Cachuma Peak

Selfie looking west down the Santa Ynez Valley.

19 JUNE 2022. W6/SC-054

One star – Nothing special but I’d do it again.

Elevation:	4,623′
Route:	Fire road and use trail
Hike Distance:	8 miles round trip
Elevation Gain:	1400′
Navigation:	Easy
Steepness:	Moderately steep use trail
Vehicle:	Passenger car
Road:	Good dirt road
Cell Coverage:	n/a

Hike basics

While I adore the San Rafael Mountains, this activation turned out to be something of a trial at the end.

I first hiked this summit on March 20, 1994 – on Cassie KG6MZR and my honeymoon! This time I made the fateful decision to try it with a mountain bike. Going up was not a problem. I pushed the bike up most of the steeper inclines. I stashed the bike where the use trail leaves the fireroad at about three and a two thirds miles and walked the last 450 feet up or so. It’s a bit steep and brushy here,

Here is my ascent track

Nice day with fog laying down in the Santa Ynez Watershed.

My troubles began on my descent. Due to heavy braking I got a flat at the valve stem on the way down. Took me a while to replace the inner tube and I was on my way. But not for long. I got a second flat! I put on my last inner tube and continued on only to get, you guessed it, my third flat! Fortunately I didn’t have far to walk my bike from there, but the experience gave me pause to consider longer rides deeper into this wonderful wilderness.

Here is my descent track Should have been much faster on the mountain bike but three flat tires slowed me down.