Monday, March 16. I drove in via the Willow Creek and South Coast Ridge Roads. Chamise chaparral, Coulter pines, woolly paintbrush, and bush poppy.

After 14 dusty miles, I reached the top of the Three Peaks Trail.

Tonight I'll go the 1-1/2 miles down to Three Peaks Camp. Lottie's Potrero tomorrow. You mean the road wasn't rough coming in???

The Three Peaks Trailhead. It's a closed road all the way to camp. More coastal clouds are coming in.

The view down from just beyond where the Three Peaks Camp trail splits off. The Coulter pines just glow. Three Peaks Camp is off to the right, out of view.

Looking back about 10 minutes later. The junction of the Three Peaks Camp Trail and Three Peaks Trail is up at that saddle.

Clematis lasiantha (chaparral clematis).

Dendromecon rigida (bush poppy).

Three Peaks Camp has a new sign, graced, perhaps appropriately, by plenty of poison oak. There are camping areas to both the left and right.

First, I scoped out the open flat to the left.

I made camp on a bench above and to the right of the sign, under the bay and oak trees. This site has a table and the sounds of running water.

The little stream by camp, taken from very near the sign. The rich riparian corridor by camp is very different from the surrounding dry chamise chaparral.

Tuesday, March 17. Three Peaks Camp has an almost-functional old wooden toilet. Not many of these left, so I had to get a picture before I departed. I didn't use it: it's a little splintery and I think it's environmentally better to bury ones waste.

Heading out from camp. The first 100 yards or so remain in the riparian domain.

There's one other small stream crossing on the way up. This gives a view of the transiton between wet and dry areas. It's a big wide trail: it was once a road.

Back up to the road. Quite an amazing mix of textures and shades of color up here. I picked up the rest of my food, soaked up some water, and headed on.

Very much a southern Big Sur chaparral scene: woolly paintbrush and yucca with bits of chamise, yerba santa, and scrub oak on the sides. (What else?)

Today's next segment consists of about three miles south on the South Coast Ridge Road. This is the view from the top of hill by the car.

The South Coast Ridge Road. Despite this rather barren view, the road itself was full of interesting things.

Shaded hillsides had Indian warrior (Pedicularis densiflora) and plenty of Ceanothus.

Pines and cucumbers.

Sanicula crassicaulis (Pacific sanicle). Not showy, but quite common out here.

Lomatium californicum (California lomatium). Another common carrot family member.

Fremontodendron californicum (California flannelbush, California fremontia). While these are common civilized-world ornamentals, this is only the second trip when I've seen them in the wilds.

Salvia mellifera (black sage). Lots and lots of this too.