Big Basin Hiking Trip

Ever since that joy ride around Santa Cruz with my uncle, I've been interested to explore the Big Basin Redwoods Park we stopped at -- this last weekend I definately had my taste of this wonderfully rich forest.

At first, i thought of forming a group and leading them down to park, but this was impossible since most of the people i knew were unreliable when it came to physical activities. Eventually, I got 2-3 people interested and quite a few maybes and only ifs. Based on my experience, i would not be surprised if i'd be the only one actually going.

Since our numbers were so low and I really did not feel like getting lost, i decided to join a group hiking event hosted by the park itself that was scheduled in the morning at 9:30am; the details were that the hiking trip was 12 miles and about 6 hours long. This was about as hard as the SF bike ride i'd imagine - which got me interested more than the others.

It has been well over a few years since I've last hiked - this would be my second major hiking trip that i've set foot in. I was prepared mentally and also armed with my new camera hobby; i was heading to the redwoods on a mission. I knew this was not going to be easy so i warned everyone in advance. In the end only a friend named Quy agreed to hike with me; two others Bert and Stanley came but decided to explore on their own at the last minute.

After a fun and exciting ride on Bear Creek Road, we arrived just a few minutes before the hiking group began their journey. There were about 8 others there already and they all seemed well prepared, i on the otherhand wore casual clothing and held camera equipment that stirred a few eyes. I knew it was a bit odd but i could not resist bringing the camera along this trip. I was warned not to slow down the pace with my photography and also asked to stay with the group at all times. The hiking trail we took was the Berry Creek Loop, which took us to the Berry Creek waterfall and gave us a good long 11.5 mile hike.

The pace was slow at first and there were frequent stops at various historical parts of the park and a stop at every different berry shrub. The group was very out going and most people sampled various berries and edible plants along the way - a sign of the very hardcore. I had taken a lot of shots in the beginning to get used to the environment and the low-lighting situations. Another person also had an SLR but did not use it as much, it might have been the low-lighting that made it difficult. I'd have to say: without the right equipment, it would have been impossible to take good photos - i'm glad i broke the bank on the lens i had there that day.

The forrest was slightly warm and a little dusty around some parts; the ground was soft from all of the trees' bark and shedding. It was a very cozy forrest with a lot of banana slugs and small creatures. As we were told the banana slugs were very important because they help decompose and fertilize the forest.

There was definitely a lot to see in this forrest, many different and unique trees and plants sprouting from various parts of the trail. A lot of trees have been growing even though the elements might have been altered the setting drastically. We sure picked a great day to hike -- the humidity was not too bad and there was enough light for me to capture some decent shots.

One of the things i will remember from the trip was a giant caterpillar spotted by one of the others in the middle of our trail - it was the largest wormy thing I've ever seen. I believe it was as thick as my thumb and between 3-4 inches long. Everyone crowded around it and was pretty fascinated as well.

The pace started to pick up after about 4 hours just right after our lunch and break at one of the waterfalls. After lunch, it was time to exit out of the forest; we had to just hike uphill for about 2 hours straight. This was the most difficult part of the entire hike since there were little or no breaks. It was very difficult because of the constant and endless climbs. My friend Quy eventually broke down and could not keep up with the group; I did not know how to help him except to tell him just keep moving. The group eventually stopped and actually helped him out with coffee and advice - both which were foreign to him. He was a strong guy so it was difficult for him to open up and accept help when he really needed it. Eventually though we made it through the park and thanked each other for the company and exchanged contact information. It was nice meeting new people and getting away from house like this for once. Thanks to Bill Rhoades for the guiding and also help with my friend through this forest.