The next leg of the journey included a winding drive down the famous Highway 1 from the Redwoods to San Francisco before departing the coast at Moss Landing and heading to Pinnacles National Park. Several famous lighthouses including Point Arena (tallest on the Pacific) and Point Reyes National Seashore were points of interest with commanding views of the jagged coastline. Unique coastal wildlife including otters, harbor seals, sea lions, snowy plovers, murres, and numerous other sea birds were a joy to watch.

Pinnacles National Park is harsh environment in summer due to the hot and dry days. Patches of fog int eh morning yielded to cloudless days and near triple digit heat making longer hikes difficult. Pinnacles is unique in being the foremost release site for the highly endangered California Condor, which is making a comeback with substantial conservation efforts. We did get a couple glimpses of the colossal birds, but no photos worth sharing unfortunately.

Many new images are now in the Western Pacific Gallery and the next stop will be in the Sierra Nevada, so check back soon.