Hiking from Andrew Molera to Pfeiffer Big Sur
with notes on how to find Vado and Launtz campsBack to hiking in California | Back to Bay Area hikes | Back to travel } Pictures
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Warning: this is not for the faint of heart.
This is a one-way hike that requires leaving one car at Pfeiffer Big Sur Park and driving with the other car to Andrew Molera Park.
Trailhead: just south of Andrew Molera Park. This is the East Molera trail but there is no sign for it. You can park (and pay) at the parking lot of the part: walk to the white barn on the periphery of the lot and look for a tunnel under the highway; or you can park (for free) at the real trailhead, which is located on the other side of the highway at a gated fireroad (a very tiny parking area where the roadsign "Andrew Molera State Park 1/4 mile" is). My GPS: 36.285412, -121.840725. The trail is mostly steep uphill all the way to Post Summit. At the beginning the trail is a (steep) dirt fireroad. After about 2 kms it becomes a narrow (steep) trail. Theoretically, after about 4kms, the East Molera trail ends but you will not see its end because the trail continues staight up (and you will never see any of the junctions that are still shown on the unreliable maps of popular websites and smartphone apps). You can't miss it: it's only trail all the way up.
There is virtually no shade. It is interesting in the Spring because there are plenty of wildflowers, but, once the rains stop, this is a brutal hot steep ascent through tall grass (full of ticks). Year-round, you get the best views of the coast, all the way to the lighthouse. Luckily there is relatively little poison oak (by the standards of the Ventana Wilderness). The trail is at times so steep that it's not easy to keep your balance (especially on the way down) but that's nothing compared with the last section. All the way you'll see Pico Blanco to the north (initially not easy to recognize because the western face is not white, but then the eastern face becomes visible with its famous white patches). There's a false summit at about 36.2929576, -121.8131323, then the trail descends to a gorge 36.2857500, -121.8022411 and from there you have the steepest ascent of the route. The summit is at 36.28885, -121.79162. There is a lone tree nearby which offers the only shade (alas, surrounded by poison oak). Post Summit is at an altitude of only 1053 meters. The trail continues straight down (steep down) and then straight up (steep up) tothe next peak (36.2881017, -121.7847880) which should mark the beginning of the Cabezo Prieto ridge. This part was totally overgrown in 2024. Tick paradise. The good news is from the top of this peak you now see very clearly an old fireroad. The trail disappears but it's pretty obvious how to reach that fireroad. The fireroad descends to a meadow (if you look carefully, you'll see a surreal "Trail" sign at N36.28178, W121.77326 ) and then continues up the ridge. When it disappears, have faith and continue straight along the ridge. You then reach Mt Manuel. The trail is fairly easy to follow although you might lose it here and there. When the trail disappears, just remember to stay on the ridge heading south. Eventually you will get to the fire outlook of Mt Manuel (an easy reference point is the "billboard": my GPS said N36.26964 W121.76896): if you lost it, the trail is a short distance from that billboard, slightly on the western side of the mountain. From the trail sign to Mt Manuel, it's only 1.5 kms as the condor flies, but the road makes a few turns and you may be delayed by the thick vegetation. Now you should find a much better trail. The only catch is that, as you start descending, the trail begins on the western side but then suddenly switches to the eastern side and it happens precisely at the point were the trail is relatively faint. There is also a trail that continues along the ridge and dead-ends in the middle of nowhere. Once you sort oout the confusion, you are safe: the trail goes down to Pfeiffer, although you have to survive an endless number of canyons (the trail contours each and every one) and some scary ravines. If you are doing it after dark, it is not trivial to follow it. The ending is also a bit confusing. If you left the car at the Mt Manuel trailhead, when you see the campground, don't miss the cryptic sign with two arrows: you want to go left here, and it is the smaller of the two trails. This will get you to the Homestead Cabin and then to the paved road (turn right into it) and then to the official trailhead for Mt Manuel. There is a water fountain at the Mt Manuel trailhead but not easy to see: if you are facing the mountain, look 5 meters to the right of the official trailhead and gated paved road.
Insects: count on just about every insect that can make your life miserable when you are bushwhacking and climbing, notably the flesh-eating horseflies and the ubiquitous ticks. |
Other recommended hikes in the Ventana Wilderness:
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