Tag archives: trails
I am writing to strongly oppose the appointment of Santa Barbara County Supervisor Das Williams to the Coastal Commission. My personal experience with Supervisor William’s development and oversight of cannabis regulations, in SBC, has demonstrated to me and many others that he has failed to uphold the laws to ‘Protect Public Health, Safety, Welfare and […]
A newly built pedestrian pathway along Hot Springs Road has sparked some neighborhood controversy, which was discussed at the Montecito’s Land Use and Transportation Committee meeting this past Tuesday. Bucket Brigade founder Abe Powell, who was an integral part of the County-led road enhancement project, explained to the Committee that the impetus for the trail […]
If you live near the Hot Springs Trail: You are likely already well aware of the jammed up street parking and trail users overcrowding the area. A countywide Fire Chief’s Public Safety Task Force has looked at this, and multiple other issues, including homeless encampment fires. For the folks on Riven Rock and East Mountain […]
After an almost monthlong closure aimed at preventing new fires in what is already one of the busiest fire seasons in California history, the National Forest Service reopened the Los Padres National Forest on October 9. At just after 9 am that morning, 13 mules and a horse led by a trio of wranglers hired […]
The pandemic has introduced a slew of new neighborhood issues that require a lot of work to untangle. We’re happy to step up for some of these, but many are outsider-induced. Most of these issues started up in late spring, near Memorial Day, when the lockdowns had eased, the weather got warmer, and people wanted […]
After nearly 16 years living in Montecito, not a day goes by when I don’t think how lucky we are to live in such a special place. Since quarantine and now as my kids have started three different schools online from their bedrooms, never have I been more appreciative of our precious beaches where I […]
When I was younger, I dreaded my parents’ weekend declaration of an impending family walk. I would plead to ride my bike alongside them; to run, skip, cartwheel, anything but walk. We would (slowly) stroll along the dirt path at the nearby Ennisbrook trail and my eyes would meander towards trees that needed climbing, streams […]
Living in Santa Barbara, over the past few months, has been an incredible reminder of how lucky we are to call this place home. One reason we’ve made it through these rough times is because of the healthy access we all have to our beaches and trails. They have been good to us, it’s time […]
Despite mounting fears over the COVID-19, aka the “coronavirus,” on March 24, the U.S. Forest Service officially declared that the extensive trail network in the hills above Montecito will remain open for recreational activities until further notice. The news came as a relief to Ashlee Mayfield, president of the Montecito Trail Foundation (MTF), in part […]
At this month’s Montecito Association Land Use Committee meeting, Bucket Brigade founder Abe Powell and Montecito Trails Foundation president Ashlee Mayfield presented an update on the network of community trails that the two groups are committed to building and maintaining. “Trail repair was a top priority in a poll we took following the debris flow. […]
Autumn is here and it was time for the Montecito Trails Foundation (MTF) to have its fall 55th annual BBQ, this year at Crane Country Day School. Besides BBQ you could Hoof-it, Bike-it or Hike-it. Jane Murray got you on a horse or a bike and Ashlee Mayfield had you move it or lose it […]
This year’s 4th Annual Island View Trail Race, hosted by Santa Barbara County Trails Council, is set to showcase the Franklin Trail on September 15. The Franklin Trail – nearly wiped out by the Thomas Fire two years ago – is the longest trail in Santa Barbara’s front country. “It’s remarkable how well it has […]
On Sunday, June 23, over 100 members of the community gathered at the corner of San Ysidro Road and North Jameson Road for an official ribbon cutting ceremony to mark the new pedestrian pathway that was recently completed after a quick six weeks of construction. The project was a County-led road enhancement project following the […]
Expensive Water The five current Montecito Water District directors, who raised over $200,000 in campaign funds to help get elected, are close to finalizing a 50 years agreement with the City of Santa Barbara to purchase some of its desal water that could cost the 4,600 Montecito Water District customers about one quarter of a […]
The Montecito Trails Foundation is hosting a special hike this Sunday, April 28, at 10 am, in honor of Julian Nott, who passed away March 26 after an accident following the landing of an experimental hot air balloon in Warner Springs, California. Nott was a world-renowned balloon designer, an experimental test pilot and scientist, and […]
On Thursday, January 31, the Montecito Trails Foundation held its annual meeting at the San Ysidro Ranch’s Hydrangea Room; the first event held in the historic meeting room since it was inundated with four feet of mud during the 1/9 debris flow last January. “It’s nice that we are able to keep moving forward following […]
Montecito Trails Foundation will host its annual barbecue on Sunday, September 30, at Crane Country Day School. “It’s less of a fundraiser this year, and more of a thank you!” said Ashlee Mayfield, MTF board member. The Foundation has been hard at work restoring the Montecito network of trails since the Thomas Fire and debris […]
Dana Newquist stated in the latest MJ (#24/34) that the Montecito Sanitary District is “dumping partially treated sewage water just off shore at Butterfly Beach.” This is a false, slanderous statement. Secondary treatment is treated to the same level as tertiary treatment, but the salinity is modulated to match the ocean salinity. Tertiary is the […]
More than 80 volunteers turned out last weekend to help Montecito Trails Foundation restore the McMenemy, Old Pueblo, Bud Girard, and Saddle Rock trails as part of the Foundation’s Trail Recovery Day. “It was an awesome day, and we are so thankful for everyone who came out to help,” said MTF board member Ashlee Mayfield. […]
For more than 50 years, Montecito Trails Foundation (MTF) has overseen the maintenance of Montecito, Summerland, and Carpinteria trails, making them a safe, reliable place for community members to explore both the foothills and “low land” trails. Following the Thomas Fire and subsequent mudflow, the group of volunteers realized the scope of their work had […]
