People able to hike out to Point San Luis Lighthouse above the steep, wind-swept bluff overlooking Whaler's Cove must follow a volunteer guide along the winding and steep Pecho Coast Trail to get to the hidden jewel.

And despite a large number of people who believe individuals should be allowed to hike alone along the Pecho Coast Trail to the lighthouse, the Port San Luis Harbor Commission won't back the idea, at least not anytime soon.

“We do agree that more hikers (should be able to access the lighthouse property) and that there should be greater access to the facility, but we can't compromise our obligation to the public,” Harbor Commissioner Brian Kreowski said.

The Harbor District owns the historic lighthouse, along with the 30 acres of land it sits on at Point San Luis.

Kreowski added, “If we are going to continue our hikes (along the Pecho Coast Trail), we need to have docents there.”

His comments came during Tuesday's standing-room-only Harbor Commission meeting, where the commissioners voted 4-1 to keep the status quo for the docent-led Pecho Coast Trail program.

Commissioner Drew Brandy was the lone dissenter in the decision, believing the community would be better served if people could hike to the lighthouse on their own when the mood strikes them.

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He spoke about a hypothetical situation where a guided hike could start a 10 a.m. and someone could miss it because they got a flat tire before they left home and were late to the hike's meeting point.

“Now that doesn't work for me,” Brandy said, adding he favors increased access to the lighthouse property and the Pecho Coast Trail, which crosses Harbor District property.

The majority of the commissioners felt opening more of the Pecho Coast Trail to nonguided hikes would be too dangerous, for both humans and the area's natural resources, and would create too much liability for the Harbor District.

However, many in the audience, including members of the San Luis Lighthouse Keepers, agreed with Brandy and argued for the commission to change its position on docent-led hikes only on the Pecho Coast Trail.

The Lighthouse Keepers is a nonprofit organization established in 1995 to provide the leadership, talent and organization to restore and maintain the lightstation, according to the group's Web site.

“You should look at the Pecho Coast Trail as an asset and not a liability,” Nancy Graves of SLO Coastwalk told the commissioners. “I think it's a fear of the unknown. Providing real public access (to the trail) is a small price for PG&E to pay to live up to its responsibilities.”

Pacific Gas and Electric Co. is required to provide mitigation - opening more of the coastline between Montaña de Oro and Point San Luis - as part of its approved dry-cask storage facility project at Diablo Canyon Nuclear Power Plant.

PG&E owns the majority of the acreage surrounding the lighthouse property.

Because the Pecho Coast Trail crosses district property, the Harbor District is a partner in its management with PG&E and the Coastal Commission, according to port staff.

Hikes along the trail to the lighthouse are operated through PG&E, in coordination with the Lighthouse Keepers.

Pat Mullen, PG&E spokesperson, said the only way the docent-led hike program along the Pecho Coast Trail would change is if the Harbor Commission eliminates guided hikes and amends the management plan.

April Charlton can be reached at 489-4206,

Ext. 5016, or acharlton@santamariatimes.com.

July 2, 2007