2018 Map of Ventana Cones

About this map

Ventana Double Cone and Ventana Cone anchor this high-elevation segment of the Santa Lucia Range, part of the expansive Los Padres National Forest. The landscape is defined by its dramatic verticality, where peaks such as Elephant Mtn and Uncle Sam Mtn overlook a complex network of steep drainage basins. To the northeast, Miller Canyon guides the Miller-Fork Carmel River toward its confluence with the Carmel River, while the southern reaches are marked by the headwaters of the Big Sur River and the isolated Bear Basin. Notable ridges such as Hennicksons Ridge and Pine Ridge suggest the topographic barriers that have historically dictated movement through this interior wilderness. The concentration of springs like Sulphur Spring and several seasonal creeks reflects a rugged hydrology central to the regional ecosystem.