Access

The Santa Ynez Peak tower site (34.5303416, -119.9875286) is located on a gated access road off of W Camino Cielo (Forest Route 5N12).  Dan once drove 13.5 miles from San Marcos Pass Road (Highway 154) on West Camino Cielo, but reported that it is really rough.  Easier is to go another 0.5mi from the Reagan Ranch gate to the top Refugio pass.  Then take the paved road to the right of the Road Closed sign to continue along the ridgeline to the East.  Go another 5miles to the lefthand fork up to an observatory.  This is also where the ridge road becomes dirt. There is a locked gate blocking site access with a multi-padlock system(multiple padlocks, but removal of one allows the gate to be unlocked). Be sure to relock the gate exactly as you found it. The tower site is 450’ due east from the locked gate.  At the east end of this access road is a fenced observatory and communications tower – not really enough room to turn around the truck outside the fence. 

Figure 1. Overview of site access and parking area


Photo 1. From the locked gate, looking east up the road towards site location and observatory

Notes

  • Primary contact:
  • The gate padlock is a USFS Yale Key(26525)

To Do

Site Photos

Taken 3/23

View from site clockwise from N:

Soils:

Site:

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