Hannah and I know we are going to get wet, soaked up to our calves. You see, last week we crossed the Rattlesnake Creek in Santa Barbara six times soaking Hannah’s creek shoes and my hiking shoes every time. Click here for that blog. Last month, we chose not to cross this very Romero Canyon Creek because we would get our hiking shoes soaked in the 40F (est.) water. Click here for that blog. But let me tell you, it’s a new dawn for Dan and Hannah!
Today, we are much bolder and we have a plan. Hannah again will trade her hiking shoes for lightweight creek shoes and I will just plod into the tumbling chilly water unafraid. Hitting the trail in water-logged hiking shoes no longer concerns me. My oh my, isn’t Danny the courageous one!
It’s a simple 15-minute drive to the Romero Canyon Trailhead with its surging winter water.
Romero Canyon Creek
The mini-falls at the trailhead of Romero Canyon Creek
We’ll cross the creek six times on our way to the red dot in the middle top center of the map.
After 0.3 of a mile on the trail, we arrive at the creek crossing that thwarted us just four weeks before. This morning we see a path across the water as Hannah and I both cross without getting wet. I see this as a clear W! Maybe, just maybe, we’ll be able to do this throughout our hike!
Hannah using all four limbs to cross the Romero Canyon Creek
Off and running, we have a rocky trail for the two miles it will take to get to our hiking turnaround – the Old Romero Road.
Though sunny this morning on the coast a few miles away, we will be in the clouds for much of our hike today.
The trail monk (i.e. St. Joe’s College of Maine monk)
Though rocky, the trail is easy to follow with its multiple creek crossings.
Soon we come to the next crossing. It looks doable. By hugging the larger boulder to the left and stepping carefully on the mini ones, we ford the creek once more without debooting or sloshing through. Maybe this is our hiking destiny today.
Well it’s not.
Three photos of Hannah approaching the creek crossing that will require her to slip into her creek shoes.
I step into the creek pool to the right where the water is not rushing by. Hannah changes into her creek shoes. Once my hiking shoes are wet, I can reach my hand to support Hannah as she crosses.
We continue to have water crossings totaling six before the trail heads up into the mountains,
Though requiring the mountain biker to step carefully across the creek, these riders must be in “almost heaven, West Virginia” on these rocky trails into the Santa Ynez Mountains.
Hannah and I plod across into the creek and climb the steep bank on the far side following the heavy-lifting mountain biker.
Once high above the creek the trail still ascends steadily. We’ll climb more than 1400’ of elevation gain, the most we have done on any Santa Barbara County trail this winter.
Arriving at the tree of roots, two miles away in one hour and forty minutes, we smile at each other in creek crossing triumph.
We know that we have six more creek crossings back to the trailhead. It’s all downhill from here.
Throughout the hike, we discuss four more of the 36 questions that lead to love. Click here for the full 36.
over60hiker 