High Sierra Topix

Posted: **Fri Sep 08, 2006 5:00 pm**

I did a 4 day trip to San Miguel Island (Channel Islands) last week, got very lucky with the weather; my last 2 attempts were canceled because of bad sea conditions. Each island is unique, Miguel is almost tropical and still green with flowers. Because the Island is so rich with undisturbed archeological sites, hiking the island requires a ranger escort. That worked out okay, the ranger was really good about giving us enough time to take pictures and enjoy the views. I ran into 2 Island Foxes on the trail at sunrise, they kept running away and then running back towards me, very funny.

Trip Pics:

http://dmphotography.smugmug.com/gallery/1863106

Posted: **Sat Sep 09, 2006 3:37 pm**

Wow! Great Pics. I've been wanting to get to San Miguel for some time now. Did you have to be escorted as a group for all of your hiking?

Posted: **Sun Sep 10, 2006 7:46 am**

Beautiful pictures!!! The sealions were amazing!

Posted: **Sun Sep 10, 2006 6:55 pm**

Great photos! Those wide angle shots with the beach and kayaks in the foreground are awesome.
I'd love to make it out to those islands - only been to Catalina (avalon - yuck, although we did see a bald eagle). So many places to go, so little time...

Posted: **Sun Sep 10, 2006 11:09 pm**

Again, nice photos!

Posted: **Mon Sep 11, 2006 12:09 pm**

Thanks all. This turned out to be my favorite trip of the year.
- Ski Bum, you’re free to hike between the campground and Cuyler Harbor with it’s 2 mile white sand beach, all other island hiking is ranger led. You hike as a group going out, you can hike on your own on the way back. Point Bennett is a 14 mile hike, I hiked back on my own and had plenty of solitude. Boat transportation to San Miguel is April through October. Island Packers is the boat service, they do a really great job making the boat trip an adventure of it’s own. Here’s their website with trip information:

http://www.islandpackers.com