From: jojo@leland.Stanford.EDU (Joanne Spetz)
Subject: camping for novices in CA
Organization: DSG, Stanford University, CA 94305, USA
Date: Sat, 12 Sep 92 02:38:11 GMT

Hi,
I was looking for a fall camping destination for me and my S.O.  Thanks 
to those of you who gave me ideas.
Some excerpts:

> From: Andrew Fitzhugh <fitzhugh@hplred.hpl.hp.com>
> 
> A nice starting point is Castle Rock State Park up on Skyline, south
> of Highway 9 about 5 miles.  From there are trails down towards Santa
> Cruz, or you can come north.  I did a 3-day hike once from there,
> starting on Friday.  Went in to the first trail camp that evening
> (only about 4 miles), then the next day went to the top of Black
> Mountain, where there is a trail camp with a spectacular, 360-degree
> view, and back the next day.  Pretty strenuous terrain in places.
> 
> Another nice place w/plenty of trail camps is Butano State Park in
> Pescadero.  There are lots more.  These smaller parks are perfect for
> shorter trips when you're trying out equipment and essentially
> practicing for longer trips.
> 
> Los Padres National Forest/Ventana Wilderness Area near Carmel is a
> bit farther away, but also good for short trips.


> From: Jim Waters <waters@cs.stanford.edu>
> 
> The Marin Headlands, just over the Golden Gate, has a few
> hike-in campsites, although I'm not sure how much less crowded than
> Mount Tam they are.  Hawk Camp is the one furthest from heavily
> travelled paths, and can be reached by about a 3 mile hike.  It has
> about four sites, so you won't have complete solitude.  The
> surrounding are pretty empty, although you can just barely see the tip
> of the Golden Gate and the lights of the city over the furthest ridge.
> And it's free.
> I have backpacked into one of the national forests around
> Tahoe.  Once you get far enough in, it's pretty empty of people.  When
> we went, we hiked up a little mountain lake called Star Lake, at
> around 10,000 feet elevation.


> From: tu@mcs-ipc-3.stanford.edu (Samson Tu)
> 
> There are tons of places to go for overnight trips in Central
> California. Among the places I've enjoyed are
> 
> Young Lakes off Toulemne (sp?) Meadow
> Sunset High Sierra Camp 
> Aloha Lake (Desolation Wildnerness near Tahoe)
> Twin Lakes (also in Desolation Wilderness)
> Cathedral Lake (off Toulemne Meadow)


> From: eugene@nas.nasa.gov (Eugene N. Miya)
> 
> Take an AAA map, place on the wall, lob a dart toward the Sierra.
> Consider adequacy.  Plan the trip.  Works every time.


> From: marty@amaterasu.physics.uiuc.edu (Marty Gelfand)
> 
> Look into the Ventana Wilderness of the Los Padres NF.  I did
> a nice one-night trip in the winter there a few years ago; camped
> near a spring the name of which I can't remember, though I do remember
> that the trail went over or near something called Devil's Peak
> (there must be thousands of those in the west), which might
> help you find it.
> You should be aware that hunting goes on there some times
> of the year (ask your local ranger, etc). 


> From: tran@sun-valley.stanford.edu (Hy Tran)
> 
> Possible trips:  Sequoia NP:  The Lakes trail (Wolverton to Aster,
> Emerald, Heather, and Pear lakes; camping at Pear and Emerald only;
> bear boxes available; pit toilet may be closed for the season (i.e.
> bring digging tool).  4-6 miles (one way) from trailhead; hilly (2 Kft
> of altitude gain).  Somewhat crowded to the first lake (Heather, I
> think).  A classic "beginner" backpacking trip.  Lots of "high
> country" scenery; you're flirting with treeline.
> 
> Yosemite:  Tuolomne Meadows to Glen Aulin.  Dayhike to Waterwheel
> Falls before returning.  Waterwheel Falls may not be as dramatic this
> time of year (or again, it may be because of recent precipitation in
> the Sierras), but Glen Aulin (below the HSC) is a delightful valley
> with Aspen groves that should be turning colors soon.  6 miles to Glen
> Aulin (first 2-3 miles on basically a foot highway); 4 more to
> Waterwheel Falls.  Bear cable in the backpacker site at Glen Aulin;
> potable water may be available from the HSC (even though it may be closed
> for the season).  Lots of waterfalls, cascades, and dramatic canyons.
> Moderately hilly (1.5 Kft of altitude loss to Glen Aulin).
> 
> Ansel Adams (formerly Minarets) wilderness:  Agnew Meadows to Thousand
> Island Lake.  Another good "beginner" trip.  Approx 6 miles one way;
> gains about 1 to 1.5 K ft.  Bear cables may be available at Thousand
> Island Lake.  Intimate views of the Minarets and Ritter range.


> From: lacroute@earwig.stanford.edu (Philippe Lacroute)
> 
> The Ventana Wilderness near Big Sur is the next best bet.  It's very hot
> and dry in the summer, but soon it will be cool enough (and the fire
> danger low enough--there were at least two big fires in the area this
> summer).  Finding water is sometimes a problem, depending on where you
> are.  There is a book by Schaffer (available at REI) which can help you
> choosing trails and finding water.  Some of my favorite hikes there are
> the Vicente Flat trail starting from Highway 1 at the south end of the
> wilderness, and the Coast Ridge Trail heading north from the end of
> Cone Peak Rd.  Both trails give you views of the ocean as you hike up
> or on top of the ridge of the coast range, which rises almost straight
> up out of the surf!  It's really impressive (and not quite as strenuous as
> it sounds--I've taken beginners to both places).  It takes about 3.5 hours
> to drive to the Vicente Flat trailhead from Stanford (via 101 and 1 south).
> If you avoid the part of Ventana near the Big Sur ranger station you
> probably won't see many people at all.
> 
> Even closer to home, you could try Henry Coe State Park (about an hour
> away, in the hills southeast of San Jose).  Water is a problem again--the
> park rangers can give advice.  Coe Park isn't really a wilderness (it used
> to be a ranch, so there are lots of dirt roads), but it is lightly used,
> it's huge, and there is a lot of wildlife.
> 
> Point Reyes (north of San Francisco on the coast) is a more heavily-used
> possibility.  You have to reserve a spot in one of the three (?) campgrounds,
> and there will definitely be other people there.  But it is a beautiful
> area, you can watch the sun set on the beach, and in some parts of the
> park there are fresh-water lakes you can swim in.  I like to take long
> day hikes there.  It's a good place for beginning backpackers who don't
> want too strenuous of a hike.
> 
> Finally, for the ultimate in beach backpacking, try the Lost Coast in
> Humboldt County (about 5-6 hours, 101 north and then a small road which
> winds down to Shelter Cove on the coast).  You can hike up to about 20
> miles north along the beach, or there are trails in the hills above the
> coast.  There are quite a few fresh water streams which run year round.
> Generally there aren't very many people.  The only caution is that you
> should get a tide table and learn how to read it--there are some spots
> where you can get stuck if high tide comes in when you aren't expecting
> it.  The BLM manages this area.  It's probably the longest stretch of
> undeveloped, public beach in California--definitely worth the trip!


> From: Chuck Worth <CWORTH@oavax.csuchico.edu>
> 
>     Close to Home there's Big Basin Redwoods right over the hill from you. 
> They have a nifty Sea-to-Sky trail from the ocean up to the park (or if 
> you're lazy the other way around).  Ventana Wilderness down by Big Sur is 
> even more spectacular and can be quite remote.


> From: ayers@mv.us.adobe.com (Robert Ayers)
> 
> 1. North or south of highway 120 in Yosemite Nat'l Park.  Crowded
> during the summer, less so now that school's started.  Lyell Canyon
> is very easy; so is the walk to Young Lakes.
> 
> 2. There are several opportunities that leave the Glacier Point road in
> Yosemite.  E.g. the trails in to(ward) Ostrander Lake; the trails that
> leave Mono Meadow trailhead and head to Illouette Creek.
> 
> 3. There are opportunities both north and south of highway 108, in
> the immediate vicinity of Sonora Pass.
> 
> 4. A road leaves Bass lake and goes east, just south of Yosemite Nat'l
> Park.  There are many short-hike opportunities along this road,
> especially nearer the eastern end.

Hope this helps someone!

--Jo





-- 
Joanne Spetz				Economics Department
jojo@leland.stanford.edu		Stanford University, sunny CA

Political advice to Mr Bush:  "Dumpe Quayl"
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