Type of trip: Backpacking
Date: Apr. 1-5, 2020
People: Sid Maurer, Mason Scharf
On a Wednesday afternoon in Spring 2020, Sid and I drove down to Santa Barbara to pick up our comrade Mason for a trip to the Sespe Hot Springs. We made it to the trailhead around sunset and managed to hike to a small campsite a couple miles down the river. At dark we were surprised to be greeted by another group of campers. They were some friendly Ojai locals in their mid 20's. The head of the pack looked like Teddy Roosevelt and held a large bowie knife at his hip. He repeatedly called the hot springs ses-uh-pee, which we decided to take to for the rest of the trip.
The next day we hauled 13 miles over countless river crossings to the hot springs. There was nobody in or around the springs when we arrived at sunset. Someone thought of the brilliant idea to eat our freeze dried dinners in the hot springs. However, the springs were much hotter than expected resulting in us uncomfortably eating our meals with half our bodies in burning hot water and half out in the nighttime breeze. In the morning, we learned that we needed to divert cold water into the springs.
On the return hike, we stopped at Willett Hot Springs, a cattle trough perched high up in steep ravine that overlooks the Sespe River. It was the best surprise of the trip, as we were not expecting such a cool spring. The fourth and final night was spent at another nice campsite on the river.
(Date posted: 2024-03-19)