Tag Archives: Nature

Geologic Control of Vegetation In Santa Barbara County

Posted on November 16, 2011 by Jack Elliott

In certain places grass, sage brush and chaparral grow beside each other in notably separate and distinct patches. The specific place along the ground where grasses stop growing and woodier plants begin can be remarkably exact and linear in appearance … Continue reading →

Posted in Santa Barbara | Tagged Botany, Chaparral, Flora, Forests, Gaviota, Geology, Grasses, Nature, Soils | 1 Comment

Native Steelhead of Yore

Posted on August 29, 2011 by Jack Elliott

Claude M. Kreider fly fishing for steelhead trout on the Santa Ynez River in 1942. “And here—only one hundred and fifty miles from the great Los Angeles metropolitan area—flows the Santa Ynez, the most productive of all the little steelhead … Continue reading →

Posted in Santa Barbara | Tagged Angling, Bradbury Dam, Fishing, Gibraltar Dam, History, Lompoc, Nature, Photos, Santa Ynez River, Steelhead, Writing | 6 Comments

Sage Hill to Santa Cruz Guard Station

Posted on May 6, 2011 by Jack Elliott

(April 17/19, 2011) The alarm was set to shatter the silence of the wee hours, but I woke before it went off after a half night’s restless sleep. My backpack sat on the couch in the living room loaded for … Continue reading →

Posted in Santa Barbara | Tagged Aliso Canyon, Backpacking, Calochortus, Hiking, Nature, Photos, Santa Cruz Creek, Tales, wildflowers, Writing | 1 Comment

Lost Valley and Castle Rock

Posted on February 13, 2011 by Jack Elliott

I spent ten hours wandering around up Lost Valley way and covered nearly 12 miles altogether winding and weaving around on and off trail here and there. I rolled into Nira Campground early Tuesday morning and nobody was around. I … Continue reading →

Posted in Santa Barbara County | Tagged Hike, Hikes, Landscape, Lost Valley, Nature, Photos, Rocks, San Rafael Wilderness, Santa Barbara, Tales | 3 Comments

Carrizo Plain Wildflowers: Temblor Range, San Luis Obispo County

Posted on January 17, 2011 by Jack Elliott

The Carrizo Plain was officially designated a National Monument a decade ago today on January 17, 2001. Vast. Silence. Perhaps no two words more aptly describe the Carrizo Plain. As I stopped the engine and stepped from my truck I … Continue reading →