Jumping out of a Plane, Colorful Metaphors, and Foxes

After mostly solving the computer issues (or so Karl says), we back tracked to the "newest" National Park: Pinnacles, which is just a short jaunt from the SF bay area.  We had previously received a demand that we meet up with an old PA friend who, we just found out, happened to be living in Hollister, CA the closest stoplight town to Pinnacles. 
It was fate. We agreed to meet Wilbur, Alicia, and Potato for some fun.  While in the park, for Karl this mostly meant off trail exploring, so we all scrambled through a talus cave and

up a rocky hillside to gain a ridge, and eventually the summit of a little peak, and boy what a view.

While back at Wilber's home base this mostly meant entertaining the fuzzy ball of energy. 

The following few days were a mixture of games, movies, day hikes, and skydiving (Oh, I guess we should mention that Wilbur is a certified JumpMaster). 

And when Wilber tells you to jump... You jump (be it off trestle in PA or a plane in CA). 

Between Karl & I taking turns tumbling through the air, much climbing occurred too.  The deal was something along the lines of use of climbing equipment in exchange for 15,000-foot falls and both sides got good company!

Some of the more interesting points to note include the fact that this was Alicia's first outdoor climb since PA (WOOT!) 

and that there are actual photos of ME climbing, thanks to the fact that Wilber wanted to play with my camera and was willing to take photos (unlike Karl sometimes). 

Side note, Karl likes to tell everyone about the colorful metaphor about the quality of rock here... So I'll let him explain: "The rocks at Pinnacle look like a turd after eating way too many Payday bars.  Lots of chunks held loosely in a substrate."  

What an appealing description, huh?  But gross as it sounds, it was accurate and it made for interesting (well actually, terrifying) guesses as to which holds and flakes would rip out while you were on a wall.

One of my favorite little sections was discovered when Karl and I circled the major route of the park on an off-climbing day, and discovered a nifty trail cut into the rocks and ridges, High Peaks Trail. There are apparently California Condors that roost up here somewhere but our birding/wildlife viewing luck was not with us this time around.

At this point, we felt we took up enough of Potato's parents attention and decided to move on to the next park, but where to go? 

As usual, we weren't sure but in checking the weather, our minds were made up as Kings and Sequoia were due to get a snow storm and Channel Islands were finally having sun and only a small chance of wind/rain.  So... hope of sunshine it was! We headed down the PCH yet again to the marina in Ventura with a stops along the way (that I insisted on and Karl begrudgingly obliged) to hang out with the Elephant Seals.  

The ferry across to Santa Cruz Island was a nice ride and the escort of dolphins to accompany us helped me forget that the wind was cold and salty.

After being dropped off in a kelp forest and given the ranger talk, we set off to find our campsite for the next few days.  FYI these islands are famous for their endemic species, one of which is an Island Fox (an adorable smaller version of mainland foxes). And with my wildlife obsession, I was very excited to see them and painfully hoping to get at least maybe one good photo of these endemic creatures.  I was determined, I had a goal in mind!  While we were setting up the tent, Karl jokingly suggested that we should just hang around the campsite (all day if necessary) until a fox shows up since that is all that I wanted to see.  Well, one guy must have heard Karl's jest or was just curious at what all the noise was and strolled out bold as brass to investigate us.  Like right up to us,  as in "what are you two legged creatures doing here" looking at me inches from my two legs!  Just say, it would become the first of many encounters. 

We spent a few days doing every trail that was possible from our camp (incase you were curious, we did them all) 

even bushwhacking a few times, 

met a lot more foxes (some more friendly than others), 

and combed the beaches.  

Karl even thinks he spotted the endemic Island Scrub Jay, but to me at the distance it was spotted, it might have been any bird that was possibly a shade of blue (without photo evidence who knows!) The nights were spent at the evening ranger programs learning about the history,  as well as the devastation and recovery actions taken on the islands throughout the 20th century. 

Short version: It is quite the tale of foxes and bald eagles being ousted in their natural habitat by the sheep and pigs brought over by the ranchers and fishermen overfishing the waters. The sheep graze all the natural plant life to nothing, the pigs turn feral and Golden Eagles move in to eat the pigs and therefore the foxes too.  Bald eagles leave the island completely, Island foxes were put on the endangered species list, and only then when it was obvious humans disturbed the natural ways of the island so much that it wouldn't regenerate itself without major help, that action was taken.  So plans to protect and study the land and surrounding waters, breeding programs, rounding up the invasive species in various way all were put into effect.  It is an interesting story about the web of life, look it up sometime...   

It was a very interesting place, a world apart, and we would like to visit again.  Maybe another island, or maybe for a kayaking excursions, or maybe a snorkel or scuba adventure in the kelp forests, or maybe I will just have to go back to see those adorable Island Foxes again... The possibilities are endless.

After getting back to the mainland and readjusting from our island ways, we headed up to visit another Cali friend/Patagonia hiker buddy, Sarah.  She had us over for an amazing dinner (seriously, home cooked meals after so many days of backpacker foods are the way into our hearts), and we talked well into the night while our laundry tumbled away (and socks went astray).  It was a splendid time and we plan to return her hospitably and kindness by taking her lead climbing! 

At this point, we are back to our original weather dilemma.  Sequoia and Kings Canyon NPs are very close and we need to visit them, but another snowstorm is predicted to dump 18" on the area.

Karl loves the idea of cold and snow... Myself on the other hand am more frigid....

Find out how our adventurers tackle this problem park and more in the next episode!!!

<3 S