What we’re about
We are a friendly group of avid forest bathers who will be meeting usually 2-3 times a month, typically on a weekday morning, to explore our wonderful and numerous local and beyond trails. Our hikes will range from Easy to Challenging/Difficult depending on the chosen adventure. Most will be in the Santa Cruz County area. But we do oft-times venture out to trails in the counties of Monterey and San Mateo and beyond.
Maximum group size will be 12 so as not to overwhelm nature with our presence. And all attendees should be fully COVID 19 vaccinated so as to allow us all to go mask-free if we desire. We trust everyone will be honest about their status when they sign up.
I personally tend to hike at a fairly rapid pace but can certainly appreciate the value of slowing down a bit to fully enjoy our surroundings so pace is flexible. I strive to be thorough in my Event write-ups so please read through them carefully so that you can enjoy the pleasure of hiking trails that interest you and match your skill level.
Start times will vary. Typically anywhere from 8am to 10am depending on time of year, travel distance and parking considerations. Try to be on time but we will wait until 10 minutes after the start time for any late arrivals. If you arrive beyond that time please feel free to try and catch up to us!
Very important - Please RSVP only if you are committed to attend. Reevaluate your availability at least a few days before the hike and withdraw at that time if you can no longer commit. Please change your status to "Not Going" as soon as you realize that you plan to withdraw. This allows others to attend. Or just simply message me and I will remove you from the Going list. There is always a Waitlist of people who would like to attend and this way it opens up a space for someone else.
I look forward to healthy fresh air exercise with new friends as we explore our beautiful outdoors!
Legal Disclaimer: The hosts in this group are not professional guides, and each person who signs up for a hike, event, or other outing is responsible for his or her own safety and the safety of his or her guests and property. By signing up for this hike, or any other event organized by this group, you are acknowledging that you are aware of the risks, dangers and hazards associated with any outdoor activity and freely accept and fully assume all such risks, dangers and hazards. And further agree to release and discharge the organizer, assistant organizers, event organizers and event hosts of this Meetup group from any and all liability arising from your and your guest's participation in the group activities. As always, this is a “Participate at your Own Risk” event.
Upcoming events (2)
See all- Big Basin Double Lollypop (Raindate will be March 14th)Big Basin Redwoods State Park (Headquarters), Boulder Creek, CA
Please RSVP only if you are committed to attend. Reevaluate your availability a few days before the hike and withdraw at that time if you can no longer commit. This allows others to attend.
Big Basin Redwoods is California's oldest state park. It covers more than 18,000 acres ranging from sea level to more than 2400 feet elevation. Once a huge ancient forest, over 90% of the trees were lost to indiscriminate logging starting in the mid 1800s. And then the 2020 CZU Fire added more devastation. But trails are reopening and the blackened redwoods — some of which tower 300 feet tall and date back to the Roman Empire — nearly all survived, and are covered with vibrant green new branches. But none of the buildings, from the rustic visitors center to restrooms, have been rebuilt.
The route I've drawn up starts out on the easy yet beautiful Redwood Trail Loop, home of the Mother of the Forest (tallest tree) and the Father of the Forest (2,000 years old). I have photos below of how they looked prior to CZU. We'll then head along Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail > Dool > Middle Ridge > Meteor. We'll then hike along Skyline-to-the-Sea Trail towards China Grade for a mile or so as an out and back. Then back for another little loop along Creeping Forest Trail > Dool > Skyline-to-the-Sea and back to parking lot. Here is a link to our entire route:
https://www.alltrails.com/explore/map/redwood-trail-6917ff2-3Effort: Difficult (see Photo for reference below) Length: 9-12 miles Elevation gain: 2464 feet
Time: 5+ hours Route type: Triple(ish) Loop LollypopPrepare for sun exposure though we should have shaded sections as well. Water (2+ liters), snacks and any anticipated first aid needs. There are well-kept latrines at the parking lot.
I strongly encourage carpooling, which we'll coordinate using Comments below. Reservations for parking are not required, but are encouraged due to the limited amount of first-come, first-served parking available. Reserve a parking space. The parking fee is $6 per vehicle plus a $2 reservation fee or $10 per vehicle without a reservation.
Parks passes will be honored at the park, but the reservation fee of $2.00 will be charged.
If you indicate that you have a valid California State Park Pass for a vehicle when registering online, the parking fee will be waived. Passholders must still pay a non-refundable $2 reservation fee for each parking space reserved. You must show the pass to the staff person at check-in, or your reservation will not be honored, and you will be turned away.
Any of the following passes are accepted: Golden Poppy, California Explorer, Golden Bear | CALWORKS, an in-season Limited Use Golden Bear, Distinguished Veteran, Adventure Pass for 4th Graders, Santa Cruz District Volunteer, or a Library Park Pass. Holders of a California State Park Disabled Discount Pass receive a 50% discount on parking fees.Please take a few moments and refer to the frequently updated Soquel SoleMates Hiking Group general description ("What We're About") for important information about this group. Soquel Soulmates Hiking Group
https://4142298.xyz/soquel-solemates-hiking-group/I hope to see you there!
Jill :)
