The Cone Peak Grand Loop

Ninety-nine percent of those who visit Big Sur probably do nothing more than drive down the coast highway, stop at a few turnouts to snap a few pics of the scenery and their travel partners, grab a mediocre lunch at a tourist spot, then turn around and go home. But we few and proud who get off the beaten track, park our car on the highway for three days and walk away from it, into the steep, dark, forested mountains – we know that there’s so much more.

The past few years of drought have been tiresome where the four of us are from in Southern California – where spring has been cut short by the lack of rain, and water sources that are supposed to be perennial have completely dried up, severely limiting when and where we can comfortably hike and camp.  So driving a few hours north allowed us a brief reprieve from all that. In Big Sur, at least, the rivers still flow, and the hills are green and festooned with wildflowers, and the titanic redwoods, centuries-old, seem not the least bit disturbed.  And even better, everyone we encountered on the trail seemed so happy – especially the handsome rangers we encountered making repairs to the windswept lookout tower atop Cone Peak! Everyone was happy that spring was springing in all its glory, and everyone seemed happy to share it with friends old and new.

Towering to nearly 6,000 feet just under 3 miles from the Pacific coast, Cone Peak forms the most extreme coastal slope in the contiguous United States. What does this mean for the hiker? Jawdropping views of the Big Sur coast at nearly every turn. A hike along the Cone Peak Loop in spring means riotous wildflower displays, far-reaching views, babbling creeks, and camping in majestic redwood groves.

This will be a very strenuous backpack, covering nearly twenty miles in three days at a purposeful pace over steep trail and very rugged terrain, so this trip is suitable only for highly experienced backpackers in very good condition. We’ll cheerfully face the possibility of some bushwhacking, ticks, rattlesnakes fresh from hibernation, and occasional poison oak. Because of the very strenuous nature of this trip, the leader reserves the right to qualify participants. This is a consciously low-impact outing, so carpool participation is encouraged and participants are urged to contribute to their vehicle’s shared mileage and gas costs.

This trip is strictly dependent upon a favorable weather forecast. A National Weather Service forecast of rain within 72 hours of our start will cancel or re-route this trip at the sole discretion of the leader, as will fewer than three confirmed signups as of 8:00pm, Tuesday, April 28. This trip will be by individual commissary, and we’re not planning any shared meals, so please plan to provide your own three-day supply of food.