[pct-l] Cali backpacking in December-Need suggestions

[Diane at Santa Barbara Hikes dot com]

On Nov 7, 2008, at 9:59 PM, pct-l-request at backcountry.net wrote:
>
> Hey,
>
> I'm going to have a week to spend backpacking anywhere in  
> California this December (week after Christmas).? Can anyone give  
> me some good suggestions that are:
>
> not snow covered
> allow dogs
> great views
> light on traffic
> have reliable water sources
>
> Most of my backpacking has been in AR, MO and out East, and I'm  
> just starting my research for this trip.? I only found out I could  
> do it this week.?
>
> Also any tips for ride assist would be great.
>
> Thanks for the help!
>
> -Jacob

The Lost Coast was a good suggestion. Another is the Ventana  
Wilderness and Big Sur. Check to see if the recent fire has made  
conditions difficult, however.

Another nice place I like to go is my own backcountry, the San Rafael  
Wilderness near Santa Barbara. A nice loop goes from NIRA campground  
to the Sisquoc River to the Manzana Schoolhouse and back to NIRA.  
Takes about 4-5 days. There was a fire a year and a half ago and the  
trail in the Sisquoc River is always hard to find, but it's got that  
Southern California backcountry beauty. Oddly my own web site does  
not have a description of this hike, but my friend Bryan's good map  
will show you the way: http://www.bryanconant.com/sanrafael.html

There are some nice places around Ojai, too, but all these years  
living down here I've never gotten myself back around Ojai for  
backpacking. There's a nice trip to a hot springs back there I would  
like to do. Bryan's new map will have the trails: http:// 
www.bryanconant.com/dicksmithmatilija.html

Piper