Any backpacking area that is not wet/snowed out in the winter around Northern CA?

[Chuck Cheese]

I was out in Death Valley 2 weeks ago and it was amazing, If I could find something similar to that it would be great. Can anyone think of something? I was also thinking about Shasta or Lassen but both appear to be snowed-over right now.

Henry Coe Park looks like it could work but I am familiar with the terrain and hoping to see something new.

I was down in Big Sur about 4 weeks ago to do the Sykes hot spring hike, it was great but wet and cold.

Seems like the desert is the place to be at this time.

[Jay Wilkerson]

Pt. Reyes is easy and always enjoyable..

[Chuck Cheese]

Anything in the Reno/Carson City, NV area? Ive never explored up there, seems to be desert-like terrain

[Chuck Cheese]

I hear the Gray whale migration is in full-swing right now along the coast. Might be cool to go check that out. Ive camped up there before, nice spot, easy hike

[Ken Helwig]

James, aside from Point Reyes you have Coe, as well as many hikes in the Ventana Wilderness as well as Big Basin. You could do the Skyline To The Sea trail. If you want some Sierra's hiking maybe Rancheria Falls in Yosemite

[James Winstead]

Not too shabby and see the article from a month or so ago for a good overnighter. Might rain, check the weather, but it beats the guaranteed sweltering firestorm that it can be in the hot months.

[Jay Wilkerson]

Mt.Diablo has miles of hiking and many different trail heads to start from and wildlife…

Coyote

Bobcat

[Mark Verber]

If you don't mind the travel time (or the wet), then the Lost Coast / King's range can be great. There are a lot of nice hikes through Ventana… not sure what your def. of cold and wet is. Normally it doesn't get much below freezing. Wet.. well that depends on that particular day. Central coast does get rain, but it has more sun and less rain that the average for the US.

I will cast a negative vote against skyline to sea. It's a nice hike, but it close enough to the road than you can often hear cars. When I am backpacking I want away from that.

–Mark

[Hiking Malto]

"If you want some Sierra's hiking maybe Rancheria Falls in Yosemite"

Trail to Rancharia Falls is closed due to a missing bridge at Wapama Falls.

This was exactly my dilemna this weekend. I had done two previous trips to Big Sur and there was little of interest at either Coe or up to Medocino. Ended up going over to death valley and exploring some canyons.

Also thought about doing the Ohlone Trail but it seemed rather restricting with the camping requirements. Will have to look into diablo.

[Ken Helwig]

Didn't know that bridge is out. THAT is a deal killer! As for what Mark said about The Skyline To The Sea Trail, yep it goes along Hwy 9 and it is not a fun hike in that area. However Big Basin has some fantastic spots as well as Portola St. Park in San Mateo Co. The Santa Cruz Mtns offer some pretty hikes if you look hard enough.

[Hiking Malto]

Bridge at Wapama Falls (Hetch Hetchy) – The Power of Water (Photo by MRCONDON)

Puts a damper a some of the Hetch Hetchy trips especially during winter.

[Mark Verber]

Ouch! Any ETA when the bridge will be back? It seems like a number of people here that's one of the places I go when I need a sierra fix but am not in the mood for deep snow.

–mark

[Bob Gross]

Wow. I used to cross that bridge every couple of years.

Maybe NPS needs to put in a section of WWII-era Bailey bridge. They've used that elsewhere in Yosemite and in some of the other parks with good permanent success.

–B.G.–

[Bob Gross]

Apparently that Wapama Falls Bridge was wiped out by a storm in late October, and there is no reopening date yet.

–B.G.–

[Ken Helwig]

great picture. Well early spring trips there will be a no, especially once the melt starts. Looks like this could be out for awhile

[Jason G]

r

[Chuck Cheese]

Ended up just dayhiking the Steep Ravine trail out by Mt Tam/Stinson Beach. Gorgeous trail right now, the trees block alot of the seabreeze and the temp is tolerable when layered properly. Everything is still wet though.

I am planning a trip to Big Basin soon and will report back on conditions

[Mark Verber]

two useful resources:

http://www.bahiker.com/
http://kevingong.com/Hiking/

–Mark

[Chuck Cheese]

Any luck finding a spot Jason? the gf and I are heading out to either Coe or Big Sur/Ventana wildereness for a quick weekend backpacking trip. Flip-flopping right now,

Learned that Big Basin doesnt allow campfires which is a bummer on a cold/wet night

[Mark Verber]

jason has already been there… but if you haven't yet, I would recommend sykes springs. It's hard to beat if you want a quick weekend trip near the bay area. especially if you have a gf with you. If your gf is like many women I know, you would get extra points for bring a some small candles to use while sitting around in the hot springs.

–Mark

[Bob Gross]

"bring a some small candles"

Does the size of the candle matter?

–B.G.–

[Mark Verber]

> Does the size of the candle matter?

I should have said lightweight candles given that this is BPL not BPS. :-)

–Mark

[Bob Gross]

A candle flame is, by definition, light.

–B.G.–

[Chuck Cheese]

Ended up hiking the Pine Ridge trail in the Ventana Wilderness this weekend. Great trail, great weather, beautiful camp down at Pine Valley. Ran into some of the VWA volunteers clearing parts of the trail as well, Thanks for all your hardwork! Hiked from China Camp down to Pine Valley, then up the Bear Basin trail back to Pine Ridge and out to China. Trail from Pine Valley to Bear Basin/Pine Ridge connector was a bit overgrown with a few dead falls and 1 large tree. Nothing to bad to navigate though.

The Tajjaraha rd to get up to China Camp was in good shape as well, I saw a couple Civics and VW's that made the trek

[Lori P]

Big Basin (among other state parks) has closed trail camps for the winter, so Skyline to Sea is not backpack-able until spring.

Wapama bridge should be repaired in February, or so I've read.

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