TR: Backbone Trail 2018
Posted: Sat Apr 07, 2018 7:18 pm
Backbone Trail 2018. March 26-28, 67 miles, 10,850 ft ascent.
The Backbone Trail (BBT) is a 67 mile trail that connects Will Rogers Park in the south near Santa Monica to Point Magu State Park in the north near Ventura. While an extraordinary amount of coastal mountain land has already been preserved for future generations, the assemblage of smaller land parcels to complete the last few miles of unbroken trail is only recently completed, and the BBT is now designated as a National Recreation Trail. I choose to take the trail in March as there is still a lot of green growth from the recent rains and to avoid the later season heat. I intend a three-day two-night trip and drive around the day before to cache water at three road crossings. View of Santa Monica Bay. A didactic panel claims that some of the larger prominent rocks on the trail were carried here from places as far away as Arizona some 50 million years ago. I do not camp, for it is not allowed except for a few campsites poorly located for my itinerary, but I do "bivouac" in a few scenic spots. Day 3: I depart at dawn from a spot overlooking the Thousand Oaks area in order to assure my arrival in time at the end of the day for the celebratory dinner at Malibu Seafood. I approach the Boney Mountain-Sandstone Peak range. Absorbed in listening to an audiobook, I am doubly surprised when I nearly walk onto a four-foot rattlesnake sunbasking in middle of the trail. I jump back and quickly fiddle with my iphone in order to take a photo while it scurries off the trail making its loud rattle noises. I count twelve rattles. I reach my destination in time for my seafood dinner at Malibu Seafood.
I found this trip very enjoyable, with varied scenery, and it is very easy to do since it is just outside my own backdoor. I do believe however that it merits consideration from even our northern California friends, and is the perfect antidote for those suffering from the winter Sierra doldrums.
A longer report with more photos and some trail information can be found at:
https://www.trailnamebackstroke.com/bac ... rail-2018/
The Backbone Trail (BBT) is a 67 mile trail that connects Will Rogers Park in the south near Santa Monica to Point Magu State Park in the north near Ventura. While an extraordinary amount of coastal mountain land has already been preserved for future generations, the assemblage of smaller land parcels to complete the last few miles of unbroken trail is only recently completed, and the BBT is now designated as a National Recreation Trail. I choose to take the trail in March as there is still a lot of green growth from the recent rains and to avoid the later season heat. I intend a three-day two-night trip and drive around the day before to cache water at three road crossings. View of Santa Monica Bay. A didactic panel claims that some of the larger prominent rocks on the trail were carried here from places as far away as Arizona some 50 million years ago. I do not camp, for it is not allowed except for a few campsites poorly located for my itinerary, but I do "bivouac" in a few scenic spots. Day 3: I depart at dawn from a spot overlooking the Thousand Oaks area in order to assure my arrival in time at the end of the day for the celebratory dinner at Malibu Seafood. I approach the Boney Mountain-Sandstone Peak range. Absorbed in listening to an audiobook, I am doubly surprised when I nearly walk onto a four-foot rattlesnake sunbasking in middle of the trail. I jump back and quickly fiddle with my iphone in order to take a photo while it scurries off the trail making its loud rattle noises. I count twelve rattles. I reach my destination in time for my seafood dinner at Malibu Seafood.
I found this trip very enjoyable, with varied scenery, and it is very easy to do since it is just outside my own backdoor. I do believe however that it merits consideration from even our northern California friends, and is the perfect antidote for those suffering from the winter Sierra doldrums.
A longer report with more photos and some trail information can be found at:
https://www.trailnamebackstroke.com/bac ... rail-2018/