Skyline to the Sea

Big Basin Redwoods State Park

ITINERARY (with Weather Forecast)

Day 1: Sun, Sept 9th. Mostly Cloudly w/ High 63/Low 50

8:00AM - Depart from San Jose
10:00AM - Arrive at Big Basin, park at Jay Campsite
10:40AM - 5.3mi - Big Basin Headquarters to Sunset Campsite via Skyline to the Sea Trail

Park at Jay Campsite and make our way to the Skyline to the Sea Trail. Slight down hill trek to the alternate trail. It's low in elevation and less maintained than the main trail, but close to the creek. We spotted a banana slug on the trail. Slight detour from Berry Creek Falls Trail, pass the stairs along Silver Falls and Golden Cascades. Read the map incorrectly and hiked to an unpaved fire/service road. Rosanna and Augie scouted ahead up the steep path, while Dharious, Narinda, and I waited behind. Dharious taught me how to high-pitch whistle using the flap of a mini Clif bar wrapper. I was somewhat successful and out of breath. We were able to pinpoint Sunset Campsite on the map. The campsite is directly off the Sunset Trail and not at the junction of Sunset Trail and Berry Creek Falls. Established camp at site three and hiked back to Golden Cascades to filter water. Spied with my eyes a newt under a log. I was bit twice on the arm by mosquitos. I stayed bundled up in the evening with only my eyes and nose exposed to prevent further mosquito attacks. Called it an early night, but stayed up late with Narinda and Rosanna to play a few rounds of 13 and Never Have I Ever. Narinda has never been to Yosemite, Rosanna has never smoked a cigarette, and I have never been on a hot air balloon. 

Banana slug

Under a redwood tree

Redwood crossing 

Break at Berry Creek Falls 

Thumbs up for waterfalls 

Majestic Berry Creek Falls

Sunset Campsite

Filtering from Golden Cascades

Paracord clothesline

Day 2: Mon, Sept 10th. Partly Cloudly w/ High 67/Low 51

7:00AM - Wake-up and prep for departure
10:30AM - 5.6mi - Sunset Campsite to Twin Redwoods Campsite
3:00PM - 1.2mi - Twin Redwoods to Waddell Beach
8:00PM - 1.2mi - Night hike from Waddell Beach to Twin Redwoods

Augie departed camp early. Dharious, Rosanna, Narinda, and I took our time in the morning and left Sunset by 10:30AM. Crossed several footbridges and traveled through a fairly flat trail shared with bikers and horses. We reached the Twin Redwoods at 1:30PM and set up our second camp in the spacious site five. We left our campsite at 3:07PM and made out way towards Waddell Beach. At the food of the Skyline to the Sea Trail lies Rancho del Oso and a self-guided nature trail. A whale jaw bone skirted the entrance of the closed ranger station. On the shoreline, I dropped my sandals on the warm sand and soaked my feet in the icy ocean. From above, pelicans formed a "V" formation and dived close to the waves. I plucked a piece of long kelp from the ocean and hammered it back to its source, throwing it over my head like a helicopter. We prepped our dinner at the picnic tables while cottontails and quails rummaged for their evening meals in the nearby horse camp. As the sun settled over the horizon, we turned on our headlamps and headed back to Twin Redwoods. With no other campers in the vicinity, we agreed to build a small campfire. My eyes diverted focus from the tiny flames and ember to the stars in the night sky. An unidentifiable animal circled us while we remained huddled by the fire. Aggressive raccoons crossed my mind. It was enough reason to call it a night and find refuge in my sleeping bag.

Berry Creek Falls

One of many footbridges

Footbridge versus horse creek crossing

12 miles from Big Basin HQ to Waddell Beach

Whale jaw bone from Waddell Beach 1932

Continue the trek

Rolling mist

The obstacle is the path

Rancho del Oso

Strangers photo shoot

Crab feast

Pelican flight formation

The beginning or end of the trail

Cottontails and quails

Sunset dinner

Pocket-size campfire

Ember waves of rouge

Day 3: Tue, Sept 11th. Partly Cloudly w/ High 68/Low 51

8:00AM - Wake-up and prep for departure
9:30AM - 9.5mi - Twin Redwoods to Big Basin Headquarters

What goes up, must come down. Newton's law of gravity. We coasted from Twin Redwoods to Berry Creek Falls with ease and record time. By 11:30AM, we took a lunch break on a bench overlooking Berry Creek Falls. Long anticipated blondie brownie bar was worth the 3-day wait. The brown sugar provided the energy for me to continue on the uphill trek towards the headquarters. Steep incline dominated the second half of the trail. With 0.8 miles left and gravity pulling my weight, we completed the roundtrip trail in 4.25 hours. At 1:54PM, we freshened up in the bathrooms, changed into clean clothes, and savored at the thought of Boiling Crab in San Jose. Narinda and I rested with our feets airing out of the backseat windows. By the time we reached Boiling Crab, our legs ached and our stomachs were empty. I ordered one pound of shrimp, one pound of clams, an order of roasted potatoes, corn on the cob, a Sprite, and sweet potato fries. The sweet reward of backpacking 25+ miles over a course of three days with awesome friends. Plus guava pastries from Aki's Bakery following the seafood fiasco.

Treat yo self

The aftermath