We simply CANNOT resist going back up to our sky high campsite in Big Sur :) Mostly because we can't get our shit together to make reservations ahead of time.. hahaha JK! I think its mostly because we like having a whole area to ourselves..and with 12-16 people on a trip, it helps a lot!

Overall, we had an amazing trip. The weather was perfect (slightly warm in the day, cool and not windy at night). Might even be the best one yet, although we're lacking some key people in our squad (Shoutout to Azad, Kevin, Masa, and Matt!!). It's crazy how people can make such a big difference in camp vibes, this trip was full of laughter ^_^

Friday was THE longest day though. I really thought I was going to die, haha. We went up Thursday Night (3 AM Departure from LA) and got to the site around 8-9 AM, mostly so that we could also reserve spots in person at Esalen. Our drive up was beautiful, especially with the fog still shrouding the entire mountain :) I would recommend people coming in early Friday morning if they want to claim the top spot. Saturday got even more crowded. I think we ended up going up and down the mountain a total of 3 TIMES within 24 hours. (cry)

TIPS

#1 As always, no water, no toilet, no tables up there. Bring everything by yourself! And make sure to bring enough water for you and your group. It's a long way up the mountain (probably 40 min.-1 hr)

#2 If you need to poop, bring a poop shovel. Dig a hole 6" deep and poop in that. Discard your toilet paper in a trashbag and bring it down the mountain with you. Don't leave it there! Here's a good guide to learn more on this amazing method :P

#3 Always double check fire conditions to see if you can start a fire. And get a Fire Permit! We saw rangers come up to the site to double check that people didn't have fires, so do be careful. You'll get slapped with a big fine if you get caught.

#4 GAS GAS GAS. Fill up at either Gorda or Big Sur Bakery. There is no in-betweens, and you don't want to get caught up there without any gas.

#5 If you haven't been to the site before, definitely go during the day time. Trust me!

PREWITT RIDGE

Current Site Conditions:

Yes, it is verified that the site is trashed in most areas. Especially areas with any sort of slope..people seem to like to poop on a slope? Hahaha There was toilet paper / poop everywhere! Definitely double check where you're stepping.. I can imagine it starting to smell pretty bad when it gets hot.

Also, the road up there has eroded tremendously. You'll have to be careful going up and there are certain areas (I can think of 3) where you really have to rev up your car to go past it. We had to roll backwards several times because we couldn't make it. 4WD /AWD will probably be fine though :)

We set up camp on the plateau and had the mountain to ourselves, pretty great :) We set up camp for the 12 of us and had some lunch (potatos, hashbrowns, nutella pancakes..yo, we eat like kings on camping trips!).

Oh Hey, Squad! We got back up to the site Friday night around 3 -4 AM, and the stars were DROP.DEAD.GORGEOUS. But I was so mentally wiped that I could only acknowledge the stars before promptly falling asleep, haha.

INFO

+ 10$ Parking at Pfieffer Big Sur State Park

+Park at Lot 3 (in the back). The trail is called the Gorge Trail.

BIG SUR RIVER GORGE

Friday after lunch, we headed back down the mountain to go to our classic spot: The River Gorge, located in Pfieffer Big Sur State Park. The water levels were quite low this year. Last time we came, we had to get into the water/river to get to the back area. But this time, we literally just walked over the rocks on the side, haha. Not as adventure-like as last time. But we made up for it by swimming to the big rock at the end (didn't have to swim against the current this time!) and exploring stuff behind the rock. DEFINTELY COOL! See that log behind us in the picture below? We climbed that and scooted our butts across it, haha (too scared to walk). It looks low but it was definitely 100+ Ft above the river.

You can also see some of our photos from our limekiln hike. 3 miles (very short) but lots of fun :) It was close to our campsite so we appreciated that!

On departure day, we had a great time just chillin at our campsite until we were literally swept away in the fog that descended. But it was great! We saw some people take off from Prewitt to paraglide. Definitely on my list to do now!

ESALEN Update!

55000 CA-1, Big Sur, CA 93920

831-667-3047

Reservations start at 9 AM, 30$/Person

They now accept anywhere from 25-30 people a night, which sort of sucks since its a lot more crowded. But alternatively, they seem to be more relaxed on the end time. They said we could leave "around 3 or sometime after 3 AM"..not bad!

As always, I recommend going in person to guarantee yourself a spot, especially if you're in Big Sur and won't get reception. If not, call them and hope for a spot!

The view on the way home as clouds descended upon the mountain :) Look at that little cabin!

If anyone has any questions or want an itinerary, please feel free to msg me :) Oh! And if there are any cool camping places you think we'd like, let me know! :D I'm always down for adventure

MORE ADVENTURE