Talk about an epic lil’ women’s trip. It provided a very welcome revitalization to my soul, a natural consequence of emerging oneself in nature, especially when done in the harmonious presence of other kind souls. The featured souls on this trip are Jackie and Alyssa! The trip was filled with copious amounts of laughter, deep talks, and delicious food (camp cooking is always more gratifying, isn’t it?)

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Bouldering at the Brickyard

The Brickyard is positioned off West Camino Cielo in Santa Barbara, CA. You enter a narrow path that splits into two, both taking you directly to the boulders. It’s a brief 10-15 minute trek down the trail leading toward the ocean.

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Of course we had to pull out the camping stove and fuel up first. Priorities, ya know? We cooked up some turkey chili with spinach, which we scooped up with tortilla chips. A simple, protein/carb-packed, and delicious meal.

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With more than 70 known bouldering routes, the potential for play is endless. We arrived around noon, and though we saw some climbers in the foreground, we essentially had the place to ourselves.

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Though the problems climb (pun intended) up to V10 levels, we stuck in the V0-V4 range. Trust me, they were challenging enough for us! Comprising sandstone rock, the holds were often easy on the hands, though presented the welcome challenge of trying not to lose grip and slip off. It happened, and it was ridiculously fun.

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An appealing feature at the Brickyard are the trees spread throughout the park, generously providing ample shade for climbers. The collaboration of cool sandstone holds and protection from the sun create a very comfortable climbing environment in the spring/summer seasons — needless to say, you can get caught spending a considerable amount of time here! I cannot overstate how much fun we had here.

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If you’re interested in checking out the different routes at the Brickyard, here’s a helpful list. I highly recommend checking out this fun and relaxing climbing spot!

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Camping in the Los Padres National Forest

Jackie booked us a prime spot tucked among the oak trees. Seriously, be aware of the poison oak — this place is covered. Oh, and an influx of spiders emerge at night. They seemed harmless, but they litter the ground as soon as the sun sets. Just FYI!

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We camped in the Los Padres National Forest, pitching our tents on the Los Prietos Campground, a 38-site space that features adorable turkey families, potable water…and poison oak. Some of the sites were barren, covered with dry grass, but others were carved into secluded coverings of thick trees and green shrubbery.

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Fortunately we knew to stay away from “leaves of three,” so we left unscathed by the poison oak. Stay intentional, especially if you’re grabbing twigs to use as fire starter. Speaking of which, each site features a solid fire pit with a grill on top; we certainly took advantage of it. 

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After chatting with a camp host, we learned about a nearby lake. Just .5 miles away, we trekked along the road by foot to the White Rock Day Use Area. The lake wasn’t extremely impressive; perhaps there’s a time of year when the water level rises. Upon arrival, all we saw was a dried up ravine. But we continued along the path another 1/4 mile or so until we came upon the remaining swamp-like lake. If anything, it was an enjoyable stroll!

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Nightly Temperature Drop and the Kindness of Strangers

While the sun was out in full force during the day, the air cools significantly once the sun tucks behind the mountains. So bring firewood. On the second evening of our camping trip, we were running out of firewood. We just bought a meager bushel for $10 from the camp host the night before, and didn’t want to dish out $10 more for another couple of fast-burning logs. However, our frugalness enabled us to accept kindness from strangers. Jackie spent the day shooting a wedding in Santa Barbara (she’s an incredible photographer, check out her work here), so Alyssa and I spent Saturday hiking. When we returned, we decided to embark on a little log-scouting adventure.

We strolled around the campground, hoping someone left behind unwanted logs. It was to no avail. Then we saw it: a coveted bin packed high with fire logs on someone’s site just across the way from ours. It was one of those golden beam magic moments.

Stuffing cash into our pockets, we set off intent to strike up a barter. Earlier in the day, I saw the couple of this site walking by and inquisitively admiring our slackline (I think they called it “tightrope” haha). They seemed friendly enough. As we made our way near their site, their tiny but boisterous dachshund really wanted to say “hello.” So we did. So yes, we may have had a bit of an agenda that evening. That agenda also included petting that dashound (by the way, this campground is super dog-friendly. They were everywhere!)

The couple, who we later learned were Sandy and Roy (Or was it “Ray”? Names often evade me), wandered over and we all chatted for quite awhile, talking all things dogs, Santa Barbara’s outdoor scene, and camping. Friendly is an understatement and they were chatters. I loved it. They appreciated our adventurous zeal, impressed by our slack-line and plans to boulder the next morning.

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Maybe it was subconscious, or maybe it was intentional (it’s funny how the two can be intermingled), I took out the hand warmer in my pocket and rubbed them together to reignite the heat. Maybe Roy saw this or maybe he didn’t, but just as we were wrapping up our convo and Alyssa and I were wondering when to ask if we could buy some of their firewood, he straight up asked us if we wanted any. Apparently the rangers gave them a bunch after they dealt with a mix-up of other campers and reservations. They piled the logs into our arms, as much as we could carry, and after thanking them, we walked back beaming with sweet accomplishment.

I also carried back with me thoughts of connection and generosity. I know it’s a small act, but I was deeply touched by their no-strings-attached kindness. I’m learning to hold on to those small but profound reminders that catch us unaware, weaving themselves into the seemingly small conversations or actions. They don’t seem so small after all.

Hiking to Knapp’s Castle via Snyder/Fremont Trails

Just .5 miles up the road from our campsite is a hiking trail in the Santa Ynez Mountains. Snyder Trail is a moderate hike that’s about 6.5 miles round trip.

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It features grassy hills, mountainsides overgrown with rich green ecology, and a TON of wildflowers on this hike! I was in awe.

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Alyssa and I took off on the hike knowing virtually nothing about it — so stumbling upon a castle (well, the ruins of a castle) was a welcome surprise. We learned that Snyder trail morphs into the Fremont Trail, which runs right along Knapp’s Castle on the hillside.

To see Knapp’s Castle, you can also drive and park near it, taking a 10 minute trek to get there. Still, I opine that our hike, which now stretched to about 7 miles round trip, was a much more rewarding way to get there. 😉

I looked up the history behind the elusive remains of a once impressive castle. It was built by George Owen Knapp in 1916, and destroyed by a forest fire in 1940, shortly after its second owner purchased it. Large brick pillars still stand tall, with the skeleton of a fireplace and a few other structures intact. When you reach the top, you can soak in the views of Lake Cachuma and the Santa Ynez Valley. Pretty neat!

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To Get to the Brickyard