TRIP POLICY: Please limit your sign-ups to 1 weekend trip and 2 weekday trips per month. Also, please take a moment to read our other policies here.
Pinnacles National Park
California Condor by Teresa Cheng
We'll walk the Balconies Cave trail on the west side of the park. (We may or may not go through the caves, depending on conditions.) California condors are the big (literally) draw, but many other species are possible, including Phainopepla, Canyon Wren, and Prairie Falcon, and the scenery is spectacular.
Optional: pack your own lunch/snack and we'll picnic together after the walk.
Trip Difficulty: 3 miles; packed-dirt trails and rocky trails; hilly (elevation gain over 300 ft); switchbacks on steep slopes; dark cave that will required a flashlight and scrambling scramble under, among and over giant boulders. If there’s water in the caves we'll make this an out-and-back trip.
Other Trip Notes: Dress warmly, it can be very cold in the mornings. Bring flashlights for the caves.
Leaders: John Harshman (408) 406-4733 , Edward Rooks (408) 318-2485, Pauline Marchon (650) 269-8692 and Dan Bloch (650) 862-2178
Family Friendly Ages 10 and up
Meet: Chaparral Parking Lot (36.491778, -121.209666) at 9 am
Directions: From San Jose take Hwy 101 to Soledad, take exit 302 and follow CA 146 into the park. Park in the Chaparral parking lot. If the Chaparral Parking Lot is full, you can park in the Jawbone parking lot (36.488261, -121.213614). It's a 0.3 mile walk to the Chaparral lot. It's about a 2 hour drive.
Carpooling: Please note: SCVBA doesn’t arrange carpools, but attendees are welcome to organize their own carpools among themselves. If you are interested in carpooling, and want to share your e-mail address with other attendees who also want to carpool, please e-mail fieldtrips@scvas.org.
Facilities: Bathrooms. There is no cell phone service in the park.
Parking: paved parking lot, National Park entry fee, paid at the visitor center.
If the Chaparral Parking Lot is full, you can park in the Jawbone parking lot (36.488261, -121.213614). It's a 0.3 mile walk to the Chaparral lot.
Refunds? If trip is canceled due to bad weather, you will be refunded. If you need to cancel, do so before Dec 13 for a refund.
Waitlist: If this trip is full and you would like to be on a waiting list, please email fieldtrips@scvas.org
Banner Photo: California Condor by Teresa Cheng
Questions? Email general questions to fieldtrips@scvas.org or contact the trip leader for questions regarding the event.