Big Sur

Tuesday, April 15, 2025 - Tuesday, April 22, 2025 -- $2100 ★★★★

Topographical Map of Proposed Route

See CalTopo map

Weather

Weather is always an important concern when backpacking. Expect cool, sometimes cold days at elevation. It may snow or there may still be snow on the ground. Or it may be in the 60s or even higher. Here is the current weather at the nearby Oliver Observing Station. Oliver Observing Station is over 5000' which is higher than any point on our trip so while there are certainly local variations, expect the weather to be warmer than what you see reported by this weather station.

Probable Trip Leaders

Steve Silberberg
Rick Romine
Any Other Guide(s) TBD

Difficulty

Backpacking through the mountains in Big Sur can be strenuous. On our third day, we hike over 2700' uphill, but thankfully our daily mileage that day is only 5.3 miles. According to the US Forest Service "the Ventana Wilderness is strenuous and challenging even for experienced hikers". That said, our longest day is under 10 miles.

Cost

$2100 per person pre-trip single occupancy, post trip double occupancy. Here, double occupancy means that you will share a hotel room with another trip participant. You will also be responsible for transportation to and from San Francisco (SFO) as well as personal equipment, restaurant meals (typically 2 dinners) and any gratuities for guides.

Covered expenses include 2 hotel nights, storage fees, 6 days of trail meals, airport transfers, ground transportation to/from/within the National Park, park permits, park entrance fees and awesome guides.

Tipping: In order to keep our prices competitive with (and hopefully favorable to) other outfitters, we shamefully can’t pay our guides as much as we think they deserve. Like most other guiding services, we rely on the generosity of our participants to make up this shortfall by tipping the guides. Gratuity can comprise a significant and important part of a guide’s compensation. The industry recommended gratuity amount is 10-20% of the trip cost. Gratuities are always optional and based on level of satisfaction but generally account for 30-60% of a their income through gratuities. Fitpacking supports tipping to the greatest extent possible while remaining tactful and professional. Guides are not permitted to solicit tips in any way other than doing an exceptional job supporting and providing exceptional customer service to our participants. If your guides have served you well, please support them with gratuities so they can continue living their extravagant lifestyles of eating powdered meals, sleeping in the dirt and pooping in smelly outhouses and small holes they've dug.

Notes

Our trip traverses the Tassajera Zen Center. Although we are permitted to walk through, they (and their hot springs) won't be open to the public unfortunately.

Campsites are first come, first served. We don't expect this to be an issue with the possible exception of the last night because it's so close to Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park.

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