Submitted by: BackcountryBirdman
Posted: December 2, 2024
Trail Condition: Passable
After working on the Santa Lucia trail at the request of residents,landowners and locals. We are proud to say that the trail from parking lot at gorge to adobe is clear,from adobe to the first switch back there is one tree that feelon the cliffside over looking the smaller waterfall pool. Other than that it’s EXTREMELY passable.
No more ducking at all,at least half the trails tread has been reworked(the farther you go,the better it will get) at saddle we cleared up to the saddle camp,cleaned up the camp. Continue up the ridge to the junction with the connected trail is pack grade. From that point forward to last chance there are two larger oaks in to Sucsesive ravines before the slide out.
At the slide out we installed ropes and made a work around trail that is now super safe if you use the ropes provided(like little sur) past last chance camp(hands down one of the top three campsites in the backcountry)it’s a meander up the riverside thru a wonderful buckeye thicket. Then crossing the creek once again,now on the east side we cleared all the way to Jeff’s falls of trees,and removed large swaths of deer weed. Some sections back to pack grade.
Lots of deer weed to bluff camp,we cleared the camp of lots of the deadfall,removed a rock fire ring that was not supposed to be in a certain area. Restoring cultural integrity to the site. Then we worked up toward the ridge that leads of of the drainage.
Ending our work for now. So just to be clear,the trail is easily passable to at least bluff camp at this time.