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Big Sur | Backpacking Sykes Hot Springs
In autumn, I loaded up my pack, Maeve jumped into the trunk of the 4Runner and we set out on a backpacking trip to Sykes Hot Springs in Big Sur. The 20-mile round trip hike into the mountains of Big Sur was my first time exploring that land. Starting my drive early in the morning I was reminded of how important adventure and solitude are to my mental, spiritual and physical well-being.
To document the trip I brought along my Pentax ME film camera which has been my photo companion since High School and a few rolls of Kodak Portra 400. In addition I had recently purchased a Shure MV88+ video kit and was excited to test it out, but wasn’t sure what subject matter I might find. I decided to bring it along despite the extra weight, trusting that I would find worthwhile video subjects along the way.
The Big Sur Coast Highway, the portion of Highway 1 that my pup and I took north to arrive at Big Sur Station, is considered one of the most beautiful drives in the United States. We set out early in the morning to ensure we weren’t hiking under the midday heat. Most of the views along the route were shrouded in mist, adding a layer of mystery and anticipation to already present pre-hike excitement.
Starting a long hike with a loaded pack is both easy and hard. Easy because you’re excited and fresh, charging up that first incline with adrenalized ease. And hard because on that second incline you realize how heavy your pack actually is and how far you will need to go before you can set it down.
Luckily I had actually been physically training for this hike (unlike past adventures) and having an excited dog plodding uphill with you is a wonderful encouragement.
During the trek inland there were several groups of people that I encountered on their way in to camp at Sykes or Barlow Flats. It’s an unexpected joy to befriend strangers on the trail. There’s an instant camaraderie born from the difficulty of the task that you are sharing in, and the serendipity of both being ‘out here’ at the same time.
It was these interactions that led me to the idea of asking a few folks to sit for informal interviews, asking them each about their experience backpacking, why they enjoy it, and if they had any advice to offer. I found a use for my new video kit, and more importantly I got to meet some cool people who had a wealth of life to share.
When isolated and close to nature, if you’re willing to tune in, there is a great vitality that ignites within, stirred from the dirt, running water and living things all around. Soaking in natural hot springs 10 miles away from the closest car or paved road is a sharp reminder of our primal heritage. In those pools in the clear and quiet morning I felt my nervous system release the stress of my everyday life.
Maeve and I meandered our way back out the way we came in. Both our packs a little lighter from the food we ate, but also because they felt less foreign on our bodies. Maybe my pack also felt lighter because I was so grateful for the gift it had given me. Things like freedom, solitude, unexpected friends, connection to nature and contentment with the space and time I get to occupy within it.
If you are a photo producer, art director, magazine editor, or a creative family looking for a professional photographer in the Central Coast of California, I would love to collaborate with you to create beautiful images that capture the emotion and magic of everyday moments. Please reach out today to introduce yourself [here’s my contact info], I’m looking forward to meeting you and hearing your story.
