Trail Up Mt. La Cumbre (1914)

Posted on August 5, 2011 by Jack Elliott

A postcard from 1914 depicting the La Cumbre Trail, the construction of which was paid for by the Santa Barbara Chamber of Commerce sometime around the turn of the nineteenth century.

The trail began on Mountain Drive and wound its way up the sun baked south slope of the Santa Ynez Mountains. It led past a rocky prominence known at the time as “Lookout Point” or “El Roca Grande,” which is commonly called Gibraltar Rock these days.

The narrow path continued on skirting the mountain and passing through nearby Flores Flats.

From there it led to the top of La Cumbre Peak for a total distance of about ten miles. The trail was built in an effort to open up previously inaccessible tracts of wilderness to horseback riders.

Bibliography:

Historical Overview of the Los Padres National Forest, E.R. “Jim” Blakley and Karen Barnette, (1985), P. 63.

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La Fiesta Pequena at the Old Mission

Posted on August 4, 2011 by Jack Elliott

A view of last night’s opening festivities at the Old Mission. A description of the event by the Independent:

“For 84 years ‘the Little Fiesta’ has served as the official opening of Santa Barbara’s Old Spanish Day’s Fiesta at Santa Barbara’s famed Old Mission. This year marks the 225th anniversary of the founding of the Mission and to honor this special date, not only will the show feature colorful dance performances, singing, and musical acts, but Pequeña program participants are bringing back dance numbers that have been performed since the beginning of this opening event. ”

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Santa Barbara’s Old Spanish Days Fiesta (1915)

Posted on August 2, 2011 by Jack Elliott

The caption on the back of the vintage postcard shown above:

“California’s glamorous past is recaptured once a year when charming senoritas and gallant senors don colorful native costumes and disport themselves in gay fiestas and pageants.”

A description of Old Spanish Days Fiesta from Santa Barbara: A Guide to the Channel City and Its Environs (1941):

“Beginning with the August full moon and continuing for four days, the Old Spanish Days Fiesta is celebrated by the entire community. Newspapers, newsreels, and national radio broadcasts publicize the event and attract thousands of visitors who join wholeheartedly in the festivities. It is the city’s most democratic festival—men, women, and children from all walks of life donning Spanish costumes and participating in the gaiety. It had its inception on the occasion of the opening of the tradition-surrounded new Lobero Theater in 1924 and, except in 1925, when the earthquake intervened, has been an annual affair ever since.”

Old Spanish Days Fiesta August 3-7, 2011

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Summertime Chanterelles

Posted on August 1, 2011 by Jack Elliott

Here is a tiny sampler showing just a few of the clean and pristine gems harvested in July this year. If not rare, then it’s certainly uncommon to find chanterelles in summertime in this corner of California. It happens, but not often.

After abundant rainfall this season, and a mild spring and early summer with dewy nights and weepy marine layers, the conditions came together just right to force an off-season flush of mushrooms in select locations.

Should temperatures remain mild and relatively cool, and the forestland receive any more rain or misty, drippy weather during the next several months, then it very well may be a near year round mushroom harvest this season. The soil still holds a remarkable amount of water for this late in the year and, amazingly, is even moist to the touch in some spots.

As of 7-28-2011, Santa Barbara County normal-to-date rainfall percentages for the season (September 1 through August 31).

Buellton 122%
Cachuma 160%
Carpinteria 125%
Cuyama 138%
Figueroa Mtn 149%
Gibraltar Dam 144%
Goleta 167%
Lompoc 173%
Los Alamos 141%
San Marcos Pass 137%
Santa Barbara 158%
Santa Maria 177%
Santa Ynez 162%
Sisquoc 179%

County-wide normal-to-date rainfall percentage 152%

Santa Barbara County – Flood Control District: Rainfall and Reservoir Summary

I was tramping around picking in poison oak in a t-shirt, shorts and a flip-flops.

Related Post:

Chanterelle Mushrooms

Jack O’Lanterns and Chanterelles

Baby’s First Chanterelle

Santa Barbara County 163% of Normal For Rainfall (3-27-2011)

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Corpse Flower at El Capitan Beach

Posted on July 30, 2011 by Jack Elliott

There is a patch of these bizarre looking flowers growing on the point at El Capitan State Beach. They caught my eye once as I was walking by and, recognizing the bloom, I walked over to take a whiff. It reeked like a dead animal. Bingo. The corpse flower. It’s apparently some sort of Amorphophallus.

The plants grow about knee high, the flowers themselves about a foot long. And although the first time I sniffed one awhile back it had a strong odor of death, the last time I checked, the flower I smelled had no scent.

I wonder how the plant got there. When I used to live up in the canyon there was an old cabin that stood on El Capitan point against the hill just below the creek. Perhaps a ranger or somebody planted them many years ago just in front of the beachfront quarters.

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