Deep in the Sierra Madre Mountains is a mysterious place where nature speaks to man across centuries and cultures. The ancient Chumash called the area "Sapaksi" - meaning "the house of the sun." In a series of shallow sandstone caves that we’ll explore, their shamans painted bizarre psychedelic rock art.

After a long and winding scenic drive into the Santa Barbara backcountry, we’ll start off by bagging the summit of 5,599-foot McPherson Peak before hiking on to spacious “Painted Rock” camp in lovely Montgomery Potrero, where abundant springs nourish meadows full of wildflowers. We’ll also scan the skies for condors, which frequently drift in from their nearby roosts on Hurricane Deck and the Sisquoc Condor Sanctuary. After enjoying a campfire and well-earned rest under a starry and moonless sky, we’ll get up recharged for the hike out the next morning, returning to civilization (and optional awesome hunting lodge hamburgers or ostrich burgers in Ojai) by sunset on Sunday.

This will be a strenuous hike, covering twenty-two miles in two days at a purposeful pace (eleven miles each day), so this trip is suitable only for experienced backpackers in very good shape. We’ll cheerfully face the possibility of mud, ticks, poison oak, and maybe even some slushing through late-season snow. Rain or forecast of rain within 72 hours of our meeting time cancels, as does fewer than four confirmed signups. This trip will be by individual commissary, and we’re not planning any potluck meals, so please provide your own two-day supply of food.