Mount Shasta (Waka-nunee-Tuki-Wuki and Uhataahkoo)
Considered a high spiritual place for the Northern Chumash and Salinan peoples, 576-foot Morro Rock rises from the ocean at the entrance to Morro Bay. Home to nesting peregrine falcons (a Salinan legend featuring a falcon is set here) and the last in a chain of nine volcanic formations that begins near San Luis Obispo, Morro Rock, despite its sacred role, has endured more than its share of abuse.
In the late 1800s and into the 1900s, as much as 40 percent of the majestic rock was dynamited, hacked, and quarried to build the breakwater at nearby Port San Luis and for other projects. But Morro Rock is becoming whole again.
During a repair project at the Port San Luis breakwater, the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers determined that it would need larger pieces of stone to meet modern design standards. That meant much of the stone originally taken from Morro Rock couldn’t be reused. With that determination, the Chumash began working with the Corps and other government agencies to reunite the old breakwater material with Morro Rock itself.
In August 2022, 10,000 tons of boulders were barged to an underwater spot about 1,500 feet offshore from Morro Rock to create an artificial seamount and reef habitat for marine life. As Violet Sage Walker, chair of the Northern Chumash Tribal Council, said, “The reunification of Lisamu’ represents a healing of our people and our culture—a healing that is long overdue.”
While the public can observe the Salinan conduct ritual climbs of Morro Rock at the summer and winter solstice (the Northern Chumash oppose the practice), access to the formation itself is strictly prohibited. But you can walk near the base, and there are spectacular views of Morro Rock from points in town and Morro Strand State Beach just to the north.
