Tag Archives: Nature

Firefighters Save the Old Oak, San Marcos Preserve

Posted on February 21, 2023 by Jack Elliott

“It had stood there for hundreds of years, and he thought it would always stand there. Its roots clutched the hill like a fist with fingers sunk into the soil, and he thought that if a giant were to seize … Continue reading →

Posted in Santa Barbara | Tagged Firefighters, Hiking, Landscapes, Los Padres National Forest, Nature, San Marcos Preserve, Santa Barbara, Santa Ynez Mountains, Trees, Wildfires, Wildlife | 1 Comment

Wild Iris Bloom, Santa Ynez Mountains

Posted on February 18, 2023 by Jack Elliott

The wild iris are abloom now in the Santa Ynez Mountains. This particular flush shown may be the best bloom in many years, coming after the Thomas Fire of 2017 cleared the way, and a month after the torrential record-setting … Continue reading →

Posted in Santa Barbara | Tagged Adventure, backcountry, Hiking, Hiking (2), Landscapes, Los Padres National Forest, Nature, Santa Barbara, Santa Ynez Mountains, Wilderness, wildflowers | 4 Comments

Claw Marks In the Tiny Tank

Posted on February 11, 2023 by Jack Elliott

I went for a walk to a tiny tank high on the mountain. The rain had fallen for days, for hours non-stop, in amounts not common around this neck of the woods. Records were set. And so we have to … Continue reading →

Posted in Santa Barbara | Tagged Adventure, backcountry, Hiking, Hiking (2), Landscapes, Los Padres National Forest, Nature, Santa Barbara, Santa Ynez Mountains, Wilderness, Wildlife | 4 Comments

Hiking Is Not A Crime; Bull Moose and Titmouse

Posted on February 5, 2023 by Jack Elliott

“As a result of his 1903 visit to California, Roosevelt was to create the Santa Barbara National Forest out of the Pine Mountain and Zaca Lake Forest Reserves. This was the land that McKinley had set aside on March 2, … Continue reading →