Service in California's Los Padres National Forest

The Trip

Join this volunteer vacation to help California’s Los Padres Forest Association maintain trails in the second-largest forest in California. The forest offers 10 designated wilderness areas and thousands of miles of trails amid some of the most spectacular wildlife and scenery that can be found within two hours of major metropolitan areas. This area was also home to the Chumash for over 13,000 years and evidence of their inhabitation remains today and may be found along the trails. Your efforts will help preserve this forest and its wilderness areas for future generations.

We will hike, camp, and work along the Wild and Scenic Sisquoc River, enjoying abundant spring wildflowers in the meadows and looking for the iconic California Condor while being hours away from the hustle and bustle of modern amenities. There will be leisure time for relaxing in the cooling river pools, taking photographs, wildlife watching, and hiking on your time off. This volunteer vacation is an excellent way to get into the backcountry with a professional guide and learn trail maintenance and wilderness Leave No Trace practices while enjoying the company of like-minded volunteers.

The Project

The trails through Los Padres are popular among hikers, backpackers, equestrians, and cyclists. Our work will help ensure the trails stay open for generations of explorers to enjoy. We will work as a group, clearing and repairing several miles of popular trails through the backcountry of Los Padres National Forest. Since mechanized tools are not allowed in designated wilderness areas, we will use hand tools such as clippers and hand saws for brushing and Pulaskis for the tread work. We will spend our work days as a group, working and hiking our way along the trail, making improvements along the way. The crew leader will determine our work goals for each day, and the work is subject to change depending on weather, trail conditions, and agency priorities.

Day 1: Arrive into Santa Barbara and meet your fellow volunteers. We will enjoy an evening meal together while getting to know one another and also double-checking our gear for the week. Some areas of the wilderness can reach elevations of 6,000 feet. If you are unfamiliar with hiking at this elevation, you may want to arrive in the area sooner to do some acclimatizing hikes.

Day 2: Starting with day 2, each morning will begin with breakfast and we will also prepare and pack our lunches and snacks to pack with us during the day. We will then carpool to the trailhead, hike in, and set up basecamp in a scenic spot along the river. We will take time to stop for lunch and breaks along the hike as needed. 

Days 3-7: We will work four days and have one day off to enjoy a leisure day in the river pools or on a guided day hike. Typically, we will hike and work two to three miles each day for about six hours, allowing time for relaxing, exploring, and enjoying personal reflection at the end of the day. Some work days could be shorter or longer depending on the work progress and the trail conditions.

Day 8: We will eat breakfast, break down camp, pack up our gear, and hike out. We will part ways at the trailhead (or back in Santa Barbara) with fond memories and strengthened bodies.

Getting There

We will meet in Santa Barbara, approximately 20 minutes from the Santa Barbara airport. Specific information about shuttle service or carpool arrangements from the Santa Barbara airport will be provided by the trip leader in plenty of time for you to make arrangements. If you are renting a car or driving in locally, there will be places to park your vehicle at the meeting place in Santa Barbara and/or at the trailhead. The trailhead could be as far as three hours from Santa Barbara and require travel along Forest Service roads to get into the back country of Los Padres National Forest. Most of these roads are suitable for rental and personal vehicles. Specific restrictions will be provided by the trip leader. Meeting at the trailhead will not be possible, as all participants will be required to participate in the dinner and introductions on the night before traveling to the trailhead. Please do not make non-refundable travel arrangements until notified to do so by the trip leader.

Accommodations and Food

In Santa Barbara you are welcome to camp for free at our meeting location, or in a hotel or campsite of your choosing and at your own expense. The simple evening meal and breakfast the following morning will be prepared by our staff cook; they are included in your trip cost. 

Our backcountry campsite will be in a primitive wilderness backcountry setting with access to fresh water, but may have limited amenities. We may camp at a backcountry campsite with a table and fire ring, or we may have to use whatever nature provides as table, chairs, and shade. Trip participants will be required to provide and carry their own tents, sleeping gear, and personal cutlery and dishes. All food, cooking equipment and water filtration for group meals and snacks will be provided and carried in by stock support. Personal water filtration devices are recommended, but you are discouraged from bringing personal food supplies. We will observe strict Leave No Trace policies, to include storing food, protecting riparian areas, and packing out all waste.

Meals will be creatively designed and prepared by our staff cook, who aims to keep you well fed and energized for the trail work. Trip participants will each take turns helping with kitchen duties. Our kitchen equipment includes propane stoves, so hot meals can be expected! No one ever goes hungry on our trips and food is often considered part of the attraction -- and the adventure! If you have a particular food allergy or dietary restriction, please contact the trip staff to ensure accommodations can be made. Typically, our cooks are able to provide vegetarian and vegan options, as well as avoid particular health-related allergens, but this must be discussed prior to being approved for the trip.

Trip Difficulty

Applicants should be in overall good health and have backpacking experience. The backpack to and from our basecamp will be approximately five miles one-way and will include elevation gains of up to 3,500 feet. We will have pack support for the tools, group food, and commissary equipment, but you will be required to carry your own personal gear into and out of the basecamp. We will hike in as a group at a leisure pace and stop for breaks as needed.

The trails we will hike in on and work on will be well used, but may be rugged. You will likely encounter steep sections, loose rock, shallow water crossings, and high altitudes. This is not to discourage anyone from applying, but to set a realistic expectation for the level of difficulty.

Given the remote nature of our basecamp, emergency medical attention could be more than six hours away. Medical conditions that require immediate or advanced treatment should be discussed with the trip staff before applying. The leader and cook are both Wilderness First Aid trained and will carry basic first aid provisions. However, personal medications and comfort kits, rescue inhalers, or epi-pens should be considered your personal responsibility and brought with you. 

If you are interested but hesitant, or if you lack extended camping experience, please contact the trip staff to discuss your concerns. Our trips are often filled with volunteers ranging from ages 16 to 75 with all levels of experience in the backcountry. The right attitude and preparation can make all the difference. The minimum age for this trip is 16, with an accompanying adult guardian.

Equipment and Clothing

There is no special equipment required for this trip. A suggested packing list will be provided by the leader after you are approved for the trip. All trail tools, group cooking equipment, and food will be provided. You will need to bring your own tent, sleeping gear, hiking boots, poles, etc. as well as a suitable backpack for hiking in to the basecamp. 

References

Websites: 

• Los Padres Forest Association: http://lpforest.org/
• Hike Los Padres: http://www.hikelospadres.com/

Books:

• McCall, Lynne and Rosalind Perry, California’s Chumash Indians. 

Conservation

Sustainability of and access to our unique recreation resources is a balancing act requiring specialized efforts from our National Forest Service, Park Service, and associated volunteer groups. Maintaining trails, preserving cultural and historic sites, and making remote wilderness areas more enjoyable encourages more people to enjoy our natural areas. In turn, more people learn to appreciate the natural resources around us. Sierra Club National Outings, through cooperation with federal and volunteer agencies, promote conservation awareness by bringing people outdoors and allowing them to engage with nature in way that isn’t always familiar. Practicing Leave No Trace ethics, using minimal impact methods for tread and trail maintenance, and engaging in conversations about the challenges facing our wilderness areas are just a few of the ways we can promote conservation. 

As the official non-profit 501(c)(3) partner of the Los Padres National Forest, the mission of the Los Padres Forest Association is to care for the Los Padres Forest, ensuring it thrives and remains safe and open for the people to use and enjoy. Specific challenges in the Los Padres National Forest include protection of the endangered California Condor, management of elk and pronghorn hunting, and the threats to water and wildlife due to overgrazing, off-road vehicle use, and mining. More information about these and other challenges facing the region can be found at the Pew Charitable Trust website: http://goo.gl/TvtIv1.