rebeccad
Trail Wise!
Writing like a maniac
Posts: 12,708
|
Post by rebeccad on Jun 21, 2017 20:22:03 GMT -8
And since you mentioned Capital Reef, I can throw in a random shot from there, from 2007. Now I'm just tormenting you
|
|
jdlp
Trail Wise!
SoCal hiker and backpacker, occasional kayaker, looking to explore
Posts: 61
|
Post by jdlp on Jun 21, 2017 23:33:38 GMT -8
Now I'm just tormenting you Not only are you tormenting me, but you beat me to commenting on it. Jesus those all look good, but Wheeler definitely jumped out at me. Capitol Reef is growing on me too (honestly though mostly because I may be able to squeeze a Bryce trip in there too).
|
|
jdlp
Trail Wise!
SoCal hiker and backpacker, occasional kayaker, looking to explore
Posts: 61
|
Post by jdlp on Jun 21, 2017 23:39:17 GMT -8
SLC to Reno is a commuter hop. Meet him there. 3 hr drive North from Reno you are at Lassen. True. Main issue though is we're both dirt poor, and while we don't talk about it, guessing my cousin especially. We've both chosen artistic pursuits (screenwriting for me, music for him) and are paying for it, so even with gas expenses car is probably cheaper. If an SLC -> Reno flight is cheap enough though I might be willing to spring it for him. Again, the idea of us meeting up would be the biggest deal of this trip. He is thinking of moving to LA though. Honestly trying to discourage him, because even though it'd be great to have family out here with me, I think it would be really difficult for him at this stage in his life. That said, if he does, I really look forward to showing him the Sierras, the Mojave, and all the other California gems.
|
|
rebeccad
Trail Wise!
Writing like a maniac
Posts: 12,708
|
Post by rebeccad on Jun 22, 2017 7:29:08 GMT -8
Jesus those all look good, but Wheeler definitely jumped out at me. Capitol Reef is growing on me too (honestly though mostly because I may be able to squeeze a Bryce trip in there too). Bear in mind that July will be hot in Cap Reef--much hotter than Lassen or GB. That can be managed, but you do tend to lose time, waiting out the heat of the day. Our summer visits have tended to be strategic strikes in passing. For example, in 1995, I think it was, we timed our drive to arrive late afternoon at the Lower Muley Twist TH, had dinner in temps pushing 100, then poured a jug of water over each of our heads and started hiking about 6:30 p.m. in 90+ temps. We hiked until just before dark, slept until dawn, then finished the 17-mile look before 11 a.m., just as it was getting too hot again (we were saved by a breeze; the temps were already back to the 90s IIRC). Then back into the AC until the next evening, somewhere else.
|
|
jdlp
Trail Wise!
SoCal hiker and backpacker, occasional kayaker, looking to explore
Posts: 61
|
Post by jdlp on Jun 29, 2017 13:05:31 GMT -8
Cousin is out, so Lassen is in. Scrambling to figure out the gameplan now.
|
|
|
Post by Dave Ayers on Jun 29, 2017 15:55:43 GMT -8
|
|
whistlepunk
Trail Wise!
I was an award winning honor student once. I have no idea what happened...
Posts: 1,446
|
Post by whistlepunk on Jun 29, 2017 20:14:47 GMT -8
I believe Butte Lake CG is open.
|
|
rebeccad
Trail Wise!
Writing like a maniac
Posts: 12,708
|
Post by rebeccad on Jun 29, 2017 21:48:31 GMT -8
I believe Butte Lake CG is open. Yes. But the spouse was just looking at something yesterday that said the CG is open and "follow tracks in the snow to the cinder cone." OTOH, with the heat we've been having in CA, expect those conditions to change more or less daily.
|
|
jdlp
Trail Wise!
SoCal hiker and backpacker, occasional kayaker, looking to explore
Posts: 61
|
Post by jdlp on Jun 29, 2017 23:16:40 GMT -8
I called the park and they seemed pretty optimistic about my getting to at least a trailhead.
Will need to follow up, but here's the road statuses I got:
- Main road open up to 10 miles from NW entrance - South side road to Bumpass open 6 miles in - Warner Valley open - Highway 89 closed - Juniper Lake closed
Asked if 3 season gear would cut it, and ranger said it should be fine. 80 degrees during daytime, 50 at night. Just to bring crampons and ice axe.
|
|
jdlp
Trail Wise!
SoCal hiker and backpacker, occasional kayaker, looking to explore
Posts: 61
|
Post by jdlp on Jul 5, 2017 9:36:20 GMT -8
Back from my first northern California road trip. After all the research and quandaries about Lassen I ended beginning my trip with...Shasta.
With all my winter gear in tow, decided to make a last minute side-trip to Shasta since it has been on my list for awhile, conditions were good this year, I was nearby, and I have not yet done a 14'er.
I made a short backpacking trip in to Horse Camp, set off at 2:30am, hiking along the Milky Way, which was an early highlight for me. My biggest setback and mistake: hiking boots. I asked a lot of people (rangers, gear rental people, REI, etc.) if my hiking boots and strap on crampons would be okay, and everyone said yes. However, there was one huge problem: there was once a time when these boots were waterproof, but that time has passed. By the time I got to Red Banks my left toes were numb and I had forgotten my extra socks. I did remember my stove and gas though, so I lost at least an hour warming my toes and dry-roasting my socks.
After that it was smooth sailing, though I lost an hour on sock rescue, and the snow was getting wet and heavy which slowed me down. I enjoyed my first 14k+ summit, glissaded down, and decided to get out since the crowds were insane (which I should've known).
Caved and did 1 night Air BnB in Redding to catch up on a lot of lost sleep and shower, then went to much less crowded Butte Lake in Lassen to backpack at Snag Lake and the Fantastic Lava beds.
I absolutely loved it there. The landscape with Cinder Cone was amazing, but what really got me was that the eastern part of the park felt like the perfect combination of California and New England, where I grew up. Found a nice lakeside camping spot and had a nice, relaxing 3rd of July evening that felt like summer the way it felt when I was a kid.
Hit up a few touristy sights at the northwest entrance on the way out with hopes of making it back some year when the road is open, and then drove back to LA.
Overall takeaways: Great trip. Preferred Lassen to Shasta, though may have liked Shasta more if I had more time/was able to go a difference. Want to return to Lassen. Amazed there are parts of I-5 that are not hideous.
Will post some pics soon (Death Valley too).
|
|
jdlp
Trail Wise!
SoCal hiker and backpacker, occasional kayaker, looking to explore
Posts: 61
|
Post by jdlp on Jul 5, 2017 9:36:38 GMT -8
And thank you everyone who gave advice on this thread!
|
|
rebeccad
Trail Wise!
Writing like a maniac
Posts: 12,708
|
Post by rebeccad on Jul 31, 2017 10:03:38 GMT -8
So glad you had a good trip! I think I agree that Lassen is more interesting than Shasta, though Shasta is more lovely to look at from the freeway And yes, I5 gets interesting about Redding, and stays that way until central Oregon. Were the mosquitoes okay at Snag Lake?
|
|
jdlp
Trail Wise!
SoCal hiker and backpacker, occasional kayaker, looking to explore
Posts: 61
|
Post by jdlp on Aug 1, 2017 10:52:47 GMT -8
Thanks rebeccad ! Mosquitoes weren't too bad around the lake actually (not sure how a bottle of bug spray uncapping and leaking all over my pants affected that). Where they were really bad actually was the woods between Snag and Butte Lakes on the way back. I find I'm usually not prime mosquito food, but they were relentless on the morning I did this stretch.
|
|
rebeccad
Trail Wise!
Writing like a maniac
Posts: 12,708
|
Post by rebeccad on Aug 1, 2017 15:00:23 GMT -8
they were relentless on the morning I did this stretch. Wow. I usually find they aren't much of an issue while actually hiking, so they must have been mean! We encountered some pretty thick mosquitoes up in WA last week, too. I've met worse, for sure, but they did lead to spending more time in the tent than I might have.
|
|