We decided to try hiking Manzana to Potrero Trail to Hurricane Deck to the Schoolhouse. We wouldn't have to get our feet wet. I had never been on that portion of Hurricane Deck before. This picture is at the beginning of the hike on Manzana Trail. These are Fairwell to Spring flowers and Manzana River in the background.
More Fairwell to Spring. The flowers were still amazing this trip.
It's been a banner year for Delphinium, too. They were everywhere.
Wine Cups were everywhere, too. Especially in meadows like the ones near the Schoolhouse. This is still the Manzana trail.
Looking back at the Manzana river.
Tony crossing the Manzana. We opted to take our shoes off because this was our only creek crossing. The comfort of dry shoes far out-weighed the inconvenience.
Trash in the fire ring at Potrero trail junction. Hey guys, pack it out! It was heavier on the way in, so there's no excuse!
Elegant Clarkia and Phaceila on Potrero trail.
Me and the Delphinium again on Potrero trail. This was such a big patch.
Blue delphinium and golden yarrow.
Sage with pretty purple blossoms.
Tony and a Delphinium at Negis cave. We went in search of our last water for the rest of the day.
We found a little pool of water that was pretty clean.
It's clean but sort of yellow. That thing is my water filter. Tony says that the water is yellow because there is oxygen in it. That makes me feel better about it, even if it isn't true.
Even the water filter doesn't get the yellow out. Surprisingly the water tasted really good. Better than the Manzana river water which tastes so calcified and is clear.
Still pumping water. Tony hauled a gallon and a half over Hurricane Deck. We didn't need all that water after all, so he killed himself hauling it for nothing.
Here we are at the top where Potrero meets with Hurricane Deck. The ridge is our goal. That's where the Hurricane Deck trail is. Well, what there is of a trail, anyway.
You can almost see some of the trail. It follows along the knife edge. The trail is actually pretty good for an abandoned trail. We were able to find our way the entire way.
A pretty yellow flower. That's Potrero trail down below in the background.
This stuff is called dodder. It's a parasitic plant.
There's the Sisquoc River valley. The Manzana river meets it kind of right near the bottom in this picture. The confluence is where the Manzana schoolhouse is. The flat area bottom right where there is a meadow on the right, some scrub, and a very small meadow on the left that comes to a point is where there is a ruins of a homestead and a grave.
Hurricane Deck is so dry, but along the trail we came to an oasis of flowers and moisture. These are gooseberries.
Fairy Lanterns or Globe Lillies.
I don't know what this flower is. It's such an unusual color.
An easy-chair with the pinnacles in the background. I don't know what they are really called, but we call them the pinnacles. You can see them when you are hiking the Manazana trail to the schoolhouse. There is a key-hole in one of the pinnacles.
Once we reached the end of the Deck the trail began a series of many many switchbacks through a magic forest. This is where we saw so many flowers, including these Chinese Houses that were the most brilliant pink I've ever seen for Chinese Houses.
The magic forest had the tallest Hummingbird Sage I've ever seen.
Every kind of flower was blooming in the magic forest.
The view coming down was beautiful. This is the Sisquoc River. The Sisquoc trail goes through that meadow below.
The magic forest was filled with fairy lanterns.
The view again from the magic forest.
Finally we reach the end of the Hurricane Deck trail. Now I can finally say I've done the entire Hurricane Deck trail. Not all in one day, of course. Not even all in one year. But I've done the whole thing.
Tony at breakfast in our camp by the Manzana. We camped across the river from the regular Schoolhouse camp. It was more secluded here.
Me. A little blurry, but that's for the best.
We went over to the Schoolhouse camp to talk to some folks who had mules. There were these pretty Hummingbird Sage.
Looking across the Manzana River toward our campsite.
The Manzana had a lot of water. It looked pretty inviting.
Here are our backpacks all packed up. Mine is on the left. I think it's about half the size of Tony's. I prefer to travel as light as possible. I've found a tiny backpack forces me to conserve and only take what's absolutely necessary. I also bring extra water bottles just in case my water bag breaks. They sometimes do that.
Back through the magic forest on our way home again. Fiesta flowers on an old log.
Now we are back on Hurricane Deck walking through a small meadow. Here is a Blue Dick.
These large Phacelia were the most dark and vivid blue I've ever seen.
Looking at the hard part coming up. We have to hike that entire ridge in the foreground to just at the base of the final peak. The soft and rounded one is Bald Mountain.
You can see a lot of dodder on the side of the mounain. It's that orange-ish tinge.
Taking a break before the final push up the last hill. It's good to dry off your socks.
Heading back down the Potrero Trail. Tony standing in a riot of Golden Yarrow and Blue Delphinium.
Back on the Manzana. Here are Tony's feet after crossing the creek.
Fairwell to spring still blooming away.
And our reward at La Salsa. Burritos and beer. Mmm Mmm good.
