San Ysidro Trail, Montecito, California Sat 11/27/10
 |
| Me on the San Ysidro Trail, CA |
Well, I was right about having interesting stories to tell after my climbs. This is my most ironic story yet. Going back to Friday night (11/26) my friend and I decided to watch the movie
Get Him To The Greek. A comedy about an ailing rock star and his coordinator trying to find their place in the world.
So what does this have to do with climbing mountains?
Russell Brand, the main character from
Get Him To The Greek and his wife Katy Perry just happened to be on the trail! Thanks to a seemingly lost dog, we where lucky enough to have a couple short and friendly conversations with them! I want to point out that we pretended as if we did not recognize them as we where talking to them. Although in most circumstances I wouldn't see anything wrong with asking for a pic or an autograph, we both felt (along with other hikers) that it was best to let them be. One of the reasons I hike is to escape civilization, enjoy the best that outdoors has to offer, and the stress of everyday behind. I am sure that is why they where there, so we decided to respect them in the same way.
During the same time as Katy and Russel, my friend Kristen and I began our ascent up the San ysirdo trail (11/27/2010). We parked in a prominent Monticeto, CA neighborhood on East Mountain Road. The first mile or so of the trail winds its way passing gated homes. Please Respect the residents in this neighborhood. The trail system is a gem and it would be a shame to have it closed off. You will find that the locals are very kind and are also users of the trails. I must warn you, although the trails are well maintained, it is easy to take the wrong one. If it wasn't for the encounter with Russell and Katy, as well as superb views of the pacific ocean, I would not have posted this hike at all until I did it right.
We set out to do a loop to a "bench" and back to the car which was about 3.7 miles. We ended up taking the wrong trail and hiking higher into the mountains than anticipated. The beginning of the "real" trail starts with a chain linked fence at the end of the neighborhood. Immediately after beginning the hike, we saw a couple enjoying the river as we walked by, I noticed the gentlemen and thought to myself, huh he looks like the guy from the movie we saw last night. Then I heard him speak with the exact accent and tone from the movie. I thought there was no way we can just randomly bump into them, especially since just a few hours after earlier we saw his movie. I didn't say anything to my friend Kristen, until she was like "Tyler that was Katy perry and Russel Brand."
How strange is that?
Further up the trail we discovered a dog "Sage" who began following us. Sage had a number on his collar so we called the owner and nobody picked up. A group of hikers passed us heading the other direction, so we figured that maybe it was their dog. We began running back down the trail, as an excuse to talk to Katy and Russell, we asked if sage was there dog. They said no. We kept heading down the trail and back into the neighborhood and finally caught up to the group. We asked if Sage was there dog and they replied he is just a neighborhood dog. So we turned around and began running back up the trail because the time was getting late. We eventually once again caught up to Katy and Russell. Sage decided to tag along with them (smart dog). As we went up to them, Russell told us that he called the owner, and that sage is a neighborhood dog just as the group did. After a little bit of small talk, we decided to hit the trail and leave them behind, Russell told us to have a nice day, and we began the climb. The trail we took (the wrong one) ascends moderately with several switchbacks. The climb is a workout, but is not strenuous if you take your time. As a warning, Although the climb is rarely steep, the trail can be dangerous if you are not cautious. Some parts of the trail are thin (6 inches to 2 feet wide) with lose gravel and some steep drop offs on the side. Bushes will stop your fall if you do go over, Its not hard to imagine somebody getting hurt, possibly seriously if you are not careful. The switchbacks lead to ever improving views of the pacific, and the town below. It became evident after a couple hours of ascending that we took the wrong trail. Instead of looping we stayed on the San Ysidro trail. Although we where both reluctant to turn around before arriving at the summit (if there was one), it is always smart to err on the side of safety. Based on the trail maps I looked at later, I would guess we got to around 2,500FT in elevation. It was 3:30pm, the sun was setting, and rain was forecast to start anytime. We decided it was time to turn back and call it a day. Being safe is something I want to stress. Even for short day hikes it is always important to hike with snacks, water, a basic first aid kit, a compass with a map, a small flashlight, and proper weather gear. As you read some of my future posts, you will learn it is very easy to unexpectedly get lost or get caught in severe weather. It is also VERY necessary to always tell somebody where you intend to hike and for how long so they can locate you in case something happens. Finally I want to point out that having a fully charged cell phone is important, but since service my not be everywhere, don't rely on it. For more information on outdoor safety, I recommend searching google, or going to your local bookstore for detailed info.
The way down we jogged (except in places where the trail was thin and steep, we had to hold on to tree roots in a couple spots). Just as we got to the end of the trail, we once again caught up within about 25 yards Katy and Russell. We decided to hang back and leave them alone for the rest of the hike. They finished at the same time as us and went on to their next destination. Once we got in our car, the rain began!
If you decide to hike these trails, remember, movie star or not, please respect everyone on these trails. We're all there for the same reason, and that is to have a good time and enjoy the outdoors. It is only fair everyone has that opportunity. Especially in this exclusive spot!
To get to the start of the San Ysidro trail, use the following coordinates on your gps.
Latitude: 34.4686063 Longitude: -119.6226311
This will lead you to East Mountain Road at the front entrance of San Ysidro ranch and trail head in Montecito, CA
 |
| View of Pacific Ocean from San Ysidro Trail |
 |
| We parked across the street from the San Ysidro Ranch |
 |
| My friend Kristen and "Sage" the neighborhood dog |
 |
| This may be tough to see, but the trail collapsed here, the ledge is small but steep. |
