Kandlbinder Peak and the Window are two of the more remote spots in the Ventana Wilderness.  For extensive background on these spectacular locations see a prior post here.  Prior to the Soberanes Fire the standard route to both Kandlbinder and the Window was via the Pico Scout Camp up the Little Sur River and then Jackson Creek.  While beautiful in its own right, that route is mostly under the redwood forest canopy until emerging on the rocky slopes high on the Window and Kandlbinder.  The other routes were either very long or needlessly tortuous due to thick brush. The Soberanes Fire changed this calculus by clearing out the brush along a connecting ridge from Cabezo Prieto to Kandlbinder Peak.  From the fire break on Cabezo to Kandlbinder is almost exactly 3 miles. These 3 miles used to require many hours of toiling in thick brush but have now been transformed into a manageable cross-country route. As with most things in the Ventana, the brush will grow back and the efficiency of this route will degrade with time, but for now it’s likely the most efficient and scenic route to Kandlbinder and the Window, especially considering the fact that Bottchers Gap requires an additional few miles on foot to reach, and the condition of the Jackson Creek route has likely degraded due to the fire and subsequent winter storms. GPS route here.

Reach the summit of Cabezo Prieto from either the Mount Manuel Trail in Pfieffer Big Sur State Park or the East Molera Trail in Andrew Molera State Park.  Both options are about the same distance although East Molera includes more elevation gain and is not as well graded as the Mount Manuel Trail. However, it is the author’s opinion that the East Molera route is much more scenic as it includes one of the most spectacular grassy ridges in Big Sur with views to Point Sur and Pico Blanco.  Both options involved well-trodden trails for the first few miles before transitioning to a fire break that was cleared and widened in the Soberanes Fire operations. With time brush will likely reestablish itself on this firebreak but maybe the forest service will do a better job of maintaining it? At any rate, the route is currently obvious and efficient from both direction to reach the high point of Cabezo Prieto, which is actually composed of two humps of almost equal height.

From the southern “hump” high point, descend steeply off the ridge in oak forest before traversing skier’s left to the east ridge of Cabezo Prieto. Gain the crest of this ridge and descend further in oak woodland staying generally along the crest or just south of it. A patch of unburned brush is reached at the end of the oak woodland. Instead of fighting the brush, drop off the south side of the ridge in continued oak forest and then traverse through burned brush skeletons on the south side of the ridge to get around the unburned section of brush. A short sliver of unburned brush must be passed through to regain the ridge crest. This is probably the most annoying section of the route, but the cumbersome brush skeletons and side-hilling surely beat the thick brush that existed here before. Back on the ridge crest things turn easier before one must traverse the south slopes once again. The side-hilling can be cumbersome but game paths on these traverses are remarkably helpful. Ultimately this second traverse deposits one at the first of several grassy meadows. Make an ascending traverse of these grassy meadows staying near or just to the south of the ridge crest. The efficient travel through these grassy sections is welcome. Another unburned patch is reached along the ridge requiring a work-around to the south before regaining the ridge near point 3179 on the USGS map. Another efficient grassy oakland stretch ensues before emerging onto a landscape that was nearly burned to the ground.  Just prior to this section one can descend to the north of the ridge for 500 feet (200 vertical feet) to reach the headwaters stream of the South Fork Little Sur River.  Water here is fairly reliable as evidenced by the copious ferns and riparian vegetation near the stream. This is the last and only water en route so take note of this opportunity.

Back on the route, one can easily bypass point 3412 on its north side ending up a saddle between point 3412 and a limestone rock outcropping to the north.  One can easily climb this limestone rock outcropping or bypass it as well on its east side. At this point one is at the foot of the biggest climb of the off-trail portion the route and Mulberger Dome (aka Ventana Dome) looms above. Fortunately, this steep climb is relatively easy along a grassy ridge. I suggest crossing a small gully and taking the north option of the two prominent ridges, which ends up just to the north of Mulberger Dome. Mulberger Dome sits at the end of the south ridge of Kandlbinder and provides a stunning vantage of the most rugged coastal cirque in the contiguous United States stretching from Kandlbinder to the Window to Ventana Double Cone. A rugged masterpiece of cliffs, rock and buttresses is at one’s feet. Coulter Pines and Santa Lucia Firs cling to the extremely steep slopes, withstanding tough growing conditions in return for protection from wildfires that ravage these lands periodically.

From Mulberger Dome to Kandlbinder is one of the greatest ridgeline traverses in the Ventana. To the west one gazes back to Cabezo Prieto, Post Summit, Pico Blanco and the Pacific Ocean while on the other side a couple thousand feet of cliffs descend to the headwaters of Ventana Creek while Ventana Double Cone towers above on the other side of the cirque. The shale on the upper slopes of Kandlbinder has a distinctive reddish color that contrasts sharply with the white limestone rocks that make up Ventana Double Cone. Aside from one small section of brush, this final ridge is mostly clear of brush thanks to the fire and it’s fairly efficient to reach the summit of Kandlbinder, which features a tremendous 360 view taking in everything from the Big Sur coastline to the Ventana Double Cone’s impressive west face.  The excellent ridge traverse continues from Kandlbinder to the Window. For the first half, it’s generally best to stay right on the ridge crest. At a low point along the ridge, move to the south side to avoid thick brush skeletons before regaining the ridge. For the final part of the traverse to the Window it’s best to leave the ridge crest and traverse on the north side. A must-see vista is the pinnacle on the southwest side of the Window which has arguably the most dramatic view of Ventana Double Cone anywhere.  By comparison, the base of the Window (where the register is located) is largely covered in forest canopy and does not have a great view.  At this point, the adventure may be just getting going or one may chose to return the way they came. Either way, one will have already experienced some of the finest vistas and scenery the Ventana Wilderness has to offer.

Beyond Post Summit the section of the traverse to Mount Manuel was all new terrain for me and it far exceeded expectations. The route sticks to the ridge crest and therefore provides amazing views down to the South Fork Little Sur River on the east side and down the rugged Juan Higuera Creek canyon on the west side. Ascending up to the high point of Cabezo Prieto, the view of Pico Blanco’s limestone face is as striking as anywhere. There were even some Santa Lucia Firs growing on this cliffy slope that proved particularly photogenic with a backdrop of a low marine layer off the coast. Beyond Cabezo Prieto, we found the use path to Mount Manuel reasonably easy to follow through the brush, ultimately emerging at a series of lovely viewpoints on Mount Manuel with stellar views to Ventana Double Cone, the interior Ventana Wilderness, and the Big Sur Coast. 

My favorite viewpoint was from a prominent knoll on the way down from Mount Manuel off slightly off the trail, a viewpoint that I call “Manuel Vista.” This point features a remarkable, unobstructed 360 degree view from Ventana Double Cone to the entire Big Sur River drainage to Point Sur. Contuing the descent off Mount Manuel the trail is in pretty rough shape in spots in the upper elevations but becomes better in the last couple miles into Pfeiffer Big Sur State Park. Descending to the valley bottom by the Big Sur River suddenly transitioned to a completely different ecosystem with redwoods instead of the parched chaparral slopes on Mount Manuel.  After a break at the State Park near the Big Sur River we continued along a couple miles of road on Hwy 1 to a back entrance into Andrew Molera State Park Trails. This back entrance is a little tricky to find.  Just past the River Inn is a gated bridge across the Big Sur River that contains a window for pedestrian passage. Just after the bridge, turn right onto single track for around 0.3 miles before coming to a junction. To the left is the start of the South Boundary Trail (as of January 2014 the trail sign was on the ground). The path ascends through redwoods and oak woodlands to great views of Pico Blanco, Post Summit, Cabezo Prieto and Mount Manuel. Ascending higher up on the Ridge Trail we reached the a point on Pfieffer Ridge with views into the recent devastation caused by the Pfieffer Fire (Andrew Molera State Park and its trails were not impacted by the fire). From the viewpoint, we headed down Panoramic Trail and then Bluffs Trail to Molera Beach with with some awesome afternoon light on the coast. Finishing along the coast with a cool ocean breeze served as a perfect way to finish a great run and complete the loop. Strava route here.