EISPIRATEN

What is the nearest water source, presently, to Mt Lowe camp? I'm guessing Bear Canyon...but I'm not sure. I'm interested in going that way and would prefer to attain water instead of carry it.

Maybe the first brook / stream / creak off the Idle Hour Trail coming down from Upper Sam Merrill? Just a guess

There is a water source at the Mt. Lowe Trail Camp. If you go up the hill above and to the right of the retaining wall (the last remnant of Ye Olde Alpine Tavern) you will encounter a large water tank. Walk up around the right side of the tank and you will see water coming right out of the side of the tank. Presumably you could venture further up the hill to the source, but the stream of water from the side of the tank has always worked for me, with no ill affects. You can always filter or treat if you desire.

I was just up there a couple of weeks ago and the flow is strong enough to fill a 3 litre camelback in a bout 5-10 seconds.

Thanks for the quick help.

Anyone been there recently? Thinking about making a trip up there. Wondering if I need to haul water up??

Thanks!!

There was plenty of water there Jan 11-12. Water in the metal tank that is. There hasn't been water running out of the spring box pipe or the seep below the camp for a long time.

I was up there today, and the spring is flowing decently. Filled a liter in about 20 seconds.

Anyone been to Lowe recently and if so was there any water in the tank or from the spring box pipe? It's getting so dry camping is becoming the norm.

I was at Commanche Camp 10/3/14. No water. Water was flowing pretty good at 3rd stream.

I cant help you on Lowe but I just wanted to say thanks for the update on Commanche. i was wondering about that.

I didn't see it with my own eyes, but a co-worker told me her hiking partner filled a bottle from the Mt Lowe campground tank about 2 weeks ago.

I was there early on Sunday. Didn't see any water but didn't go up to the tank

Thanks for the responses. Just to be safe I guess I'll have to haul water up there with an expectation of a dry camp and consider it good exercise if there is water at the camp.

Anyone been up recently? Curious as well about the water situation at Mt. Lowe. Really would hate hauling 4L of water up there

I did get up to Mt. Lowe camp last Sat/Sun with a meet up group. There was water in the tank and plenty flowing into it from the pipe. I assume the fill pipe is a direct connection to the spring. The spring there (Crystal Spring) may be as reliable as Little Jimmy-just a guess on my part. The tank has so many holes in it the water is probably draining out about as fast as it's coming in. There was a bit of a tannin like color to the water probably due to the accumulated debris in the tank.

Has anyone been up recently? Wondering if there is any water after the recent rains, or if it needs to be hauled in.

Thanks.

Edit: According to the Ranger, there is water.

Edit #2: Plenty of water flowing into the cistern @ the trail camp as of 3/15.

That tank is pretty reliable. Remember that they built Crystal Spring to provide water year-round for guests and staff of the Alpine Tavern. I've never seen it dry. Typically the spring box's overflow pipe is dry. But water is always pouring out of the tank. If it's going to dry up, it'll be later in the summer.

Finally a positive water report. Water is flowing out of holes in the tank at Mt Lowe Campground today.

Has anyone been up here recently? I was thinking of doing an overnighter and breaking in some gear. Water still flowing?

I hit it up twice in September, maybe one of those days was early October. Water both times.

I was there last week and a good flow was coming from the overflow pipe at Crystal Spring.

There is still a decent flow from the spring box.