An intrepid group of Sierra Club hikers tackled part of the Cathedral Peak Trail on Sunday. (Robert Bernstein photo)
  • An intrepid group of Sierra Club hikers tackled part of the Cathedral Peak Trail on Sunday.
    An intrepid group of Sierra Club hikers tackled part of the Cathedral Peak Trail on Sunday.
  • A view of the canyon on the Cathedral Peak Trail.
    A view of the canyon on the Cathedral Peak Trail.
  • Posing for a photo along the trail.
    Posing for a photo along the trail.
  • The view back toward the coast.
    The view back toward the coast.
  • Some sections of the trail are quite steep.
    Some sections of the trail are quite steep.
  • Crossing the upper reaches of Mission Creek.
    Crossing the upper reaches of Mission Creek.

Cathedral Peak is one of the most beautiful hikes in the front country. Unfortunately for many, it is also one of the most strenuous.

On Sunday, I led a Sierra Club hike that gave a good taste of that hike without being too strenuous.

We hiked just the first part of the Dragon's Back of the Cathedral Peak Trail.

Here are my photos and a video!

From most of Santa Barbara, you can see a huge triangular rock formation in the mountains that looks like a giant pipe organ. The Dragon's Back is the right hand upper edge of that pipe organ.

Sunday was in between storms, so there was no rain, and we had a pleasant hiking temperature.

But there was fog on much of the Cathedral Peak trail. It made for a rather ethereal experience.

As we climbed above the Seven Falls area, we could hear the water, but could not see at all down into the canyon.

We had a snack break a bit further up. When we started back down, the fog had cleared into the canyon, and we could see the waterfalls and hikers below.

My short video shows that Seven Falls area.

Remember that you can see all of our Sierra Club hike calendar here http://www.santabarbarahikes.com/hikes/sierraclub/listing.

Robert Bernstein regularly leads hikes on local trails for the Sierra Club.