Cone Peak - Hiking and Backpacking Big Sur - page 350

Enjoy breathtaking views from pastoral coastal oak woodlands.
CLEARING THE TRAILS
Over the past few decades, six major fires have swept through Los Padres National
Forest: the 1977 Marble-Cone Fire, the 1985 Rat Creek Fire, the 1992 Cienega Fire,
the 1993 Big Sur Gorge Fire, the 1999 Kirk Complex Fires, and the 2008 Basin Com-
plex Fire. The latter scarred most of the Ventana Wilderness, burning 162,818 acres.
In this era of fire suppression, enormous amounts of dead and downed trees build up,
creating catastrophic damage when fires do sweep through.
Following a wildfire, charred trees and debris obscure trails and lay waste to
camps. Free from the limiting shade of a forest canopy, the understory of shrubs such
as ceanothus, poison oak, chamise, and manzanita aggressively sprouts new shoots,
obscuring tread and sometimes choking the path altogether. Winter storms bring an
onslaught of mudslides and washouts, which further erode trails, creating dangerous
hiking conditions.
Fortunately, dedicated Ventana hikers and wilderness enthusiasts volunteer their
time and efforts to help the US Forest Service maintain these scenic trails. If you'd
like to get involved, visit the Ventana Wilderness Alliance at ventanawild.org or the
Sierra Club's Ventana chapter at ventana.sierraclub.org .
Trip Description