Social/Pizza Dinner and General Meeting starts at 7pm (we order Pizza at 6:45pm and it costs $5 per person for those who want to eat), We meet at Rusty's Pizza Lighthouse at 15 East Cabrillo Boulevard, in Santa Barbara accross from Stearns' wharf at the beach.

See Quick Calendar for upcoming meeting dates. Sometimes at our meetings, we feature slide shows, guest speakers, displays of the 10 Essentials of Camping, GOSB/VC hats and t-shirts for sale, and a 50/50 Raffle Drawing for Cash and Prizes.  You can also come to update your membership information such as your mailing address, renew memberships or pickup our latest Newsletter.

Map of 15 E Cabrillo Blvd
Santa Barbara, CA 93101-2310, US

For more information contact our Chapter President, Sean Dooner

CAMPING REVIEW
Dennision Park, Ojai

On the last weekend of March sixteen happy campers (not including two dogs) found their way up to the beautiful mountain hamlet of Ojai. While we weren't all there for the entire weekend, everyone participated in their own way.... camping, biking, hiking, resting, exploring, and of course, eating!

Seven of us went up on Thursday night to camp and four more joined in on Friday night. Thursday night was relatively quiet, with most of us arriving later in the day. We started off with a bit of an "ordeal" (involving an RV and a pick-up truck that wouldn't un-hitch) with a couple of our newer members who drove from Lake Nacimiento. After a great deal of well-meaning (but rather un-helpful) advice, they eventually drove down into Ojai to find a flat space in town where it came unhitched immediately.

Friday night was lots of fun around the campfire. Pizza from Ojai Valley-famous "Bocalli's" warmed our bellies and our spirits. Rick and Steve were nice enough to bring lots of extra firewood (some of which barely fit in the fire pit!). We had another beautiful sunset, and just a glimpse of the Ojai "pink moment" reflecting off the walls of Topa Topa mountain on the eastern side of the valley.

On Saturday morning, we were first treated to a wonderful breakfast by Bill (biscuits, gravy, sausage, eggs... YUM!). After breakfast, nine of us (accompanied by a canine friend) set off for a killer day hike, ascending over 3,000 feet to the top of Nordhoff Peak (elevation 4,485 ft.). It was a strenuous hike, but unfortunately the reward of the beautiful view was not delivered as promised. Instead, we found ourselves at the top of the mountain standing in the clouds, huddling together for warmth, with visibility at about 20 feet. After about 15 minutes of lunch and photos, we turned around and headed back. We returned to camp at around 5:00, after a good 7 hours of hiking. While we were walking through the clouds, others in the group took some time to relax and leisurely explore the sites and sounds of the valley. Some ventured into town, where they participated in a political demonstration (Mike can tell you more about that). We all rejoined in the afternoon for a delicious "tea" prepared by our one-and-only Chef Sean.

The pot-luck dinner on Saturday night was FAN-TAS-TIC! (rivaling many a pot-luck in anyone's home). We had a total of 16 people participating by this point, and the selection of food was simply amazing. No one went to bed hungry on Saturday! Unfortunately, the skies were cloudy, so we were lacking a nice sunset and a star-filled sky. Another campfire and heart-warming displays of friendship fought the cold of the night. Sunday morning was nice and leisurely, with the first person leaving at 6:00am and the last of us departing at around 12:30.

In all, I'm extremely pleased with the trip, and I think it was a wonderful success! We had 5 new people who had never been on a Great Outdoors trip before. (I hope we'll see them again!) Overall, the energy of the group was very positive. And I really appreciate all the support I felt ... especially to Sean for the tea, Bill for breakfast, and Rick & Steve for bringing extra firewood. Thank you to everyone! ~kyle.

Review by Kyle Richards

Camping - Cazzizo Plain
National Monument
May 9-11th, 2008

Trip Leader: Tom Ogier
(805) 689-3266

See Trip Notes for full details.
Click here for Registration Form.

At the center of Carrizo Plain is Soda Lake, a seasonal dry bed that attracts migratory and seashore birds, evaporating each summer to a flat salt surface. The lake is formed by subsidence between two geographic faults. The vastly more significant one of these is the San Andreas, which extends in its nearly longest exposed stretch across the northern edge of the plain.

Amenities:
The campground is rather primitive but new. It has sun-sheltered tables, fire rings, potable water and (new!) pit/chemical toilets. There is no camp store. Bring your sun-shower.

White Water - River Rafting
Middle Fork American River
June 28-29th, 2008

SOLD OUT

Trip Leader: David Driscoll
(805) 340-2449

Middle Fork American River Rafting Trip - A Real Wilderness Adventure!

The Middle Fork of the American River is a collection of the pristine waters flowing from the Granite Chief and Desolation Wilderness areas. Long considered a Sierra classic, the Middle Fork flows through miles of densely forested wilderness canyonlands of the Tahoe National Forest. During the Gold Rush the Middle Fork was one of the most popular areas in all of California. Miners flocked here by the tens of thousands from all over the world, seeking their fortunes in gold. In 1889 the miners actually constructed a tunnel through the hillside and diverted the entire river. The resulting dry river bed was reported to be one of the “richest diggins” ever. The resulting tunnel provides us with one of the most unique adventures in rafting.

All-Chapter Jamboree
San Simeon
July 17-20th, 2008

Trip Leader: Mike Roth
(562) 533-1577

San Simeon State Park is one of the oldest units of the California State Park System. The coastal bluffs and promontories of the scenic park offer unobstructed views of the ocean and rocky shore. The park includes the Santa Rosa Creek Natural Preserve, the San Simeon Natural Preserve and the Pa-nu Cultural Preserve which were established in 1990.

A 3.3 mile trail runs through parts of the San Simeon Natural Preserve and the Washburn Campground. The trail includes scenic overlooks, rest-stop benches and interpretive panels with information on wildlife and habitat. A portion of the trail along the seasonal wetland is wheelchair accessible.

Santa Rosa Creek Preserve is an area which includes valuable riparian forests and coastal wetlands, that provide habitat for endangered Tidewater Goby.

San Simeon Natural Preserve consists of vast wetlands, riparian areas, and several undisturbed native plant communities including unique mima mound topography. The Preserve is also the wintering site for monarch butterfly populations.

The 13.7 acre Pa-nu Cultural Preserve contains the most significant archeological site within San Simeon State Park. The site has been dated to 5850 years before the present, and it contains significant evidence documenting prehistoric technology, subsistence practices and social organization over the course of several

See Trip Notes for full details.
Click here for Registration Form.