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Topic: 3-4 trips around socal for thanksgiving< Next Oldest | Next Newest >
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beantownR6 Search for posts by this member.

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PostIcon Posted on: Nov. 08 2012, 11:50 am  Skip to the next post in this topic. Ignore posts   QUOTE
Hi im looking for suggestions to do 3-4 nights around socal over thanksgiving.

i want to do the gene marshall piedra blanca trail in sespe to the willette hotsprings but water is a concern becuase things are dry up there so unless it rains im not counting on it.

trans catalin trail but boat fees and camp site fees add up and the boat schedule doesn't fit my schedule well.

i was wondering about the pct through big bear but im not familiar with it there.  i get up to big bear often but haven't been on the pct.  where can i find info on start and end points, camps and water?

other suggestions?

thanks
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tarol Search for posts by this member.
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PostIcon Posted on: Nov. 08 2012, 6:27 pm Skip to the previous post in this topic. Skip to the next post in this topic. Ignore posts   QUOTE
San Bernardino Mountain Trails by John Robinson is a good book to pick up - has a good description of the PCT near Holcomb.

We are getting a good early winter storm the next couple of days - may close some of the access roads.  So call the Big Bear Discovery Center for the latest before you go (909) 382-2790

Look at the other recent thread on LA area trips for early December for other ideas...

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toejam Search for posts by this member.
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PostIcon Posted on: Nov. 09 2012, 8:24 am Skip to the previous post in this topic. Skip to the next post in this topic. Ignore posts   QUOTE
I'll find out this weekend how things are looking in the Sespe area.
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beantownR6 Search for posts by this member.

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PostIcon Posted on: Nov. 09 2012, 10:19 am Skip to the previous post in this topic. Skip to the next post in this topic. Ignore posts   QUOTE

(toejam @ Nov. 09 2012, 8:24 am)
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I'll find out this weekend how things are looking in the Sespe area.



are you going up there?  I think im going to do a recon hike, camp out at pine mountain or reyes peak camp next weekend and hike up the reyes peak trail to haddock camp just to get out.  recent water reports up there said 3 mile and haddock were dry with a little water at pine mountain lodge but that was august/september

is there any percipitation up there from these storms we are getting?
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beantownR6 Search for posts by this member.

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PostIcon Posted on: Nov. 09 2012, 10:25 am Skip to the previous post in this topic. Skip to the next post in this topic. Ignore posts   QUOTE

(tarol @ Nov. 08 2012, 6:27 pm)
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San Bernardino Mountain Trails by John Robinson is a good book to pick up - has a good description of the PCT near Holcomb.

We are getting a good early winter storm the next couple of days - may close some of the access roads.  So call the Big Bear Discovery Center for the latest before you go (909) 382-2790

Look at the other recent thread on LA area trips for early December for other ideas...

thanks ill check out that book.  

what access roads do they close? i go back there with my jeep a lot and off road even in the winter and back to holcomb camp in the snow.
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toejam Search for posts by this member.
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PostIcon Posted on: Nov. 14 2012, 8:50 am Skip to the previous post in this topic. Skip to the next post in this topic. Ignore posts   QUOTE

(beantownR6 @ Nov. 09 2012, 10:19 am)
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are you going up there?  I think im going to do a recon hike, camp out at pine mountain or reyes peak camp next weekend and hike up the reyes peak trail to haddock camp just to get out.  recent water reports up there said 3 mile and haddock were dry with a little water at pine mountain lodge but that was august/september

is there any percipitation up there from these storms we are getting?

I was up on the road between the Dick Smith & San Rafael Wilderness areas over the weekend. Did some trail work and reconned a trail we worked this last year. It's not as dry as you may think. Up high many streams & springs are flowing well and tend to disappear in the gravel down lower. They are flowing better because it's cooled off and the vegetation growth has slowed, even though we haven't had a significant amount of rain. Here are pictures:

https://picasaweb.google.com/toejamh....ectlink

None of the guys I was with knew any more about water in the Sespe than the report of a little at Pine Mtn Lodge that I think we all read. I bet if you do your recon hike up the GMPBNRT from Reyes Creek you'll find flowing water on the cooler side of the mountain. It would also be more comfortable camping - it will be really cold on Reyes Peak overnight.

You could always hike Manzana Creek in the San Rafael with all the boy scouts. If you hike past Manzana Narrows (South Fork is highly recommended) or Manzana Schoolhouse you'll have a wilderness experience.
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PostIcon Posted on: Nov. 14 2012, 2:18 pm Skip to the previous post in this topic. Skip to the next post in this topic. Ignore posts   QUOTE
thanks for the update.  I still plan on going up there this weekend and ill report back.  cold weather doesn't bother me, nothing like a nice fire, little scotch and a warm sleeping bag can't fix!
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PostIcon Posted on: Nov. 15 2012, 10:43 am Skip to the previous post in this topic. Skip to the next post in this topic. Ignore posts   QUOTE
There are fire bans some places - check before you go.

There's currently one in the Ventana, for example.

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beantownR6 Search for posts by this member.

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PostIcon Posted on: Nov. 18 2012, 3:49 pm Skip to the previous post in this topic. Skip to the next post in this topic. Ignore posts   QUOTE
i never made it to pine mountain, too much rain/snow in the forcast.  hopefully they got some, im gonna call the ranger tomorow to find out.  i still plan on going even if i have to carry extra water, just need to make it through to twin forks camp, pretty sure water is flowing there.  i went to big bear instead and camped at holcomb valley camp, one of my favorite car camping spots.  only one other group there friday night and 3 on Saturday, temps in the 40's during saturday and high 20's at night.  

did a quick hike up the cougar crest trail sat.
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tarol Search for posts by this member.
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PostIcon Posted on: Nov. 19 2012, 9:34 am Skip to the previous post in this topic. Skip to the next post in this topic. Ignore posts   QUOTE
nice pic :)  I've been spending a lot of time up in BB lately with my job - there are some fantastic spots to camp and hike up there...  But it's been too cold lately to do so with the baby.

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toejam Search for posts by this member.
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PostIcon Posted on: Nov. 27 2012, 8:00 am Skip to the previous post in this topic. Skip to the next post in this topic. Ignore posts   QUOTE
Hope you got out over the Holiday weekend. I was invited on a 3-day trail recon deep into the San Rafael Wilderness. We had a high, dry & cold camp in the burnt wasteland of Mission Pine Basin, beat a path down the old Fall Creek Trail route to the Sisquoc River, and scared up a mountain lion on the way to a warm, comfortable camp at South Fork Station. On the thrid day of perfect weather we hiked to Manzana Creek and up the Big Cone Spruce Trail, checking out the camp sites and indian art along the way. Forgot my camera.

I’ve been hesitant to write in public about the wonderful places I backpack in the San Rafael Wilderness. I fear they will be overrun by all the scouts, yahoos, wankers, and douchebags in Southern California. These types currently dominate and trash the most easily accessible trail along Manzana Creek from Manzana Narrows to Manzana Schoolhouse. But if you get past this corridor, there are awe inspiring vistas and beautiful shady camps by running streams in abundance.

The yahoos, et al, will never hike the 9 miles to Big Cone Spruce, or 12 miles to White Ledge, or 13 miles to Lorna. The San Rafael Wilderness needs more real backpackers keeping the trails and campsites clear and putting pressure on the Forest Service to give a rip.

It was the 3rd weekend running I got to backpack big miles to amazing places in  the local mountains. There is a lot here to see.
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PostIcon Posted on: Nov. 27 2012, 10:19 am Skip to the previous post in this topic. Skip to the next post in this topic. Ignore posts   QUOTE
Yeah we got out, on wednesday 11/21 we drove up pine mountain road to the reyes peak trailhead and hiked into 6 miles into haddock camp on the gene marshall piedra blanca trail, i carried extra water not counting on the creeks to be flowing.  we really enjoyed the reyes peak trail with views out to the channel islands, and a bit windy along the ridge but clear blue skies.  a mile from camp were bear tracks of a moma and baby bear in the mud from the previous rain, and the trail littered in bear scat but we never encountered any bears.  haddock camp was a crisp 25 degrees at night and so peaceful.   the creeks were dry with the exception of a couple puddles from the rain so decided not to continue on from there.  we did not see anyone on reyes peak and at haddock.

on thursday 11/22 we hiked the 6 miles back out to the trailhead, camped atop reyes peak camp and the next day 11/23 we drove to rose valley to pick up the sespe river trail out to willette hot springs.  it was a hot 9 mile hike and it was ok, first time out there did not really care much for the willette camp sites but we did go in the hot springs and that was nice.  there were quite a few peolple that had the same idea of us to go to willette.  we planned on further exploring but we decided we would rather hike out the next day so we left at 7am to beat the heat, hiked the 9 miles out and went back up to pine mountain to camp one more night.

it was a great trip.  i want to check out the San Rafael Wilderness but i don't know much about it, need to get me a map of the area.
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High_Sierra_Fan Search for posts by this member.

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PostIcon Posted on: Nov. 27 2012, 12:51 pm Skip to the previous post in this topic. Skip to the next post in this topic. Ignore posts   QUOTE
Wilderness Press has a guide out since June on some of that territory:
https://www.wildernesspress.com/product....&page=1

Their Sierra guides have been excellent forever so this may be useful.
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toejam Search for posts by this member.
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PostIcon Posted on: Nov. 27 2012, 3:22 pm Skip to the previous post in this topic. Skip to the next post in this topic. Ignore posts   QUOTE

(High_Sierra_Fan @ Nov. 27 2012, 12:51 pm)
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Wilderness Press has a guide out since June on some of that territory:
https://www.wildernesspress.com/product....&page=1

Yes, Craig Carey hikes all those trails.

The best maps are at:

http://www.bryanconant.com/

There are new National Geographic maps but they don't tell you the trail conditions, which is important in this area where they get overgrown so fast.
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PostIcon Posted on: Nov. 27 2012, 4:27 pm Skip to the previous post in this topic. Skip to the next post in this topic. Ignore posts   QUOTE
Had to say this made me wince:
"HOT OFF THE PRESS

UPDATED and IMPROVED for 2009-2010".

Granted it's the map itself and not the webpage hype that counts but really: three years old stuff isn't "hot" off anything.
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toejam Search for posts by this member.
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PostIcon Posted on: Nov. 28 2012, 8:31 am Skip to the previous post in this topic. Skip to the next post in this topic. Ignore posts   QUOTE
This is from my last climb of Haddock Mtn. A futile attempt to cut back some of the white thorn ceonothus. I hate that stuff.

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beantownR6 Search for posts by this member.

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PostIcon Posted on: Nov. 28 2012, 10:19 am Skip to the previous post in this topic.  Ignore posts   QUOTE
yeah that stuff sucked, we were wearing pants on put on a  long sleeve when going thruogh that stuff.
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