Meet the ghosts of Sugarloaf Ridge

Larry Maniscalco promises equal parts “history and mystery” March 21 when he leads the “Ghosts of Sugarloaf.”

Just like the sprawling, mountainous 4,020-acre parcel, his tour of Sugarloaf Ridge State Park promises twists and turns and plenty of adventure.

Maniscalco, a local history buff and park volunteer, will share eight ghastly and gruesome stories - all researched and true - of people who entered the Kenwood park but never returned home.

“Some incidents that occurred in the park were accidents, and otherwise,” he said.

As hikers weave from lower Bald Mountain to the Meadow Trail, Maniscalco will reference eight different fates that befell those within Sugarloaf, including a tragic 1964 plane crash into one of the park’s peaks.

A portion of the fuselage marks the location where the “desperate oil man” pilot died, Maniscalco said.

The pilot had been cautioned about bad weather when he fueled the plane at the Nut Tree in Vacaville but flew anyway, only to meet his deadly fate high atop the park.

Not every story originates after Sugarloaf was established in 1962. One death occurred in 1915 when homesteaders ranched from hillsides along the Mayacamas mountains.

“A ranch hand blew himself up by sitting on a stick of dynamite,” he said. “Frankly, he decided he’d had enough of this life.”

Maniscalco will share the story of a human skull found near Bear Creek and point out the location of a hanging near a popular trail. A possible murder by a religious cult and an attempt at an ancient suicide ritual are among the other tales he will tell.

“It’s not going to be spooky,” he said. The park isn’t haunted, Maniscalco said, just rich with history and scenery.

“At the core it’s just a beautiful place,” he said. The park features 25 miles of trails through chaparral-covered ridges, woodlands, open meadows and redwood forests.

Guided themed hikes at Sugarloaf “make the experience even richer,” said Maniscalco, a retired Santa Rosa Memorial Hospital administrator who lives in Oakmont.

“Ghosts of Sugarloaf” is suggested for experienced hikers, gaining 900 feet of altitude over 4 miles. Hiking poles are recommended.

The hike is from 10 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Saturday, March 21. Participants should meet in the parking lot at Sugarloaf Ridge State Park, 2605 Adobe Canyon Road, Kenwood.

Admission is free. Parking is $8. Reservations should be made to sugarloaf@sonomaecologycenter.org. For more information, call 833-5712.