Howdy,

Instead of relaxing in the warm sun on the beaches of Maui as I did last spring break, I have decided to embark on a ~5 day/night, 8-12 mile/day adventure. Break is next week and I have ran through so many possibilities that my mind is more melted than after my last engineering math midterm.

Anyway, I have narrowed down my choices to the Big Sur general area and S. Utah (Zion or Canyonlands). Does anybody got any personal experience for this time of year?

I can carry plenty of water (but a source a day is nice) and got good equipment (but not for canyoneering).

Oh, poison oak is one #1 enemy after several "episodes." Is the Big Sur coast/Ventana area really as bad as I've heard?

Any suggestions would be appreciated. Happy St. Patrick's Day!

-Eddie

Yes, Big Sur's cash crop is Poison Oak. I can attest to that. But our last trip from 2-3 weeks ago represented a successful battle against the odds of exposure. Bring your Tecnu, wear long pants, try and identify the plant. Barring identification efforts, just wash your exposed skin, e.g. hands and lower arms, with cold water and Tecnu every so often.

You can find many water sources, and even dry camps are close to a resupply.

If the Ventanas become your target, see the recommendations from the "Intense Northern Ca Trip" thread.

cheers,
-Michael