The struggle between human order and chaotic nature manifests everywhere in the mountains of Big Sur. The highway perpetually slides toward the ocean. The mountain is always erasing slowly and then suddenly the walking trails and campsites. Constant effort is required to maintain the paths that make possible access to the backcountry. For many years, many people have maintained the pathways and the knowledge of the Big Sur backcountry. Paul Danielson is a wonderful example of this human effort and desire to participate in and to know the life of these wild landscapes. In his books Lost Camps of the Ventana and Invisible Camps of the Ventana, Danielson traces his adventures to discover and experience the fullness of the Ventana Wilderness.

He begins his book by inviting the reader to follow in his footsteps:

Do you enjoy treasure hunts? Do you like poring over maps? Do you relish hiking off-trail in search of long-forgotten locations? If you can answer "yes" to any of these questions, then there is a good chance this book is for you.

Danielson's journey too began with an invitation:

Not so many years ago, I was challenged by an old-timer:

"If you want to see the Ventana Wilderness, I encourage you to do what I have done. Hike every trail and visit every camp. It will get you to every remote corner and you will experience the fullness of what this wild country has to offer. You will need a couple of old maps that I have for you, as well as your own current ones."

And then he went his way.

Well, I took him up on his offer. And now, more than seven years later, I have almost completed the challenge. He was right! It is the ultimate way to see what the Ventana is all about! Also, it helps one to realize how well-traveled it was in its prime, when, for example, the fishermen managed to roam every drainage in their quest for good fishing holes. The trail and camps were well-loved and used.

I like treasure hunts. I like maps. I like going off-trail, searching for all manner of things.

This book is for me. And I suspect that it’s for you too. Danielson sought to experience the Ventana Wilderness in its totality, every hidden valley, every abandoned camp, every overgrown trail. His books are filled with this expansive vision, urging readers to look beyond the obvious, to seek out the forgotten corners.

Who was Paul Danielson?

Paul Danielson embodied the transformative American spirit of the 1960s generation, a Princeton-educated Episcopal priest who became an advocate for human participation as steward in the life of the wild. A Monterey Bay resident of the area for nearly fifty years, Paul devoted his life to serving others. Born Aug. 18, 1938 in Santa Barbara he graduated from Princeton University in 1960 with a B.A. degree in Religion and then earned a Master of Divinity degree from the Union Theological Seminary in New York City.

He served as a parish priest at the Church of the Good Shepherd in Salinas for 16 years, growing it from a small mission to a thriving parish of over 200 members. He then spent 17 years as chaplain at All Saints' Day School in Carmel Valley, where he became known as the "heart" of the school.

Paul retired in 2001 and began his "third career" focusing on conservation, hiking, his spiritual life and continued service to others. He was a Board Member of The Big Sur Land Trust and was especially committed to the Ventana Wilderness Alliance conservation organization. He explored the Ventana Wilderness extensively and connected with many longtime residents to discover its history.

His two books represent a spiritual desire to experience and document the wild boundaries of life. They pulse with the thrill of discovery. With precise GPS coordinates and excellent notes and descriptions, Danielson creates a user’s guide to Big Sur adventuring and captures the raw excitement of stumbling upon an old fire ring. Danielson is inviting readers to embrace their own quests into these untamed spaces.

The timing of the books was critical. Writing in his 2000s, Danielson knew he was preserving crucial knowledge that might otherwise well vanish with the locations of camps known only to aging locals and the remnants of trails being reclaimed by nature. Fires over the last 50 years destroyed many campsites and trails. In that same period since the late 1970s, with the reduction of the Forestry budget, and the removal of most of the recreational Forestry staff from the Los Padres National Forest, Monterey Ranger District, the trails in Big Sur decayed. Fires over the last 50 years destroyed many campsites and trails. Only within the last couple of years has a small new Forestry staff been hired to help maintain access to these public lands.

The challenge Danielson confronted was documenting the exact location of the Lost Camps. In his book, he leaves detailed explanations of his own adventures, GPS coordinates, and topographical map clips of the locations. He explains where to park, what trails to take, and what he found. While his descriptions of the landscape are, to a degree, out of date because of the changing landscape, his locations remain relevant and explorable, and the bulk of his narration is useful and informative.

Each chapter is about one “Lost Camp” with the following sections:

• Coordinates

• When he visited

• Preliminary considerations

• Location description

• Access - where to drive

• Directions - trailhead and trail directions

• Description of the campsite

• The return hike

• History, supplementary notes, comments, overnight camping recommendation

• Time to allow for hiking

So often when I am exploring a wonderful location in Big Sur I notice an old campfire ring and a flattish place to set up a tent. These old campsites are around the bend from the most amazing waterfalls, vista points, creek bends, and valleys in the Big Sur backcountry.

There's something defiantly democratic about Danielson's vision. While the commercial machine of modern outdoor recreation herds visitors onto designated trails and campsites, Danielson celebrates the hidden corners, the unofficial spaces where humans experience refuge and meaning. There are some who don’t believe sharing the hidden gems of Big Sur is productive. Better to hide it away from the hordes of uncivilized urban masses. Some see humans as apart from nature, a stain on it, not of it. I think differently. We are all elements of the natural world. Whoever we are, wherever we are, whatever we do, we are part of this Earth, we are part of the life of this world.

I suspect Danielson saw humans as part of nature, though able through consciousness to be stewards of the land and each other. There’s no doubt that he understood the wild landscapes on the borders of our civilized life as being important to protect and present within.

His work demonstrates how knowledge perpetuates itself through passionate obsessives who document, map, and share. Having visited quite a few of the locales Danielson documents, I can tell you that the real beauty out there is not nearly captured in his book. The beauty is waiting for you to discover on your own, but the starting points are provided in the books. His message is clear: the real treasures lie off the marked path. The wild still holds secrets. The quest still matters.

Danielson encourages the reader to continue his efforts:

All of this is an ongoing and unfinished adventure. That is why I am excited for YOU!…you can help finish the job in your own customized way: by deciding on new routes; or finding camps we missed, could not visit, or were not on our maps…

…But we wish you well! We hope you will have as much fun and fulfillment as Bert and I have, in the course of perpetuating the old-timers challenge. His name is Ward Allison. He was a legendary figure in the Sierra Club heydays of the 1950s through 1970s. He and his buddies' rock climbing and off-trail exploits became legendary. They took on the Ventana Wilderness in a manner yet to be matched. They had the time of their lives! Much of that spirit, and reign over the terrain, is a thing of the past, save for a rare few. These are the new elite, who are willing to venture to remote ravines and rugged ridges that fires and subsequent growth have rendered virtually inaccessible. Yes, even to Bert and myself. But I pray, not to you!

Go for it, conquer it, and tell us (and a small world of waiting adventurers) what you saw and found!

His books can be found at the Monterey and Salinas Public Libraries. They are not in print, or available electronically. So, in the spirit of "perpetuating the old-timers challenge," I will document core data points of each site, coordinates, access points, directions, and recommended approaches, while sharing my own experiences, continuing Danielson's legacy of exploration and documentation.

More information about Paul Danielson can be found at the links below:

• https://bigsurtrailmap.net/paul_danielson.html

• https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/montereyherald/name/paul-danielson-obituary?id=8276203

• https://paw.princeton.edu/memorial/paul-e-danielson-jr-60

• https://www.montereylibrary.org/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=155962&query_desc=kw%2Cwrdl%3A%20paul%20danielson

• https://www.montereylibrary.org/cgi-bin/koha/opac-detail.pl?biblionumber=174589&query_desc=kw%2Cwrdl%3A%20paul%20danielson

The lost campsites are marked on this map, but a community of volunteers that Danielson helped to foster:

https://bigsurtrailmap.net/trailmap.html?control=1&mode=trailmap

This map is an excellent source or relatively up-to-date information about trail conditions in the Big Sur Area.

Here are some photos of mine from recent trips to the Los Padres Forest:

Exciting news! Earlier this week OnLandscape published an essay and photograph collection I put together explaining my curiosity and intentions. It’s an honor to have my writing and photographs shared by the OnLandscape journal. I hold the editors in high regard for their own creative skills and perspectives on the art and science of landscape photography.

As they describe themselves:

Joe Cornish, Guy Tal, Rafael Rojas, Paul Gallagher, Tim Parkin, and many more. We try to cover some of the most common and important questions relating to landscape photography and will always be looking for new writing talent. And we want to make sure that talent covers as many bases as possible from romantic to fine art, from philosophy to practical fieldcraft, from beginner to experienced.

I’ve learned much from their interviews, articles, and selected photographs. Below I share the photos from the piece and the start of my essay, which you can read in full here:

https://www.onlandscape.co.uk/2024/11/but-whats-in-the-mountains/

But What’s in the Mountains?

“But what's in the mountains?

Just cliffs and brush and rocks and dryness.

Were you ever there?

No.

Has anybody ever been there?

A few people, I guess. It's dangerous, with cliffs and things. Why, I've read there's more unexplored country in the mountains of Monterey County than any place in the United States." His father seemed proud that this should be so.

And at last the ocean?

But, the boy insisted, but in between? No one knows?

Oh, a few people do, I guess. But there's nothing there to get. And not much water. Just rocks and cliffs and greasewood. Why?

It would be good to go.

What for? There's nothing there.

Jody knew something was there, something very wonderful because it wasn't known, something secret and mysterious. He could feel within himself that this was so.”

~Excerpt from The Little Red Pony, by John Steinbeck

Big Sur is renowned for its beautiful, rugged coastline, where the Pacific Ocean meets the Santa Lucia Mountains. However, the features within these mountains are less known. For tourists and photographers, too, much of the beauty within these mountains is unknown, and compared to the Big Sur coastline, little creative photography emerges from the mountains. As photography became increasingly important for me, Big Sur became the primary place to explore both the landscape and my creative abilities. The Santa Lucia Mountains, as a subject for art making, are filled with unique, diverse opportunities to witness indescribable beauty.

I love returning to familiar landscapes to make them ever more familiar. Exploring landscapes again and again feels like I’m growing roots in the natural world. With photography, those roots seem to grow deeper and deeper.

Artists who cultivate long term relationships with particular geographies most inspire me. Ansel Adams, Morley Baer, Alexey Titarenko, Michael Light, Guy Tal, William Neill, Colin Prior, and many more honed their creative capacities by returning time and again to familiar places and themes. I aim to develop my own body of work, unfolding themes over time and creating art from a place of familiarity with places I love.

The coastline of Big Sur, though widely photographed, contains many, many opportunities for new creative work. And I love revisiting coastal Big Sur. But after some years of exploring the coast and a bit beyond, like the boy in Steinbeck's story, I wondered "what's in the mountains?”

So my focus turned up and eastward to the mountains of Big Sur. I began to study maps, books, photographs, forums, and blogs. Walking and scrambling up the trails, creeks, and dirt roads, became my primary focus in Big Sur. Both on-trail and off-trail adventures within the wilderness areas offer endless dynamic subject matter for photography.

There is a wealth of local knowledge about the Big Sur mountains.

People like Jack Glendening, the late Paul Danielson, and many others, support and preserve the wild qualities of the Santa Lucia Range and maintain recreational access for all. Forestry and state park staff, volunteers, donors, and tourists all contribute to the maintenance of the walking trails. A rich heritage of ecological responsibility and respectful participation with the Santa Lucia Mountains continues the efforts of Ansel Adams, Henry Miller, Robert Redfield, Clint Eastwood, Paul Danielson and others.

Wilderness access evolves year to year due to storms, fires, understory growth and erosion. Maintaining these trails requires significant effort, and there is not enough budget or foot traffic to support their full upkeep at present. Perhaps electronic devices keep the people of the pavement indoors more than in times past. There are a small handful of backcountry places that receive significant traffic, but many more are becoming lost and overgrown, and many more remain generally unexplored.

These mountains hold many treasures, both big and small. Some seasons there are so many spring flowers that sweet and fragrant floral notes fill each breath for miles and miles. I’d heard of ladybird aggregations but didn’t know that in remote locations some stretch for almost a mile along a creek, millions of ladybirds. Watching the sun set over a heavy marine layer blanketing the Pacific Ocean as I walk down a hillside into that blanket is a blessing each time.

There are many worlds within the world of Big Sur to explore.

Key avenues alongside the wilderness backcountry areas await further exploration by recreationists. Highway 1 is wonderful to drive but there are quite a few other access points to the backcountry that are equally as wonderful to explore and more diverse.

Check out OnLandscape for the full article:

https://www.onlandscape.co.uk/2024/11/but-whats-in-the-mountains/

Would love to hear what you think in the comments!

Gallery

Not long ago, I made some photographs that surprised and delighted me. What I appreciated wasn’t so much the end result as the experience of being at the place and noticing all that occurred from moment to moment.

Walking alongside the creek to the coastline, noticing the evening light changing over the Pacific Ocean, I listened to the gentle slap of little waves against the rocky cove in front of me, the tops of a kelp forest rising and falling with the ocean tide.

I pause to consider what to photograph and where to stand. The light seemed to be developing nicely. The tides were calming, and while the rocky coast is stunning to observe, the camera stayed in the bag.

Making my way along the bluffs above the tideline I notice the changing light dancing in the ocean below. The undulation of the tide and the falling sunlight danced, disappeared, reemerging, dancing a bit more, fading again. Each incoming wave reflected uniquely each passing cloud and the evolving sunlight. The colors of the setting sun evolved, reflecting against the warmly glowing cliffs into the waters below.

This seemed to be the subject I was waiting for. I continued along the bluffs looking for a safe location to meander about until I found a good vantage point. Selecting a long lens, I waited for the sun.

For the next 45 mins the interplay of sunlight reflected off the cliffs and into the ocean waves captured my attention as I attempted to capture photo after photo.

Sometimes the bobbing kelp got in the way of a photo. Sometimes the foam of the waves didn’t look quite right. Sometimes the photos captured just the right moment, with just the right light. Tounges of sunfire lapping curling turquoise waters, ripples framing luminous clouds, all flickering, melting, fading away.

That evening stays with me.

Every time I see the photos from that evening I remember the sweet salty spray in the air, the warm light, the cool air, and the sense of connected resonance with the place and the elements of the natural world, the grand sweeping landscape now intimate and personal. It was perfect and the photos seemed to come easy after a while. Aligning the mixture of sunlight and ocean waves, I aligned beauty, machine, and myself.

These are the moments that I live for, the moments that drive me forward creatively, the moments that remind me why I love photography.

Below are a few samples from that evening:

Do let me know what you think in the comments.

The Big Sur River watershed covers around 160 km² (60 mi²) of rugged terrain in the north-central Santa Lucia mountains. Bounded by the Coast Ridge to the west and the Ventana Cones to the north and east. 

The Big Sur River is fed by two main streams, the North and South forks, each carving deep canyons filled with nuanced flora and fauna. These two forks merge and flow west cutting a large, deep, beautiful canyon, continuing through the Big Sur River gorge into the Big Sur Valley. The major tributaries of the River are, Pick Creek, Mocho Creek feeding the South Fork and Redwood Creek and Cienega Creek feeding the North Fork. After the confluence, Logwood Creek, Terrace Creek, Ventana Creek contribute their flows. Each tributary is its own world to explore. The river continues its flow through Pfeiffer-Big Sur State Park and then Andrew Molera State Park to its mouth emptying into the Pacific Ocean just south of Point Sur.

This dramatic riparian landscape is home to a rich tapestry of plant communities, reflecting the diverse microclimates and the long history of human interaction with the land. The upper slopes of the watershed are cloaked in dense chaparral while north-facing slopes shelter mixed evergreen forests. Along the streams and rivers, well-developed riparian woodlands thrive, creating wildlife habitats and rich understories beside many perfectly Edenic pools.

Terraces along the River host oak and California Bay trees, while redwoods and hardwoods fill north-facing slopes. South-facing slopes feature dense scrub. These riparian zones include redwoods, sycamores, alders, maples, and black cottonwoods, with an understory of brambles and shrubs.

The river supports various animals, including crows, jays, squirrels, and chipmunks. Secretive animals like skunks, deer, raccoons, and gray foxes also reside here. Red-shouldered hawks, dippers, and flycatchers are commonly seen along the river. 

Dense chaparral, dominated by chamise, bigberry and eastwood manzanita, and scrub oaks cover the upper slopes of the Big Sur watershed. On rocky slopes, chaparral plants grow more sparsely. Mixed evergreen forests occupy north-facing slopes, while well-developed riparian woodland are found along the banks. Redwoods grow in the North and South Fork canyons, along the gorge below the confluence and along the river as it winds its way to the sea. 

Exploring the river will allow one to see rock of the Salinian block, sedimentary rocks of the Cretaceous age, metamorphic rocks of gneiss and schist, and granitic rocks also underlay an extensive area including the peaks of Double Cone, Ventana Cone, and South Ventana Cone.

I like exploring the Big Sur River.

Photography here is both easy and challenging. Whatever kind of adventure you are looking for, it's available. Helicopter rescues happen several times a year. Be smart. Stay humble. Find the beauty.

It’s important to emphasize that these wild places were home for generations of Native Americans and their lives helped shape the landscape and plant life. Human were central to the life of the land. You as a human are as much at home here in the Big Sur River as any other place on Earth. When you participate with the life of the landscape you are continuing a tradition that stretches back many years. Understanding the stewardship practices that supported human life, developed over millennia, are useful to know and respect.

The Esselen People and Their Stewardship

For thousands of years, the Big Sur River Watershed has been the homeland of the Esselen people. The Esselen were deeply connected to their environment, relying on its resources for food, shelter, and many critical cultural practices. Their understanding of the land and its cycles was profound, and they actively managed the landscape, including the riparian areas, to ensure its health and abundance.

One of the key ways the Esselen shaped the Big Sur landscape was through the use of cultural fire. Fire was a natural and essential part of the ecosystem, and it was used skillfully to harmonize an environment to support their livelihood in wonderful ways.

By prescribing fire they were able to:

• Thin overcrowded forests: This practice promoted the growth of larger, healthier trees and reduced the risk of catastrophic wildfires.

• Improve access to resources: By clearing underbrush and promoting open spaces, fire made it easier for the Esselen to travel, hunt, and gather food.

• Encourage growth of desirable plants: Fire helped create open, park-like conditions that favored oak savannas and coastal prairies, which provided the Esselen with acorns, grasses, and other important resources. The understory and overstory along riparian landscapes too were managed through prescribed, regular fires.

• Control pests and diseases: Fire maintained plant health by suppressing harmful insects and pathogens.

Food and Resources

The riparian areas of the Big Sur rivers and creeks, provide access to water, fertile soils and wildlife. These areas were rich in edible plants, including:

• Acorns: Acorns were a staple food for the Esselen and many other California Native tribes. They were collected in the fall, dried, stored, and then ground into flour. The oaks that produced these acorns, especially the coast live oaks, canyon live oaks, black oaks, and tanbark oaks, were carefully tended by the Esselen through pruning, thinning, and the application of fire.

• Bay laurels: The leaves of bay laurels were used for flavoring food and for medicinal purposes.

• Buckeyes: While buckeyes are toxic in their raw form, the Esselen developed techniques for leaching out the toxins, making the nuts safe to eat.

• Elderberries: Elderberries were a valuable source of vitamins and antioxidants, and they were used to make jams, syrups, and teas.

In addition to cultivating food plants, the Esselen also utilized the riparian areas for:

• Fishing: The Big Sur River provided a reliable source of fish were an important part of the Esselen diet.

• Basketry materials: The roots of redwoods and other riparian plants were used to weave baskets for storage and carrying.

• Building materials: The wood and bark of redwoods were essential for constructing homes, canoes, and other structures.

• Cultivating of edible plants: Along the freshwaters of Big Sur’s waterways, many plant species were managed actively by the Esselen. 

The Esselen were not passive inhabitants of Big Sur. They actively shaped and managed the landscape to meet their needs. By clearing underbrush, thinning trees, and regularly using fire, they kept trails open and accessible, allowing them to move freely throughout the watershed. While a subject of academic debate, there are compelling arguments that suggest the diversity of plant life and the adaptations of these species are due to human cultural practices stretching back thousands of years. To further explore these ideas, the following books are recommended: 

Forged By Fire: The Cultural Tending Of Trees And Forests In Big Sur And Beyond by Lee Klinger 

Tending the Wild: Native American Knowledge and the Management of California's Natural Resources by M. Kat Anderson.

The Overstory

The Big Sur River Watershed boasts a remarkable diversity of trees, creating an overstory that varies with elevation, slope aspect, and proximity to the coast. The watershed is unique in that it allows species like the moisture-loving redwoods and the more arid-adapted ponderosa pines to thrive in relative proximity.

• Redwoods (Sequoia sempervirens): These iconic giants, symbols of California's ancient forests, find refuge in the moist canyons and valleys of the Big Sur River Watershed. While not as massive as their northern counterparts, they nonetheless create a sense of awe and wonder.

• Ponderosa Pines (Pinus ponderosa): These majestic pines, with their distinctive cinnamon-colored bark and long needles, typically inhabit the higher elevations and ridgetops.

• Douglas Firs (Pseudotsuga menziesii): In the southern reaches of the watershed, where redwoods reach their southernmost limit, Douglas firs take over as the dominant conifer, creating dense forests along the slopes.

Adding to this tapestry of conifers are a variety of hardwoods, each contributing its unique shape, texture, and color to the forest.

• Oaks: The sources highlight several oak species, including coast live oak (Quercus agrifolia), interior live oak (Quercus wislizenii), canyon live oak (Quercus chrysolepis), California black oak (Quercus kelloggii), and the stately valley oak (Quercus lobata). These oaks provide essential habitat and food sources for a wide range of wildlife.

• Other Hardwoods: Bigleaf maples (Acer macrophyllum), with their large, lobed leaves, add a splash of color, particularly in the fall. Western sycamores (Platanus racemosa), easily recognizable by their patchy bark, thrive along stream banks. California bay (Umbellularia califomica), known for its pungent aroma, and the smooth-barked madrone (Arbutus menziesii) add to the diversity of the hardwood forests.

The Understory

• The understory of the Big Sur River Watershed is a world of intricate beauty and ecological complexity, a layer teeming with ferns, shrubs, wildflowers, and grasses.

• Ferns: The moist, shaded conditions of the redwood and riparian forests create an ideal environment for ferns to thrive. Sword ferns (Polystichum munitum), with their sword-like fronds, are particularly abundant. Other ferns include the delicate maidenhair fern (Adiantum jordani), the five-finger fern (Adiantum pedatum), and the western chain fern (Woodwardia fimbriata), with its long, cascading fronds. Bracken fern (Pteridium aquilinum) often forms dense stands in open areas, alongside giant horsetail (Equisetum telmateia).

• Shrubs: Shrubs add texture and diversity to the understory, particularly in the chaparral and coastal scrub communities. The ever-present chamise (Adenostoma fasciculatum), with its small, needle-like leaves, forms dense, impenetrable thickets. Manzanitas (Arctostaphylos spp.), with their smooth, reddish bark and often contorted branches, are another characteristic shrub of the region. Ceanothus (Ceanothus spp.), with its showy clusters of blue or white flowers, adds a splash of color in the spring. Coyote bush (Baccharis pilularis), California coffeeberry (Rhamnus californica), and toyon (Heteromeles arbutifolia), with its bright red berries, are also common. And, of course, poison oak (Toxicodendron diversilobum) lurks in the shadows, reminding hikers to be cautious.

• Wildflowers: Late winter and spring in the Big Sur River Watershed is a time of vibrant color, as wildflowers burst into bloom across the landscape. California poppies (Eschscholzia californica) paint the hillsides with their golden hues. Sky lupine (Lupinus nanus) creates carpets of blue, while the taller bush lupine (Lupinus arboreus) adds its yellow blossoms to the mix. Sticky monkey flower (Mimulus aurantiacus), with its bright orange flowers, attracts hummingbirds. Indian paintbrush (Castilleja spp.), with its red-tipped bracts, adds a fiery touch. Douglas' iris (Iris douglasiana), with its delicate purple flowers, thrives in moist, shady spots. Redwood violets (Viola sempervirens) add their small, purple blossoms to the forest floor, while star flower (Trientalis latifolia), with its white, star-shaped flowers, blooms in shady nooks.

A Haven for Wildlife

The Big Sur River Watershed is a place where the intricate web of life unfolds in all its complexity. It's a landscape of contrasts, where towering redwoods share space with sun-drenched grasslands, where rushing streams carve through ancient mountains, and where a rich diversity of plants and animals find refuge. The diversity of habitats within the Big Sur River Watershed supports a rich array of wildlife, from the elusive mountain lion to the tiny salamanders meandering along a creek. 

• Mammals: The watershed provides habitat for a variety of mammals, both large and small. Mountain lions (Puma concolor), though rarely seen, roam the higher elevations. Bobcats (Lynx rufus), with their tufted ears and bobbed tails, are more common but still elusive. Gray foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus), coyotes (Canis latrans), and black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus columbianus) are more frequently encountered. Raccoons (Procyon lotor) and striped skunks (Mephitis mephitis) scavenge along stream banks, while California ground squirrels (Otospermophilus beecheyi) chatter from their burrows in open areas.

• Reptiles and Amphibians: While the sources acknowledge a relatively lower diversity of reptiles and amphibians compared to other taxa, they still list a number of species that contribute to the watershed's biodiversity. Western rattlesnakes (Crotalus oreganus) are a reminder to be cautious on trails. Fence lizards (Sceloporus occidentalis) bask in the sun on rocks and logs. Red salamanders (Pseudotriton ruber) and the endemic Santa Lucia slender salamander (Batrachoseps pacificus luciae) hide beneath moist leaf litter or under logs.

• Insects: The canopies of these giant trees support thousands of insect species, contributing to the overall biodiversity of the forest.

Big Sur River Watershed Birds

The Big Sur region is a birdwatcher's paradise, with estimates ranging from 200 to 275 species.

• California Condor (Gymnogyps californianus): A critically endangered species, the California condor is a testament to conservation efforts. Once widespread across North America, their numbers dwindled to a mere 22 individuals in the 1980s, leading to a captive breeding program. The program has shown some success, with condors being reintroduced to the wild. Their presence in the Big Sur region was once commonplace, with historical accounts mentioning flocks of condors feeding on carrion. The decline of the condor population is linked to various factors, including habitat loss, poisoning from lead ammunition in carrion, and egg collecting.

• Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus): The bald eagle, a symbol of American strength and resilience, is another raptor species that has faced challenges. Once a common sight along the Big Sur coast, their numbers decreased due to habitat loss, primarily attributed to the construction of Highway 1. The presence of bald eagles in the Big Sur River Watershed is limited.

• Red-tailed Hawk (Buteo jamaicensis): The red-tailed hawk is a common and widespread raptor throughout North America, including the Big Sur River Watershed. They are adaptable birds, inhabiting a range of habitats, from forests to grasslands, coastal scrub, chaparral, oak woodlands, and grasslands of the Big Sur region. Their diet consists primarily of rodents, but they also prey on rabbits, snakes, and other small animals. Red-tailed hawks are often seen soaring high above the canyons, their keen eyesight allowing them to spot prey from afar.

• Belted Kingfisher (Megaceryle alcyon): The belted kingfisher is a striking bird with a distinctive rattling call. They are specialized fish-eaters, frequenting rivers, streams, and coastal areas including the Big Sur River and its tributaries. Their preferred hunting technique involves perching on branches overhanging water, diving headfirst to catch fish with their sharp beaks. The presence of healthy riparian ecosystems within the watershed is crucial for maintaining belted kingfisher populations.

• American Kestrel (Falco sparverius): The American kestrel is the smallest falcon in North America, known for its colorful plumage and hovering flight. They are commonly seen perched on wires or fence posts, scanning the ground for prey in the grasslands and oak savannas of the Big Sur region, where they hunt primarily insects and small rodents. Their ability to hover allows them to catch insects in midair, while their sharp talons and beak make them effective predators of mice and voles.

• Turkey Vulture (Cathartes aura): The turkey vulture is a familiar sight soaring high above the landscape, its distinctive silhouette easily recognizable. These birds are scavengers, playing a crucial role in the ecosystem by consuming carrion. Their keen sense of smell allows them to locate dead animals from afar, and their soaring flight helps them cover vast areas in search of food.

• Western Meadowlark (Sturnella neglecta): The western meadowlark is a grassland specialist, known for its bright yellow breast and melodious song. They are ground-nesting birds, building their nests in depressions in the ground, often hidden among grasses. Their diet consists primarily of insects, particularly grasshoppers and crickets.

• Winter Wren (Troglodytes hiemalis): The winter wren is a tiny, energetic bird with a loud voice that belies its small size. They are primarily insectivores, gleaning insects from the undergrowth of forests. The sources note their presence in the redwood forests of the Big Sur River Watershed. They build their nests in cavities in trees or under logs, often near streams. Their preference for moist, dense forests makes them an indicator of healthy riparian ecosystems within the watershed.

If you’ve made it this far, do me a favor and say hello in the comments. There is so much to absorb along the Big Sur River. I’ve just scratched the surface and am sharing in hopes that you too may find value in knowing these waters and the life they support. 

The following photos are my own, taken along the Big Sur River. To see more of my photos, you can go here: Keith Evans Photography.

The Milky Way turned that spark into an obsession. Big Sur is where I turned photography into a focused artistic practice. 

As I began focusing on Big Sur as a primary location to photograph, finding and capturing the waterfalls became a continual process of discovery and adventure. 

There are many many waterfalls in Big Sur.

Some years ago, I found Leor Pantilat's blog and his project documenting waterfalls in Big Sur, and I knew that many years would be required to realize my goals. The creeks and rivers of Big Sur contain many waterfalls. Some are not accessible when I’d like to witness them most. Others require technical gear and support to reach. And many are hidden, their locations guarded, unshared. 

Much time is required to discover locations and to determine the best time and season to return to create photographs I am content with. 

And so I explored and continue to explore. There’s always a drainage I want to explore again and another ten I want to visit. 

Each year is different and the annual rainfall makes some areas uninteresting and others perfect and fascinating.

There are a few major creeks in Big Sur and careful study of maps will reveal them and there are six rivers, all filled with tributaries, cascades, canyons, narrows and the most perfect pools.

Bigsurtrailmap.net is one great place to go which marks many waterfalls, though most waterfalls are unmarked. Topographical maps are helpful at times as are friends you might meet in the backcountry.

Traveling along these freshwaters can be tricky. Off-trail exploring is required in the forest and wilderness areas to see many of the cascades.

Bringing along camera gear makes for a fun physical challenge. I prefer a full kit with a broad range of focal lengths and a sturdy tripod. Many locations require the photographer to be prepared for full immersion and sometimes a swim, dry bags, and the right shoes are critical.

Timing is everything with waterfalls.

Too early, and it can be dangerous and not necessarily more beautiful. Too late, and there may not be enough water to make for a good photo.

I enjoy the riparian landscapes of Big Sur a whole lot. There are plenty of other things to explore and photograph and get to know over time. But these spaces are special and challenging to know deeply. 

And so the adventure continues…

Here’s some of what I’ve found so far: 

While I share some names of the falls, some I don’t. But they are all in Big Sur.

Soberanes Creek Falls

Salmon Creek Falls

Alder Creek Falls 

Manning Falls 

Granite Creek Falls

McWay Falls 

Danish Creek Falls

Upper Salmon Creek Falls

Partington Creek Falls

Partington Cove Cascades

Pine Falls

Coho Falls

Pico Blanco Falls

Staircase Falls

Untitled:

Along the Central coastline of California which we call Big Sur many dramas of the natural world unfold. A now iconic landscape with sweeping vistas, mountains that descend to ocean tides, waterfalls that drop directly into the Pacific Ocean, river mouths, beaches, cliffs, coastal prairie, chaparral, redwoods, oaks, sycamores, all make for vibrant and diverse ecological life that invites participation and exploration.

Many people from all over the world fly to California to drive the coast road through Big Sur for good reason. It’s beautiful and accessible. Due to the advertising campaigns by the tourism boards, there are a few icons that attract much attention in Big Sur leaving much of the coast lightly explored. Bixby Bridge, Pfeiffer Beach, McWay Falls, are perhaps the most heavily visited.

These are nice spots to be sure. But there are many more stories to be found and to be written.

The coastline and mountains of Big Sur contain worlds within worlds. Big Sur is a microcosm filled with microcosms. Each stretch of the coast is a world unto itself, yet beautifully connected to the whole.

One such example is Garrapata State Park.

If you were to only visit Garrapata State Park and explore the more than 30 pull-outs along Highway 1, you would get a good sense of Coastal Big Sur.

The coastal bluffs stand above the sea, weathered and ancient, jagged edges softened by a continuum of wildflowers and coastal scrub. Riparian landscapes flourish within Soberanes Canyon, the growth of stout ancient redwoods capped by ocean spray, understory of thick fern along the creek. The path through the redwoods is cool and dark, the scent of damp earth, redwoods and sage and wildflowers, a world apart from the open grasslands above. In summer, fog rolls in thick and fast, swallowing the landscape whole, the sound of waves mark the presence of the sea.

There are waterfalls, beaches, rock stacks, cliffs, surf, mountains that rise from the coastline, expansive tide pools, and wildlife in the sea and on the land all beautifully available to explore in Garrapata State Park.

Getting beyond the most visited places allows for the microcosmic Big Sur to emerge. The entire coastline is this way. Wide vistas and intimate details, all available to witness.

Perhaps the elements I most enjoy observing and photographing is the interaction of rock and wave. The endless dance of the ocean tides and the sedimentary layers makes possible all manner of creative photography. All year long the geological and oceanic powers converge, in turn rising violently and then gently, into an oscillating rhythm that captivates and inspires.

There are times when I feel I could return to the same spot day after day to watch the waves crash. Other times, I can stand on the beach watching the sunlight play in the swash rolling up the beach.

Photography is a limited medium. The percussive sound of waves rinsing a beach of granitic rock is magic. The scent of ocean spray filling the air is enlivening. And the dynamic aspect of the elements converging over the course of one day, one season, one year makes for challenging photography.

Every technique can be used for wonderful creative effect. Experimenting with slow shutters, long shutters, handheld, tripods, filters, black and white, depth of field, I am reminded that all photography is learning to take the next photograph. No picture is perfect, but some photographs are glimpses into perfection. And those glimpses are the fuel to search for and hopefully encounter the next glimpse.

Seaside photography is a great place to practice photography. Take lots of photos. Learn all the techniques. Follow your intuition. Use boredom as a guide when to move on. Use your curiosity to discover how to apply your inner eye together with your rational mind to create.

One of the challenges I wanted to overcome was learning my camera to such a degree that it would disappear in the hand. Same with the different lenses and focal lengths. 

The only way to get this done is to shoot often. 

"Your first 10,000 photographs are your worst." Henri Cartier-Bresson.

Coastal environments are great for this. The number of intersections between elements is endless. It’s a great environment to learn the craft of photography, develop creative awareness in the moment, and work toward a larger vision that drives your work.

These three core elements of photography are the path forward. This is the work of photography. 

Several of my own collections are from the coast: 

• Rock and Wave

• Swash and Sunlight

• Where Mountains Meet The Sea

• Pacific Rhythms

And some photos from these collections: 

• Ripples and Reflections

• Percolation

• Big Sur in Black and White

Would love to hear any feedback or comments from you! 

Big Sur is part of who I am and who I’ve been for most of my life. 

Growing up Big Sur was always part of my geographic memory. I can’t recall first learning about Big Sur and can’t recall my first visit as a young child in the arms of my parents. Having been born and raised in the Bay Area, north of Big Sur, I’ve enjoyed many trips to the coastline where the Santa Lucia Mountains meet the Pacific Ocean.

It’s somehow always been to the south of where I grew up.

When I first began pursuing photography to take a picture of the Milky Way, I returned to Big Sur. 

Seeing Rogelio Bernal Andreo astrophotos of McWay Falls with the Milky Way I too wanted to make photographs like that. I still want to make pictures like Rogelio. He is a master of his craft and after many years pursues new photos with passion and skill.

My second evening pursuing astrophotography was spent at McWay Falls, exploring my abilities. The camera was foreign to me but with notes on the right settings, I set up the first shot of the evening. 

I wasn’t alone. Two other photographers were there also chasing the stars with cameras and tripod. They were encouraging and helpful, two friends exploring Big Sur at night, making photos.

It was a magical night that went by fast. But there were moments that felt wonderfully like an eternity. Seeing the camera screen light up with the galactic center above McWay Falls was surreal. The planning paid off and I was hooked and an obsession was born. 

Astrophotography lead to a more traditional pursuit of landscape photography during the daytime. While astrophotography remains an interest, for now, and I imagine for some time, morning till evening is when I make photographs. Night time is for sleeping.

After 5 years of photography, I endeavored to advance my skills and artistic vision with photography, to develop my own creative habits and abilities and again I went south to the Big Sur coast. A rich landscape where the source of Big Sur’s magic is the interaction of the Santa Lucia Mountain range and the Pacific Ocean. The Santa Lucia Range of mountains descend sharply into the Pacific Ocean The drama of tide and stone is a powerful testament to the great beauty of the world and the particularity of the natural world.

Mixed wood forests, deep canyons, mountain peaks, rivers, meadows, beaches, cliffs all harmoniously organized according to the great patterns of the natural world invite exploration.

The coastline is well-visited due to coastal Highway 1. This thin winding road gives everyone easy access to many great vista points once guarded by a rugged terrain. Now that rugged austere terrain is simply gained and experienced by car. And with this ease of access, many more treasures in the mountains are ignored by most everyone.

While many photographers work to capture the majesty of the Big Sur coast, far fewer explore the wilderness areas within the Santa Lucia Mountains. The wild landscapes within the Santa Lucia Mountains became my default place for advancing my photography.

Thankfully I was not the first to fall in love with the contours of the Big Sur beyond the coast. Many hikers, climbers, runners, and campers have left behind trails, official and unofficial, maps, and some photos too. There are many communities of people working to preserve access to these wild areas. I am deeply grateful to people such as Jack Glendening, Paul Danielson, and more, who maintain a tradition of volunteer efforts to preserve access to Big Sur and share knowledge. Their efforts alongside others create and maintain maps of Big Sur, maintain trails, and advocate for recreational usage of these public lands.

Big Sur is a wonderful place to explore.

In some seasons there are carpets of spring flowers. Each breath for miles and miles is sweet and fragrant. And there are many places along the rivers, creeks, canyons, and waterfalls, that exist more perfectly than any photograph. The old-growth trees of oak, pine, redwood, manzanita and Monterey Cyprus are majestic and mysterious. Ancient Native American Indian sites, mountain peaks, beaches…

My love of Big Sur continues to grow. 

Photographically, I am growing too. Seeking new perspectives, new techniques, and new inspirations I outlined a series of goals for my adventures: 

• Get to know the landscape of Big Sur so that it is familiar. 

• From a place of familiarity with locations and seasons, create. 

• With the photographs, create stories that reflect my love of Big Sur and art making and the learnings from my adventures. 

I continue to pursue these goals. These goals may stretch over the next several decades. 

I have no predetermined endpoint. It’s about the journey. 

This newsletter is about exploring Big Sur and creativity. 

You are invited to follow along. 

All the photographs contained here are my own unless otherwise noted in the caption.

If you want to see more of my work, you can visit my website:

Keith Evans Photography