(Mar. 4, 2023) – Recent storms have done major damage and have changed vast acres of our watershed landscape in Ventura & SB counties. Many roads and trails into the forest are still unusable.
Thankfully hundreds of dedicated volunteers and groups are working with the forest service to (safely) do the hard manual labor to restore what hiking trails they are allowed to work on (and that don’t require heavy equipment to restore).
One such group doing outstanding work is the Los Padres Trail Stewards. They organize trail restoration projects involving experienced hiker/landscape laborers to spend 2-4 days working on up to a mile of damaged trail at a time.
To support or to learn more about the heroic work of the LPTS, you can visit them on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/lospadrestrailstewards
Update (3.5.23)- the Get It Done Crew have received USFS approval to begin making repairs on upper Pratt Trail. Nordhoff ridge and upper Pratt trail received heavy precipitation from this years January storms and there are many trail segments in need of repair and complete re-building. Mike has set up A Go Fund Me account as well as our 501C3 non profit for donations to help cover the cost of tools & supplies.
Los Padres Forest Assn.
Another great trail restoration group is the Los Padres Forest Association.
Founded in 1979, the LPFA is an official non-profit 501(c)(3) partner of the Los Padres National Forest. Our mission is to care for the Los Padres Forest, ensuring it thrives and remains safe and open for the people to use and enjoy.
The LPFA shares the Forest Service motto of “Caring for the Land and Serving the People.” We love nothing more than to help people enjoy their time in the Los Padres in a sustainable and respectful manner. If you have any questions about the forest, trails, camps or anything Los Padres related – we are more than happy to help!
Santa Barbara Canyon Memorial Day weekend Trail Restoration
Friday, May 26 – Monday, May 29
This will be a backpacking trail restoration project led by the infamous Mike Smith and his merry band of pack goats. We’ll be mostly clearing brush and downed trees using loppers and crosscut saws. We’re not exactly sure where the spike camp will be but please plan on backpacking in all your gear somewhere between 3-5 miles.
No experience necessary, all tools, PPE and instruction will be provided by Mike and our other Trail Leaders.
These projects will be opening the trail so that we can begin building a new reroute further up-canyon on the Heartbreak Hill section of the trail.
Please sign up or email VOLUNTEER@LPForest.org for more details.
Hope to see you out there…..