EISPIRATEN

About this time last year, I encountered an individual while descending into the upper reaches of Bear Creek near the Twin Peaks saddle branch:

https://eispiraten.com/w ... t6411.html

Still curious about the area and wanting to explore possible alternatives to reaching triplet rocks, I descended the use path I came across last year. No fresh footprints or signs of travel though there was a nice pile of trash and beer cans at the spot I bumped into the gentleman last year.

I descended into the canyon and carried on downstream. Shortly, I came across what must have been last year's site, lots of tubing running to a series of holes in the ground along an elevated bench above the creekbed as it makes a turn from flowing south to heading east. A couple of gullies nearby were filled with tons of garbage from the abandoned camp.

Well, I decided to continue towards my goal and crossed the creek starting to ascend the far bank. About halfway up the ridge system that forms the south bank, I encountered a freshly dug trail with lots of new footprints. Well, let's see where this goes. I assumed any grow sites would be lower down in the creek near likely water sources. I followed the trail almost to the summit of the ridge where I spied a fellow a-ways off under a lean-to of sorts. Not in the mood to strike up a conversation, I turned, left the trail and headed along the ridge towards East Twin. At this point, I was on top of a wide ridge saddle and immediately came across more tubing coming out of both sides of what looked like a low improvised log cabin of sorts, but what I assume was a well or water tank feeding irrigation lines descending from the saddle into the gullies on both sides of the ridge. You could hear the water running through the tubes. I was really not eager to bump into anybody at this point so I kept going, headed uphill and put some distance between myself and what I presume to be a pretty significant marijuana growing site.

I eventually made my way up onto the triplet rocks ridge about a third of the way out from East Twin and returned via the trail.

It's really a shame that these types are trashing one of the most beautiful woodsy corners of the San Gabriels that I've ever been to. Do any of you canyoneering folks ever find yourselves in these kinds of scenarios? I wonder if hunters who get off the beaten path ever bump into these guys. How can we reclaim the canyons?

I've never come across an active operation. I've seen several old sites though.

Report the operation to the authorities. You actually have an opportunity to help catch these guys.

Thanks for the update and warning. I've seen black tubing before, but never an active or recently used grow site.

Isn't this something the forest service should handle, pulling in law enforcement?

I wonder if recreational pot gets approved in November whether it will impact these types of operations.

tekewin wrote: ↑I wonder if recreational pot gets approved in November whether it will impact these types of operations.

Recreational pot will do for grow sites what the repeal of prohibition did for moonshine stills.

walker wrote: ↑How can we reclaim the canyons?

You might not like the solution, but it's really the only practical way. The government must allow permitted pot growing in specific areas of the mountains, away from official trails. They already issue permits to kill the animals. Why not to grow pot?

Basically, to reclaim the canyons we might have to allow growers into one or two of them. This way we know where they are and can avoid them if so desired. Also, they can be monitored and fined for littering and other minor infractions. However, littering shouldn't be a major issue if the growing areas are properly managed.

I like exploring the mountains, but I don't believe in government land-grabbing. The land is for people to use. Clearly some people want to use it to grow herb. We shouldn't fight such a reasonable, nonviolent desire. Instead we should work with these people to find a mutually beneficial solution.

Unfortunately federal land-grabbing has become so imbedded in the way of life that merely suggesting permitted farming in the wilderness sounds like a crazy idea to most folks.

The government must allow permitted pot growing in specific areas of the mountains, away from official trails.

I'm not opposed to weed growing, but there's enough alternative places where this could be done, probably more efficiently and economically too, that I personally don't see the need to allow it in the national forest.

Sean wrote: ↑Instead we should work with these people to find a mutually beneficial solution.

And we will....if they ask how the solution benefits them they will understand that their benefit is they are still alive....maybe.

Uncle Rico wrote: ↑I'm not opposed to weed growing, but there's enough alternative places where this could be done, probably more efficiently and economically too, that I personally don't see the need to allow it in the national forest.

That may very well be the case. I don't know anything about growing it. So I can't say how economical it might be to grow it in, say, Rancho Cucamonga versus a mile or so into upper Devils Canyon. However there are probably other important factors (besides cost effectiveness) that might make a grower prefer the deep wilderness.

That's a wild idea! Allowing certain canyons or areas to grow pot. It could host new problems while resolving present ones. I am pro marijuana myself for medical use. But illegal grow sites can be occupied by dangerous people and running a cross them in the peace of the forest is pretty sad. I'm concerned about their use of water. Does it make less available for us hikers? These people seem to be camping slobs with no regard for the health of their environment. Which happens to be used by them. You would hope they would keep the soil and area clean. F%&Ker's![/quote]

Rudy Rodriguez wrote: ↑I'm concerned about their use of water. Does it make less available for us hikers? These people seem to be camping slobs...

In the fantasy world where the Feds issue grow permits, a canyon with plenty of water will need to be selected. But it's not like these growers will overrun the Gabes. They will be spread out across many mountain ranges in many counties and states. Maybe we'll have a dozen farms in the Gabes. I don't really know what the demand would be, but I imagine it wouldn't be overwhelming.

To deal with the trash issue, there might have to be some sort of road access so that growers can easily transport their stuff in and out of the canyon. Not exactly a big problem to solve, and maybe an existing road can be used or improved for this purpose.