Anyone visit Black's recently, 2023?
Recent visits to Black's anyone!?
We stopped going. The trek down to the beach and especially back up was very hard on my wife. She's got a bad knee and has a fear of heights. The trail narrows in places and she gets really scared.
Any updates on the beach, trail conditions or anything else pertinent would be great to share.
Hey Andy. Long time not being on here. This past summer my wife and I went to visit Blacks Beach but we didn't take the cliff stairway. Instead we took the paved road that the lifeguards use about a mile south of the Torrey Pines glider route. It was much easier of a hike although it is a bit of a walk. Worked out very well since I was hauling around a large beach wagon the whole time. Lol. With a few breaks on the way back it wasn't too bad. Hope this helps.
Thanks for the update. I've heard of that path but we've never taken it. I guess I'd have to do it myself to see if my wife would even be willing. We used to walk quite a ways from the parking lot at Trail 6 at San Onofre to the nude section. Maybe this wouldn't be too bad a walk. We're walking 3 miles a day and want to increase it to 4-5.
I bought a wagon with larger sand tires to carry our stuff. It's gotta be easier than lugging that stuff down and back up the glider port main trail. We're hoping to make it up to Bates Beach in Santa Barbara. Since our eldest grandson goes to school up there, we get to visit him, give him a break from entertaining his grandparents and have a naked day on the beach for ourselves. The path at Bates Beach, from parking lot to nude section, sounds similar to the one you took to Black's.
The paved route that the life guards and emergency vehicles use, was the only route that my wife and I used to use. It's much safer but it is still a steep climb back up. There is a locked gate at the entrance but that is only for vehicles. You can easily walk around this gate. There was one period of time where the beach route to Blacks Beach was blocked by a landslide and you could only get by at low tide.
If I were to go there today, the Siren's call would probably lure me down to the beach. How I might get back to the top is anyone's guess.
DesertRat
At Blacks right now. Weather isnt great, but forecast to improve after noon (it is already better than 90 minutes ago when I got here). The stairs down from the glider port were fine. While waiting for the sun I walked to the bathrooms at the bottom of the service road. Hoping not to need to use them!