[pct-l] ** Water & Trail Report Big Bear Area

[Bill Batchelor]

A fair question Jeff.  And I know you are anti-caches, or at least a cache
minimalist.  So, let me clarify and reclassify my thought.
 
Let me rephrase to say it would be a nice trail angle move right now as the
pipe is dry.  I do not mean a cache as in some permanent fixture.  
 
My thought was because this location is listed in many PCT sources as a
"reliable" water source, when right now it is not - it is a drag to find it
dry.   I think many hikers may expect water to be there.  Life threatening?
No.  Hiking out, hitch hiking are all options.  So consider it more in the
"trail magic" category than in the cache category.   For those that had
plans that included this "reliable" source, it may be a drag to find it dry.
So I think a small temporary cache could bring some trail joy.  I like joy.
I like joy a lot!   For example, I could see a hiker reentering the trail at
highway 18 after a day off in BBear - all pumped up from their rest day and
ready to head on.  They are carrying enough water to get them to this spot
and plan on loading up there.  Then finding it dry.  Now, after a few miles
on the trail the hiker needs to go back into town, reload, kill half a day,
and rethink the next leg.  It would be a buzz kill for sure - or - anti-joy.
I was not envisioning some 600 gallon cache, but if someone had set a few
2.5 gallon containers on the picnic tables there - I would have thought -
cool.    I also do not consider those types of trail angel moves as clutter
when done right.  Just my opinion.  In this case, Doble is an established
camp area with a solar toilet, picnic table, horse corral, etc.  It is not
as if someone would be hanging water bottles from the trees in the middle of
the wilderness.  A couple 2.5 gallons tied to the table is hardly more of
blight than the permanent fire ring, toilet building, or bull-dozed clearing
that is already there.
 
As for the next water spot about 6 miles later - there is the dilemma the
hiker finds.   So, they have enough water left without Doble to make a
couple more miles and then would need to go four miles further dry -
uncomfortable but not so bad.  Now though you have seriously eaten into your
buffer.  IF that next stream is dry, the hiker has a poorly planned exit
strategy.  The hiker used their buffer on the way to that creek.  At least
for myself, having another unknown water source further into the trail and
further away from a fall-back position would not make me comfortable
skipping Doble.  If I had planned on Doble and my water was now low, I would
not personally press on hoping the creek was different.  Actually, quite the
opposite.  If the Doble "reliable" spring was dry, I would consider the next
source equally suspect being part of the same eco-system.  (unless I had
checked the Jeffery report the day before and found a very recent report
-too many variables to cover them all).
 
Alas, the water cache left here and filled periodically when the spring was
not "springing" would just be another trail angle nicety that may alleviate
a hassle and make a hiker grateful for the anonymous nod.  Much like finding
a car parked at a road crossing handing out Gatoraid.    Was the Gatoraid
"required", nah - but a real joy to find.  I like joy.  Did I mention I like
joy?
 
PG

  _____  

From: jeff.singewald at comcast.net [mailto:jeff.singewald at comcast.net] 
Sent: Sunday, April 20, 2008 12:50 PM
To: Bill Batchelor; 'PCT'
Subject: Re: [pct-l] ** Water & Trail Report Big Bear Area


Bill,
 
Thanks for the report.  I am curious re: your comment that Doble Trail Camp
would be a good place for a water cache.  Why?  You have mentioned two spots
(before and after this location) within 18 miles that both have water.
Additionally, Highway 18 and the hitch to Big Bear is in this stretch.  Why
does the trail need yet another water cache in which to clutter the trail?
Isn't there enough already?
 
Jeff
 

-------------- Original message -------------- 
From: "Bill Batchelor" <billbatch at cox.net> 

> 
> Just returned from a hike with my son around the Big Bear Area. 
> 
> First, for those not intimate with the trail yet - orientation 
> 
> When entering into the San Bernardino Mountains you climb from the valley 
> "Cabazon" or Gorgonio Pass. Climbing into the San Bernardino's you reach a

> high point about 42 miles in called Onyx Summit at PCT mile 252. From 
> there, you descend into the Big Bear valley and lake area and wrap around 
> the north side of the lake. 
> 
> We hiked from that high point, Onyx Summit Mile 252, to mid way along the 
> lake - road 2N09 mile 277 (actually hiked out Cougar Crest Trail just
before 
> road 2N09). 
> 
> First a quick nod to Erik of www.pctatlas.com He lives in that area and is

> willing to help hikers out with rides. He gave us a lift so we could leave

> our car at the far end. He does not monitor this list though. To reach 
> him, contact via his web site. 
> 
> Train conditions were in general immaculate. All blow downs on the first
15 
> miles were cleared. Any remaining blow downs on the second 15 miles were 
> easy to walk around or step over. There is plenty of snow on upper 
> elevations of many peaks, but the PCT is completely clear. 
> 
> Water: 
> 
> Arrastre Trail Camp mile 256 
> The piped water is dry. Arrastre creek flowing and clean. Creek comes 
> above ground just before this camp though and is flowing nicely. Further 
> down trail PCT crosses creek multiple times each with more water. 
> 
> Doble Trail Camp 
> Piped water: #1 dry, #2 dripping. #2 Pipe holds 2 liters then stops for 
> hours of relo ading. Spring/well metal cover above pipe holding water - 
> filterable - lots-a-floaties. This would be a real nice place for angels 
> to drop off water caches. 
> 
> Van Dusen road crossing / Caribou Creek mile 274 
> Creek flowing strong. Great camping and break area except within view of 
> often used dirt road. 
> 
> Best to all, 
> 
> Pink Gumby 
> 
> 
> 
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