EISPIRATEN

Just for "fun," I drank straight out of the creek at Alger Creek in the SGW last Friday. Filled my 2L Camelbak and drank it dry. No adverse affects. I've read how the whole girardia scare started in the 80's. For those of us who remember, it seemed like overnight all of the water in N Amer...

There is a sign. I'm looking at a photo of it now. I can't read it all, but it says in English and in Spanish: CRYSTAL LAKE RECREATION AREA CLOSED Per Forest order (CFR some number, CFR another number) Order (some number) For further information call US Forest Service 626-325-1291 Don't quote me on ...

HikeUp wrote:As of the morning of May 2nd, Bailey Canyon is closed until further notice. Whatever.

Passion duly noted.

The Crystal Lake area is also closed to hikers/backpackers. HUH? How's a guy possa know it's closed? Are there signs all over the place up there? What if you go there from the north? Yep. There was a big sign at Windy Gap last time I was there. Next time I went by, someone had pulled it out of the ...

Is all of Little SA Canyon off limits? That is harsh. Probably some grafitti or trash problems. I doubt very much that canyoneers are causing any trouble. The thing I hate is that there's no intelligence to most of these closure decisions. It's an all or nothing closure. There ought to be a way to g...

I think it's about 16 mi RT from Islip Saddle to Baden-Powell and return. Something like that. I don't think that's one for you and your daughter. Stick with Islip with her. If you're thinking about doing a hike for yourself sometime, Islip to B-P is a nice one. Since Hwy 2 is closed through there, ...

It says there's a slide; at least there's a slide marked on the map. Probably why they closed the road lower down. Keep people out. Sometimes the USFS gets a little overzealous. Says they'll fine you if you're caught. The Crystal Lake area is also closed to hikers/backpackers. Kind of lame. I'm all ...

AW wrote:upper bear creek trail is closed from Hwy39....FYI

? Really? Nothing wrong with it. Just routine USFS paranoia or ?

Little Jimmy is a nice spot. The first part of the trail from Islip Saddle is a pretty good pull, but once you get past the first 3/4 mile or so it levels out. It's only about 2 miles to Little Jimmy. It's a big camp with plenty of tent sites. There are pit toilets (outhouses in other words). There ...

Where are you planning to camp? I've had it in the back of my mind that I'd like to camp at Comanche for several years now. Lovely spot, and the water is pretty much reliable year around. That'd be a great peak bag (to Cucamonga) from there. Dang. Probably can't make it. Just got married and gotta d...

I'm very interested in the conditions on that exact route too. I'm just guessing but I would expect some snow (not sure how much though) on the north side of Twin and perhaps in the shady areas between Buckhorn and the saddle. The trail from Three Points to the saddle I would expect to be snow free...

Going down via Devil's Backbone .... doing the loop .... Heading downhill, after Baldy Notch, do most hikers descend to Manker Flat using a combination of access road and foot trail? Seems like the foot trail shortcuts save a lot of time; however, there is a section of foot trail in the middle that...

Maybe it's burning over to the west? Still, I to am surprised. I'd think they'd want to keep it closed in case the wind shifted or something. Maybe they're really confident about their containment lines.

There are a couple of very informative threads on igloos at SummitPost. Basically, as you discovered, an igloo is too much work for an overnight. But since a good igloo can last all season, most of the experienced folks in the threads simply build them at the beginning of the season and continue us...

Way back when, I tried using ponchos as rain shelters; one of the reasons I thought shelters were not an original ten essential. For a light rain with little wind I thought is was adequate. If the rain was heavy, I was usually fighting runoff flowing constantly into “my limited space”. Really need ...

Yeah, great falls. I didn't know about them specifically although I know there are falls in some of the side canyons. Thanks in particular for the map.

Before I go any further, Happy Birthday, Rick . So, just how many of those little alcohol stoves do you have? Do you give them out as a "consolation prize" (sorry you didn't make it on your hike) to people you pick up on SAR missions? :wink: Igloos, hunh? Have you got that "down to a ...

I have a very nice Big Agnes Sunnyslope II tent which stood me in very good stead (down bags 100% dry) in a very intense storm last summer in Rocky Mtn Natl Park, but it weighs 5+ lbs. It's not bad with a partner, but way to much for my solos. I've done a couple of things to try to not have to carry...

Hi Jim, nice meeting you up in John's Meadow. Was yours the party camped by the road to the Forsee Creek trailhead as we drove out on Sunday morning? Good to meet you too. Actually, this was a pretty wimpy trip. We were staying in one of the "organizational camps" in Barton Flats (read: &...

Cool pics! 15F at 9,000+ feet. No problems for Snowpeak GigaPower or Jetboil. 15F isn't too bad -- propane is supposed to be good down to about 0F. It's below 0F that you'd really get into trouble. However, that's at sea level. Add in the altitude effects and you're pushing the safety margin a bit a...

There's a great pool in the Arroyo Seco, maybe a mile down stream from Sturtevant falls. I think Jim meant to say a mile down stream from Switzer Falls. Doh! Yes, Switzer. Sorry. Between the base of the falls and the trail coming out of Bear Canyon. Upper Devil's Canyon Falls (and pool) are a coupl...

Yesterday, 4/27, I was hurrying back down the Bear Canyon trail. About 100 yards past Bear Flat creek, around 5pm, I heard a strange sound and heard some tree branches moving very loudly. I figured that two fat squirrels were fighting in the trees, and took a quick look up at the branches right abo...

On the radio, they said 59% contained and, perhaps more importantly, that the area of the fire had not grown.

Rick's stove evolution: Three rocks wood, Ronson butane, Gerry white gas, Svea 123 white gas, Peak One white gas, Primus white gas, MSR MGK multi fuel, Hank Robert's propane, MSR Whisperlite white gas, and finally, my homemade recycled soda can :roll: alcohol. Bought 14 HG cartridges for 25 cents e...

FIGHT ON wrote:OH and don't EVEN talk to me about caffeine

Dude, you seem so stressed out. Maybe you should switch to decaf?

Hermit Falls, which is very close to Chantry Flats is good. There's a great pool in Devil's Canyon, but it's a tough hike to get to. There's a great pool in the Arroyo Seco, maybe a mile down stream from Sturtevant falls. Santa Paula Creek near Thomas Aquinas College has some of the best pools I've ...

Hey, Travis, ditto on many of the others' comments. Thanks for the info, the tips, and for this forum.

FIGHT ON wrote:...He could be a robot ya know.

That would explain a lot about Rick K.

I hear his middle name is "dromedary."

What kind of shape is the trail in? The last time I was up there (2006?), there were a lot of wash outs (3?) on scree slopes. One could detour without too much trouble by climbing up and around the head of the scree slope in a sort of horseshoe pattern, but it really freaked my friend Jared out (he'...

HikeUp: most commonly known as Allison Saddle. The use trail traversing to Allison Mine starts to the left near the saddle. Actually, that's the real trail, but use is the only thing keeping it open. Anyone been down that way recently? I haven't been for quite a few years, and I'm wondering how the...