Info: Chantry flats - Spruce Grove Camp Loop

Beantown · Post by **Beantown** » Wed Mar 21, 2012 8:58 am

hey everyone, this is a great site and resource

I am new to backpacking, but not new to the outdoors, camping, especially in primitive places and off the beaten path type places i can get to with my jeep.

anyways ive been aquiring some gear, and looking for a good place to try it out for my first adventure with my g/f. we are planning on going april 6th-8th and hiking from chantry flats, to spruce grove camp and spend the night, and then hike to hoegees camp and spend another night, then back to chantry. not sure of the exact route yet, but i do have a hiking map of the area.

i called the ranger to ask about spruce grove camp to inquire about fire rings and camp fires, but didn't ask about hoegees. are there camp fires / fire rings allowed at hogees?

also will there be water in the streams available at camp and along the trails, hoping there will be after the big storm we just got. we do plan on checking out strugent falls.

also, are bears a problem there? i was planning on getting a bear canister for when we go to bear country, but not yet. would hanging be ok, or should i bring a canister?

i also read that the parking lot fills up fast on the weekend. if we arrive friday morning say around 10am, would we find parking?

if we were to go off and explore a trail during the day, i was wondering if i should take my gear with me, or will it be safe if i left most of it at camp?

thanks

Dragon · Post by **Dragon** » Wed Mar 21, 2012 9:07 am

Yes, Hoegees has fire rings and some stoves as well. I think they require you to get a fire permit, but they are free and they are good to the end of the year.

Regarding the parking situation at Chantry Flats, it fills up very quickly. I have arrived at the trail head at 6:45AM and got the last spot available. If all the spots are taken and you are only going on a day hike you can park (for $5 I believe) at Adam's Pack Station; but they do not allow for over night parking there. The other alternative is to park down the road from Chantry Flats and then walk up to the trail head. I would advise arriving at the trail head much earlier then 10AM if you plan on not dealing with parking headaches. If you do arrive at 10AM, you can always dump your gear at the trailhead, have your g/f watch it as you park and walk back to the trail head. The first time I did this trip this is exactly what my buddy and I had to do. It added an additional mile to his trip both ways.

As far as the water situation, I have not been to that area in about a year or so, but the last time that I was there the water was flowing at a very good rate. I would imagine that the flow might be a little reduced due to our dry winter this year, but you should still be able to get water from the creek at both locations. I would verify this with the ranger at the trail head or you could call up Adam's Pack Station and inquire with them about the water conditions.

Post by **Hikin_Jim** » Wed Mar 21, 2012 11:31 am

Beantown wrote: ↑hey everyone, this is a great site and resource

I am new to backpacking, but not new to the outdoors, camping, especially in primitive places and off the beaten path type places i can get to with my jeep.

anyways ive been aquiring some gear, and looking for a good place to try it out for my first adventure with my g/f. we are planning on going april 6th-8th and hiking from chantry flats, to spruce grove camp and spend the night, and then hike to hoegees camp and spend another night, then back to chantry. not sure of the exact route yet, but i do have a hiking map of the area.

i called the ranger to ask about spruce grove camp to inquire about fire rings and camp fires, but didn't ask about hoegees. are there camp fires / fire rings allowed at hogees?

also will there be water in the streams available at camp and along the trails, hoping there will be after the big storm we just got. we do plan on checking out strugent falls.

also, are bears a problem there? i was planning on getting a bear canister for when we go to bear country, but not yet. would hanging be ok, or should i bring a canister?

i also read that the parking lot fills up fast on the weekend. if we arrive friday morning say around 10am, would we find parking?

if we were to go off and explore a trail during the day, i was wondering if i should take my gear with me, or will it be safe if i left most of it at camp?

thanks

There will be plenty of water at both sites.

There are fire rings at both sites.

Parking is b*tch. Get there before 0630 if at all possible. It's a pain, but worth it.

I've never had my gear messed with anywhere in the back country, but I always worry a little bit in high traffic areas. Hoegees especially is high traffic. I sometimes bring a black 55 gallon trash bag and stash gear off the trail in some bushes while day hiking.

There are bears. I've seen them personally. A canister probably isn't necessary. An Ur Sack should be fine. You could also hang your food (12' up, well away from the trunk or other branches). These aren't Sierra bears and you can generally still get away with hanging here. REI is right down the road, though, and I think they rent canisters. The Forest Service may rent them too.

HJ

Beantown · Post by **Beantown** » Wed Mar 21, 2012 11:41 am

thanks for both responses.

just to make sure, even on friday morning, the lot is full? we will go early if that is the case.

i will hang the food at night. would love to see a bear, but the g/f won't lol. i have seen one before while camping, it was awsome!

thanks alot!

Dragon · Post by **Dragon** » Wed Mar 21, 2012 11:54 am

The crowd normally only descends on Chantry Flats on Sat and Sun (and Monday too if it's a three day weekend). You should be fine on Friday since that parking area is a ghost town typically Mon-Fri.

VermillionPearlGirl · Post by **VermillionPearlGirl** » Wed Mar 21, 2012 2:26 pm

Actually, until recently I was hiking Chantry about 2 times a week on weekdays and it as far from a ghost town. By 10 or 11 on a nice day it'll fill up. But fortunately people are also leaving so you should be ok. I usually get there at 6 and leave at 9 and there are other early morning hikers as well who will leave by 10, so it should be no problem.

Actually, that's my usually Chantry strategy on the weekends. If I can't get there at like 6am, I don't go till like 2pm. Then you catch people leaving.

And yeah, there'll be plenty of water!!

Dragon · Post by **Dragon** » Wed Mar 21, 2012 2:32 pm

It seems that things have changed since that last time I was in that area. That's a shame that it's crazy busy all the time now. I'm like you: I try to get to the trail head before 7AM or after 4PM since I miss the crowds that way. Its the crowded nature of that place that has made me go further into the mountains for my travels. That and I love being in the thin air; the Little Jimmy trail camp is at 7500 feet.

Beantown · Post by **Beantown** » Wed Mar 21, 2012 2:42 pm

Dragon wrote: ↑It seems that things have changed since that last time I was in that area. That's a shame that it's crazy busy all the time now. I'm like you: I try to get to the trail head before 7AM or after 4PM since I miss the crowds that way. Its the crowded nature of that place that has made me go further into the mountains for my travels. That and I love being in the thin air; the Little Jimmy trail camp is at 7500 feet.

i hear ya, i love the higher elevations. don't know what it is, thin air, cleaner air...

although chantry flats sounds like a grear place, a little crowded tho, this is a first time to try out our gear. i plan on doing lots more further in and higher up once i get some experience.

Dragon · Post by **Dragon** » Wed Mar 21, 2012 3:07 pm

Chantry Flats is a great place for gear testing; it kinda sucks though having to deal with the tons of flatlanders that like to take walks in the woods at the same time.

PackerGreg · Post by **PackerGreg** » Wed Mar 21, 2012 4:37 pm

You said Friday at 10 am. I you arrive on Friday, there should be no problem finding parking. The pack station does allow overnight parking, the cabin owners do it all the time. And your car is much safer from break-ins because there are two full-time residents at the pack station. If you park at the pack station, talk to Rich and give him your itinerary so he can pick a good spot for you.

You can't call the pack station for a while - the recent solar storm fried the microwave phone system and they have to wait for the Forest Service to fix it.

The pack station no longer issues fire permits, but you can get one at the Supervisor's Office down the road on Santa Anita at the 210 fwy. There are stoves and fire rings at Hoegee's but only stoves at Spruce Grove.

Beantown · Post by **Beantown** » Thu Mar 22, 2012 7:30 am

PackerGreg wrote: ↑You said Friday at 10 am. I you arrive on Friday, there should be no problem finding parking. The pack station does allow overnight parking, the cabin owners do it all the time. And your car is much safer from break-ins because there are two full-time residents at the pack station. If you park at the pack station, talk to Rich and give him your itinerary so he can pick a good spot for you.

You can't call the pack station for a while - the recent solar storm fried the microwave phone system and they have to wait for the Forest Service to fix it.

The pack station no longer issues fire permits, but you can get one at the Supervisor's Office down the road on Santa Anita at the 210 fwy. There are stoves and fire rings at Hoegee's but only stoves at Spruce Grove.

great thanks for the info. i already have a fire permit.

are you sure about no fire rings at spruce grove camp, when i called the ranger he said there are fire rings....

the pack service map says stoves only, but there is a fire ring in this picture in the background.

PackerGreg · Post by **PackerGreg** » Thu Mar 22, 2012 3:31 pm

Thanks for pointing that out. I talked to Deb at the pack station and she told me that they (mostly Eagle Scouts) have installed fire rings at Spruce since I have been here in Three Rivers. She also said they removed a couple of the stoves, but with seven sites, you'll be able to find one with both facilities. I'll amend the info on the pack station website. I put a lot of time into that website and it's annoying when something changes and they don't tell me

Post by **HikeUp** » Thu Mar 22, 2012 3:51 pm

Interesting picture comparison. Picnic benches migrate.

From Dec. 2009...

robnokshus · Post by **robnokshus** » Fri Mar 23, 2012 1:50 pm

If crowds are a concern, you may want to also consider parking at Red Box and camping at Valley Forge or West Fork campgrounds. Lot less traffic than Big Santa Anita. The only downside is that it's all uphill on the way out.

Rudy Rodriguez · Post by **Rudy Rodriguez** » Tue Mar 27, 2012 2:32 pm

As for water. If you use the Zion trail to get from spruce grove to hoegee's camp there's no water. You might find a muddy trickle but not much else.

Rudy Rodriguez · Post by **Rudy Rodriguez** » Tue Mar 27, 2012 2:38 pm

Oh yeah, as for keeping your stuff secure. I have had evidence that someone entered my unattended tent in the past. A friendly camp neighbor can keep an eye out. Its a crapshoot. Hide hour stuff or roll the dice and take the chance. But if you hide your stuff a squirrel might get your food...