No hike if raining.  Bring plenty of water.

This is a Friday 8:30am meetup – no need to register

RATTLESNAKE TO THE MAZE – 8:30am.  THIS IS A NEW HIKE, which is a more strenuous offshoot of the familiar Rattlesnake Trail.  HOWEVER, you will also have the option of hiking the regular Rattlesnake route.

Option #1 - The Maze.  We begin the hikeup the familiar winding canyon, but before reaching the meadow we take a left turn and head up a fairly steep trail to the Edison Catway.  We then follow the Catway to a dead-end looking out over Rattlesnake Canyon, where someone has built a small maze out of rocks.  There are plenty of great views along the way, and there are also options to extend the hike up to a peak known as the Crags.  This is an aerobic hike, but one can go at their own pace up the steeper inclines.  Hiking Distance: 4 miles round trip; Elevation gain: 1000' ; Hiking Time: 2.5 hours (go at your pace); Difficulty: Strenuous. 

Option #2 - Rattlesnake Canyon.  If you would rather not hike The Maze, you can stick with the familiar 3.5 mile out-and-back hike up through the shaded canyon to the far end of Tin Can Meadow.  1000' elevation gain.  Difficulty: Moderate-Strenuous.

DIRECTIONS: Trailhead is at the Los Conoas stone bridge over Rattlesnake Creek. From either direction, Exit 101 at Mission and head toward mountains. Three blocks past State, turn left on Garden, go two blocks and turn right on Los Olivos. Pass the Santa Barbara Mission on your left, staying in left lane into Mission Canyon Rd. At the dead-end at Foothill Drive (Hwy 192), turn right. After 0.1 miles, turn left on continuation of Mission Canyon. Go 0.5 miles to Las Conoas, turn sharply to right and follow Skofield Park sign. Take winding road 1.2 miles to the trailhead, by the stone bridge. Pullouts are on the right just before the bridge, and there is more parking across the bridge in Skofield Park.

Hike Leaders: Dave Ellenberger and Bo Kite

Hope to see you there!