22 MONTEREY COUNTY WEEKLY JANUARY 5-11, 2023 www.montereycountyweekly.com red-legged frogs, tarantulas, snakes and more than 500 species of moths. But aside from the condors, for which the park became a release site for in 2003, and the world-class bee diversity, Pinnacles is home to several talus caves—boulders piled up on mountain slopes—that along with cliffs and trees, shelter at least 14 species of bats. Among them are Townsend’s big-eared bats, and in Bear Gulch Cave, they’ve formed the largest colony of their kind between San Francisco and Mexico. Perhaps, though, the most unsung natural feature at Pinnacles are the 350 or so types of lichens, which paint the rock formations, the oaks, and anywhere else they can latch on to. Without lichens, Pinnacles would be like a silent movie—lichens make it sing. As spectacular as the flora, fauna and geology at Pinnacles are, so too are the trails. Starting in 1921, a group of five World War I veterans settled near the monument—which was essentially unmanaged at that point, despite its protected status—and they became its de facto stewards. They were called the “Pinnacles Boys,” and chief among them was Herman Hermansen, who became the park’s first custodian—a title that later transitioned to superintendent. Together they built a road the leads up to Bear Gulch Cave and a trail that runs through it, and another one that traverses the High Peaks. They remain the two most distinctive trails in the park: the former climbs through and up a cave in darkness and water, including a waterfall, flows through it. Hermansen only lasted a few years on the job—he was fired for his lack of connections to rich and powerful people who could promote the park— but reinforcements quickly followed: Men who enrolled in the New Deal’s Civilian Conservation Corps were stationed in the park for years, and they helped build out much of the trail network that exists today. A federal inspector, observing the camp in its first year, noted that it was “an exceedingly well kept camp, not from a sanitary point but morals etc.” That same inspector also called the morale and spirit of the enrollees, and the meals at the camp, “excellent.” After Pinnacles became a national park, the city of Soledad rebranded its tagline from “It’s happening in Soledad” to “Gateway to the Pinnacles.” The hope was to harness the name change to boost the local economy, but given that the limited parking spaces in the park—particularly on the western side—cannot meet demand on busier days, the park’s ability to attract more visitors is likewise limited. So 10 years in, does it even matter that Pinnacles became a national park? Arguably, yes. But also, maybe not. There are two entrances to the park—the most popular being the east side, south of Paicines in San Benito County, in part because that side has more parking and a campground. It’s also much closer to Bear Gulch Cave, one of the most popular places in the park, for adults and kids alike. Aside from being pitch black (bring a flashlight), it feels like it was created by Hikers enter the Bear Gulch Cave, which is pitch dark in many sections and requires a flashlight or headlamp, especially if one wants to avoid stepping into the creek that runs through it. KAREN LOUTZENHEISER DR. BRYNIE KAPLAN DAU, MS, DVM VOTED MONTEREY COUNTY’S BEST VETERINARIAN TWO YEARS IN A ROW! ’22 ’21 SURGERY DERMATOLOGY FELINE AND CANINE MEDICINE PREVENTATIVE CARE AND MUCH MORE COMPASSIONATE CARE WITH EXCEPTIONAL MEDICINE. 1023 Austin Avenue, Pacific Grove • 831-318-0306 www.pacificgroveanimalhospital.com THANK YOU, MCGIVES DONORS! Your Donations Assure No Senior Will Go Hungry. Meals on Wheels of the Salinas Valley, Inc.
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