It's Official: Norcal GGG XII March 13-15, 2020

[Steve S.]

@gearmaker This might get me motivated to finish building the matching net-tent for my spinnaker Ray-Way tarp you saw last year. I might just bring my home-made “big three” this year.

[David Gardner]

@wildegeek Hey Steve, would love to see the matching net-tent and your home-made “big three.” Bring some friends!

[Doug Coe]

If you’re planning on coming, maybe leave a note here letting people know. I don’t see that many saying they’re coming so far, but maybe others are planning to but are just staying quiet. It’d be fun to have a biggish group.

Just a thought. :)

[David Gardner]

@sierradoug +1

Yes, anyone planning to attend please put up a post or PM me. Thanks.

[Steve S.]

I circulated a description of this event to 140+ members of the Coe Park uniformed volunteer corps. A few expressed interest in participating to some degree.

[Kathryn L]

Thanks Steve S!  This event sounds awesome and I plan to be there.

[Richard Niemi]

I plan on being there. Can’t wait!

[David Gardner]

@rickniemi: Hey Rick, it will be nice to see you again. Will you be participating in the wood stove burn off? I have a new rig this year that I’ll be trying out.

[Richard Niemi]

It will be good seeing you too. I plan on entering the wood burn contest. It’s always fun.

[Rex Sanders]

I’m planning to be there.

Manzanita site #5 looked about the same on February 4, with the exception of some plastic car bumper parts laying around. Unusual.

Long-term weather forecast is still relatively warm and maybe dry. The fire weather station one ridge over from GGG seems to be permanently out of commission, so try this NWS point forecast a few days before the event:

https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lon=-121.52741432189941&lat=37.18162096480937

Plan to bring enough water for your stay. The water tank at the intersection of Manzanita Point Road and Poverty Flat road is gone. In previous years you hiked past this to get to site #5. And the other water tank at Manzanita Point Road and Madrone Soda Springs Trail, about 150 yards past the #5 turnoff, was quite empty.

I’m considering a short Coe backpack trip before or after GGG. PM me if you are interested.

@gearmaker I’ll PM you soon about some other ideas for GGG.

— Rex

[David Gardner]

Additional events (thank you Rex):

1. Tent stake pull-off
Pulling out different tent stakes with a luggage scale, so we can play with how well different stakes and angles hold in the ground.

2. Backpack show and tell
Bring your pack to the main camp fire and tell us what you like and don’t like.

3. Three by three show and tell
Bring your favorite three pieces of gear (not pack or shelter) to the main camp fire and tell us what you like and don’t like in less than 3 minutes.

4. What’s in your pack? photos
I’ll bring a big sheet of Tyvek. People can lay out their backpack and gear, snap a photo, and post to BPL with gear list.

[David Gardner]

Damn. My car was totaled. I’m fine, but hoping somebody from the north San Francisco Bay Area is going and can carpool. Happy to pay for gas, and I have one of the two parking spots at the ranger station. Anyone?

[Doug Coe]

David—I live in Berkeley and could give you a ride from here. Where do you live?

[Richard Niemi]

I’m glad you are safe David. Bummer about your car.

 

[David Gardner]

Here is the preliminary schedule I have prepared. Please let me have your feedback.

SATURDAY

10:00 – 10:30 a.m.
1. Lightest saw capable of cutting through a douglas fir 2×2
2. Fastest saw under 8 oz. to cut through a douglas fir 2×2 in less than 15 seconds

11:00 – 11:30 a.m.
1. Knot-tying contest: most knots in 3 minutes
2. Knot tying discussion & photos

11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.
Lunch

12:30 – 1:30 p.m.
1. Wood stove burn off for speed using 12″ douglas fir 2×2 and up to 20 grams of any kind of fire starter
2. Alcohol burn off for speed
3. Alcohol burn off for efficiency
4. Esbit burn off for speed
5. Esbit burn off for efficiency
6. Canister stove burn off for speed
7. Canister stove burn off for efficiency

12:30 – 1:00 p.m.
1. Lightest complete alcohol, esbit, wood and canister cook kit
(stove, pot, lid, windscreen, fuel container, source of ignition, and stuff sack/container)
2. Lightest knife with at least a 1.5″ blade
3. Lightest knife per inch of blade with a minimum blade length of 1.5″

1:00 – 2:30 p.m.
Shelter tour

2:30 – 3:30 p.m.
What’s in your pack? On a big sheet of Tyvek people lay out their backpack and gear. We snap photos and post to BPL with gear list

3:30 – 4:00 p.m.
Stake pull off – pulling different kinds of stakes set at different angles and measuring force required

SATURDAY NIGHT

1. Backpack show and tell: Bring your pack to the main camp fire and tell us what you like and don’t like.
2. 3 x 3 show and tell: Bring your favorite three pieces of gear (not pack or shelter) to the main camp fire and tell us what you like and don’t like in less than 3 minutes.

[David Thomas]

I’ve got airline tickets. I’ve got a substitute lined up for coaching (the math team is going to State finals), I can take the time off work. It would be good to do some hiking in shorts – we actually had a winter this winter for a change.

I need to consider the exposure to others in the planes / airports (LAX – what could go wrong?). I see it as a pretty small risk, but the wife is always more risk averse, especially with respiratory diseases and an asthmatic daughter.  OTOH, the 14-y-o is pretty low risk herself and if COVID-19 spreads everywhere, I’ll get it eventually anyway.

I’ll figure it out in the week ahead.

No more caribou sausage in the freezer, but I’ve got some smoked-salmon dip made up.

[David Gardner]

Here is the latest from the rangers:

5 parking spots are included with the reservation I made – 2 can drive in (me and event co-sponsor), another 3 can park at the parking lot by the Visitor Center. First come, first serve. Be sure to get a little parking tag from the rangers. All others must pay $8/night for parking. Busy weekend expected and parking is limited so car pool if you can and get there early if you can.

No drinking water is available at the site. We will be driving in with lots of water and firewood if the roads are open (barring “significant” rain) but just in case everyone should plan and be able to bring their own.

“Dogs, weapons and firearms are not allowed. You can cook with a gas stove and also have a wood or charcoal campfire. You can bring firewood with you or purchase it at the Visitor Center. If you have any questions call 408-779-2728.”

See you all soon!

[Rex Sanders]

Also:

No drones without a special permit:

https://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/561/files/680-19-023%20-%20Diablo%20Range%20District%20UAS.PDF

Class 1 e-bikes are allowed on most trails at Coe Park:

https://www.parks.ca.gov/pages/561/files/680-19-029%20-%20Diablo%20Range%20District%20Trail%20Use%20Policy.pdf

“The use of Class 2 and Class 3 e-bikes are prohibited on all trails.” Yea, if you don’t look too closely as they zoom uphill without pedaling.

— Rex

[Kattt]

@David Thomas

I would suggest that you not go but I am sure you are doing the math and will make a thought out decision.

[Marc Eldridge]

Something has come up and I won’t be able to make it this coming weekend.  Sorry to miss.

[Steve S.]

I hiked out to site 5 at Manzanita Point today. The road is clear and the site is in good shape.

There is no signage on the road, so you just have to turn right on the next road after site 3.

[R]

My ride fell through.  Is there an open seat in the Bay Area?

I’m in San Francisco (Noe Valley) and could BART/Lyft to meet you, chip in for gas.

If not, I guess I’ll rent something, in which case I could offer rides.

Also, schedule looks great!  I like the addition of the stake testing.

[Steve S.]

It looks like the NWS is forecasting enough rain overnight on Saturday that the park staff is not going to let us drive-in supplies like water or firewood. (They won’t want us to have to be towed out or have a car stuck there for days if it gets muddy.)

Everyone attending should adjust their plans for this to be a self-sufficient, backpacking-only trip. The hard part about that is the lack of surface water near the camp site (except for one muddy pond).

We (and the rangers) will be watching this forecast:
[ https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lon=-121.51795282959937&lat=37.17351710273023 ]

[Doug Coe]

Frankly, I’m not sure how much water we’ll each need for Friday afternoon to Sunday afternoon. Any thoughts?

[Doug Coe]

@autox Rene—I’m in Berkeley. I’m picking up David (our fearless leader this weekend) at the Oakland Airport (no, he’s not flying).

I could pick you up at BART in the East Bay if you can get there in the morning on Friday.

PM me for details and timing.

[Author]

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