Kellys Camp Spring (Ontario Peak Trail)

Rescues, fires, weather, roads, trails, water, etc.
User avatar
KathyW
Posts: 212
Joined: Thu Sep 27, 2007 9:00 pm

Post by KathyW »

Spring water shouldn't need to be filtered.

In addition, I haven't filtered/purified water taken from springs, creeks, steams, and lakes in the Sierra in years - no problems yet.
User avatar
RyanB
Posts: 17
Joined: Sun Feb 22, 2009 10:43 am

Post by RyanB »

Does anyone know the water situation at Kelly's Camp? Thanks.
User avatar
friendowl
Posts: 137
Joined: Fri Sep 28, 2007 9:23 am

Post by friendowl »

there is ice cold water coming from the pipe behind the camp..not gushing out but it will fill a water bottle in like a minute..

i was there a few days ago....if you stay ther take bug spray or headnet and a trashbag.....theres lots of trash...next time im there im going to clean up that place...
User avatar
Nate
Posts: 13
Joined: Mon Mar 02, 2009 4:41 pm

Post by Nate »

I am spending the night up at Kellys Camp and have heard there is a water pipe thing that is always running. Is that true? And does anyone know if water is still running out of it after this hot, dry spell?
Thanks
User avatar
RichardK
Posts: 727
Joined: Sun Sep 30, 2007 12:33 pm

Post by RichardK »

I was at Kellys on July 3 and the water pipes (there are two) were still running. They are located across the camp away from the trail. Look for a grassy area. The first pipe has a low flow, but the second would fill a bottle in a minute. By the way, the water does not need filtering. We drink it straight without ill effects.
User avatar
Nate
Posts: 13
Joined: Mon Mar 02, 2009 4:41 pm

Post by Nate »

Okay thanks alot
User avatar
simonov
Posts: 1087
Joined: Tue Nov 27, 2007 5:44 pm
Location: Reno, NV
Contact:

Post by simonov »

Any more current news? I'm going up there this weekend.
Nunc est bibendum
User avatar
asbufra
Posts: 135
Joined: Sun Oct 26, 2008 10:27 pm

Post by asbufra »

I was there last Saturday (July 25th) and the water was flowing fine from the larger pipe. I filled and drank two bottles and did not treat them.
Water was a cool refreshment on a hot afternoon.

It has been a dry week, I wouldn't count completly on the water, I would get some at Columbine Spring first.
User avatar
Nate
Posts: 13
Joined: Mon Mar 02, 2009 4:41 pm

Post by Nate »

Has any one been up to Kellys camp recently?
I've heard that they have a pipe with clean water, but when I was up there last year I could not find it. It was getting dark so I didn't look too hard, but I don't want to get stuck with out water again.

Can anyone tell me where the water is located in the camp?

Thanks,
Nate
User avatar
Hikin_Jim
Posts: 4686
Joined: Thu Sep 27, 2007 9:04 pm

Post by Hikin_Jim »

Nate,

Take a look at this map of Kelly Camp & vicinity. The water is at approximately point "A".

Here's how to find it: Go as far west as you can while still staying on the flat area upon which Kelly Camp was built. Once you get to the western edge, you should be overlooking the gully where point "A" is. Look to your left. From the left corner of the flat area, you should see a faint trail heading back into the gully. It may be covered with snow right now, but usually there's a green patch where the two pipes are coming out of the ground. Note that there are two different pipes a few feet apart. The trail doesn't drop steeply in the gully; it contours further left and only descends slightly.

If there's snow, then you're all set. Just melt snow on your stove.

HJ
User avatar
Nate
Posts: 13
Joined: Mon Mar 02, 2009 4:41 pm

Post by Nate »

Thanks for the help!
User avatar
RichardK
Posts: 727
Joined: Sun Sep 30, 2007 12:33 pm

Post by RichardK »

We hiked to Kelly Camp today June 12. I was surprised to see that neither of the springs at Kelly had any water. Both pipes were dry. I assume that the underground source of the water is still frozen. There were patches of snow here and there. It would be strange if these springs dried up. Icehouse Canyon creek was rampaging, Columbine had an excellent flow, and there was a small seep running across the trail about half way between the saddle and Kelly.

The volunteer who cleaned up much of the spray paint has also filled in many of the switchback cuts with piles of rocks and logs. Unfortunately, people continue to cut switchbacks. I had words with two of them today.

The visitors center now limits parking to 15 minutes. The lot was empty when we stopped to get our permit. If you are hiking the Bear Flat trail, be prepared to park elsewhere.

We passed a group of blind hikers. The sighted were leading the blind. The leader and the sweep wore orange bibs announcing "Blind Hikers". I have never seen this before. Now I am wondering if I could hike that canyon blindfolded being led by someone else. Hats off to the blind hikers.

Here is pipe #1 at Kelly:

Image

Here is pipe #2:

Image

The pool of water under #2 is snow melt from the slope above:

Image
User avatar
simonov
Posts: 1087
Joined: Tue Nov 27, 2007 5:44 pm
Location: Reno, NV
Contact:

Post by simonov »

Man, I sure hope the spring is frozen, as you suggest. Springs can suddenly turn off and turn on for a variety of geological reasons. It would really be a bummer if the spring was off permanently, because it helps to make Kelly's Camp my favorite camping site in the San Gabes.
Nunc est bibendum
User avatar
Johnny Bronson
Posts: 179
Joined: Mon May 31, 2010 2:04 pm

Post by Johnny Bronson »

RichardK wrote: We passed a group of blind hikers. The sighted were leading the blind. The leader and the sweep wore orange bibs announcing "Blind Hikers". I have never seen this before. Now I am wondering if I could hike that canyon blindfolded being led by someone else. Hats off to the blind hikers.
That is awesome!Truly is amazing when you see such things with clear vision.Amazing what adversity inspires.
User avatar
norma r
Posts: 707
Joined: Thu Nov 06, 2008 4:22 pm

Post by norma r »

great video Johnny. thanks for sharing. :)
User avatar
Johnny Bronson
Posts: 179
Joined: Mon May 31, 2010 2:04 pm

Post by Johnny Bronson »

my pleasure :thumbup:
User avatar
simonov
Posts: 1087
Joined: Tue Nov 27, 2007 5:44 pm
Location: Reno, NV
Contact:

Post by simonov »

As of yesterday, 10 July, there is basically no water coming out of the spring at Kelly's Camp:



I will be leading a group of backpackers up there in two weeks and we will be filling up at Columbine Spring below the saddle.
Nunc est bibendum
User avatar
simonov
Posts: 1087
Joined: Tue Nov 27, 2007 5:44 pm
Location: Reno, NV
Contact:

Post by simonov »

As of yesterday, 10 July, there is basically no water coming out of the spring at Kelly's Camp:



I will be leading a group of backpackers up there in two weeks and we will be filling up at Columbine Spring below the saddle.
Nunc est bibendum
User avatar
Hikin_Jim
Posts: 4686
Joined: Thu Sep 27, 2007 9:04 pm

Post by Hikin_Jim »

That's weird that it would dry up so early after a good snow year. Drag.

HJ
User avatar
RichardK
Posts: 727
Joined: Sun Sep 30, 2007 12:33 pm

Post by RichardK »

Simonov - We hiked Ontario yesterday. We must have passed on the trail. I made a point of checking Kelly's water and was surprised to see it dry. The first pipe, which never had that much flow, was dry. The water pooling under the second pipe seemed to be oozing out of the ground. Could the pipes have clogged up? I assume that these pipes are left over from the pack station days. If so, they have a lot of years on them.
User avatar
simonov
Posts: 1087
Joined: Tue Nov 27, 2007 5:44 pm
Location: Reno, NV
Contact:

Post by simonov »

I'm no geologist, but from what little I understand about these things, I have two theories:

1. Sometimes springs just dry up. The subterranean watercourse gets shifted for some reason and the water no longer appears at the surface at the usual location. I hope that's not what happened here, because it would probably be a permanent change.

2. The current dry spring is the result of the multi-year drought that ended this last winter. Despite the single good season of precipitation, the aquifer that supplied the spring has been too depleted by the several years of drought preceding it. If this is the case, then a few good years should get the spring flowing again.
Nunc est bibendum
User avatar
Hikin_Jim
Posts: 4686
Joined: Thu Sep 27, 2007 9:04 pm

Post by Hikin_Jim »

That is so weird. It was fine during the drought, and now that we've had a good year it's dry? Hunh?

HJ
User avatar
jfr
Posts: 153
Joined: Sat Dec 12, 2009 3:01 pm

Post by jfr »

I was there three weeks ago, and the pipe was barely dripping, but the water was flowing out of the ground above the pipe, and filling the pool quite nicely. We filtered our water from the pool. When I look at your before and after pictures, it seems that when the pipe was working properly the ground above the pipe was dry.

From what I understand, these spring pipes lead to a loosely-constructed wooden box that was buried underground years ago. The box has plenty of surface area and fills with water from underground seepage. The pipe extends into the box about halfway up and relieves the box of excess water. Eventually, sediment can fill the bottom half of the box and block the outflow. At that point the box fills up and the spring seeks outlet through the ground above (and downhill from) the buried box. This, I believe, is what we are seeing now.

These spring boxes are meant to be cleaned of sediment every so often, and I'm sure this one hasn't been. The men who built it may have died of old age by now. Of course, it's so old that the box itself may have collapsed.

If some kind soul hiked up there with an electrician's snake or a small plumber's snake (use a NEW plumbers snake, please - not the nasty one you used to clean your toilet and/or sink drains!) they might be able to remove the blockage in the box. Unless it collapsed. Then the only hope is a new box. :cry:

Here's my video of the spring from three weeks ago (June 19):

Compare it to what you saw yesterday. I'll bet it's flowing out of the ground about the same.

I'd rather believe that the spring/box/pipe is damaged than that the spring itself is drying up. But you might well be correct. Springs come and go, and no one really knows why...
My hiking trip reports: https://hikingtales.com/
User avatar
simonov
Posts: 1087
Joined: Tue Nov 27, 2007 5:44 pm
Location: Reno, NV
Contact:

Post by simonov »

If the box is collapsed or filled with sediments, then the artesian well will be a thing of the past. Given that it's in a Federal Wilderness Area, there's little chance the box will be repaired.
Nunc est bibendum
User avatar
Hikin_Jim
Posts: 4686
Joined: Thu Sep 27, 2007 9:04 pm

Post by Hikin_Jim »

simonov wrote:If the box is collapsed or filled with sediments, then the artesian well will be a thing of the past. Given that it's in a Federal Wilderness Area, there's little chance the box will be repaired.


What usually happens with a spring like the one at Kellys is that someone will see a seep or dampish area. They'll put in a spring box to improve the flow and make the water more accessible. Those pipes were a real God send when they were flowing, but if the spring box collapses or fills, the water should still be seeping. It might be possible to to dig a simple "seep pit", wait a while, let it fill, and then extract water. Dunno, but might be worth trying. Losing the water at Kellys would render a really good site far more inaccessible.

HJ
User avatar
Mike P
Posts: 1005
Joined: Tue Oct 02, 2007 10:48 pm

Post by Mike P »

Has anyone looked in the creek area (northeast-ish) below the camp? There is usually water down there.
User avatar
RichardK
Posts: 727
Joined: Sun Sep 30, 2007 12:33 pm

Post by RichardK »

We hiked Ontario Peak Saturday, Sept 18. The water situation at Kellys has not changed. The first pipe is dry. There is water pooling at the second pipe, but it is coming from underground not the pipe. As an open pool, I think you want to purify this water before using.

Image

Someone has done a little excavation just up the hill, I assume, trying to locate a better flow.

Image
User avatar
simonov
Posts: 1087
Joined: Tue Nov 27, 2007 5:44 pm
Location: Reno, NV
Contact:

Post by simonov »

I just carry my own water up from Columbine Spring and suggest other people do the same.

The realization that Kelly's is the only water available at those elevations for the bighorns, deer and other animals that live up there makes me reluctant to suck the pool dry with my Katadyn.
Nunc est bibendum
User avatar
turtle
Posts: 152
Joined: Wed Jan 27, 2010 11:35 am

Post by turtle »

Richard K, where exactly is the pipe located at the camp? Elwood and I were through there yesterday as well, but could not locate the pipe.

Simonov, do you consider the water from Columbine safe to drink without filtering? I'd think so, given that it's coming directly out of the ground, but would like to hear some other opinions...
User avatar
RichardK
Posts: 727
Joined: Sun Sep 30, 2007 12:33 pm

Post by RichardK »

The pipes are located across the camp from the trail. From where the trail takes a left turn to head up to the Bighorn/Ontario junction, keep walking west about 100 feet. Look for a patch of green grass. There is a faint use trail leading to the pipes.

We have been drinking Columbine Spring water without treatment for 12 years - along with several thousand Koreans.

Simonov is correct. Leave this little dribble of water for the animals. Stock up at Columbine which always has a good flow.
Post Reply