Sights in Big Sur Country

Big Sur Country and Pico Blanco

Bixby Bridge and the Big Sur Coast.

A cascade found deep in the Redwood forest, inland from Garrapata State Park.


Unusual rock formations Inside Fort Hunter-Liggett host growths of colorful lichens.	Where have all the flowers gone? In this case, gone to artillery ranges. This scenic springtime view was photographed inside of Fort Hunter-Liggett, just west of Mission San Antonio. A sign, just out of view warns visitors not to follow this yellow brick road: there's the possibility of finding unexploded ordinance.

Pilgrimage to the Sacred Peak:
Climbing Pico Blanco

Pico Blanco, the "White Peak," is sacred in the native traditions of the Rumsien and Esselen. One of the few stories that survives from these cultures involves the destruction of the world in a great flood. When the waters rose, this summit was the only land that remained exposed. Here, Eagle, Crow, Raven, Hawk, and Hummingbird met. Hawk plucked a magical feather from the head of Eagle, and carrying it, dove to the bottom of the sea, and planted the feather in the Earth. This caused the waters to recede and recreated the world.

Just as Lime was one of the key products that drove the economy of 19th century Santa Cruz County, lime is still an important building material today. The white peak of Pico Blanco is marble, but the mountain itself is made of limestone. Serious proposals to mine the commercially valuable stone from this sacred mountain may only be a few years away.

Professor and hiking fiend Sandy Lydon sets his sights (once again) on the summit of Pico Blanco. The white spot that gives the peak its name is visible in this view from Bottcher.’s Gap.

On April 30, 2000, Sandy and 25 students and fellow faculty reached the top. Most of them came back down, too.

An intrepid group of hikers, along the trail to Pico Blanco from the camp at the foot of the mountain. Everyone thought they were taking a “three hour tour.”

Professors Marcy Alancraig and Sandy Lydon in Tick Meadow, just 1000 feet below the summit of Pico Blanco. We belive Marcy was asking Sandy, "Do you really know where the trail is?" Everyone soon found out that the trail ends in the meadow. The last 1000 feet is a bushwhacking ascent up a very steep slope covered with needle sharp Yucca plants. The less aggressive Poison Oak had been passed on the lower sections of the trail.


Flowering Thistles decorate Tick Meadow, directly below the summit of Pico Blanco.

The Summit is Reached

The survey marker embedded in the marble at the summit of Mount Pico Blanco. Just 3710 ft. above sea level, the mountaintop is more than 3000 ft above the trailhead, only 3 1/2 miles away. It's a steep climb.


The Cabrillo "History of Point Lobos and Big Sur" class celbrates reaching the top of the sacred mountain.	The view from atop Pico Blanco. Point Sur is the farthest land seaward, at center. The mouth of the _Big Sur river is the beach to the right.


Geology Professor David Schwartz gives an energized "rock talk," with his class perched atop 3710 feet of limestone and marble.	Professor and trail guide Sandy Lydon discusses plans for the descent with a member of his class.