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The Montecito Public Library is hosting an exciting line up of speakers in February and March. The talks are free and are on Wednesdays from 5:00-6:30PM and are an excellent opportunity to learn more about visiting our local backcountry.
February 20th – James Wapotich will be sharing stories and images from his hikes in our local backcountry, including day hikes and overnight backpacking trips that one craft on our local trails. James is a Volunteer Wilderness Ranger with the Los Padres National Forest and is the author of Trail Quest, the weekly hiking column in the Santa Barbara News-Press
February 27th – Bryan Conant will be sharing the story of the Condor Trail and his experiences in the backcountry. The Condor Trail is proposed thru hike starting from Lake Piru in the south, that traverses the Southern Los Padres on its way to the northern end of the trail near Big Sur. The trail showcases some of the best trails in the Santa Barbara Backcountry. Bryan is also known for the maps of the San Rafael, Dick Smith and Matilija Wilderness that he created.
March 6th – Mike Kresky is the co-author of Field Guide to Animal Tracks and Scat of California and will be sharing about the adventure of tracking and his experiences out in the field. Tracking is one of the best ways to start to learn more about the local wildlife and feel a greater sense of connection to the wildlife around us.
March 13th – Paul Cronshaw and Rik Christensen will be sharing their tips and tricks around ultra light packing. Both Paul and Rik have hiked extensively through our local backcountry and over the years have turned to the “light side”. The less weight you’re carrying with you the easier it is to enjoy the trail and the further you can go.
Added to the line-up, March 20th – Craig R. Carey, author of Hiking and Backpacking Santa Barbara and Ventura will share his experiences from his treks through our local backcountry.
The Montecito Library is at 1469 E. Valley Rd. in Montecito, for more info call (805) 969-5063.
Songs of the Wilderness 
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