Big Sur Coastline CA Redux - August 2015

For my 1000th trip log on HAZ, needed something extraordinary (within reason). Saddened by our recent loss of Skippy our Springer Spaniel, maybe trip along Big Sur Coastline with a loop thru Yosemite would set things right...

Ahwatukee to Avila Beach CA is 575 miles, 9 hrs, 34 min per Google Maps
Avila Beach to Lucia CA is 91 miles, 2 hrs, 30 min per Google Maps
Lucia CA to Monterey CA is 54 miles, 1 hrs, 45 min per Google Maps

Monterey to Yosemite Village is 201 miles, 4 hrs, 2 min per Google Maps
Yosemite Village to Bishop CA is 139 miles, 2 hrs, 57 min per Google Maps
Bishop CA to Ahwatukee home is 584 miles, 8 hrs, 42 min via Palm Springs


Itinerary goes here...
Big Sur CA – August 2015

Saturday 8/22 – prep day…

Sunday 8/23 – Avila Lighthouse Suites, Avila Beach CA – confirmation number 244101678, King Master Suite Deluxe Ocean Front Patio Room. avilalighthousesuit ... .com Drive from home to Avila Beach is 575 miles, 8 hrs 43 min per Google Maps

Monday 8/24 – Avila Lighthouse Suites, Avila Beach CA – beach day, explore San Luis (Avila) Lighthouse sanluislighthouse.org/ NOTE: hike permit required. Point Buchon Trail an alternative. pge.modwest.com/pge ... id=4 Reservations Thursday to Monday. Located north of Diablo Canyon nuclear plant, north of Point San Luis lighthouse

Tuesday 8/25 – Lucia Lodge, Lucia CA - confirmation number (12103) and your reference number (IRS007831008560). Room #10 – Honeymoon Cottage http://www.lucialodge.com Avila Lighthouse Suites to Lucia Lodge is 90 miles, 2 hrs 1 min per Google Maps. Monastery hermitagebigsur.com

Wednesday 8/26 – Lucia Lodge, Lucia CA - confirmation number (12105) and your reference number (IRS007831086695). Room #2 – Partial Ocean View Room http://www.lucialodge.com

Thursday 8/27 – Monterey Marriott, Monterey CA – confirmation number 93332298. Bay view, king bed room.marriott.com/hotels ... ott/ Lucia Lodge to Monterey Marriott is 54 miles, 1 hr 22 min per Google Maps. Point Sur Lighthouse tours @ 10am on Thursdays http://www.pointsur.org/ (1st come, 1st served, no reservations).

Friday 8/28 – Monterey Marriott, Monterey CA – Monterey Aquarium day, evening whale watch cruise montereybayaquarium ... .com

Saturday 8/29 – check out Monterey Marriott, Monterey CA – drive home is 709 miles, 10 hrs 50 min per Google Maps

Sunday 8/30 – recover at home…



Sunday August 23rd - Ahwatukee to Avila Beach CA
Fitbit distance = 6.67 miles, AEG = 250 feet (25 floors)
Early morning getaway on I-10 to CA210 @ Redlands onto CA101 @ I-405 in Sherman Oaks. Continue along CA101 (Pacific Coast Highway) to Avila Beach turnoff before San Luis Obispo...

Avila Lighthouse Suites base camp (Martin Resorts) avilalighthousesuit ... 48:s and martinresorts.com

HAZ hikes
1. Avila Beach Walking Tour [ description ]
2. Pecho Coast Trail [ description ]
3. Point San Luis Lighthouse Trail [ description ]
4. Oceano Dunes & Preserve [ description ]
5. Big Sur Coastline Highway [ description ]


Monday August 24th - Avila Beach CA and Surrounding Area
Fitbit distance = 14.97 miles, AEG = 859 feet (85 floors)
Early morning stroll along Avila Beach. Headed over to Montana de Oro State Park to explore what is called the "southern most stretch of Big Sur Coastline". Back at our Avila Lighthouse Suites base camp to eat dinner and watch the sun set from our room balcony patio...

HAZ hikes
1. Avila Beach Walking Tour [ description ]
2. Point Buchon Trail [ description ]
3. Sand Spit Beach (Montana de Oro State Park) [ description ]


Tuesday August 25th - Avila Beach CA to Lucia CA
Fitbit distance = 9.22 miles, AEG = 660 feet (66 floors)
Early morning stroll along Avila Beach. Debated about putting Salmon Creek Falls on the itinerary but talked ourselves out of it given the dry/fire conditions. Hung out most of the afternoon at Sand Dollar Beach - one of my fav Big Sur spots! 31st wedding anniversary at honeymoon suite at Lucia Lodge room #10 http://www.lucialodge.com Lucia Lodge recommendations lucialodge.com/acti ... html Watch the sun set from Lucia Lookout after watching 3 humpback whales cruise by between the kelp beds and being swooped by California condors...

HAZ hikes
1. Avila Beach Walking Tour [ description ]
2. Moonstone Beach [ description ]
3. Elephant Seal Beach Vista [ description ] and hikinginbigsur.com/ ... html
4. Point Sierra Nevada Beach [ description ]
5. Ragged Point [ description ]
6. Willow Creek (jade and gold prospecting) [ description ] and hikinginbigsur.com/ ... html
7. Jade Cove Beach hikinginbigsur.com/ ... html
8. Sand Dollar Beach [ description ] and hikinginbigsur.com/ ... html
9. Pacific Valley Flats [ description ]
10. Mill Creek Picnic Area [ description ]
11. Lucia Lookout write a HAZ description for 1000th trip logged


Wednesday August 26th Lucia CA and Local Surroundings
Fitbit distance = 6.78 miles, AEG = 440 feet (44 floors)
Early morning whale watching through the fog at Lucia Lookout while sipping on Starbucks coffee brewed in our room. Need to move our gear from Room#10 to Room#2 - thanks to housekeeper Rindy for making us a priority. Headed to the Hermatige near Lucia and arrived at the Book Store and Visitor Center @ 11:30am just as it is closing for 1 1/2 hr lunch break. Oh well, off to Pfeiffer State Beach for the afternoon (found the hidden entrance for Sycamore Canyon Road -hint; its paved and unsigned just north of the Shell Gas Station/Market) followed by some mega-whale watching at Partington Cove. Gassed up in Big Sur - yikes - $5.59 per gallon! I don't think I've ever paid that much for a gallon of gas, even in Europe! Cobbled up a picnic dinner at Lucia Lodge watching the sunset sans whales...

HAZ hikes
1. Lucia Lookout write a HAZ description for 1000th trip logged
2. Hermitage [ description ] and contemplation.com
3. McWay Falls Trails [ description ]
4. Partington Cove Trail [ description ]
5. Pfeiffer Beach via Sycamore Canyon Road (the only ungated paved road the west side of PCH between Big Sur post office and Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park) bigsurcalifornia.or ... html and [ description ]


Thursday August 27th Lucia CA to Monterey CA
Fitbit distance = 12.18 miles, AEG = 690 feet (69 floors)
Early morning whale watching sans fog at Lucia Lookout. Headed to the Hermatige near Lucia and arrived at the Book Store and Visitor Center @ 8am just as it is opening! On the PCH before 9am to head to the first-come-first-served tour of Point Sur Lighthouse http://www.pointsur.org Tom was our outstanding volunteer docent for the 3 hour "behind the scenes, step back in history" tour. After the tour, headed to Point Lobos http://www.pointlobos.org where we saw humpback whales, otters, more humpback whales, deer, and even more humpback whales in full body breach - awesome! After grabbing dinner in Sand City, checked into our Monterey Marriott room#710 base camp marriott.com/hotels ... ott/

HAZ hikes
1. Lucia Lookout write a HAZ description for 1000th trip logged
2. Hermitage [ description ]
3. Point Sur Lighthouse write a HAZ description for 1000th trip logged
4. Bixby Bridge [ description ]
5. Point Lobos (China Cove, Whalers Knoll, etc) [ description ]
[ description ]
[ description ]
[ description ]
[ description ]
[ description ]
6. Monterey Walking Tour [ description ]


Friday August 28th Monterey CA
Fitbit distance = 7.21 miles, AEG = 290 feet (29 floors)
Spend the day at Monterey Aquarium montereybayaquarium ... .org chatted with the BBC/PBS film crew shooting clips for "Big Blue Live" that will air this Monday 8/31 pbs.org/big-blue-li ... ome/
Happy hour at Peter B’s Brew Pub portolahotel.com/pe ... pub/ (Stout Resistance with Buffalo Chili and Monterey Jack Cheese highly recommended) where we caught the Jays game (totally smoked the Tigers). Full moon walk along Cannery Row and the waterfront...

HAZ hikes
1. Monterey Bay Aquarium write a HAZ description for 1000th trip logged
2. Monterey Walking Tour [ description ]


Saturday August 29th Monterey CA to Ahwatukee AZ
Fitbit distance = 3.81 miles, AEG = 120 feet (12 floors)
Get away home day aborting route through Yosemite. Plotted route from Monterey to Paso Robles to Bakersfield to Barstow via Tehachapi Pass and onto Needles via I-40, then CA95 to Parker AZ with connecting road onto I-10 at Vicksburg and onto Phoenix - 731 miles per Google Maps, 10 hr 48min drive time...
Found Tobin James Cellar Winery in Paso Robles (curious combo for our daughter Tobyn and her boyfriend James m.tobinjames.com/hi ... .php ).

HAZ hikes
1. Monterey Bay Aquarium write a HAZ description for 1000th trip logged
2. Tehachapi Mountain Pass Trail [ description ]
3. Parker Dam [ description ]



TOTALS
Sunday 8/23 = 6.67 miles, 250 AEG
Monday 8/24 = 14.07 miles, 850 AEG
Tuesday 8/25 = 9.22 miles, 660 AEG
Wednesday 8/26 = 6.78 miles, 440 AEG
Thursday 8/27 = 12.18 miles, 690 AEG
Friday 8/28 = 7.21 miles, 290 AEG
Saturday 8/29 = 3.81 miles, 129 AEG
TOTAL = 59.93 miles, 3300 AEG


170 Avila Beach iPhone photos
148 Lucia iPhone photos
136 Monterey iPhone photos
241 Canon 7D photos
320 Canon 6D photos
167 Canon Rebel XT photos
TOTAL = 1182 photos

Big Sur Coastline - August 2014
FitBit totals = 49.08 miles, 2040 AEG (204 floors)



BACKGROUNDER
I’ve had a couple of previous opportunities to visit the Big Sur Coastline of California. Pacific Coast Highway return trip home after Hannah's wedding in Oregon http://hikearizona.com/photoset=20147 required a definite redux in the Big Sur area. I also had a chance to visit during a July business trip to Cupertino profile.php?u=5929&ID=46#T__105602_______1

With my August participation with a medical team in Leh Ladakh Kashmir India pushed out to October, had an opportunity to take my wife on a 30th wedding anniversary wish to the "Big Sur Coastline"...

Some things to consider;

1. Big Sur beaches http://www.bigsurcalifornia.org/beaches.html
2. Kayaking in Monterey ?
http://www.montereybaykayaks.com
http://www.seemonterey.com/things-to-do ... /kayaking/
http://www.adventuresbythesea.com
3. Monterey Bay Aquarium http://www.montereybayaquarium.org
4. Whale spotting along Big Sur Coast
5. Giant redwood hike
6. Big Sur history www.bigsurhistory.org
7. Dogs are pretty much NOT welcome anywhere in Big Sur...



THE PLAN

Mon 8/18 - Ahwatukee AZ to Marriott base camp #1 in Monterey CA https://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/ ... -marriott/
709 miles, 10 hours 25 minutes per Google Maps Confirmation 88321895, 80,000 points Monterey Marriott
350 Calle Principal, Monterey CA, 93940

Tue 8/19 - explore Monterey CA
Monterey Aquarium http://www.montereybayaquarium.org
Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail http://hikearizona.com/decoder=19459
Shoreline Stroll Trail http://hikearizona.com/decoder=14425
Should consider Point Lobos State Reserve, North Shore Trail http://hikearizona.com/decoder=17784

Wed 8/20 - Monterey to Glen Oaks base camp #2 along Big Sur River in the redwood forest http://glenoaksbigsur.com
30 miles, 0 hours 44minutes per Google Maps Confirmation P433714A6627, $249.62 pre-paid on Visa Glen Oaks Big Sur Highway One, Big Sur, CA 93920 Hiking in Big Sur http://www.hikinginbigsur.com The "must see trails" http://www.hikinginbigsur.com/mustsee.html
McWay Waterfall Trail http://www.hikinginbigsur.com/hikes_mcwayfalls.html
Ewoldsen Redwoods Trail http://www.hikinginbigsur.com/hikes_ewoldsen.html
Partington Cove Trail http://www.hikinginbigsur.com/hikes_partingtoncove.html

Thu 8/21 - Glen Oaks Big Sur to Avila Beach Lighthouse Suites base camp #3 http://www.avilalighthousesuites.com
116 miles, 2 hours 45 minutes per Google Maps Confirmation 211148994, $398.60 Avila Beach Lighthouse Suites
550 Front Street, Avila Beach CA, 93424

Fri 8/22 - Avila Beach CA to Ahwatukee AZ
575 miles, 8 hours 37 minutes per Google Maps Avila Beach Walking Tour http://hikearizona.com/decoder=16084



THE TREK

Mon 8/18 - Ahwatukee AZ to Marriott base camp #1 in Monterey CA https://www.marriott.com/hotels/travel/ ... -marriott/
Arrived at base camp dinner time-ish by the ocean shore to a foggy Monterey Bay where I joined onto Hwy 1, Pacific Coast Highway.
Ok, so it really took almost 12 hours door-to-door. Stopped in a surprisingly active oil field near I-5 and CA46. Lost Hill Oil Well purchase http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lost_Hills_Oil_Field
Walked Fisherman's Wharf and Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail out to Lover's Point http://hikearizona.com/decoder=19459
Also saw cleanup from the weekend vintage car auction http://www.rmauctions.com/results/resul ... eCode=MO14 Amazing to see six-figure cars all stored outside in the sea-mist waiting for pick-up! Finished up walking the dunes and shoreline trails and over to Laguna Park http://hikearizona.com/decoder=14425 and http://hikearizona.com/decoder=13171

Fitbit Totals = 9.37 miles and 150 AEG


Tue 8/19 - explore Monterey CA
We picked up our Monterey Bay Aquarium passes at the front desk of the Marriott Hotel the night before. Pass is good for 2 consecutive days creating multiple options for us. http://www.montereybayaquarium.org
The Aquarium is awesome - hard to improve upon. Loved the modern blend of functional architecture with local history - the entire building is an ode to local cannery row lore. As each hour passed at the Aquarium, the crowd multiplied. We decided to check out for lunch. The Cannery Row Brewing Company was noted on the morning walk from the hotel to the aquarium. Much to my disappointment this is not a brewery. Although some craft brews are on tap, none were local (unless you call San Diego local for Monterey) http://www.canneryrowbrewingcompany.com
This area could be called "ground zero" for John Steinbeck's "Cannery Row" http://www.canneryrow.com/john-steinbeck.php
Lynn and I then headed to another "brew pub", Peter B's Brew Pub http://www.portolahotel.com/#dining/brewpub/about
Crap, it doesn't open until 4pm daily. Ok, we had to settle for the faux English Pub (Crown & Anchor Monterey) across the road from the Marriott http://crownandanchor.net Whale Watching up next from Fisherman's Wharf. The Princess Monterey took us to the Monterey Canyon off Moss Landing where we saw a couple dozen humpback whale breaches and many more surface grazings! Monterey Canyon is reported to be the undersea equivalent of the Grand Canyon matching depth and length and provides the diverse ecosystem to support the abundant marine life found in Monterey Bay http://www.montereywhalewatching.com and www.montereycanyon.com After dinner walk out to Point Pinos Lighthouse www.pointpinos.org and http://hikearizona.com/decoder=19513
Rooftop night long exposure shots? Did that plus a few around Fisherman's Wharf and Cannery Row. Wrapped up catching last call at Peter B's Brew Pub - excellent cherrywood barrel aged porter and buffalo chili topped with Monterey Jack cheese (of course).

Fitbit Totals = 10.90 miles and 260 AEG


Wed 8/20 - Monterey to Glen Oaks base camp #2 along Big Sur River in the redwood forest.
Morning redux of Monterey Bay Aquarium (pass is good for 2 consecutive days). After pulling out base camp #1, headed out 17 mile scenic drive from Point Pinos Lighthouse to Spanish Bay to Pebble Beach to Carmel-By-The-Sea. http://independenttravelcats.com/2013/1 ... alifornia/ and http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/17-Mile_Drive and http://media.pebblebeach.com/images/sto ... -drive.pdf Search for the "Lone Monterey Cypress http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cupressus_macrocarpa
Also need to find the pullout between Carmel and Rocky Creek Bridge for tide pool exploration http://hikearizona.com/photo=432293 and http://hikearizona.com/map.php?LAT=36.4 ... 2&Z=15&M=6 (found it! - dubbed this a new HAZ mini-description "Big Sur Coastline - Malpaso Creek to Soberanes Creek"). Poked in the tide pools - almost like an extension of the touch pools at Monterey Bay Aquarium. Stopped at Garrapata State Park Beach http://www.californiasbestbeaches.com/p ... beach.html Access from the west side of Hwy 1. There is a fairly new set of wooden stairs leading to the beach. The surf is considered hazardous here and we could see why with some spectacular waves hitting the shores today! Did the obligatory stop at Bixby Bridge and headed non-stop to base camp #2. Checked into room 15 at Glen Oaks in Village of Big Sur to establish base camp #2. Settled in and then hiked down to the redwood grove beside Big Sur River.

Fitbit Totals = 11.10 miles and 530 AEG


Thu 8/21 - Glen Oaks Big Sur to Avila Beach Lighthouse Suites base camp #3 Checked out Pfeifer Big Sur State Park (north) and Julia Pfeifer Burns State Park (south) http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=570 and http://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/570/files ... ut2013.pdf
Note that these are two different parks albeit reasonably close together. 2008 Basin Fire has closed many of the trails in the north park, so we headed south. First stop of the day was in a Hwy 1 pullout because Lynn thought she saw whales - turns out plural was very correct as we saw about a dozen humpbacks in coordinated feeding mode. This would mark just the beginning of our whale sightings for the day. Think every stop today that had an ocean view that featured whale sightings!
Partington Cove Trail http://www.hikinginbigsur.com/hikes_partingtoncove.html
McWay Waterfall Trail http://www.hikinginbigsur.com/hikes_mcwayfalls.html
Ewoldsen Redwoods Trail http://www.hikinginbigsur.com/hikes_ewoldsen.html
Mill Creek picnic lunch (after $20+ purchase at Lucia General store) http://hikearizona.com/decoder=19444
Pacific Valley Beach - IMO this was the best beach along Big Sur Coastline (Orca sighting topped it off! Throw in some dolphins for extra measure...). Although this was our first visit to this beach, there was an “air of familiarity” to this beach. Don’t know why – location for commercials/movie scenes perhaps?
Pacific Valley Beach (just north of Pacific Valley Flats noted on HAZ) http://hikearizona.com/decoder=13888 and http://www.hikinginbigsur.com/hikes_pacval.html
Sand Dollar Beach http://www.hikinginbigsur.com/hikes_sanddollar.html
For what we originally thought was Sand Dollar Beach, turned out to be Point Sierra Nevada Beach (part of San Simeon State Park) http://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/590/files ... re2009.pdf
Elephant Seal Vista provided multiple wildlife options with some Blue Whales offshore and the namesake Elephant Seals on the beach http://hikearizona.com/decoder=19434
Drove through San Simeon and stopped at the local beach before heading to Morro Bay.
Morro Rock Vista http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Morro_Rock
After establishing base camp #3, did an evening stroll of Avila Beach. Avila Beach walking tour http://hikearizona.com/decoder=16084

Fitbit Totals = 12.49 miles and 1050 AEG


Fri 8/22 - Avila Beach Lighthouse Suites base camp #3 to Ahwatukee AZ Morning walk on the beach followed by a leisurely breakfast on our oceanfront patio before the 600 mile sprint home. It was very fitting that a giant sea weasel (aka sea otter) made an appearance in the Avila Beach surf just as we were wrapping up our walk before heading home.



THE FITBIT TOTALS
Monday = 9.37 miles, 150 AEG (15 floors)
Tuesday = 10.91 miles, 260 AEG (26 floors)
Wednesday = 11.10 miles, 530 AEG (53 floors)
Thursday = 12.56 miles and 1050 AEG (105 floors)
Friday = 5.14 miles and 50 AEG (5 floors)
TOTALS = 49.08 miles and 2040 AEG



THE HAZ DESTINATIONS

1. HAZ Monterey Bay Coastal Recreation Trail http://hikearizona.com/decoder=19459
2. HAZ Shoreline Stroll Trail http://hikearizona.com/decoder=14425
3. HAZ Laguna Grand Park http://hikearizona.com/decoder=13171
4. Point Pinos Lighthouse http://hikearizona.com/decoder=19513
5. HAZ 17 Mile Scenic Drive http://hikearizona.com/decoder=19518
6. HAZ Spanish Bay to Bird Rock Trail http://hikearizona.com/decoder=14560
7. HAZ Point Joe to Bird Rock Trail http://hikearizona.com/decoder=14016
8. HAZ Big Sur Coastline - Malpaso Creek to Soberanes Creek http://hikearizona.comr/decoder=19517
9. HAZ Garrapata Beach http://hikearizona.com/decoder=19516
10. HAZ Bixby Bridge - Big Sur Coastline http://hikearizona.com/decoder=19443
11. HAZ Glen Oaks Big Sur Redwood Grove Loop http://hikearizona.com/decoder=19514
12. HAZ Partington Cove Trail http://hikearizona.com/decoder=19522
13. HAZ Ewoldsen Redwoods Trail http://hikearizona.com/decoder=12500
14. HAZ McWay Waterfall Trail http://hikearizona.com/decoder=19523
15. HAZ Mill Creek Picnic Area http://hikearizona.com/decoder=19444
16. HAZ Pacific Valley Beach http://hikearizona.com/decoder=13888
17. HAZ Sand Dollar Beach http://hikearizona.com/decoder=14326
18. HAZ Point Sierra Nevada Beach http://hikearizona.com/decoder=19533
19. HAZ Elephant Seal Vista http://hikearizona.com/decoder=19434
20. HAZ San Simeon Bay Beach http://hikearizona.com/decoder=19534
21. HAZ Morro Rock http://hikearizona.com/decoder=16085
22. HAZ Avila Beach http://hikearizona.com/decoder=16084



I'll post some photos when I get the chance. Enjoy!
121 on iPhone
297 on 6D
214 on 7D
42 on Rebel XT
TOTALS = 674









Sent from my iPad