Cheaters route driving to the top to launch long descent
Ride down to the valley. Passing multiple wash-outs, Middle Santa Ynez Campground, resting at P-Bar Flats campground. Deciding we barely worked so push to Mono campground. Hit with poison oak all up and down arms and hands.
Following Santa Ynez River and Camuesa Road. Many more big wash-outs on of the trail. Setting up camp in Mono Campground. Dinner of steaks
Pancake breakfast heading into Cold Spring Trail. But I think it was totally washed out so we took some other "jungle" trail? Super overgrown with lots of hike-a-bike and bushwhacking. Beautiful valley floor, crossing Santa Ynez River - but took some time to find the trail on the opposite side of the river. Took several hours to go a couple miles before we found Gibraltar Trail and stopped for lunch at the T.
Dangerous wash-outs on Gibraltar Trail slopes. Loose shale on steep trails. On one spot it gave out when I crossed, I started sliding down to imminent death until Paco dove and did Cliffhanger-style rescue grabbing my hand. Reached the ridge looking down on the Gibraltar Reservoir and Quicksilver Mine. Began to consider it was already getting late and we'd done well less than half the trail. Couldn't guess how bad the conditions were further down and maybe we bail.
Reached Gibraltar Road and decided yes we were getting destroyed and maybe don't continue. Long slog up Gibraltar road, hit Camino Cielo just at sunset to see the clouds sitting atop Santa Barbara. Then pointed ourselves downhill and shot all the way down into town and through downtown Santa Barbara to my car parked in the train station.
