Songs of the Wilderness

Harris Point

San Miguel Island is the westernmost of the Northern Channel Islands, and in some ways the most remote.

There are three ranger or docent led hikes on San Miguel Island. The long hike out to Point Bennett, about 14 miles roundtrip, and two relatively shorter hikes to Cardwell and Harris Points, both about six miles each roundtrip.

The easiest way to reach the island is through Island Packers, http://www.islandpackers.com, which offers boat rides to all five of the islands within Channel Islands National Park.

The campground on the island features nine campsites, each with a picnic table, metal food storage box, and low wind break. Reservations are made through recreation.gov. There is an outhouse, but no potable water and little shade. Visitors must bring all the water they’ll need for the duration of their stay. A half-mile trail from the harbor leads to the campground and continues up towards the ranger station.

The hike to Cardwell Point starts from the ranger station and heads southeast, passing through non-native grassland dotted with coyote brush, giant coreopsis, lupine, and dudleya. The views eastward extend out towards Santa Rosa Island. The trail then arrives at a bluff overlooking a remote beach. Here, crouching on the bluff, visitors can watch California sea lions and Northern elephant seals hauled out on the beach below. The spot offers some of the best viewing on the islands.

Northern elephant seals spend most of their time in the water. They migrate twice a year to forage for food, diving underwater. They can stay under for up to two hours and reach depths as much as a mile; and feed on squid, octopus, and a variety of fish. They spend just ten percent of their time on land, typically in large groups, either to molt, between April and August, or during the breeding season from December through March.

Northern elephants seals were nearly hunted to extinction in the late 1800s for their blubber which was used to produce oil for lamps. Only a small population of 40-100 remained on Guadalupe Island off of Mexico. From this group, Northern elephant seals have since recovered to over 175,000. Their range extends along the Pacific Coast from Baja California to Alaska. Northern elephant seals can be found on San Miguel, Santa Rosa, and Santa Barbara Islands, where they benefit from the relative isolation these islands provide.

During the last ice age, when the sea level was 300-400 feet lower, the four islands off our coast, Anacapa, Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, and San Miguel, were part of a single, larger island called Santarosae. Between 11,000-9,500 years ago, rising sea levels inundated the lowlands of Santarosae creating the four separate islands we see today.

The earliest evidence of man on the island dates back 13,000 years ago at Arlington Springs, on what is now Santa Rosa Island, when Santarosae was still a single island. The remains are some of the oldest found in North America.

There are two theories on how native people first reached North America from Asia. The one probably most familiar to many of us is that during the last ice age, people crossed the land bridge between Siberia and North America that was created by lower sea levels, following big game herds such as mammoths and mastodons. They continued south through an ice-free corridor as the glaciers began to retreat, dispersing out across the vast expanse of North America and into South America.

Another theory suggests that native people followed the coast around the North Pacific, that was also relatively free of ice, following what has been dubbed the “kelp highway” and utilizing the resources provided by kelp forests and found along the coast.

The early Chumash were likely drawn to Santarosae for these same resources. They journeyed to the island using boats made from tule reeds bundled together, traveling when the sea was calm. The might’ve left the mainland near what is now Point Mugu where the distance to the island was the shortest, arriving near what is now Anacapa Island.

Santarosae featured a broad coastal plain, plenty of marine sea life to hunt and fish, and shellfish to harvest, as well as reliable water in enough locations to make remaining on the island feasible. Over time villages arose. There are 21 recorded village sites on the northern Channel Islands.

Roughly 1,500 years ago, the Chumash developed their wooden-plank canoe or tomol, which dramatically increased both trade and social interactions between the islands and the mainland, and along the coast.

Chumash territory extended from Malibu to Morro Bay, out to the northern Channel Islands, and inland to the Carrizo Plain. Within that area were eight language groups, collectively referred to as Chumash by ethnographers. It’s estimated that prior to the arrival of the Spanish, there were roughly 22,000 Chumash and about 150 village sites.

A pivotal moment in history for the Chumash and California was Cabrillo’s arrival in 1542, just 50 years after Columbus’ arrival in North America.

Juan Rodriguez Cabrillo was commissioned by the Viceroy of New Spain to lead an expedition up the Pacific Coast to find new trade opportunities and search for the fabled Strait of Anian, or Northwest Passage, that would connect the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans and provide a more direct route to China.

In June of 1542, Cabrillo left the Mexican port of Navidad with three ships, the flagship San Salvador, which he built, plus the smaller La Victoria and San Miguel. In September, the expedition arrived at what is now San Diego, marking the first European landfall in California.

Cabrillo, then visited Catalina and San Clemente Islands, as well as San Pedro and Santa Monica Bays, before arriving at the Northern Channel Islands, anchoring at San Miguel Island in Cuyler Harbor. They spent a week at the islands before continuing north to Point Conception. The expedition sailed as far north as Point Reyes, possibly reaching the Russian River before turning back, missing both times the entrance to San Francisco Bay, which wasn’t sighted by Europeans until Portola’s expedition in 1769.

There are differing accounts of Cabrillo’s journey as the expedition’s official report was lost and all that remains is a summary made later by investigators using the ship’s logs and charts. Cabrillo is said to have broken a limb, which became infected and developed gangrene. In one version Cabrillo fell and broke his arm, and died on San Miguel Island. In another, Cabrillo splintered his shin while going ashore on Catalina Island to save his men during an attack by Tongva Indians and died there.

After his passing in January of 1543, Cabrillo’s second in command, Bartolome Ferrer, led the expedition back to Mexico.

A monument to Cabrillo was erected on San Miguel Island in 1937, and is just below the campground; a short side trail leads to the stone cross which overlooks Cuyler Harbor.

While Cabrillo’s expedition was the first into the area, it wasn’t until Portola’s expedition 227 years later in 1769, that missionaries and settlers began to arrive in California.

Diseases brought by Europeans decimated the Chumash, and the introduction of the mission system, which sought to convert and assimilate them, slowly separated the Chumash from their traditional ways and culture.

During the 1820s, the last remaining Chumash living on the islands were removed.

In 1833, following the Mexican Revolution of 1821, the Mexican government secularized the missions. The Mission’s land holdings in Alta California, which accounted for about a sixth of the land area, were broken up and either sold off or given away by the Governors, often to friends and associates as reward for their service.

After the Mexican-American War in 1848, the United States agreed to honor these land grants in the new California Territory. Over the years, a number of these ranchos were purchased from the original Mexican families by businessmen and families from the United States, including the ranchos on both Santa Cruz and Santa Rosa Islands.

These ranching operations, along with leases on the other the islands, marked the beginning of the ranching era on the islands, with the islands experiencing and now recovering from the affects of overgrazing.

Today, the Northern islands are part of Channel Islands National Park, which includes, Anacapa, Santa Rosa, San Miguel, Santa Barbara, and the eastern quarter of Santa Cruz Islands. For more information about the park, go to http://www.nps.gov/chis.

The third hike on San Miguel Island is to Harris Point. The hike starts below the turnoff to the Cabrillo Monument, along the trail down to the harbor. Here, a side trail crosses Nidever Canyon and continues along the bluff, offering exceptional views out across Cuyler Harbor and towards Prince Island. The hike then continues out towards Harris Point, threading its way through predominantly lupine, interspersed with giant coreopsis, dudleya, and island poppy. The trail ends at Lester Point, which offers views of Simonton Cove and out towards Harris Point.

Gazing out at the point and listening to the wind and surf, while watching the waves roll in, it’s possible to imagine the features of Santarosae and the accomplishments of the first people to live there. And to imagine the forests and pristine coastline of this now submerged super island, and even marvel at the diversity of nature and its ever-changing landscapes.

This article originally appeared in section A of the February 18th, 2019 edition of Santa Barbara News-Press.

California sea lions and Northern elephant seals

Prince Island frames a view of Cuyler Harbor

20,000 years ago, during the last Ice Age, when the sea level was 300-400 feet lower than today, the four islands off our coast, Anacapa, Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, and San Miguel, were part of a larger, single island called Santarosae.

Santarosae featured a broad coastal plain, as well as rich offshore kelp forests. During the last ice age the climate was wetter and cooler, more akin to northern California today; and conifers such as Douglas fir, Gowan cypress, and Bishop pine grew on the island.

This super island was four times the size of the islands today, covering roughly 829 square miles. It was about 79 miles long and at its closest point was just 4-5 miles from the mainland.

An imagined traverse of the island might’ve started at the eastern end of Santarosae, and either followed the coastal plain or made its way over the relatively narrow ridge of what is now Anacapa Island, before reaching what is now Santa Cruz Island.

Santarosae’s highest peak would’ve likely been Mount Diablo, now part of Santa Cruz Island. From there, a traverse westward would’ve continued across the lowlands separating Santa Cruz and Santa Rosa Islands, and then across Santa Rosa Island to reach the comparatively flat San Miguel Island.

Around 11,000 years ago the islands began to “break apart” as the sea level rose. Anacapa was the first to go, becoming a separate island roughly 10,300 to 10,900 years ago. Around 9,400 to 9,700 years ago, Santa Cruz Island separated from the still connected Santa Rosa and San Miguel Islands, which became separate roughly 300 years later.

The oldest human remains found on the islands at Arlington Springs on Santa Rosa Island date back 13,000 years ago. The early Chumash would’ve potentially been able to make a traverse of Santarosae, and visited and lived on the island as it slowly separated into the four islands we know today.

San Miguel Island is the westernmost of the Channel Islands, and in some ways the most remote. San Miguel, along with Anacapa, Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, and Santa Barbara Islands, are now part of Channel Islands National Park.

The easiest way to reach the island today is through Islands Packers out of Ventura, http://www.islandpackers.com, which offers boat rides to all five of the islands within the national park. The boat ride is roughly 3-4 hours long.

Arriving at Cuyler Harbor just as the fog starts to clear, it’s hard to place exactly where I am. It’s a strange juxtaposition, imagining a traverse of Santarosae while traveling by car and boat in order to reach a remnant of this now submerged super island. Here, with its crystal clear waters and nearly white-looking beach, the pristine beauty of the island combined with the timelessness of nature, makes it easy to forget the modern world, and yet at the same time so much has happened since the last ice age.

With no pier at San Miguel Island, we are ferried ashore in rubber skiffs in groups of six. On the beach we are greeted by Susie, one of the volunteer docents, who provides an orientation for visitors to the island.

Gathering my gear, plus the three and half gallons of water I’m carrying for the duration of my stay, I make my way to the campground, essentially backpacking there. The half-mile trail from the beach climbs up a large dune and then makes its way up the eastern side of Nidever Canyon, passing through a large stand of giant coreopsis before arriving at the campground. From the campground, the trail continues a short ways to the ranger station.

The campground features nine sites, each with a picnic table; a food storage box to keep items safe from foxes, ravens, and mice; and a low wooden wind break, which provides some shelter from the steady wind that blows across the island. No campfires are allowed, only cook stoves. There is an outhouse, but no potable water anywhere on the island and so visitors must bring what they’ll need. There is little shade on the island, which is only partially offset by the frequent fog.

Visitors are allowed to hike the trail from beach to the ranger station, as well as the roughly two-mile long beach at Cuyler Harbor unescorted, but the rest of hikes require a docent or ranger present.

There are three docent led hikes on San Miguel Island. Cardwell Point to the southeast and Harris Point to the north are both about six miles each roundtrip. And the big hike west to Point Bennett, which is about 14 miles roundtrip. All hikes start from the ranger station.

The hike to Point Bennett follows an old Navy road that has become overgrown, appearing now as mostly a single track trail. The trail passes through grassland dotted with lupine, coyote bush, dudleya, and loco weed.

At about the one-mile mark, the trail summits San Miguel Hill, the highest point on the island, rising just 831 feet above sea level. The site once served as a WWII lookout station and now features instruments for gathering weather data. From here, the trail descends down to what’s referred to as Sand Blast Pass, before arriving at the turnoff to the Caliche Forest.

A short side trail leads to the viewing area that looks out across a sandy field dotted with 2-3 foot tall casts of conifer trees that grew on the island during the last ice age. The casts are related to the white sandy beach and dunes at Cuyler Harbor.

While most of the beaches in California are composed of silicates such as quartz and feldspar and have that distinctive tan or light brown color, the beaches on the north shore of San Miguel Island are made from mostly carbonate material. Carbonate sands are formed from the broken up skeletal remains of marine invertebrates deposited offshore on the insular shelves of the islands. Carbonate, white sandy beaches are more common in tropical and subtropical waters.

In fact, the Channel Islands represent the northernmost place in North America where carbonate dunes occur. One contributing factor is there are no large rivers on the islands carrying enough silicate material to dilute the carbonate material being deposited, allowing it to build up over the millennia. During the last ice age, when the sea level was lower, the exposed material was carried inland by the wind where it formed dunes.

As trees on the island decomposed their trunks and root systems became filled with sand creating molds of the trees. When mixed with rain, the carbonate material dissolves, percolating down through the soil, cementing the particles and creating casts over the trunk and root molds that we see today.

Continuing past the Caliche Forest, the trail makes its way towards Green Hill, the second highest point on the island at 817 feet of elevation. The trail crests the side of the hill, before continuing out towards Point Bennett.

At about the 5-mile mark, the trail arrives at an airstrip, located in a dry lake bed, which is used to bring in supplies and personnel for the marine mammal research station. From here, the trail follows the road from the airstrip to the station.

At the research station, we pause, while Susie gathers binoculars and a field scope to more easily view the pinnipeds at Point Bennett, which we can already hear in the distance.

From the research station, we continue another mile as the trail threads its way down to an overlook that offers views out across the beach at Point Bennett. The point is essentially a large rock outcropping connected by a sandy spit. The adjoining and nearby beaches regularly see large numbers of elephant seals, northern fur seals, California sea lions, and harbor seals sunning themselves, as well as cavorting, mating, and in some cases sparring amongst themselves. Stellar’s sea lion and Guadalupe fur seals also occasionally visit the island, making Point Bennett one of the largest and most diverse pinniped rookeries in the world.

From here, Santarosae at its largest extended northwest roughly another 12 miles. During the last ice age, all eight of the Channel Islands were larger and covered more area, but only the four northern islands off our coast were connected together.

In addition to the islands and islets off Southern California that we know today, the lower sea level during the last ice age created additional islands that remain now as shallow seamounts or banks. These submerged islands include Osborn, Tanner, and Cortes Banks that are part of the southern Channel Islands.

In 1999, while looking at newly created topographic maps of the sea floor of the channel, local geologist and UCSB professor Ed Keller observed the features of what may have been an island located halfway between what is now Santa Cruz Island and Santa Barbara. Named Calafia, the island was roughly 1.25 miles long, comparable in size to eastern Anacapa Island today, but at most rose only 30 feet above the sea. The island became submerged roughly 16,000 years ago, but may have served as a stopover for animals such as the Columbian mammoth on their way out to Santarosae.

This article originally appeared in section A of the February 4th, 2019 edition of Santa Barbara News-Press.

Cuyler Harbor is seen from the trail leading up Nediver Canyon

Point Bennett

California sea lions are seen at Point Bennett

Backcountry beach camping on Santa Rosa Island is one of the rare treats afforded in Channel Islands National Park. While Santa Cruz Island is the largest island off the coast of Southern California, only one-quarter of it is open to the public. Coming in second at 83 square miles, Santa Rosa Island offers the most amount of land on any of the islands to explore.

Backcountry beach camping is not for everyone, there are no designated sites outside of Water Canyon Campground, no picnic tables or restrooms. Shade is limited and reliable water can only be found in nine canyons. No campfires are allowed, only cookstoves. Nevertheless, for experienced backpackers, backpacking on the island can be just as rewarding as backpacking in the local backcountry.

Camping is permitted on the beaches above the high tide line. From August 15 to September 15 the beaches between East and South Points along the south shore are open to dispersed camping, and from September 16 to December 31 all the beaches are open except those along the eastern shore between Carrington and East Points, and around Sandy Point. For a complete list of rules and regulations go to www.nps.gov/chis.

The closest beach for camping on the north shore is Cow Canyon, about 10 miles roundtrip; and the closest recommended beaches along the south shore are at San Augustin Canyon, Ford Point, and La Jolla Vieja Canyon, 16, 18, and 22, miles round trip respectively.

The easiest way to reach the island is through Island Packers, www.islandpackers.com, which offers boat rides to all five of the islands within Channel Islands National Park. Santa Rosa Island can also be reached by air through Channel Islands Aviation, www.flycia.com.

For my own traverse of the island, I hiked to Cow Canyon the first day, and then crossed over the island to the south shore via Black Mountain and Soledad Peak, camping the second night near La Jolla Vieja Canyon.

In the morning, I make my way up La Jolla Vieja Canyon to look for a suitable place to filter enough water for the day. The meandering canyon is lined with cattails but there are several pools with flowing water. As with Cow Canyon from the day before, recent rains have improved both the flow and flavor of the water. Intermittent year-round water can also be found in Lobo, Soledad, Arlington, Wreck, San Augustin, Old Ranch House, and Water Canyons.

From La Jolla Vieja Canyon, I day hike west along the south shore towards Johnson’s Lee, where a U.S. Air Force station was once located. The hike is about 4.5 miles roundtrip along an unpaved access road that follows the coast.

About a mile from La Jolla Vieja Canyon, a short side road leads down to Officer’s Beach; the beach is completely empty. However, as I continue over the next rise, I hear elephant seals. They are hauled out on the next beach over sunning themselves, napping, sparring, and everything else elephants seals enjoy doing when not swimming and hunting in the ocean.

The road then meets the only paved road on the island, and arrives where Santa Rosa Island Air Force Station P-15 was once located. In 1950, the Air Force leased land from Vail & Vickers Ranch. The Air Force built radar, receiving, and transmitting facilities on the highest point of the island. A base was built along the coast with more than a dozen different buildings. A paved road led from the landing pier to the base and up to the summit of Radar Mountain.

At one time there were more 300 personnel at the station. The base however proved too costly to maintain due to its island location. It was closed in 1963, and operations were relocated to a facility near Point Conception. The abandoned buildings and material left behind were utilized and repurposed by the ranch over the years. National Parks Service later utilized several remaining buildings. Today, just the auto maintenance building from the station remains.

From the maintenance building it’s less than a quarter of a mile down the road to where the landing pier was located.

Returning to La Jolla Vieja Canyon, I gather my gear. From here, the unpaved road continues eastward, moving away from the coast and wrapping its way into an unnamed canyon before working its way over to Wreck Canyon.

On a previous visit five years ago, the creek crossing in Wreck Canyon was the best source of water on the south shore I found close to Ford Point, now however it is choked with cattails. A good reminder to check with the rangers beforehand to learn about current conditions.

The road then climbs out of the canyon and arrives at the signed turnoff to Ford Point, about two miles from La Jolla Vieja Canyon.

The trail down to Ford Point follows an old jeep road. Near the point, the views extend east out along the coast towards East Point and western Santa Cruz Island. From here, a single-track trail turns inland, before following a small ravine down to the beach.

The long, pristine beach at Ford Point is broken into two halves by a large rock outcropping; a route along the bluff connects the two segments. Both sections can sometimes have places to camp above the high tide line.

From the easternmost beach, an off-trail route continues up along the bluff, tracing the top of essentially a giant sand dune and leading over towards San Augustin Canyon.

As the trail arrives overlooking what could be called San Augustin Point, the trail branches. The trail to the right leads down to the cobblestone beach, where there can sometimes be a level place to camp above the high tide line.

The trail to the right, continues along the western side of San Augustin Canyon, passing through grassy hillsides dotted with lupine, black sage, coastal sagebrush, and coyote brush.

The trail then crosses the creek. Just downstream from the crossing is a trickle of water flowing into a sandstone pool.

From the crossing, the trail becomes more serious about climbing out of the canyon, tracing now the eastern side of the canyon and making its way along the ridge that separates San Augustin from the next canyon over.

The ridgeline then levels out briefly, passing the wreck of a small airplane. According to Islapedia.com, the plane was flown by two hunters intent on poaching non-native elk found on the island at the time. Their plane crashed as they tried to land and they hiked out to the main ranch building claiming engine failure. When they returned to recover the plane, they discovered that cattle from the ranch had eaten the fabric covering much of the plane’s frame, leaving it unusable.

The trail then makes the final push up the ridge, veering west around what could be described as San Augustin Peak, and arriving at San Pablo Road. Here, the views open up to the north across the channel towards the Santa Ynez and San Rafael Mountains.

Essentially a single-track trail, San Pablo Road traces the top of the summits overlooking the south shore. About a mile from the top of San Augustin Trail, the road arrives at a large cement trough fed with water from Clapp Spring. Water from the spring but must be filtered.

From here, it’s less than a mile to Wreck Road, which leads toward Water Canyon Campground. The road traces the edge of Water Canyon and as it reaches the coast offers views out across Bechers Bay towards Santa Cruz Island.

Wreck Road arrives at the coast just south of Water Canyon and joins Coastal Road. To reach the campground turn left; Coastal Road crosses Water Canyon Cree and then meets the side road that leads up to the campground.

The campground has 15 sites available through Recreation.gov. Each site has a two-sided, covered windbreak, a picnic table, and a metal food storage box to keep items safe from inquisitive foxes, mice, and ravens. The campground features potable water and restrooms, and can make a nice base camp for exploring the island. The campground is about 1.5 miles from the landing pier.

A satisfying day hike from the campground is to visit the Torrey pines, about 4.5 miles roundtrip. To reach the grove, follow Coastal Road south towards Skunk Point, and look for Torrey Pines Trail on your right, which leads up into the grove.

During the last ice age when the climate was cooler and wetter, Torrey pines could be found along coast of California. Today, they are the rarest pines in the United States, found in just two locations, near San Diego at Torrey Pine State Natural Reserve and here on Santa Rosa Island, where island fog helps keeps temperatures cooler and provides additional moisture for the trees.

The grove also provides a chance to sit back in the shade and experience the timelessness of the islands. To hear the sound of the wind through the trees and watch birds flit amongst the branches, framed by views of western Santa Cruz Island.

This article originally appeared in section A of the January 21st, 2019 edition of Santa Barbara News-Press. The next article will cover the hike out to Point Bennett on San Miguel Island.

Ford Point

Torrey Pines

The beach near the mouth of Water Canyon

It was after dark when the trail finally arrived at the coast, near the mouth of La Jolla Vieja Canyon. As I near the beach, I can hear the sound of elephants seals, and suddenly realize they are hauled out near where I’d planned to sleep. No worry, I would simply cross to the other side of the creek and camp there. However, on the other side my headlamp catches the glowing eyes of more elephant seals, who are just quietly resting there.

Rather than trekking in the dark to another beach, I find a small patch a safe distance from both groups, careful to make sure there is no evidence of elephant seals using the spot. With the wind now nearly constant and blowing uncharacteristically from the east, I gather four large boulders and put them inside my tent, placing one in each corner and settle in for the night, it had been a long day.

On previous visits to Santa Rosa Island I had backpacked to Ford Point on the south shore and day hiked to Lobo and Cow Canyons on the north shore, but was curious what it would be like to traverse the island north to south and visit its highest peak, Radar Mountain.

Originally I had thought of following Smith Highway arcing over to Soledad Road. However, in talking with one of the rangers prior to my trip, I learned of an old jeep road that traces the ridgeline between Lobo and Cow Canyons and leads to the top of Black Mountain. From there it was a simple matter to tie into Soledad Road. This alternate route would save me a welcome mile and a half, and have the added bonus of visiting the cloud forest on Black Mountain.

Backcountry beach camping on Santa Rosa Island is available to experienced, well-conditioned backpackers during the later part of the year, and provides a unique way to explore the island. For a complete list of all the rules and regulations, seasonal closures, and other helpful information go to www.nps.gov/chis.

After spending my first night camped at Cow Canyon, I retrace my route through Lobo Canyon back up to Smith Highway. With no water and little shade along my intended route, I’ve loaded up on water in Cow Canyon, carrying enough for the entire 14.5-mile day.

Continuing west along Smith Highway, I soon pass on the uphill side something that looks vaguely like an old jeep road before arriving at a more evident track coming up along the ridgeline from the coast. I double back to the faint track I saw. The route is not as obvious as I’d hoped, but as I continue I find pieces of the old jeep road, which starts to become more evident as it climbs up the ridgeline between Lobo and Cow Canyons. As I continue, it becomes apparent that the foxes are the ones that use the trail the most and are keeping it alive. In the distance I can see the forested summit of Black Mountain.

The route then rounds the top of Lobo Canyon, joining the ridgeline that defines the backbone of the island. Here, the old jeep road turns east and continues along the top of the ridge towards Black Mountain.

As I continue, I pass the small forest of island oaks that draw part of their water from the fog and hug the north side of the ridge.

From the top of Black Mountain, the views extend out across Cherry Canyon, Bechers Bay, and Skunk Point towards Santa Cruz Island.

During the last ice age, roughly 20,000 years ago, the sea level was 300-400 feet lower. The four islands of our coast, Anacapa, Santa Cruz, Santa Rosa, and San Miguel were all part of a single, larger island called Santarosae. As the sea level began to rise, it covered the lower portions of Santarosae. Around 10,500 years ago Anacapa Island became separate, followed by Santa Cruz Island roughly 1,000 years later, with Santa Rosa and San Miguel Islands separating several hundred years after that.

From Black Mountain, a half-mile trail leads down to Soledad Road. Black Mountain can also be reached from the landing pier or Water Canyon Campground as part of an eight-mile roundtrip day hike following an old jeep road, referred to as Telephone Road.

Continuing west along Soledad Road, about a mile and a half further, the remnants of an old army camp can be seen from the road in the canyon below. A side road leads down to the site, with the most distinctive feature being a large cement star where the flagpole was located. The camp was built in 1943, and turned over to the ranching operation after the war.

About a mile later, Soledad Road arrives at the signed turnoff for Quinn Knobs Trail. The trail does not appear on the National Geographic Trails Illustrated Map of Channel Islands National Park, but is a useful connector trail. The 1.25-mile trail follows a ridgeline and leads over to Wreck Road, providing an alternate, shorter way to reach the south shore.

As I continue along Soledad Road towards Soledad Peak it starts to fog up along the top of the island and a steady wind starts to blow, until I eventually have to start leaning slightly into the wind to offset its force. My concerns of hiking most of the day in exposed sunlight and not having enough water are starting to fade.


Soledad Road then intersects Signal Road; just west of the intersection is Soledad Peak, 1,574 feet of elevation. From there the road continues another half-mile before arriving at a surprisingly paved road. The road connects from Johnsons Lee, where there used to be an Air Force base to the top of Radar Mountain, the highest point on the island, at 1,589 feet.

Both Soledad Peak and Radar Mountain overlook Arlington Canyon, where in 1959, the oldest human remains found so far in North America were discovered. The remains date back 13,000 years. At that time, Santarosae was still a single island, and roughly four to five miles from the mainland at its closet point.

Santarosae was most likely reached with a boat made from tule reeds. Tule is readily available on the mainland, and such a boat is relatively easy to make in as little as three days. Tule can also be found on the islands.

The Chumash would harvest tule, allow it to partially dry, and then tie the material together into cigar-shaped bundles with a willow pole in the middle to help strengthen the boat’s structure. Several bundles were tied together, with the largest one serving as the bottom of the 10-15 foot canoe. The boat was then coated with melted asphaltum to make it more water resistant. While these boats were more commonly used in estuaries and nearshore along the coast, given calm conditions in the channel they could be used to cross to the islands. Tule boats could carry two to three people or a total of several hundred pounds.

The Chumash also made dugout canoes, which were used primarily in estuaries and were not seaworthy enough to cross the channel.

Around 500 A.D., the Chumash began developing wooden plank canoes or tomols. The tomol was a dramatic improvement over both the tule boat and dugout.

Tomols were primarily made from redwood driftwood that had washed ashore along the coast and on the islands.

Using nothing more than tools made from chert, bones, and large clam shells, the Chumash were able to hew and shape the redwood planks and drill holes in them. The planks were then sewn together with string made from red milkweed. In between the planks, the pithy core of tule was used for caulk. A mixture of melted asphaltum and pine pitch was then used to seal the seams, drill holes, and lashings. The entire project would take from two to six months.

Tomols ranged in size from 12 to 24 feet in length, and could carry up to 20 people or 4,000 pounds in cargo. The tomol not only facilitated increased trade amongst the Chumash, but helped deepen social connections by making travel between the islands and mainland, and along the coast easier.

From Radar Mountain, I follow the paved road down to the turnoff to the trail that traces the ridgeline between La Jolla Vieja Canyon and the coast. The trail is essentially an overgrown jeep road, and I was fortunate to have day-hiked the route during the daytime on a previous trip, especially now that I was hiking it in the dark through a thick, wet fog.

The trail ends at the ranch road along the south shore, arriving just west of La Vieja Canyon, where I make camp for the night, a safe distance from the elephants seals.

In the morning, after breakfast, I filter water from La Jolla Vieja Canyon, and then day hike west along the south shore to Johnsons Lee, before backpacking out via Ford Point and San Augustine Canyon, and camping the last night in Water Canyon Campground.

This article originally appeared in section A of the January 7th, 2019 edition of Santa Barbara News-Press

Black Mountain is seen from the off-trail route between Lobo and Cow Canyons