with us on the trails and within the forest. We also want to give a huge shout-out to our hard-working professional Trail Crew who spend all year helping the trails. They’re out in the forest 10 hours a day through the summer heat, the winter freeze and everything in between. Also a big thanks to all the donors, partners and grantors who support our mission in all ways imaginable. We truly could not do what we love to do without all of you!

Thank you everyone for a great 2023 with an even better 2024 on tap….

2023 Los Padres Forest Association Accomplishments

  • 9,944 volunteer hours 
  • 140 forest projects & hitches 
  • 577 individual volunteers 
  • 243 days spent on the trails 
  • 843 Trail Crew person days on the trails
  • 22,724 hours contributed to the forest 
  • 85 miles of trail maintained 
  • 495 miles of trail patrolled 
  • 731 miles of forest roads patrolled 
  • 1 one hundred and forty year old roof replaced

Thanks again everyone! Now go find some time to enjoy the forest, get a backpack in, go ride your favorite trail or take your family for a drive to a trailhead you’ve never visited. Safe travels and see you next year….

Discover the Los Padres Forest!

LPFA Working Vacations: Hammers, Pulaskis and Friends!

Posted on by Bryan Conant

Manzana Schoolhouse Re-Roofed

The LPFA just wrapped up an incredibly successful 5-day Working Vacation based at the Manzana Schoolhouse. In addition to the usual top-notch trail work, our volunteers also replaced the decrepit roof on the Schoolhouse itself. The previous roof was last replaced in 1990 and was breaking apart and littered with holes. The structure was at risk of falling over and potentially being lost forever. We’ve been working with the Forest Service for most of the past decade trying to get the necessary approvals to replace the roof and at long last it finally all came together. Bravo! and just in time as we have rain coming in just a few days! 

We want to thank everyone who participated but especially Greg J and Mark B who have sat through years of planning meetings and had the patience and expertise to pull this off. We’ll be sharing more about this project and other planned historic structure repairs in the coming weeks as well. Stay tuned…..

As mentioned, there was more accomplished in addition to the awesome work on the Schoolhouse. Our stupendous volunteers were able to repair tables around the campground and restore approximately 1.5 miles of the incredibly overgrown western Hurricane Deck Trail. If you know the Deck, you know how much work was needed to just get it cleared that far. (round of applause please) For those of you who missed out on the fun, don’t worry, we’ll be back soon with plans to finish the Deck up to the Potrero Trail junction. STAY TUNED!

Dough Flat, Alder Creek, Sespe Working Vacation

Tis the season for volunteer Working Vacations and we’ve got another great one planned for December, this time in the Sespe Wilderness! We are planning a Working Vacation based at Dough Flat from December 1-10 working the Alder Creek Trail. The plan as of now is to have both a car-camping option as well as a backpacking option. The car-camping portion of the project would be based at Dough Flat working the first 4 miles of the trail out towards the Bucksnort junction. The backpacking portion would be based at Cow Spring Camp and working down from there. Lots of details need to be worked out ahead of time and we may even have a combo option where half the project is at Dough Flat and half at Cow Spring. TBD. 

If you are interested in learning more or to sign-up, email us at VOLUNTEER@LPForest.org or click the link below. As usual, the LPFA is planning on providing all food and tools. We’ll likely do some cleanup at Dough Flat as well and could use help with painting, cooking, etc… Sign up if interested and we’ll provide details in the coming week or two. THANKS!

Alder Creek – SIGN ME UP!

It’s always great to hear from trail users who use the trails we help maintain. Here is a group of backpackers from Midland School enjoying a section of the Sespe River Trail that the LPFA Trail Crew restored over two hard weeks in May 2022. Many thanks to all of you who donated as part of #GivingTuesday so that we could repair this trail. Looking forward to #GivingTuesday 2023! photo Dan Susman

FOREST 411

The big news across the forest right now is the impending rain stormset to hit the Los Padres next week. Forecasts are showing significant rain that will likely initiate the seasonal gate closures across the forest. Don’t shoot the messenger…..

Thanks to all of you who helped support yet another successful LPFA Used Camping Gear Sale! We were able to set records for both most money raised as well as most happy forest-users leaving with awesome gear. Cheers to Gossamer Gear and Rik’s everlasting spirit.

LPFA 2024 Calendar Update 

Wow, did we get a bunch of great photos for this years 2024 Los Padres wall calendar! We actually have 517 photos submitted ~ it’s going to make selecting the photos really really hard. Good problem to have and the calendar is going to be something special this year. The calendar is currently for sale, if you’d like to reserve your copy and/or copies for all your friends and family, please click here to order. Thanks. this photo Wayne Spada

LPFA Trail Work Updates 

With the temperatures falling and water still flowing, the LPFA Trail Crew and LPFA Volunteers will be busy working trails this fall and winter. We have work scheduled on the following trails: Pothole, Agua Blanca, Alder Creek, Sespe, Matilija, Santa Barbara Cyn, Sisquoc, Sweetwater, Manzana, Hurricane Deck, Santa Cruz, Aliso, Matias, Arroyo Burro, Cold Spring, Blue Cyn, Franklin, Davy Brown, Trout Creek and anywhere else trail work might be needed. Click here if you’re interested in learning more about the Trail Crew.

Volunteer Help Needed 

In addition to the larger scale Working Vacations mentioned above, we have the following volunteer projects scheduled as well: 

  • November 12: Agua Blanca Trail, Sespe – this will be the first of many regularly scheduled and weather dependent trail days along the Agua Blanca Trail. Led by local trail steward Alan Coles, we’ll be driving out beyond locked gates and strategically chipping away at both the Agua Blanca as well as the Pothole Trail. We’ll be out there this Sunday with future dates to come. If interested click here or email VOLUNTEER@LPForest.org. 
  • November-December: Matilija Trail – Led by another local legendary trail steward named Peter Wilder, the LPFA has continued to work the Matilija Trail on most Thursdays and Saturdays since August. Our work will continue tomorrow and then we’ll likely change schedule a bit due to Thanksgiving. If interested click here or email VOLUNTEER@LPForest.org.
Come Volunteer!
Before, During & After photos showing trail repair work the LPFA Trail Crew completed this summer along the West Fork Cold Spring Trail in support of Montecito Trails Foundation. This section of trail was severely damaged during the January 2023 storms and needed a complete overhaul. Please remember to share any trail damage you might find either with the local Forest Service Ranger Station, on HikeLosPadres or email us directly and we’ll forward to the appropriate persons – thanks!

Los Padres Backcountry Season is Here!!!

Posted on by Bryan Conant

MANZANA SCHOOLHOUSE WORKING VACATION: Nov 1-6, 2023

Hello Friends,

Lets get right to it! The days are getting shorter, the nights are getting cooler and we know what that means:

   BACKCOUNTRY SEASON IS HERE!   

This fall should be perfect in the backcountry as there is still so much water out there. Pick your favorite trail, bag your favorite peak or go explore a new corner of the forest; it’s gonna to be a great fall season here in the Los Padres! Go get it!

Manzana Schoolhouse Working Vacation

Backcountry Season also means that the LPFA will be hosting some really fun backcountry volunteer opportunities. We’ll be sharing more in the coming weeks but up first is a November 1-6 Working Vacation at the Manzana Schoolhouse.

The Manzana Schoolhouse was built in 1893 and if any of you have visited the Schoolhouse over the past couple decades, then you certainly know how close it is to collapsing and being lost forever. The LPFA has been working with the Forest Service for most of the past decade trying to get the necessary approvals to repair the Schoolhouse roof. Finally, thanks to some really super volunteers, the ‘fixing of the roof’ is scheduled to happen early next month and we could use your help….

  • Our volunteers will drive or hike in to the Schoolhouse on November 1st and will spend the next 6 days doing a combination of roof repairs, campground maintenance and trail restoration on the nearby Manzana, Sisquoc and Hurricane Deck trails.
  • While we’d love to have you out there for the whole time, there will be lots of opportunities for shorter stays. We’ll be scheduling a few different drive-in and drive-out days and of course you can hike in from NIRA as well.
  • As always, the LPFA will provide all the food for the trip as well as all the tools and training needed in order to volunteer.
  • We are also looking for volunteers who like to cook and might be interested in staying at camp and making sure everyone is well fed and energized for the trail work. Let us know if that might be something you would be interested in as well.

If you are interested in learning more or to sign up, please click here and/or email us at VOLUNTEER@LPForest.org.

And last but not least, in case you aren’t available or able to help at the Schoolhouse, you can always support by donating. We’re going to have quite a bill between food and roofing supplies and any donations would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

Hope to see you out there and remember to email us with any questions…..

VOLUNTEER CLICK HERE – DONATE HERE

LPFA Used Outdoor Gear Sale

The LPFA will be hosting our 7th Annual Used Outdoor Gear Sale on Sunday October 22nd at 11am, Tucker’s Grove Site #2. The Used Gear Sale is a great opportunity for LPFA members and supporters to get some killer deals on lightly used gear including a whole bunch of Gossamer Gear backpacks and at the same time also donate gear towards the cause. All proceeds from the Gear Sale go towards the LPFA Trail Care Fund.

This year we will be celebrating the memory of our dear friend Rik Christensen. Rik founded the Used Gear Sale many years ago and his expertise and passion for the forest, the trails and gear was always on full display during these events. He’ll certainly be there with us in spirit on October 22nd…..

Got Used Gear to Donate

  • We’ll happily take any used gear you might have and help find it another home.
  • Great chance to purge and help in the process.
  • Email INFO@LPForest.org and we’ll find a way to get the gear exchanged!

Used Outdoor Gear Sale

  • Sunday October 22nd, 11am
  • Tucker’s Grove Park, Site #2
  • Santa Barbara / Goleta
  • Email INFO@LPForest.org with any questions!

Forest 411

LPFA volunteers putting the finishing touches on crosscutting a particularly stubborn 30″ downed tree from across the Reyes Peak Trail as part of National Public Lands Day. For more, see below…..

Volunteer Here

– The LPFA continues to lead twice-weekly volunteer trail projects on the Matilija Trail outside of Ojai. For more information or to sign-up, click here.

– Save the date, a second LPFA Working Vacation, most likely in the San Rafael Wilderness, is being planned for December 1-10, 2023, email for details.

– Save the date 2x, the LPFA will be leading a weekend volunteer project off Hi Mtn Road in SLO in November. Interested? Email us, dates TBD.

– The Ojai Ranger District is looking for volunteers to help at the front desk at the Ojai Ranger Station. Email Maria for more information.

– Our buddies at the Ventana Wilderness Alliance will be leading a series of volunteer projects along the Pine Ridge Trail in Oct and Nov. Check this link for more information.

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