Horsing Around the Central Coast

Meet: Trojan Ground Starbucks (by Leavey library) at 7am on Saturday (4/16)

Return: 4pm on Sunday (4/17)

Member: $189 Non member: $237

Participant Driver (1 needed): $126

Activity: hiking, car camping, horseback riding, wildflower viewing, hotspring dipping

Difficulty: 4/8 Distance: 5-10 miles, Altitude: about 3000 ft of gain, well maintained trails. 4-6 hours of continuous activity

Recommended Prior Experience: No horseback riding experience necessary! In good fitness level, the hike will be short but pretty physcially demanding. Hiking experience (especially with steep hikes) highly recommended.

Location of Trip: Gaviota State Park, Carizzo Plains National Monument, Oceano Beach and dunes

Native Land: Obispeño, Chumash, Shmuwich, ‘Amuwu

Trip Description:

Basecamp trip!! Join Katie and Ria for a multi-flavored 3-course coastal adventure experience!

For starters we’ll jump right in with the action with a steep 6.6 miles hike to Gaviota Peak with breathtaking panoramic views of the central coast of California; this is completed with a dip in a hotspring at the end of the hike. 

Then for the entree we’ll join the 70+ people from the other SCO trips of the weekend at Carrizo Plains (major wildflower alert!) for the world famous BASECAMP!! Here we get to mingle, have cooking competitions, play games and sing tunes under the stars with our new SCO friends.

On Sunday, the final and most iconic course of the trip will be horseback riding through the Oceano sand dunes and right on the beach!! Yes it’s exactly like what it sounds like, so make sure to pack your photo outfit for some true Californian coastal-living memories.

1 PARTICIPANT DRIVER NEEDED FOR THE TRIP!!

Contact the Guides:

Katie Randall - katie.randall@scoutfitters.org

Ria Xi - ria.xi@scoutfitters.org

What to Bring:

• Masks, hand sanitizer, trojan check

• day pack (most backpacks will do)

• hiking shoes

• sunscreen, sunglasses, hat

• mess kit

• headlamp or flashlight

• sleeping bag

• sleeping pad

• water (at least 3L)

• clothing

  • warm layers for nighttime

  • socks n underwear

  • pants for horseback riding

  • athletic clothes for hike

  • swimsuit if you wanna take a dip in the hot spring

• toiletries - toothbrush, deodorant, etc.

*REMINDER: if you do not have something on this list, do not panic. SC Outfitters has gear that can supplement whatever you have!*

Please Review Our Cancellation and Refund Policy:

All SC Outfitter trips have a no-refund policy unless a substitute participant can be found. In the event your trip requires added reporting measures of participants (plane tickets, external providers, rental services, etc.) dropping the trip close to the date of the trip will not allow for the spot to be re-filled. See the details on trip pages for specific deadlines and reference our complete cancellation/refund policy here.

TRIP DIFFICULTY RATING SYSTEM

• Difficulty rating for trips

  • 1: No physical activity.

  • 2: Leisurely walk.

  • 3: 3-5 miles, about 1500 ft of gain, well maintained trails. About 3 hours of continuous activity.

  • 4: 5-10 miles, about 3000 ft of gain, well maintained trails. 4-6 hours of continuous activity.

  • 5: 10-14 miles, over 3000 ft of gain, variable trail conditions possible. Full day of continuous activity.

  • 6: At high altitude. 10-14 miles, over 3000 ft of gain, variable trail conditions possible. Full day of continuous activity.

  • 7: Technical skills may be necessary. At high altitude. Scrambling involved

  • 8: u gunna die

And that’s it! Well that and make sure to have a blast on your trip!