Kristian Howell and I ran the Los Padres Traverse Saturday 12/16/23. It was the perfect time of year to do this and just before the first big rain.
We stayed the night in New Cuyama then drove 45 minutes to the trailhead. The area is very remote and beautiful. The morning started cool around 39 degrees but it quickly got warm and was in the 70s most of the day. We both carried packs with 3 bottles of hydration & lots of fuel. Our plan was to meet our friend half way to fill bottles and get some extra gels.
The trail has a lot of history and is a popular biking route (a bike race at some point?). The whole trail was super remote - we did not see a single person until mile 21 where our friend Andy had rode in on his bike to get us some fuel and electrolyte drinks. When we got to Little Pine (about 32 miles in), we saw one other biker.
Big Pine was a beautiful climb with pretty pine trees, and a little altitude. Most of the run was downhill. We weren't quite trained for a long run like this, so my legs were pretty angry with all the downhill. The trail is exposed and feels hot - I cannot imagine doing it in summer like Katie (unsupported FKT) did! So impressive. We were just excited to complete the Traverse since we weren't in tip top shape; we saw some beautiful mountain views, a couple deer, lots of animal tracks and enjoyed the isolation in such a unique part of central California.