June 9-11 MORG at Hell Hole

[Andrew Wood]

Maybe we could move it out 3-4 weeks so we have time to get new camping reservations and the trail will have less snow and water on it?

[Elherbinator]

I have decided to stick with the general plan to run the trail. It’s a fun trail that I can’t easily fit in at another time. Plus other options have the same issues for the most part.

 

The only change will be our camping plans. This will require a little improvisation as most campgrounds in the area are closed, and the open have no available reservations. So we will relying on the large number of “first come, first serve” sites available in the area. Here are the options in order:

1: Stumpy Meadows Campground off Wentworth Springs Road

2: Union Valley Reservoir, they have many campgrounds.

3: dispersed camping along the way. I know some for sure spots we can use in a pinch.

I don’t anticipate getting skunked on a campsite. But it will mean that an earlier start Friday will be preferred. I am planning on leaving the Bay Area around 10 and arriving at Stumpy’s around 2-3

Post up with your plans so we can coordinate potential caravans and also know to look out for you. More vehicles coming on Friday the better chance of us snagging enough camping sites to accommodate everybody comfortably.

 

Saturday folks can meet us at the trail’s staging area per the original plan. Any early birds who would like to stop by camp before heading to trail will have to hope we can post up where we are onto the forum Friday, catch us on the radio (146.460), or just get lucky and find us at Stumpy Meadows Campground on your way in.

please feel free to DM me or call/ text me (408)772-8534 with any specific questions. This new plan should work out fine. Don’t let a little uncertainty get you down, this sort of thing usually makes for a more interesting trip and sometimes forces you to find a new gem of a spot that you otherwise would never have known about. So I hope we don’t lose too many folks due to these circumstances 
 

 

[NickK]

Stumpy is a good hour drive from the trailhead. Any chance of dispersed camping near the trail?

[Elherbinator]

51 minutes ago, NickK said:

Stumpy is a good hour drive from the trailhead. Any chance of dispersed camping near the trail?

They’re no dispersed camping near the trail we can count on or fit more a couple trucks at. The reality is that Stumpy Meadows is not really much farther drive time wise than our usual campsite at Lewis Campground. If it was a small group arriving in the area at the same time, then finding something closer may be an option, but we need something we can pin down and have a couple handful of vehicles arrive at at various times. Stumpy Meadows is the best option as I see it.

[Mr.BlueSky]

As of right now, I expect the best we can do is leave around 5pm on Friday. So we will see you guys in camp!

[DHappel]

I'm hoping to get away mid-day Friday but that's not for sure by any means at this point.  Stumpy it is!  I've never actually been down into the campground there; usually just pass on by or maybe drop into the launch ramp parking area to meet up with people.

 

[Jethro]

What's the role call for this???

I'll bring the distinguished gentlemen to camp and ride with Don/Eric and whoever else and grab some pictures and escape the challenges of life...plus give life to my garage queen! 

[Elherbinator]

Small update to my plans. Merlyn will not be joining me on this trip. That means I don’t have to wait until she finishes her dialysis, which was my reason for a 10am departure. My new plan is to leave the bay around 6am and make it to Stumpy around 10:30-11 spending on traffic. I will be meeting fellow member Jeff Blake there. He has Star Link, so we will be able to update the forum on how our plans are working out. So if we are forced to improvise and camp somewhere else, be it dispersed or another FS Camp, we should be able to inform most folks ahead of time. Plus getting to Stumpy early ensures us the best chance at getting a decent spot.

So like Greg said, let’s get a roll call and include your plans. That way we can best plan for a successful trip for everybody 

[DHappel]

1 hour ago, Elherbinator said:

Small update to my plans. Merlyn will not be joining me on this trip. That means I don’t have to wait until she finishes her dialysis, which was my reason for a 10am departure. My new plan is to leave the bay around 6am and make it to Stumpy around 10:30-11 spending on traffic. I will be meeting fellow member Jeff Blake there. He has Star Link, so we will be able to update the forum on how our plans are working out. So if we are forced to improvise and camp somewhere else, be it dispersed or another FS Camp, we should be able to inform most folks ahead of time. Plus getting to Stumpy early ensures us the best chance at getting a decent spot.

So like Greg said, let’s get a roll call and include your plans. That way we can best plan for a successful trip for everybody 

Starlink????     I smell an .......   OVERLANDER!!!

[DHappel]

BTW, if by chance we get those cards made up, or we have a handful of extra club stickers (Miles....) I'd like to collect some to take with me to Wales at the end of the month if you could bring them with you.

[Elherbinator]

1 hour ago, DHappel said:

BTW, if by chance we get those cards made up, or we have a handful of extra club stickers (Miles....) I'd like to collect some to take with me to Wales at the end of the month if you could bring them with you.

There is one sure way of guaranteeing the cards get done in time…

[SDS]

My plan is to leave Santa Cruz around midday on Friday and head to Stumpy, or to whatever destination is communicated through StarLink. I will be coming by myself.

 

[Mffoster]

Leigh Anne and I plan on getting to the Stumpy Meadows campground at around 2:00 on Friday.

[Mr.BlueSky]

On 6/3/2023 at 10:56 PM, DHappel said:

BTW, if by chance we get those cards made up, or we have a handful of extra club stickers (Miles....) I'd like to collect some to take with me to Wales at the end of the month if you could bring them with you.

We should have the new cards by end of month, but not by this weekend : (

[brandn3w]

Was at Stumpy Meadows yesterday! Are there any LR3 friendly trails around that others may head out on? Jake and I chatted about coming if there was a more manageable trail. 

[Jethro]

15 hours ago, brandn3w said:

Was at Stumpy Meadows yesterday! Are there any LR3 friendly trails around that others may head out on? Jake and I chatted about coming if there was a more manageable trail. 

Lots of Fire roads, specifically #14 in the book is Slate Mountain Trail which is nearby that goes to a fire lookout.

Hard to say what the conditions with all the snow will be like, but there is a lot to explore by where we are headed...lot's of lakes.

Plus Uncle Tom's cabin is just minutes away!

[MatM]

I'm still expecting to be there.

I won't arrive until maybe early friday evening but I can sleep in the back of the 110 so don't need much camping space.

Not sure which trail I'll do on Saturday.

[brandn3w]

1 hour ago, Jethro said:

Lots of Fire roads, specifically #14 in the book is Slate Mountain Trail which is nearby that goes to a fire lookout.

Hard to say what the conditions with all the snow will be like, but there is a lot to explore by where we are headed...lot's of lakes.

Plus Uncle Tom's cabin is just minutes away!

Are you bringing the L405 or tagging along thru Hell Hole?

[Phil.]

Are you guys gonna investigate the Zodiac killer too?

https://www.sfchronicle.com/sf/article/zodiac-killer-identity-sierra-rock-formation-18138246.php

[Tyler Mattson]

Cooper graduates preschool Friday morning which means he's already out educated me. So what better way to celebrate then hell hole we should roll in hopefully around 4.

[Jethro]

Are you bringing the L405 or tagging along thru Hell Hole?

Driving up and then catching a ride...


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[Elherbinator]

So here is who we will be looking out for and trying to save spots for:

Don - Friday Midday

Sasha - Friday Midday

Mike - Friday Midday

Matthias - Friday evening

Tyler +1 - Friday Evening

Greg - Friday?

Jeff +2 - Friday morning 

Eric - Friday morning

Nick - Saturday morning

Robert - Saturday morning

total cars - 13

 

if you’re not on this list, then you haven’t stated your plans and we won’t be looking for you. We will be looking to find accommodations for this precise amount of people. 6 campground spots should work or a fairly large dispersed camping area. So if you’re coming, I would suggest stating your plans on the forum. Non club chat groups won’t suffice. I’ll update this post as plans are added. And make sure to look out for updates on Friday. I should be able to update this thread when I’m up there and hopefully clarify exactly where we are camping.

And if some unexpected obstacle pops is that prevents you from making the trip, please update your status with a post on this thread. Then we can call off the search party.

 

 

Edited June 9, 2023 by Elherbinator

[Mr.BlueSky]

All work and no play makes Johnny a dull boy...

Earlier in the week the chain tensioner on the final drive obliterated itself on the skid-steer. Being that it is needed to continue doing its job in a timely manner to complete a few house projects... I've got to bail on this trip. The bolts just popped all at once.  : (

I had hoped the overhaul manual wouldn't arrive before the trip... but alas it has.

Have fun!

 

[NickK]

What’s the departure plan Saturday morning? I’ll likely come up Saturday and only camp the one night. 

[Elherbinator]

2 minutes ago, NickK said:

What’s the departure plan Saturday morning? I’ll likely come up Saturday and only camp the one night. 

Plan is to leave camp at 9am sharp. There’s a bit more plan and trail description in the original post, but basically I’d plan on meeting at the trailhead or staging area on the opposite side of the road at 9:45-10. Probably better than trying to catch us at camp unless you want to drop off stuff prior to the trail run. In which case I’d pay attention to a location update for camp tomorrow and try to show up at no later than 8:30. We will make sure to include your truck in our Saturday night camping plans.