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anutami Posts: 491
8/22/2012
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Well, I am going to have a new "brother in law" and come to find out he loves to hike! He is wanting to to a backpack trip in early May for his bachelor party and has 2 days (we will only be drinking water). I was wondering if you guys have any suggestions where to go? I know May is when it starts getting a bit warm and was thinking about doing San Jacinto, but want Plan A to be ABDSP. He has never been out to ABDSP and would love to get him "hooked", (and the other dudes going as well.).
Thanks in advance for any advice!
Just got back from Little Lakes Valley end of rock creek road @ Toms Place, CA in the Sierras, and if you have not been there it is an amazing place to go!!!!
here are a few pics
6+ hours in the truck with my 4 year old Brett, 7 year old Brenna, and our 4 year old golden retriever rusty was a bit crazy! (no wonder my wife wanted to stay home) notice the head phones
Nice new Ranger Station in Lone Pipe where we picked up our permits (you can reserve them online now @ recreation.gov)
Finally made it to the trail head! There is a backpackers camp in the parking lot, we just camped in the truck camper to acclimate since it is 10k feet in elevation.
Where is all the gear you ask?
on my back of course!
great fishing in the lakes and streams
Area is know for relatively easy trail (was very crowded on trail, but once off trail nobody around)
kids first trout!
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hikerdmb Posts: 423
8/22/2012
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Great place to hike with the kids. That is also the first place we took our daughters backpacking when they were just about the age of your kids. They thought it was so cool to climb up to Morgan Pass. They still talk about that trip. Now they are in their early 20's and still love camping and hiking. Thanks for sharing the pics. We go to LLV a couple of times a year. Even skied up there and camped a couple of times in winter. Nice dog too.
Here's my goldern Wylie last February as we skied down the road after a daytrip up to the lakes.
On that trip we camped at Holiday Camp at the lower end of the canyon. Free and empty in the winter.
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dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2622
8/22/2012
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Always love your trip reports with the kids, they are great....now we have your dog also...!
While the old ranger station had some charm..(cough, cough..) the new one is way better, I have spent an hour or so in there with my son on several trips....and they have bathrooms now.
For your May trip (a long way away) what kind of "hiking" does he/you/they like? Trail, freestyle, peak bagging, wildlife, etc..??
Maybe Rabbit/Villager or Inner Pasture/Red Top or go down the length of Carrizo Gorge or Pinyon Wash and over Sunset Mtn or Coyote Cyn or....???
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http://www.sefcik.com
http://www.darensefcik.com
http://www.carrizogorge.com
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DHeuschele Posts: 87
8/23/2012
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Looks like a great trip to LLV. It has been too long since I have been there. I had a backpackers trio planned there a year ago but we cancelled due to weather. It was the same weekend as the Whitney storm that stuck on Whitney (so we made the right choice).
My recommendation would be Whale going up one route and down another (car shuttle). It offers a lot... nice peak, island in the sky, petroglyphs, nice camp location at the top. Usually no one else camping there.
I am not a big fan of Rabbit; a lot of effort for not a very spectacular summit (Villager is better). If you want a challenging peak somewhat similar to Rabbit I recommend Dawns Peak (6582). It gets much less people, has better view than Rabbit, and has perhaps the best summit marker in ABSP (7-8' cairn).
Indian Head is nice but the top camp location is not far up Borrego Palm Canyon. Has water at top camp spot.
Indian Canyon to Borrego Palm Canyon is nice and has water at likely camp locations. This is a easier hike than indicated in AF&AF.
I have not done this one but have wanted to ... Rock House Canyon (the one North not the one near Bow Willow). You can go in search of the old houses/villages.
There are many good choices but Whale is my top recommendation. Have fun.
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anutami Posts: 491
8/23/2012
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Thanks for all the input. I know it is a long way away, but trying to get him to do it a bit sooner. He said he wants it to be difficult and I was thinking either bagging a peak, or a trek through a canyon. I like the idea of a whale peak loop, carrizo gorge or inner pasture/red top. I will leave it up to him (uncle rocco).
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DHeuschele Posts: 87
8/23/2012
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anutami wrote:
He said he wants it to be difficult and I was thinking either bagging a peak, or a trek through a canyon. I like the idea of a whale peak loop, carrizo gorge or inner pasture/red top. I will leave it up to him (uncle rocco).
I rrecommended Whale but in my view it is not that difficult. It can easily be done in a day.
If you want hard Dawns qualifies (as does Rabbit but I do not like Rabbbit much).
I have done Dawns 2X and our group was the only ones there. Beautiful view in direction of Rockhouse Canyon. Great cairn. Not only qualifies as difficult but it is also seldom bagged.
Have fun.
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ziphius Posts: 911
8/23/2012
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I vote for Inner Pasture on Day 1, via Agua Caliente and Moonlight Canyon. Set up camp and have a nice meal on the floor of the Pasture, preferably the northern end where it seems to be free of migrant activity. Day 2, start early and bushwhack and boulder-scramble your way up to the summit of Red Top. If THAT hasn't tired him out, Sawtooth Peak is adjacent to Red Top and you can bag that one too. Then on your way home, stop at Chipotle's Mexican Grill for a giant burrito which you will both be craving.
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http://www.coyotelearning.org
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dsefcik Administrator Posts: 2622
8/23/2012
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ziphius wrote:
I vote for Inner Pasture on Day 1, via Agua Caliente and Moonlight Canyon. Set up camp and have a nice meal on the floor of the Pasture, preferably the northern end where it seems to be free of migrant activity. Day 2, start early and bushwhack and boulder-scramble your way up to the summit of Red Top. If THAT hasn't tired him out, Sawtooth Peak is adjacent to Red Top and you can bag that one too.
Then on your way home, stop at Chipotle's Mexican Grill for a giant burrito which you will both be craving.
--
http://www.sefcik.com
http://www.darensefcik.com
http://www.carrizogorge.com
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rockhopper Posts: 668
8/24/2012
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Wow, planning 9 months out. Drinking only water for 2 days for a bachelor party? Oh man, how about doing a ABDSP trip in Nov.-March and doing
the bachelor party in Vegas!
If you insist on going in May, here is my 2c
Plan A) Hot weather: Do the San Jac hike as mentioned
Plan B) Cooler weather ( For me, that would be below 80F for desert back packing. OK, I was not a Navy Seal. I'm not worthy! )
How about a Cactus spring trail hike from hwy 74 down to hwy 86. You will be hiking on a 1000+ year old native american trail route.
Hike from the top to the spring day 1 ( water fill up at horse thief spring) Day 2 down Auga alta or Martiniz canyon with a stop
at Jack Miller 1925 rock house and on down. I know this is just out side of the ABDSP but close enough for me.
btw Bring food! Two days of back packing make anyone very Hungry!
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anutami Posts: 491
8/24/2012
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rockhopper wrote:
Wow, planning 9 months out. Drinking only water for 2 days for a bachelor party? Oh man, how about doing a ABDSP trip in Nov.-March and doing
the bachelor party in Vegas!
If you insist on going in May, here is my 2c
Plan A) Hot weather: Do the San Jac hike as mentioned
Plan B) Cooler weather ( For me, that would be below 80F for desert back packing. OK, I was not a Navy Seal. I'm not worthy! )
How about a Cactus spring trail hike from hwy 74 down to hwy 86. You will be hiking on a 1000+ year old native american trail route.
Hike from the top to the spring day 1 ( water fill up at horse thief spring) Day 2 down Auga alta or Martiniz canyon with a stop
at Jack Miller 1925 rock house and on down. I know this is just out side of the ABDSP but close enough for me.
btw Bring food! Two days of back packing make anyone very Hungry!
Yeah, if it was up to me we would at least bring a couple beers along....I know it is far away and trying to get something planned sooner.
This sounds like a very cool trek. Is this hike in schads book?
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rockhopper Posts: 668
8/25/2012
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anutami,
Yes it's in Schad (r.i.p.) Inland Empire book. I've hiked down from hwy 74 to cactus spring with a side trip to Martinez peak and back to hwy 74 on a two day trip.
I have also made one trip up Martinez canyon and four solo trips up Auga Alta canyon to near cactus spring but never made it to the spring! I would rather hike up
Martinez or Auga Alta than down with a pack. Hiking poles recommended. I can't believe the hikes we did back in the 70's and 80's with out poles!! Anyways, you will need
2 vehicles , one with 4wd for the desert entrance. I've gone real far with my 2wd after the winter rains on hard packed sand. I might be game for the trip.
BTW I spent 50/50 of my local hiking time in the ABDSP and the Santa Rosa mountians. I know it's outside the ABDSP in the "other" county, but to me it all
"flows" together from below sealevel to the mountian peaks. Hoping for a good wet winter!
edited by rockhopper on 8/25/2012
edited by surfponto on 1/2/2013
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