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 […]
Elizabeth Huebner, who launched the Bee Divine: Goddess Embodiment Meetup last month with the first of a monthly retreat-style gathering for women who want to explore the many facets of the sacred feminine through sacred circle, embodiment practices and ceremony, leads a silent hike in the Montecito foothills this weekend to take the practice outdoors. […]
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Last Sunday, January 12, Montecito’s Cold Spring Trail was officially reopened following a two-year long closure after the 1/9 debris flow. First District Supervisor Das Williams hosted the ribbon cutting and celebration at the Cold Spring Trailhead on East Mountain Drive in Montecito. Other key people included Ashlee Mayfield, President of Montecito Trails Foundation, and […]
Residents have until January 6, 2020 to comment on a proposed project to construct a bike path adjacent to southbound lanes of Highway 101 between Estero Street in Carpinteria and Sand Point Road in unincorporated Santa Barbara County. The project, which has been planned for several decades and is in both the City of Carpinteria […]
“If you ride a horse, shoot a gun, and go fishing,” locals told me, “you’re a Montanan!” Over the next few days, I hoped to earn my membership badge. My wife, Merry, and I had just arrived at the Ranch at Rock Creek in southwest Montana. Set along a mountain-fed stream amidst cottonwoods and evergreen […]
Since being established in 1926, the Santa Barbara Botanic Garden (SBBG), has become a pillar of our community. Whether it was one of the garden’s many school programs, or just a visit with the family, many of us have childhood memories of the space. From the majestic redwood grove to the sprawling meadow, these enchanting […]
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 […]
Right in our own backyard sits one of the most beautiful and threatened biodiversity hotspots in the world, the Gaviota Coast. “We should never take this 72-mile long stretch of coast for granted,” said Gaviota Coast Conservancy (GCC) board member Phil McKenna. We were gathered at the Santa Barbara Club for another Lunch & Learn […]
The Wilderness Hiking Speaker Series hosted by the SB Public Library on September 20, was with renowned wilderness animal tracker, interpreter, and teacher James Lowery, along with his wife, Mary E. Brooks, to more than 45 attendees. The presentation titled “Animal Tracking Secrets” is part of an ongoing series to teach all range of wilderness […]
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Six-hundred miles due west of Ecuador lie the Galapagos Islands. Born of volcanic fire and lava that broke through faults in the earth’s crust on the ocean floor, the magma rose to form underwater mountains and some of the mountain tips emerged forming islands, which continues to this day. It is estimated that this archipelago […]
All it took was a western snowy plover to get my mind right for a hike in the Guadalupe – Nipomo Sand Dunes National Wildlife Refuge, located in Santa Barbara’s North County. The tiny shorebirds don’t migrate, so these hardy little plovers endure a lot of northwest winds throughout the year, especially in the spring […]
It started out just like any other day that I lead a kayak tour on Santa Cruz Island; get folks dialed in with their paddling gear and a kayak briefing before launching them off the beach at Scorpion Anchorage. Spring time on the islands is a dual-edged sword; rolling green marine terraces, island wildflowers, and […]
