The Big One!

OK, folks. I checked the weather in Santa Barbara and, so far, it looks like rain won't be a problem. It did say it would be cloudy so I'll check daily to make sure things don't change. Because of all the rock scrambling on this hike and because all of the rock in SB is sandstone, this hike cannot be done in the rain and for at least 48 hours afterwards. If it rains in SB but not locally, I'll shoot out a Plan B hike, but let's hope it doesn't come to that.

Since this one involves a bit of a drive (it's about 75-90 minutes to SB) and will require more coordination that usual, please email me at sirish.upadhyay@pepperdine.edu by no later than Saturday morning, if you're planning on coming. I'll then send out an email with details on what to bring, where we're meeting, etc.

I'm pumped!

The following is from the Santa Barbara Hikes website - please read, but note that "Class 3 rock climbing" in the description means it's not as steep as rock climbing as you know it, which is straight up. Class 3 climbing involves climbing over boulders, not sheer rocks.

Trail: Class 3 rock climbing, steep, primitive trail

This is a super strenuous boulder hop. It's been suggested I recommend you not bring a dog. I'll leave it up to you.

You start the trail on a paved access road that the Edison Company uses. After a mile of gentle uphill, the road turns to dirt and you follow it just a little more toward the turnoff to Jesusita Trail. Take Jesusita Trail to the first creek crossing on Mission Creek, then turn right up mission creek and look for a steep trail on the left that continues up to Cathedral Peak.

This is a steep trail that takes you on a class three rock climb to the top of “Cathedral Peak.” The actual Cathedral Peak, at 3333 ft., is a jutting rock formation a bit further, but this trail goes to a peak just in front of it, properly named Arlington Peak, where there is a nook in a rock with a sign-in book to register your joyous summit.

The views are amazing, stretching from Oxnard on a very clear day all the way up the coast past Goleta and out into the Channel, past the Islands.

The hike is about 4 miles round trip with an elevation gain of about 3000 ft.