Tangerine Falls: Santa Barbara's Hardest Waterfall Hike
Vložit
- čas přidán 19. 06. 2024
- Tangerine Falls is known for being the hardest waterfall hike in Santa Barbara. Once the trail hits the creek bed, there is no more trail. Instead, hikers navigate various stream crossings and boulder fields, scrambling and bushwhacking through plenty of poison oak in the hopes of reaching the elusive Tangerine Falls. If you go at the right time, this waterfall can absolutely pop off, and, because it is a challenging hike with a little class 3 scrambling, we had the place all to ourselves.
So, is this waterfall hike worth it? Well, after seeing the video, we'll let you decide!
#hiking #waterfallhike #waterfalls
Love seeing this! I’ve only ever attempted this trail once. Many years back a friend and I drove up from San Diego. Just at the point where the trail hit the unmaintained portion, we encountered a body on the trail. Cell service was spotty so we had to walk down the trail to reach 911. We then went back to trailhead and escorted a police officer in long pants and his full gear up the trail. So I guess we did the trail twice! We waited on the trail to stop any other hikers while the officer assessed the scene. We met a group of young women from out of state who refused to turn around until the police officer came out to announce he was closing the trail. The next day I checked the news for any updates and found out that a group of boulderers later that day encountered a person who was face down in the brush in the same area. She had been there since the night before. She had gotten injured and her friend tried heading down the trail to get help. Unfortunately, he was the person who I came across. He must have not been able to see where he was going in the dark and fallen. So very sad. Beautiful area, and seemingly short and easy hike. But I share this as a reminder that at minimum, carrying water, wearing proper footwear, having proper lights for night hikes, and letting people know where you are heading can be extremely helpful.
Oh my gosh, thank you so much for sharing that story. It's very sad what happened to them, and it's also a really good reminder that even very fun and relatively short hikes can also be deadly when they are steep and off trail. Hope you get a chance to go back and do the full trail at some point! ❤️
Love this hike, the bouldering, the anticipation of the swim in the distance, and especially climbing in bare feet! Doesn’t get any closer to primal nature. Great job you guys. Thanks for taking us along. 🏜️
Yes Mary! I feel exactly the same -- give me bare feet and a swimsuit and I will be happy climbing up waterfalls (and sliding down them when possible) all day long! ❤️ --A
Come for the scenery. Stay for the two amazing people.
Thanks Shane, that is so nice of you to say! ❤️
Tangerine falls is a great spot that's great there was alot of water, looks like you guys had a blast, getting off route is part of the fun, spiders and snakes , no Bueno thanks for sharing Larry Owens
Totally agree on both points, Larry! Tangerine is a truly remarkable hike and waterfall, and I don't mind the route finding and even an occasional web in the face as long as there are no snakes! --A
I love your positivity when you reach the destination!! 🎉😂❤🎉😂❤
MN Dave
Thanks Dave! Ya we def try to be positive no matter what, but it's especially easy when there's a gorgeous waterfall to jump into! ❤️
@@LiveHardxLoveHard you betcha ❤️
Yeah, there are few things worse than a wet slippery rock... One thing is to go up there, but another one is to come down the same route and do that safely. Can't imagine how you've descended there. I still remember coming back from Kjerag in Norway last summer after significant rain: even with chains coming down those boulders was not easy at all... Awesome vid as usual!
Thanks very much! Yes we were fortunate that at least the wet part was not the steepest part, and that the steepest parts of the hike weren't wet. Otherwise it could have gotten really gnarly. So cool you've done some of those beautiful Norway hikes -- that's very high on our list of places we want to go! ❤️
So much fun..love watching you guys!
Thanks Paul! This one really was fun -- just a fun, challenging, but not too dangerous scramble to a stunning swimmable waterfall. Pretty much the dream hike in a lot of ways! ❤️
Yay more beautiful waterfalls!
Waterfall season has been absolutely amazing so far. We have one more waterfall trip planned before we move on to mountain lakes and big summits in the Sierra and the Rockies! ❤️
You're visibly shaking and freezing cold while saying you gotta come and do this. haha. Great video.
Hahaha so true -- no way am I going in something that cold without making Adam join me. He's probably wacky enough just to go in on his own, but I like that social support! ❤️ --E
You guys are nuts! In a good way....
Haha yes! That's pretty much all we've ever wanted to be!! ❤️
I'm wondering if the 2018 mud/rock slide took out any remnants of the trail because I don't remember this hike being that technical. There used to be an approaching trail higher up and to the left of the falls. It is a notoriously unmarked, un-maintained trail as I remember it and it is easy to miss the trail head fork off the main Cold Springs trail, of course I used to do this hike in the summer months when there is less water and more people trail blazing the actual trail.
I definitely need to get up there before the water runs low, this is the best I've ever seen Tangerine looking. Glad you loved it and our part of paradise.
That's interesting about the trail, Art! I think it definitely must have gotten washed out, because after we took the turn from the main trail into the stream bed there was barely any trail at all. There were a couple ropes and occasionally some faint use-trail parts, so we knew we were on the right route, but it was mostly just picking our own way without much of a reliable use trail to follow. Hope you make it up there while the water is still flowing -- SB really is a hiking paradise! ❤️
Great hike guys! Poison Oak is no joke😮! That water looked frigid! Definitely not a hot tub.
Haha ya definitely not jacuzzi-esque. It would have been refreshing if we'd gone later in the day when the sun would have been shining down on us, but one of the prices of going early is that there's no warm air to counterbalance the cold water. Still, totally worth it to be up there all alone! ❤️
Once again, can’t believe you have all that to yourselves. Especially so close to a giant metro area like LA.
Yes! We did have to get up pretty early to have this one all alone -- we passed a couple of groups coming up on our way down. But well worth the early wake-up to get such a great spot all to ourselves! ❤️
this one is gorgeous!
Thanks so much, Maddy! We really appreciate your support, and yes it really was lovely. Between this and the 7 Falls hike, we were pretty blown away by Santa Barbara's waterfalls! ❤️
Adam's long and lanky frame makes him the perfect scout! He should be a Navy Seal or something (though disliking chocolate may prohibit that...)! (But maybe there is a caramel exemption.) If you told me that this was filmed on the island of Madeira, I would have believed you! Oh, California! Such hidden treasures! And thank you for sharing this treasure with us. Bless you both, oodles. (Waiting for the music to resume!)
Thanks Mark! You're not far off at all -- I used to work out all the time with a good buddy who was a Navy Seal, and actually got really into that kind of training. I have an especially deep connection to two of their mottos -- "I will never quit," and "slow is smooth and smooth is fast." I think about both of them often when we are out on one of our really challenging adventures. And don't worry, the music will be back soon for sure once we're up doing epic Sierra hikes and climbs! --A
I love that you can capture pure joy and pure misery in the exact same moment when you go in the waterfall
That is perfectly said -- the agony and the ecstasy all at once! ❤️
Been up there once, at night, during a fill moon. That was a wild adventure and I'll never forget it. I did slip at one section on the hike down, probably one of the scariest things I've experienced on the trail. Was a good few seconds drop.
Oh my gosh that must have been amazing and beautiful in the moonlight! Very glad you survived the slip -- there are definitely a few places where a slip and fall could have a very bad outcome. But what a spectacular hike and waterfall! ❤️
@@LiveHardxLoveHard oh yeah one for the books for sure
Yet another awesome set of waterfalls! A fine reward for a hard approach!
Thanks Catherine! Yes Santa Barbara really is a top-notch waterfall destination. So glad we finally made it up there before leaving Southern California for the mountains! ❤️
Fantastic as always 🙂
Thanks Petr! It's amazing how many waterfalls we have here -- at least in the years when we get a lot of rain! ❤️
What a cool spot!
It really is world class. Santa Barbara totally blew us away with its wide variety of excellent and beautiful hikes! ❤️
We can’t wait to hit this trail up, great video 🙌 loved it !
You got our sub 😀😀❤️ was enjoyable and entertaining to watch, we are inspired 🙌
Yes!! That is wonderful to hear. You are absolutely going to love this trail, and don't forget about the 7 falls trail too which is not far away. They are both utterly incredible waterfall trails! ❤️
Thank you ! We have been to Seven Falls and absolutely loved it! Thank you so much for sharing your vids!!@@LiveHardxLoveHard
@@hikebytes Fantastic! If you loved Seven Falls you will def love this -- so happy to share all these adventures with you! ❤
Oh Adam, I can totally sympathize on the webs in the face! We have a large spider here called an orb weaver - they are actually harmless but huge and quite ugly, and their strands are thick and quite strong! I hit one of their webs one time and actually got the spider with it! 🤢And Elise - good prank, only because it wasn't pulled on me! 🤣
Haha for sure -- us tall guys get it even when we're not the first ones out on trail! ❤️
What a hidden gem!!! so beautiful - you two need to do a run in SB wine country ;)
We definitely do, and now that we're finally full-time nomads it shouldn't be too hard to find the time! We'll do it when you come back to SB for a visit so we can see you!! ❤️
I like your videos, please don't die.
So glad yo like the vids, Larry -- and don't worry, we're always super careful and train almost every day to make sure we can handle all different situations and terrains safely! ❤️
You guys are just a couple of grown up children! 😆 And saying Adam has a spider on him was hilarious!!! Fun, fun fun!
Hahaha yes! You know he's always pranking me and teasing me, so I was super excited to really trick him and also while the camera was on! 😂❤️ --E
와..시원하고 멋진 하이킹 영상 좋아요~
스트레스가 완전 해소!
Thanks very much! We're delighted you enjoyed it, and you're right -- hiking to waterfalls really is a perfect way to relieve stress! ❤️
Strikingly beautiful rock faces n boulder-strewn creeks! And Oscar-quality cold-water shrieks :) Thanks for bringing us there! PS, re poison oak, are you both allergic? When I lived in Santa Cruz, my friends would be impacted pretty often, but I never was...
That's a great question, Liam. I think I might not be very allergic to it, because Adam often gets a terrible rash while I usually just get a few mild bumps or sometimes nothing at all. ❤️ --E
I wonder why there's no trail. Another great video thanks guys❤
It might be because of all the rains this year washing most of the trail away. There were sections where you could see the use trail, but then they would rapidly disappear and we'd be boulder scrambling again. But in the end, that just made it even more of an adventure! ❤️
I grew up taking care of one of the last small orange groves in Yorba Linda. I hate in-the-face spiderwebs. I just knock the spiderweb down with a piece of bush grass - they have little trouble rebuilding them.
Ya poles are obviously great for that too. When the light is right they're easy to see, but since we sometimes leave before the sun is high enough to illuminate them I seem to always catch a couple no matter how hard I try to watch out for them! --A
That looks like a blast. I've only been to its next door cousin Rattlesnake Canyon and Gibraltar Rock.
Ellen you have to do this one! And watch the beta video before you go, because we tell you exactly how to get up that last section to the falls in a safe way. Leaving the car around sunrise we were the only ones up there -- you will absolutely love it. Just looked up Rattlesnake-Gibraltar. That looks like an excellent hike -- putting it down on the list for next waterfall season! ❤️
@@LiveHardxLoveHard I was at UCSB at the time and we would go up rattlesnake canyon pretty often. Normally it's a very popular hike, but your early morning tendencies will come in handy as we were never the types to get up early.
very good
Thanks Sajad -- very glad you enjoyed it! ❤️
Wow! Spectacular view at 5:45
Thanks Miguel! Yes this hike really was gorgeous to the eye -- glad it came across on camera as well! ❤️
That first route to the waterfall looked like a good water slide 🛝 😂
Ya I was thinking exactly the same thing! The only problem was the pool at the falls wasn't super deep and that was a pretty long steep slide, so it could potentially be an ankle twister. ❤️ --A
Looks like a great one! I never had a doubt that you would get there :-)
Thanks very much, Mark -- I'm glad you had faith is us because we ourselves had about 15 minutes there where we were really in doubt! Once we discovered the right beta it was actually pretty easy, but before that when Adam was trying to scale up that super polished face I was definitely starting to wonder! ❤️
Omg gorgeous!!!!❤ wait now how do you get back? 😂
Haha the way down actually wasn't too bad, Kari. There were a few steep parts we had to down climb, but since we'd just come up it all at least the route-finding on the way back was a lot easier. ❤️
Such a fun looking trail, while the falls are flowing!
Bikini Elise makes an appearance but no speedo Adam this time
Haha Colby you signed off too soon! Speedo Adam gets a quick cameo right toward the end before we do the wrap up -- you know we can't disappoint our speedo-loving public! 😂
@@LiveHardxLoveHard oh no! Must have missed it writing this comment haha glad you guys enjoyed
Just hear iher yell and scream in the water you guys are having way too much fun
Haha yes! Waterfalls totally make us feel like kids again. They're just the best. ❤️
The funny thing is, if Elise went first, most of the spiderwebs would still get Adam
Haha ya you're right that I would still catch the high ones, but the one time E took the lead on a webby trail she caught two in the face within 5 minutes, then told me to go in front and she's never taken the lead on a potentially webby trail again! 😂 --A
@@LiveHardxLoveHard she is a smart woman😊
Adam - the "WebWalker"
Hahaha that is the kind of nickname we need on the channel! 😂❤️
Waay bak when ...If I remember right ..that 'undercast' is called 'June Gloom' ....
We still call it that! And we had a LOT of June Gloom every day we were in Santa Barbara, though it was still very beautiful! ❤️
You're 6'6"? Elise must be quite the tall glass of water as well then. I always thought mountaineering was for small people, lol. Well thats what I tell my 6'4" self at least after getting stuck one time on a repel and having a friend free climb down to rescue me. No thanks from then on, I'll just watch from the comfort of YT. Props to you both and thanks again for the smiles.
Haha yes Elise is 5-9, but because I'm so much taller everyone always assumes she's little 😂. Sometimes I feel like mountaineering is perfect for the tall because we can reach so many more good holds than other people, but then other times when I have to duck under a ton of low branches while bushwhacking I definitely think it's made for the small! --A
Wow that is gorgeous but clearly renamed as it should be aquamarine falls
Haha ya maybe because of all the rain this year! Maybe once it dries up for the season it will turn tangerine color again. ❤️
Santa Barbara is fuckin magical
It sure is. We were totally blown away. ❤️
Good morning friends ☀️
"I just took a spiderweb full in the face !"
- "Oh l see a spider !"
"Get it off GET IT OFF !"
Elise, you crack me up ! 😁
Great vlog as always guys
🕸🕸🕷 🕸 😻😺 ❤
Hello you two congratulations in front of your hiking beautiful waterfall thanks you are formidable Gerard France
Haha thanks John! Adam is always pranking me, so it felt awesome to get one over on him!!! ❤️ --E
Merci Gerard! Nous adorons les cascades! ❤️
😁 🕸🕷
Stevie Nicks has a track on her "Other Side of the Mirror" album
"Cry Wolf" :)
Careful E , one day there WILL be a Large Tarantula on Adam's back
You'll shout "Oh spider !"
Adam's gonna laugh ! :) ❤
@@johnmcnulty1129 😂
u got it made,,,,,,,,,luv santa barbara.........where did u park ? i cant believe u 2 dont surf,, butterfly beach leadbbetter bch so many great places in santa barbara ,, go high above montecito
We're actually thinking about learning to surf this year! Now that Adam is taking early retirement he wants to spend a month in Costa Rica taking surf lessons this winter, and I can't let him learn without me! ❤️ --E
I’m sure that terrain is much steeper than it looks on video.
Yes it definitely is! The camera flattens things out quite a bit, but we try to remember to tell you guys when something's really steep so no one will get up there and be totally surprised by the vertical sections! ❤️
Beside the hiking , do you guys have any gym routine or workouts you do? How often? Obviously you are very fit and strong but I believe you need some preparation and routine?
Yes Joanna! Check out the "how we train" section of the channel -- we put several of our workouts and training techniques into 4 or 5 videos on there. Let us know what you think of them! ❤️
ELISE and ADAM a hello from France. Marvellous waterfalls with thunderous sounding waters, an ascent full of traps and cobwebs that are not ADAM's friends, and even less those of ELISE, and here you are in a natural pool that only nature can create. On the video the water of the majestic waterfall is so clear that it seems to take on fluorescent hues, a phenomenon probably caused by the stringy foam clinging to the walls. ADAM I liked ELISE's little joke that made you believe that a spider had taken refuge on you. Kisses to you both. DAN
ELISE et ADAM un bonjour de France. Merveilleuses cascades aux eaux qui tombent dans un bruit tonitruant, ascension truffée de pièges et de toiles d’araignée qui ne sont pas les amies d’ADAM, et encore moins celles de ELISE, et vous voilà dans une piscine naturelle que seule la nature peut la créer. Sur la vidéo l’eau de la majestueuse cascade est si claire qu’elle semble prendre des teintes fluorescentes, phénomène sans doute engendré par la mousse filandreuse accrochée sur les parois. ADAM j’ai aimé la petite plaisanterie de ELISE qui t’a fait croire qu’une araignée s’était réfugiée sur toi. Bises à vous deux. DAN
Oui Dan! Cette fois j'etais le coyote et Elise etait la roadrunner -- elle m'a fait une tres bonne blague! 😂
AllTrails says its just 2.2 miles out and back trail up the canyon. Is it the same trail? Or your “trail” only starts at 1 mile point ? )
That's a good question. It felt like more than 2.2 for the out and back, but of course bushwhacking and boulder hopping always makes a route feel a lot longer than it is. If I had to guess, I'd say it's more like 3 or 3.5 miles car to car. But make sure to budget a lot of extra time for scrambling and route-finding! ❤️
That hike is so hard for me because of my fear of heights. Finally made it there again. Last time was Labor Day 2023, with my friend who is a rock climber, but she had to help me. This time I managed it solo.
Just curious, what was the date of your recent trek there?
Oh ya I can totally see how this would be one would be really challenging with a fear of heights! We were up there toward the end of May and beginning of June, and the waterfalls were still rocking! ❤️
@@LiveHardxLoveHard
Yeah, there's definitely less water now, almost a month later.
I hike Iron to Baldy regularly, as you know, but I don't even get that scared on Iron to Baldy.
@@YashaYakhnisPiano Ya that makes sense, because you have the best routes over those notches totally wired in. Gunsight notch can be scary AF if you take the wrong way around like we did, but I'm sure you just go straight over the optimal way and keep it class 3!
@@LiveHardxLoveHard That was actually the second notch where you went around the left side instead of the right. Gunsight Notch is the third notch.
But yeah, Gunsight Notch is a little bit scary due to exposure even if you do go the best way.
There are several spots along that ridge that are somewhat scary. Even some of the class 2 spots within the first mile after Iron Mt summit have crazy exposure. Last time I was there, November 2023, I felt like the class 2 spots with crazy exposure got worse due to erosion.
@@YashaYakhnisPiano Oh my gosh, in my head I totally thought it was gunsight! 😂
Please be safe! Slick rock and "for the gram" never go well together... as a rock climber, it hurts to watch folks not have protection - don't go chasing waterfalls, so many of us like your content 🙌
No worries, we always keep it super safe and on this one, as you saw, Adam rejected a route that he could have easily climbed just because he felt the rock was too polished and wouldn't be totally safe to down climb. The route we ended up using had great handholds up that crack and no chance of us falling. But as always, we did bring a rope along in the pack just in case we felt the need for protection at any point. ❤️
When do you think you will head to Mineral King ?
We're still making out our schedule, but right now we're thinking September because Adam's son is starting college at San Luis Obispo then and we could drop him off and then zip right over to the Mineral King area, stay for a week or two and get in a few of those great summits and lake hikes! ❤️
8:45 - wardrobe malfunction...
I live at the bottom of the trail and search your rescue is up here almost once a week during the summer taking people off the side of the mountain that fall and get injured. Please be careful doing this hike.
Ya Gary we can confirm that when we were coming down from the Three Peaks hike there was a whole S and R operation going on. We talked to some of the guys and they did indeed say they're up there a lot, though apparently more often for people who are unprepared for heat and dehydration than for actual falls. Nonetheless, falls are a legit concern up there as well, especially when doing off-trail stuff like this one! ❤️
Amazing hike! If I had a gf, I would tell her to get your bikini too. Good choice. 😇
Haha yes! As long as you wear a speedo like Adam she will not be able to say no!! ❤️
That was gorgeous, but Adam you have SUCH a farmers tan!
Haha yes it's true -- I'm gonna need to tan that torso this summer! 😂 --A