What we’re about
Welcome to our Santa Cruz, Monterey, San Jose hiking and friendship group. Make friends and sweat 💦😅😋😊👍.
We offer an array of outdoor activities, with a focus on moderate to challenging hikes. Our hikes are also a place to learn some of the natural history of our area. Some hikes will go slowly enough to identify and photograph plants and mushrooms, and the occasional newt or bird (or mammal, of course). Other hikes are more focused on getting a good workout in a beautiful environment, in the company of other pleasant people. Most of our hikes are a mix of the two. Please be compassionate and mindful of everyone during our hikes.
We also sponsor a smaller number of indoor activities, be it (optionally) getting together at a pub or restaurant after a hike, or our monthly, roving trivia night. We sometimes refer to these events, affectionately and mirthfully, as "Connect Indoors".
Please join us!
Upcoming events (3)
See all- Big Ben, Lost Empire, Fall Creek Loop, 7mi & 1600’ TEG [Fall Creek]UCSC West Remote Parking Lot, Santa Cruz, CA
There is no place like home, or Fall Creek!
Take it from the top: We will hike this loop from the top rather than from the main entrance at the bottom of the park, near Felton. This avoids the crowds (and hornets) near the parking lot. This also reduces our milage a bit, so we can experience the **central loop** in about 7 miles. This is still considered by many to be a hard hike with 1,600’ of elevation gain. Please be prepared for a strenuous hike by bringing plenty of water and a tasty snack or energy bar.
Trails were closed after the 2020 CZU fire, but have now all re-opened (this is a "no smoking" hike, BTW). Trails are well marked but may be slightly overgrown in places in these further reaches of the park. The loop portion of our hike both starts and ends at the remaining old growth redwood in all of Fall Creek, Big Ben.
Parking: We will rendezvous at the UCSC West Remote parking lot, and carpool from there, up Empire Grade.
If you prefer to drive directly, there should be plenty of parking as long as most people carpool. (If parking is ever a problem, carpool drivers should have priority for convenient spots as one of the incentives.). Let me know that you are not carpooling (so we don’t wait for you) and meet us just above Sunlit Lane, here (for iPhone), at 11am.
Consider bringing: Long pants if you are particularly allergic to poison oak, shoes with good traction that are allowed to get muddy, a walking stick for balance (creek crossing), mild sun protection (mostly shaded), cool clothing for 66 to 72(F) temperatures. A yummy snack and plenty of water.
Legal Disclaimer: The organizers and hosts in this group are not professional guides, and each person who signs up for a trip/meetup/ or outing is responsible for his or her own safety and the safety of his or her guests and property. By signing up for a hike, or any other event organized by this group, you are acknowledging that you are aware and have made your guests aware of the risks, dangers and hazards associated with any outdoor activity and freely accept and fully assume all such risks, dangers and hazards, and further agree to release and discharge the organizer, assistant organizers, event organizers and event hosts of this Meetup group from and against any and all liability arising from your and your guest's participation in the group activities. These are always “Hike at your Own Risk” events.
- Trivia Night [Abbott Square]Abbott Square, Santa Cruz, CA
Join us for Abbott Square's Summer Trivia Nights, hosted by Lookout Santa Cruz. Let’s see if our winning streak from 2023 can be revived in 2025!
6pm — Arrive and find each other (look for Debra’s magnetic smile (center of photo). Brainstorm a group name! Buy some food or beer!!
6:30 — Trivia game begins.
8pm — Game ends.
8:10 — 9pm Optional sunset walk to work off the beer?NOTE on tickets: We have tickets for 10 members, and may grab another 10 if we have a large demand. You may initially be on the waitlist, as we sort out our team. Please do not “no-show” if you get a seat with us (just update your RSVP on this page). Returning attendees may be given priority from the waitlist, due to their track record of showing up.
Abbott Square Trivia web page here.During our legendary winning streak of yore, the Abbott Square goodie bag of prizes was fun, but unlike Greater Purpose trivia night, it included no free beer! Of course, free beer had its down side. What trims the budget can pad the waistline. 😂 Also, we regret to report, Greater Purpose went bankrupt as we started to cash in our winnings, so maybe Abbott Square has wised up. Greater Purpose has been replaced by Balefire Brewing, sans the game room / ping pong tables 😢.
Come at 6pm to help us commandeer a table or two! Games start at 6:30.
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Our original / notorious trivia intro:
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Is your brain a trove of useless facts? Useless no longer! Join our team to compete in this high-stakes trivia competition!If they ask about Santa Cruz hiking trails, or which local wildflower garners the word "fetid" in its name, we've got it covered. But, for more arcane topics, like music, or Kanye West's shoe size, we are at a loss. That's why we need you!
Help round out our square team. If hundreds show up, we can just branch out into multiple teams like a high IQ plasmodium! (Haven't heard of plasmodium? Hmmm, don't tell your trivia mates, and learn about them here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8HEDqoTPgk).
Legal Disclaimer: The organizers and hosts in this group are not professional guides, and each person who signs up for a trip/meetup/ or outing is responsible for his or her own safety and the safety of his or her guests and property. By signing up for a trivia night, or any other event organized by this group, you are acknowledging that you are aware and have made your guests aware of the risks, dangers and hazards associated with any social activity and freely accept and fully assume all such risks, dangers and hazards, and further agree to release and discharge the organizer, assistant organizers, event organizers and event hosts of this Meetup group from and against any and all liability arising from your and your guest's participation in the group activities. As always, this is a “Participate at your Own Risk” event.
- Trivia Night [Abbott Square]Abbott Square, Santa Cruz, CA
Join us for Abbott Square's Summer Trivia Nights, hosted by Lookout Santa Cruz. Let’s see if our winning streak from 2023 can be revived in 2025!
6pm — Arrive and find each other (look for Debra’s magnetic smile (center of photo). Brainstorm a group name! Buy some food or beer!!
6:30 — Trivia game begins.
8pm — Game ends.
8:10 — 9pm Optional sunset walk to work off the beer?NOTE on tickets: We have tickets for 10 members, and may grab another 10 if we have a large demand. You may initially be on the waitlist, as we sort out our team. Please do not “no-show” if you get a seat with us (just update your RSVP on this page). Returning attendees may be given priority from the waitlist, due to their track record of showing up.
Abbott Square Trivia web page here.During our legendary winning streak of yore, the Abbott Square goodie bag of prizes was fun, but unlike Greater Purpose trivia night, it included no free beer! Of course, free beer had its down side. What trims the budget can pad the waistline. 😂 Also, we regret to report, Greater Purpose went bankrupt as we started to cash in our winnings, so maybe Abbott Square has wised up. Greater Purpose has been replaced by Balefire Brewing, sans the game room / ping pong tables 😢.
Come at 6pm to help us commandeer a table or two! Games start at 6:30.
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --
Our original / notorious trivia intro:
--- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --- --
Is your brain a trove of useless facts? Useless no longer! Join our team to compete in this high-stakes trivia competition!If they ask about Santa Cruz hiking trails, or which local wildflower garners the word "fetid" in its name, we've got it covered. But, for more arcane topics, like music, or Kanye West's shoe size, we are at a loss. That's why we need you!
Help round out our square team. If hundreds show up, we can just branch out into multiple teams like a high IQ plasmodium! (Haven't heard of plasmodium? Hmmm, don't tell your trivia mates, and learn about them here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K8HEDqoTPgk).
Legal Disclaimer: The organizers and hosts in this group are not professional guides, and each person who signs up for a trip/meetup/ or outing is responsible for his or her own safety and the safety of his or her guests and property. By signing up for a trivia night, or any other event organized by this group, you are acknowledging that you are aware and have made your guests aware of the risks, dangers and hazards associated with any social activity and freely accept and fully assume all such risks, dangers and hazards, and further agree to release and discharge the organizer, assistant organizers, event organizers and event hosts of this Meetup group from and against any and all liability arising from your and your guest's participation in the group activities. As always, this is a “Participate at your Own Risk” event.
![Big Ben, Lost Empire, Fall Creek Loop, 7mi & 1600’ TEG [Fall Creek] cover photo](https://secure.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/4/f/8/8/event_528980360.webp "Big Ben, Lost Empire, Fall Creek Loop, 7mi & 1600’ TEG [Fall Creek]")
![Trivia Night [Abbott Square] cover photo](https://secure.meetupstatic.com/photos/event/a/d/0/5/event_515504293.webp "Trivia Night [Abbott Square]")
