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

[David Gardner]

Everyone should plan on bringing at least 4 Liters of water.

[Rex Sanders]

Water sources closest to camp with more than a trickle:

Soda Springs Canyon Creek – 1.0 mile, 800 feet down, treat

Lion Spring – 2.0 miles, some ups and downs, treat

Park Headquarters – 2.1 to 2.5 miles, about 400 feet up, piped drinking water

Pine Ridge Association publishes crowd-sourced water reports for the park:
https://coepark.net/planning-your-visit/water-resources

— Rex

[David Thomas]

I’m going to regretfully bow out.  If I was in the Bay Area, I’d be going and sleeping in my own tent, but seeing as how travel would include the Kenai, Anchorage, LAX, SJC, SJC, Seattle, Anchorage and Kenai airports and being in 6 different pressurized metal tubes with 30 to 160 other people, it seems an avoidable risk.  Not so much for me – I think the risk of me contracting something and bringing it home are still pretty small (but maybe not for long), but more like I don’t litter and I don’t needlessly waste energy for the common good; contact with thousands of other people doesn’t help anyone just now.

I’m bummed that I don’t get to hike in shorts for another 3 months, that my vitamin D will be in pill form until May, and that I’ll miss seeing numerous BPL friends this round, but it seems like the good citizen thing to do.

[Doug Coe]

David Thomas—Yeah, that makes sense. I’m sorry you’ll miss out on the Gathering. Maybe you can come down to the lower 48 another time this year and go on a backpacking trip instead.

[Erik G]

In years past, we’ve been able to shuttle supplies in (firewood, water, packs) then drive back out and park at the HQ. Also, last year the rangers were kind enough to schlep a load out for us on their Gator. @wildegeek Steve,did you happen to inquire about these two options? Seems like they’d mitigate the Saturday night rain concern.

For what it’s worth, I’m quite sure my vehicle would not get stuck out there regardless :)

[Erik G]

Ok I just talked to the rangers about the above. Their thought now is that they’re unlikely to get enough rain on Saturday night to prohibit us from driving a supply vehicle out there. If the forecast gets worse, they said they’d be fine with me doing a shuttle run out and back on Friday. So I’m gonna load up with water and (local) firewood and plan to haul it in around noon tomorrow.

Probably still advisable to bring some extra water containers in your vehicles at a minimum and be prepared to haul some in just in case we need to call a last-minute audible. But it’s looking likely that we won’t have to!

[Doug Coe]

Erik—Good thinking and thank you for calling the ranger.

David G. is carpooling with me and we’ll shuttle water and wood in on Friday too.

[Steve S.]

It’s looking like it’ll be good and wet by Saturday night out there. Bring good rain gear and plenty of tarpage!

[ Local Hourly Forecast ]

I finally got a call back from the HQ ranger. It’s likely that we’ll have to take any vehicles out on Saturday afternoon, before dusk, and only leave what we can carry out.

[David Gardner]

Thanks for the heads up Steve.

I’ll bring a monster tarp (like 40 x 50) and cordage like I did a few years ago to rig over the picnic tables Saturday evening. See you all soon.

Shout outs to Steve Sargeant, Doug Coe and Erik Granstrom for all their help!

[David Gardner]

The Sierra Club has cancelled all group activities for the next 30 days at least. State Parks are on the verge of canceling all group events organized by them. All group events in SF with more than 50 people have been cancelled. Gov. Newsome just announced a statewide ban on all events of more than 250 people. Etc., etc., etc.

IN LIGHT OF THE ABOVE GGG XII IS HEREBY CANCELED!!!

I will try and PM everyone who has said they were planning to go. I’ll call the Visitor Center tomorrow and see if I can get a refund of the $160 for the reservation.

If there is interest we can try again for Fall.

Everyone take care and be well.

[Doug Coe]

If David can’t get his deposit on the campsite back, I suggest those who had planned to go chip in. He did the work but shouldn’t be penalized for that. My 2 cents.

[Richard Niemi]

Got it, no GGG. Thanks for putting in all the hard work to get it organized.
I agree with Doug C. I’ll be happy to pitch in if needed.

[Steve S.]

I’m disappointed that we had to do this. But it’s all about timing: In these months while the pandemic is still growing and spreading in the USA, it is not wise to underestimate the hazards.

Please take care and stay healthy. I look forward to seeing this crisis pass, and to seeing you folks on the trail in the future.

[R]

Bummer, and appropriate.  Also down to chip in if need be.

[Rex Sanders]

Disappointed, but reasonable decision. Fall GGG might work. I’ll contribute if no refund.

Stay healthy!

— Rex

[David Thomas]

I’ll chip in if DavidG doesn’t get a refund.  In the last day, the local school district (Kenai Peninsula) has extended Spring Break into next school week.  State Finals for my middle-school math team has been cancelled (they’re bummed, after 2 and 3 years of preparation, they were going to do very well).  University of Alaska is doing remote classes and holding no events on campus.  My physician wife still goes to the hospital to work and will continue to do so, but we’re thinking of sequestering her in the cabin while our daughter and I remain in the main house.

My son is bugging out of Minneapolis and holing up with math friends on Martha’s Vineyard, maybe akin to Newton’s “Annus Mirabilis” (wonder year) in 1666 when, aged 23, he made revolutionary inventions and discoveries in calculus, motion, optics and gravitation when he was in the countryside due to the closure of Cambridge University by an outbreak of plague.

[David Gardner]

Just got off the phone with the rangers. A refund will be issued. Yay!

I mentioned possibly rescheduling for Fall. The big drawback would be no wood or charcoal fires allowed. Show of hands?

[W I S N E R !]

“My son is bugging out of Minneapolis and holing up with math friends on Martha’s Vineyard, maybe akin to Newton’s “Annus Mirabilis” (wonder year) in 1666 when, aged 23, he made revolutionary inventions and discoveries in calculus, motion, optics and gravitation when he was in the countryside due to the closure of Cambridge University by an outbreak of plague.”

Hah.  Best thing I’ve read all day.  I’m rooting for him David.

[Rex Sanders]

Fall GGG – “The big drawback would be no wood or charcoal fires allowed.”

OK with me.

— Rex

[David Thomas]

I’d always seriously consider a Bay Area GGG and by this fall my daughter turns 16 and can drive herself around, relieving me of most of my soccer-mom duties.

[Doug Coe]

Fall sounds good. We won’t have to wait so long, it’s not likely to rain, and David T. can join us.

(Oh, and I really ought to have my myog pack done by then in its final iteration.)

[David Gardner]

I received an email from Ryan Jordan last night saying he had been planning to come this weekend! Darn! I floated the idea of Fall but he’s got other commitments.

So I’m thinking Fall 2020 for GGG XII and back to February or March 2021 for GGG XIV (of course I’m skipping GGG XIII since it might be bad luck…).

[Steve S.]

Seen just now on the Henry W. Coe State Park web site [ https://coepark.net/ ]:

Due to the current conditions with the spread of the coronavirus and in accordance with guidance from the State of California and the Santa Clara County Public Health Department and for the safety of our visitors and staff we are regretfully canceling the 2020 Backcountry Weekend event. We will issue full refunds to all applicants.

The park remains open for individual visitors.

This is a big deal. It is the main fund raiser for the park’s cooperative association.

[Richard Niemi]

I’m game for a Fall GGG.
It would be great to get together.

[David Gardner]

Me too. Thinking mid-October. If there has been a least one rain before that we might be allowed to have wood fires.

Who else?

[Author]

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