Going To Sipsey Wilderness - Mid November 2012

[jbiddle]

We are planning a trip to the sipsey wilderness in november and I'm looking for a little guidance help.

We have been here several times before and have covered a lot of trails and surrounding features.

The trails we have been on are:

200
201
204
206
209
224

We are wanting to hike in, set up a base camp and then spend a day or two just hiking around rather than doing a loop. I find that I generally enjoy myself a lot more when i'm not lugging my big pack around.

We would like to do some trails that we've never done before but are unsure if the ones left have good access to water, interesting POI's, or large areas for about 6 people to hang.

Anyone out there have any suggestions for our trip? Thanks in advance!

[coppertyto]

not sure on the trails in the sipsey wilderness its been along time since ihave been there but am planning a trip myself im from the corner area and looking for someone to take some trips with . if intrested message me and we can talk a little

[Bad Biscuit]

There's water (maybe not much this time of year) almost anywhere along the sipsey or feeder creeks.

Go to www.alatrails.com for lots of info. You can hang anywhere, must be sure to practice NLT....

[BillyBob58]

If you park at Borden bridge, you don't have to hike in very far, on the left ( East? ) side of Borden Creek, to find some good base camps big enough for several people. Most of these are right on the trail and very close to the creek, but until you are blocked in by the cliffs you can go up the hill a ways from the creek and trail probably find a nice place to set up some hammocks. Get your topo map and have a look, I bet you will see lots of possibilities. For example, I am seeing a nice flat looking ridge top about 1800 feet south east of the Borden bridge, right between Borden creek and another unnamed creek that feeds Borden. You would have to hike a bit for your water, but you probably would find a usable spot for your hammocks closer to either stream.

Or I bet the same thing would apply to most other parking spots. For example, if you park at Thompson creek parking area, you can hike about 1/4 mile SE towards the main Sipsey and turn left ( NE ) up White Oak Hollow. I bet there are plenty of good camps there, or you could turn the opposite direction and go up the ridge to the SW.

You could camp in any of these places very close to the parking area and then hike to your hearts content. One caution: except for the camp sites right on the trail along Borden, I can't speak for how thick the brush might be at any of these places off trail. Exept to say I know from experience the brush can be VERY thick off trail in the Sipsey, making for challenging travel with a pack. The spots I pointed out look potentially pretty good on the topos, but can't say for sure. But I have seen numerous areas often used for camping right along Borden, near the parking area.

The other caution: if you choose off trail, don't get lost! IOW, have your map, compass and GPS and and someone in the group who knows how to use them! It's mighty thick vegetation out there! ( But you already know that ) Have fun!