twinkle, twinkle, little sprinkle: Our Trip to Big Sur

Camping at Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park

Every Summer, the parents of our Boy Scout troop plan a family camping trip, because the boys don't get enough camping throughout the year. Not! Actually, because we (the parents) want to get in on the camping action. Why should the scouts have all the fun? Our troop is pretty tight and we enjoy spending time together so we decided this would be a great way to spend some time with the scouts and get to know some really cool camping spots. Last year, we camped at Zion National Park in Utah. I was on a blog break so I didn't blog about that camping trip but it was awesome. The year before that, the troop went to Sequoia National Park but we didn't join them for that one.

There were several other trips that happened before then and before the current cohort. So this post is about our camping trip at Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park. I will post about it in several parts because goodness is always best in small doses.

The Highway of all highways

Driving up the California coast on Highway 1 is an experience in and of itself. Having only driven on this fabled road once before, a long time ago when it was too dark to appreciate, I made sure to take in the beauty of our magnificent coast this time around. Taking nothing for granted, all along the way, I was in a complete state of awe. The beautiful beach towns tucked in the ridges; some dense and some boasting sprawling horse and farm properties. Oh to be a horse grazing in the pastures, feeling the cool whisper of the coastal breeze. Lucky horses! Further up the coast, homes become fewer and more embedded into the landscape that if you aren't paying attention, you can easily miss them! I should mention, it helps to have someone else drive. I think one of my favorite sights on this trip are the beaches crashing against mountain bases. Most beaches are impossible to get to as there are huge cliffs that protect them from human interference, which makes them beautiful and unadulterated. But, to see a seashore meeting up with mountain terrain adorned in giant redwoods, is a sight to behold. To a Southern Californian like me, this is quite a juxtaposition. There are many, many points of interest along the way and had we not been on a destination-bound caravan, we might have made vista stops in addition to the nature-calling mandatory stops we made. We did manage to stop at a couple of attractions on our way home, which I will write about later.

Camping among the giants

Pfieffer Big Sur State Park was to be our home for the week. Our welcoming committee; the Big Sur River, giant redwoods, oaks, and maple trees, squirrels, skunks, and a family of turkeys. We also spotted a mommy and baby deer one morning on our way to the showers. It's hard to take for granted the magnificence of these gentle giant trees. All you have to do is look at their huge trunks and follow them up to their tops, high up in the sky, to realize you are in the presence of something remarkable and significant. Redwood trees normally grow to be 200 feet tall, with some growing up to be 350 feet tall! Their trunks can measure up to 15 feet in diameter and their barks can be up to 12 inches thick. What's even more remarkable than their size is the fact that they need very specific climate conditions in order to thrive, making the northern California coast, with it's mild climate, morning fog and wet winters the ultimate host. The bark of mature trees are relatively fire resistant but repeated fires can damage the trees from the inside, giving them a hollow base known as "goose-pens." We saw this phenomenon on our hikes.

the bark of older trees have a grayish tinge and are deeply furrowed, giving the trees a fluted appearance

a tree that survived a fire

moss growing on a fallen tree

the ferns that surrounded our campsite

the boys of Troop 841 enjoying conversation before dinner

a hallow tree trunk still stands in the center of this group

here you can see a tree that has been hallowed out by a fire, life finds a way on the outside of the trunk

We Hike...That's What We Do

Buzzard's Roost Trail is a moderate 4.8 hike loop which ends at Pfeiffer Ridge giving way to breathtaking ocean views. Unfortunately, there is no access to the ocean from the trail but the view from the top is worth the hike. On the hike we saw many trees devastated by fire, possible victims of the 2013 Big Sur Pfeiffer fire. One of the things that surprised me the most is the number of fallen trees, and in some cases, they lay across the path of the trail. I'm not sure if a lack of resources or the aspiration to allow nature take its course is the reason the forest is not cleared of the fallen trees.

on Buzzard Roost Trail
From left: Chloe, Isabell, Nico, Ricky, Santiago, Diego, Mateo, Hunter, and Andy

one of the fallen trees that crossed the trail

this is the view from Pfeiffer Ridge

"We made it!!

a family that hikes together stays together!

The other hike we did was the Pfeiffer Falls Trail which leads to a waterfall. Since we did this in August, the waterfall was not that big but according to other folks we met on the hike, the waterfall is quite sizable after the rainy season. On the way back from the waterfall, we took a side trail to take in a view of Big Sur Valley and have lunch.

Here we are at the waterfall. If you squint, you may be able to see it. Horacio and the boys went fishing so they missed out.
From left: Oscar, Leti, me, Nico, Isabell, Jacob, Diego, Anne, Adolfo, Ralph, Elaine, and Trish