March-Henry Coe

[Ken Helwig]

Per Jay's idea of hiking to Henry Coe Park……let's do it. Who is in????? Let's say the 3rd weekend of March? The weather is much nicer at that time of the year, everything there is quite green and lush too. There is no reservation system as well as quotas. So who is in? How does the Poverty Flat Loop sound. Just an overnighter.

1. Me

[Bob Gross]

I would be interested in hearing a draft plan. For instance, hike from HQ to Lake XYZ in one day, hike from there to ABC the second day, and return out on the third day.

–B.G.–

[Jay Wilkerson]

From Hunting Hollow Th it is 9.3 miles to Coit Lake-with two bathrooms and picnic tables plus there is two large flat areas for tents and few smaller sites also. Mississippi Lake is also a good destination but a longer hike-not sure of the mileage on that. At Hunting Hollow Th there is easy self registration. So easy a caveman could do it.

[Ken Thompson]

Ken, doesn't your wife let you go out for more than one night? Love you man!

[Anthony Weston]

count me in, I'd like to see Henry Coe Green, last time I was there it was June of a hot dry year.

[Ken Helwig]

Not the wife Ken, my darn job!

[Lisa Frugoli]

I'd love to join you. The Orestimba Loop is great if anyone wants a longer hike option.

[Marc Eldridge]

I would also like to go on this trip.

[Robert Recinos]

I am down to go. I live in Redwood City so I'm down to carpool, either drive or ride, let me know.

I'm down for 9 miles or longer mileage doesn't matter to me.

Also since I have never been to that site, is there fishing?
I flyfish and I also have a Tenkara rod. I could bring my 7 piece 3# flyrod and my Tenkara so other people can fish.

[Jeremy Pendrey]

Ken: FYI, from the main entrance the nearby campsites like Poverty Flat (3.9 miles), Los Cruzeros (6 miles), etc. are on a quota and you get assigned campsites on a first come first served basis. Poverty Flat has one group site, but I know it's already reserved for the 3rd weekend in March because I was looking at that weekend for another trip, which I ended up reserving in April.

Per Jay's suggestion, coming in from the Hunting Hollow entrance to Coit Lake is a way to go without any reservation or quota. I think that's about a 10 mile hike. The hike from the main entrance to Mississippi Lake is 12 miles. That would make a good overnight too.

Per Lisa's suggestion the Orestimba Wilderness would be a great trip, but would be more than an overnight.

Not sure if I can go or not (probably not – little league opening ceremonies that weekend for my son), but I would think a 12 miler to Mississippi Lake from the main entrance or to Coit Lake from Hunting Hollow would be good choices for one night. Two nights at Mississippi Lake would give options to day hike into Orestimba.

[Robert Blean]

I would like to go — not sure I'll be able to, but for now count me in.

---

Hunting Hollow entrance has a couple of virtues:

* It is the only one where we don't need to make reservations

* You are walking more along the hills, and as much cross-grained as when coming in from park HQ — i.e. you still have some steep Coe up-and-down, but not as much.

— Bob

[Kattt]

I'm in.

[Jesse H.]

Im down! can we play some cosmic wimpout this time?

[Lisa Frugoli]

I've been to Coe the last 2 years & will tell you that it can be VERY cold at Mississippi Lake.

I hope to bring a couple friends, so please add 2 to my reservation.

[Backpack Jack]

I'm in for now. I'll know better the closer it gets

[Richard Gless]

I'd be interested depending on which weekend.

Fishing in the spring is usually pretty good for bluegill, small largemouth bass, and some other sunfish. I've had good luck in March and April flyfishing at some of the other ponds in the park. Coit is hard to fish because of the weeds around the edge. I caught a fish on almost every cast with spinners one July (I just used a heavier line and dragged the fish through the weeds). The weeds would make it tough to flyfish. A float tube would be best. I've never been to Mississippi Lake, but pictures I've seen show some shoreline with no weeds so it might be a better for flyfishing from shore.

[Morgan Rucks]

yes on going third weekend of march, yes on cosmic wimpout.

[Tony Wong]

Please count me in for now.

-Tony

[Amy Lauterbach]

I won't join this hike, but I'm sure you'll have a wonderful trip, it's a terrific park and will be lovely in March.
Here's a trip report of the Thanksgiving Coe hike Jim and I took.
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2041048&id=1030581745&l=22b00a4095

If you have an interest in ecology (particularly fire ecology) be sure to peruse the fantastic Coe Fire website before you go.
http://coefire2007.info

– Amy

[michael huynh]

Hey Richard

Which pond/lake did you catch that gill and which do you think produces the most fish? Were you using a float tube?

[Richard Gless]

The bluegill in the picture was caught at Bass Pond several years ago. The water level in the park has been going down for several years, and the last time I was there (2-3 yrs ago) there was a massive algae bloom in the middle of Bass Pond. I don't know what the fishing is currently like there.

[Robert Blean]

> The hike from the main entrance to Mississippi Lake is 12 miles. That would make a good overnight too.

My concern with that is that the Mississippi Zone is pretty small, basically just enclosing the lake. Coming at it from HQ would mean we would need permit for enough people into that zone. I'm not sure how big a deal that is when we want to go. (Coming up from Hunting Hollow would avoid the permit issue, but it is a much longer hike — too much for a normal weekend.)

Lisa / Orestimba — for this group, I'd estimate that the best way would be to take a day into Mississippi Lake, 1-2 days in the Orestimba (day trips, or else an overnight in there — say Paradise Flat), return to Mississippi Lake or beyond by the evening of the second Orestimba day, and then the final day out. Any thoughts as to when the best time to get a 3-4 day trip together might be? Memorial Day — perhaps. 4th of July — hot and dry. Labor Day — less hot, but still hot and dry. Perhaps Thanksgiving time?

Lisa — I know that there are a number of others who would like to go into the Orestimba if time permits for them. One attraction of doing it the way I suggest is that we could fragment for the two Orestimba days. The High Mileage folks could go hike up Mt. Stakes. Others could hang around Paradise Flat, look at or climb Rooster Comb, or fish places like Jackrabbit Lake (supposed to be pretty good fishing there).

— Bob

[Ethan A.]

My wife and I would love to join in and see the place green if we can go before or after the weekend of March 20 when we're supposed to be snowshoe backpacking in Yosemite. How 'bout March 13,14 or 27,28?

I've also heard parts of Henry Coe can be surprisingly cold. Friend of mine did a perhaps too lightweight trip there (at least in terms of warmwear) last March and he said the only way he could stay warm on Sunday AM was to jog out of the park.

[Lori P]

I have a group of folks heading out for three days on March 12 – we're going to be leisurely, prolly no more than 10 miles/day. Tho the park only allows 8 per group I have one space left.

Was considering a loop up to Bear Mtn and down to Mississipi Lake. I might take my pole….

It does indeed get cold in the bottoms of canyons on the coast – I intend to try camping up higher, on ridges or at least part way up. Camping at Willow Ridge at the trail camp was a lot warmer than China Hole last April.

[Justin Carter]

As of right now, I'm in. Just figure out the details.

[Author]

Posts