Feb 2011 winter camp Big Bear Ca

[Law Dawg (ret)]

I'd love to see this happen when the weather is warmer - I'm not set up for winter camping!

Agreed, though I could easily Winter camp (within reason) equipment wise. I would need to ride my motorcycle to camp (it is my only means of solo transport). A Summer camp would be good but then the areas South tend to get full quick. Perhaps we can pull off one later this year. I know some very off the beaten path spots in the Sequoias that would be fun.

All that to say; sounds like a fun outing and as much as I am drawn to it...going to have to take a pass. What wimps us Cali folk are eh?

[Crismateski]

Well, as we get closer it is looking like I may end up having to work, but still trying to make it. Has a location been selected?

[GIHanger]

It's warming up--but gas is going to reach $5 a gal,
anyone want to do Barton Flats (about 1/2 way to Big Bear)?
There is a camp ground or just up the road a NF-- free camping with a adventure pass. I can bring water-- heck I can even bring my trailer as a base camp.

I'd be my first hang with people that know what they are doing.

[Crismateski]

I just camped in Holcomb valley on Sat night, absolutely beautiful up there right now. probably be up that way again the next 2 weekends

[lizzie]

Hey Barton Flats would be neat! When? I'd probably take my nephew too so we could go fishing at Jenks Lake. What else would we need?

[GIHanger]

That's what I'd like to do on one of the days too.
There will probably be a restriction on open fires in the NF-- I'd prefer to camp there anyways, but I'm easy... if people feel more comfortable in the campground let's do that. I'll go scout and find the spots where the most trees are (at both locations). I'll take some pictures and post them in a new thread. Barton Flats will be alot warmer then Big Bear I would think.

The only weekend I can't go is the end of June (DirtTime 11 gathering) and the first two weeks in July (Wisconsin camping trip). I'm a teacher so I have the rest of summer off.

[lizzie]

Hi JP - I'm good either way, campground or NF. If in the campground, I believe they have fire rings at most of the sites up there - I could bring a nights worth of firewood. I Look forward to the pictures, and thanks again for scouting the area!

[JohnSawyer]

Details on Barton Flats: $25/night for up to 8 people, plus $10 per extra car. You can do "Double" spots, up to 16 people for $50, plus $10/extra car.

Toilets and hot showers... sounds like a good spot.

If somebody checks it out, perhaps you could recommend a few spots. They can be reserved via ReserveAmerica:
http://www.recreation.gov/camping/Ba...ex=CampingSpot

If you do go to check it out, please ensure we can hang from the trees. It would be terrible to get there and then be stuck on the ground.

Weekends work for me, unless I'm out of town, but that's not setup yet. It's 2-1/2 hour drive from San Diego, so I'm good with that!

I have a 2-burner propane stove I'll bring, if anybody needs to borrow equipment, I have a single-burner that runs on a bottle... Perhaps a potluck one night?

JPBeck: If you scout the "free" place further up the road, it'd be cheaper, but water would be a concern... (though your trailer would be nice!) 5Gal Water carriers are cheap, so everybody could car-in their own. We'd need a wilderness permit to camp overnight, though, and a group of folks "doing their business" in a small area could have an impact (are there pit toilets?)

Check it out, let us know! I'm going to buy some bugnetting and finish up the hammocks for me and the kids!

John -- Excited for his first group hang!

[GIHanger]

When I go scouting the main thing I'd be looking for are suitable trees to hang from. With the recent beetle attack and tree clearing that may or may not be an issue.

My trailer has a 60 water gal tank, but if I don't bring that I have (2) 50 gal water barrels so water is not an issue. In the NF there is nothing-- just trees. One could drive the half mile down or up the road and use the camp ground's pits. "Town" is kind of far away (if you call the one mart, one cafe, and town sheriff's house a town), I'd say it's at least a 20min drive. Jinks "lake" is about 2 miles up the hill and there are heads there as well.

I go up there (the NF) all the time and have never got a wilderness permit-- anyone that parks up there though needs an adventure pass ($35 a year).

I have tons of camping gear if someone needs something-- stoves, bags, packs, whatever (I am a proud gear whoooore).

[grampa]

Do we have a date yet?

We camped at Barton Flats several years ago - I wasn't hammocking then, but my memory of the place says that while some spots would have trees, others would not.