Day 6: Gibraltar Road/Angostura Pass toward Gibraltar Dam
Representing Borres to Pola de Allande
Although Day 6 was our shortest walking day, it was our longest driving day; it's a slow drive up to the trailhead at Angostura Pass on Camino Cielo. As it turns out, this trailhead is directly across Camino Cielo from the Tunnel Trailhead we climbed to on Day 3 (so that's what all those cars were for!). There was considerably less euphoria involved in reaching the summit by car. With a heavy marine layer down low, we had to use the windshield wipers on the drive up. We were glad to be getting an early start, since the sun was shining at the ridge/in the backcountry and we anticipated that temperatures there would be in the 90s in the afternoon. I was grateful for the shadows on the road in the morning and I hoped there would still be a little shade by the time we made it back up.
Early in the hike, I heard (felt? still not sure) something just above and off the trail that made me feel like there was an animal out of sight. I immediately switched from happy hiking mode to "snakes on the brain" mode. When I was training alone on hikes back in 2017, this happened nearly every time I went out on a hike. Something would trigger a nervy feeling that I couldn't shake and either I was looking for snakes everywhere, or constantly scanning above for a stalking big cat, or worried about nefarious humans just behind the last bend (those are my personal big three). I never actually turned around and quit because of it, although once in response I did take a detour that left me on the edge of a cliff and another time I called and talked to my mother on the entire isolated segment of the hike (thanks, Mom).
Snakes on the brain is mainly an issue when I'm walking alone. This time, however, it was a little reinforced by two things: first, J was vigilant along with me. Second, there was so much evidence of wildlife that it seemed very reasonable to assume we were not alone--although we didn't see another human the entire time we were walking.
The (deceased, I'm afraid) tarantula we found in the middle of the road early on emphasized the wildness of the place. Years ago, the first time J and I were up this way, a tarantula chased him down the street as he tried to take a photo. Ha! The dusty road we walked this day revealed multiple animal tracks, including several snake trails and some large, padded feet with retractable claws (ie, not a coyote or bear...). So we walked "large," made some noise, and regularly checked behind ourselves. Probably the lack of cell coverage for much of the hike contributed to my hyper-awareness.
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| Checking out those fresh paw prints |
The walk down was lovely and again, it was so nice to be on a road where we could walk side-by-side. With only seven miles or so on the agenda, we didn't make it to the dam (although we'd like to come back and do that hike sometime). Much of our camino conversation today was spent looking forward and parsing priorities for our time and energy post-camino. An ongoing conversation with many different facets.
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| Turnaround Point Day 6 On the way back up, we crossed a number of tracks that hadn't been there on our way down (!) and watched a (non-venomous) snake make its way across the road in front of us. Occasionally, something above us would disturb the earth, starting a cascade of small rocks that wound up on the side of the road we were walking on. |
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| love having something red catch my eye that's not poison oak |
We continue to be in awe of the beauty in which we find ourselves. We often get to see the front country, so we are more accustomed to those views; it's good to be reminded of the grandeur that's up and behind us. The scale and spaciousness reminded us of the Grand Canyon.
We made our walk uphill at the same rate we went down. As J observed, the elevation grades designed for cars are just a lot easier than those that are biped--or quadruped--only.
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| Back to the start/finish line Once we got back to the van and stretched out, we took a quick walk down the Tunnel Trail. |
Can you see why?
J planted a gallon of water for us to pick up on our last day(!!). As we looked around us at the trailhead, we saw several other similar water jugs tucked away--we aren't the only ones with this idea. Water. So critical, and so so heavy.
So, we will be up this way again on Day 8 to wrap up our Camino de Santa Barbara with one more trip up to Camino Cielo--on our farthest and highest total hike yet. Yes!!! It is happening!!! (I hope I can do it??!?).
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| When she was younger, M. called these "wishes" |
I'm so grateful to have been supported and encouraged by so many over the course of this walk and the years leading up to it. Thanks for your words. And thanks to J for being ALL IN in so many ways: more than just keeping us hydrated and not attacked by mountain lions. But also those things--they're important.
Ultreia et Suseia!
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| Camino de Santa Barbara Day 6 |
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| Hi Dear |
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| Hi Deer |
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| Driving home--Still cloudy down in Santa Barbara after our hike |
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| This one ran out to the car to welcome us home |
PS After getting home, I checked on whether those padded prints were a "big bobcat" or a "small cougar" (the two options we gave ourselves at the time). Definitely not a bobcat. 😳
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