PS NorCal GGG 2022 April 15-16-17

[W I S N E R !]

I don’t remember you showing up in pelts and hides

First impressions are important, I’ve learned to tone it down.

Are bikes allowed in Coe?

[David Gardner]

You’ve done well, grasshopper. The hard part for us is shaving our backs and brows, and staying out of GEICO ads.

Bikes are allowed, or at least have been in the past. We’ve had a number of people bikepack in over the years.

[Jane Baack]

Jack E. and Kevin Smith came to Coe one year on bikes for sure-maybe other times, too. They were regulars for several years. Jack once displayed some of the gear he had been working on for a gear brand/company. I tried to contact both of them for the last GGG but don’t think my messages got through. Anybody have correct e-mails or BPL connections for Jack or Kevin in Bakersfield??

[David Gardner]

Received a box of cool swag from Jon at Flat Cat Gear to give away at the event:

• 2 Epicurean SS UL15 esbit stoves
• 2 Ocelot HX kits to mate Fire Maple 300T or equivalent ((Olicamp Ion/Kraku/Fire Midge to Sterno Inferno/Fire Maple 1 L/Bulin 1.5L/JetBoil Stash
• 1 Ocelot HX kit for Pocket Rocket Deluxe & PR2
• 1 Ocelot HX kit for Pocket Rocket

I have a Sterno Inferno and a Fire Maple 300T in one of my boxes somewhere….

[David Gardner]

Update – I received the following in an email from the Park, with relevant information:

WHAT IS “HIKE-IN” GROUP CAMPING?

Members of your group will have to WALK approximately 2 to 2.75 miles to reach your campsite. If you feel you made this reservation in error, please contact Reserve California to change or cancel your reservation at 800-444-PARK or online at ReserveCalifornia.com.

HOW TO CHECK IN

Please check in at the Visitor Center upon arrival to the park. Staff will need your license plate numbers, collect any additional fees due, and provide vehicle access information and a map to your equipment vehicle drivers.

PLEASE CARPOOL! Parking is VERY limited at the Coe Ranch Entrance, and there is little to no parking outside the park. If you exceed 5 vehicles, your extra vehicles may be turned away due to lack of parking.

If you meet the minimum occupancy requirement of at least 9 people, up to 2 vehicles may drive to your hike-in group camp to carry in your equipment and supplies. Once driven in to your campsite, your equipment vehicles must remain parked at your campsite until you checkout. Additional vehicles or additional trips by your equipment vehicles is NOT permitted. Driving in to your campsite to drop off gear or water and exiting the campsite is also NOT permitted. Anyone who needs their gear driven out to Manzanita Point should arrive BEFORE the equipment vehicles drive out to the campsites, as your equipment vehicles cannot return to pick up additional people or gear. A staff person needs to be present to let you in through a permanently locked gate.

Please note if your group does not have at least 9 people, you will not be granted permission to drive to your hike-in campsite.

The earliest time you may check in is 2 pm. The latest check-in time for equipment vehicle access to Manzanita Point on Friday, April 15 is 7:00 pm. Vehicles are not permitted on Manzanita Point Rd after sunset for safety reasons. If you can’t make the latest check-in time and have a multi-night reservation, you may drive in to your campsite during business hours on Saturday (usually after 8 am). If you do NOT plan to drive in to your campsite, you may check in any time after 2 pm.

If the park has received or is expecting significant rainfall, rangers will close Manzanita Point Rd to vehicle access for safety reasons.

WOOD AND CHARCOAL CAMPFIRES

Wood and charcoal campfires are currently allowed in the park-provided metal ring at your campsite, though that may change if dry conditions warrant a fire ban. If there is a fire ban in place when you arrive, you may still cook with a gas stove or gas grill.  You may bring wood with you to the park or purchase it at the Visitor Center during business hours for $12 a bag. Wood gathering is not allowed. Ground fires outside the metal ring are also not allowed. You can find more information on campfire restrictions at the park’s official website.

No fireworks.

NO DOGS

Dogs are NOT permitted at the hike-in group camps, nor anywhere beyond the Coe Ranch Entrance parking area.

NO AVAILABLE POTABLE WATER

There is NO potable water at Manzanita Point. There are NO showers and NO hot water. Please carry in enough water to last your stay.

WEATHER

Spring weather can vary considerably. Temperatures average in the 60s and 70s during spring but can drop to freezing temperatures at night. Storms can bring wind gusts and several inches of rain. Temperatures can reach into the 80s during a heatwave. Be sure to check the forecast ahead of time and plan accordingly for current weather conditions.

If the park is expecting or has received significant rainfall, rangers may close Manzanita Point Rd. to vehicle access for safety reasons. In that event, you would still be able to backpack but not drive to your campsite.

ACTIVITIES

The park offers many hiking and mountain biking opportunities. We have provided some popular hiking loops here.

There are some swimming opportunities if you can tolerate frigid temperatures. Bass Pond is a small and stagnant body of water with steep muddy banks. China Hole, located along the Middle Fork of Coyote Creek, is 5 miles roundtrip from Manzanita Point with 1200’ of elevation gain.

Stay hydrated! Carry 1 liter of water per person, per hour of hiking. For longer hikes, carry at least 4 liters of water per person, a means of purifying backcountry water, and some salty snacks.

[David Gardner]

Received today these 3D printed bits for two UL fishing reels from the Inimitable Matthew K:

Looking forward to assembling and showing them off at the event next month.

And, introducing a new category for the Weigh Off competitions: Lightest Fishing Reel. If these are the lightest they won’t be counted, and I’ll award one to the winner.

But first I have to find those instructions…

[d k]

But…why would the winner need one?  Award it to the loser! ;-)

[David Gardner]

To the victor goes the glory… But you make a good point. My assumption was that there would not be one lighter than these, and therefore the winner would be even lighter with one of these. I have already started to mod one of them, drill it out, replace some parts with titanium, others with CF…

Oh wait, it’s 15 days too soon.

[BlackHatGuy]

Y’all have a good time. Looking forward to the trip report.

[d k]

Sorry you won’t be there, Doug.

[David Thomas]

Thanks to DavidG for kicking this off and organizing a revival GGG.  I was hoping to come and thinking I’d do BLTs using antelope bacon plus a few things with smoked salmon, but I asked my wife what she wanted to do for her birthday weekend and we’re going to Kauai to hike around it being our first fun travel in two years.

All my best to those in attendance

[David Gardner]

Sorry you guys won’t be able to make it this year. Rain check?

DavidT: if you want to send one of those excellent Alaska Airlines freezer boxes full of antelope bacon and smoked salmon I’d be happy to pick it up and take [edit: most of] it to the event :-)

[R L]

Responding to David G’s. update from the park, If memory serves, there is a huge water container close to site 7.  I would have thought they’d fill ‘er up knowing the busy season is here.?  Just some thoughts.  ~RL

[Ken Thompson]

The water trailer to fill that tank is awaiting repair, still.

[Rex Sanders]

“Note: The water tanks and the water trailer are currently out of service.”

And have been for several years. The tank at the intersection of Manzanita Point and Poverty Flat Roads on the way to GGG was removed a few years ago.

Those tanks were a great idea, maintenance must have been too difficult.

On one Coe backpacking trip, I tried designing (in my head) a self-powered vending machine that would drop one water bottle after a button push, then sleep for X minutes, at no charge. Many unsolved problems, including freezing weather. Plus very limited market potential :-)

— Rex

[Rex Sanders]

Looks like the Cordoza Ridge weather station is back online. The GGG campsite is one ridge east, roughly the same elevation, and not far as the crow flies. No forecasts, but you can see recent stats:

https://wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/rawMAIN.pl?caCCDZ

Weather geeks or people adding longer trips to GGG can see recent weather near Orestimba Corral, too:

https://wrcc.dri.edu/cgi-bin/rawMAIN.pl?caCORE

For the official National Weather Service point forecast at the GGG camp site:

https://forecast.weather.gov/MapClick.php?lon=-121.5161700407043&lat=37.17417322306052#.YkAN2C-B1Hc

As with most of central coastal California, don’t trust forecasts more than 4-5 days out.

— Rex

[Matthew / BPL]

Maybe I missed it but I didn’t see anything about food storage.  Safe to assume this is not a bear can situation, right?

[Rex Sanders]

No bears, no bear cans required, but plenty of other critters could cause problems. I usually hang my food about a foot below a head-high branch to keep the small ones out.

— Rex

[Matthew / BPL]

Yay hanging food is more fun than carrying a bear can.

[R L]

I’ve had more night time visits from fox than anything else, thus far, during my short history there.  Maybe they’re coyote but kinda small so maybe not.  As for the dry water tanks, I can only imagine the abuse that seeing a full 1k gal water tank might get.  No doubt there’d be Koi ponds, turtle sanctuaries and public bathing goin on out there.  ~RL

[David Gardner]

I’ve in the habit now of taking my bear can on every trip, even when not required. That way I’m protected from “mini-bears” like squirrels, chipmunks, marmots, etc., but I also don’t have to worry about finding the right branch on the right tree, it’s convenient, and it makes a good seat.

Plus I paid $$$-gazillion for the Bearikade Blazer so I am going to use the heck out of it even if I don’t need to.

[R L]

You should get creative and find a way to wrap your backpack around it, bear hug style, using the hip belt at ground level or thereabouts.  Then place the two trekking poles vertically with the body to act as back supports.  You’ll end up with a barrel chair type apparatus.  Yep.  Always thinkin’.  ymmv.  ~RL

[Bud]

Are we worried about the number of cars we’ll be parking at Coe Ranch? The email that David posted said cars might get turned away if we try to park more than five.

[David Gardner]

No worries – the paved parking lot by the ranger station is limited, but about 1/2 mile before you get there is a huge dirt parking lot on the right side of the road, with a trail to the ranger station. I’ve never seen that dirt parking lot completely full.

Really looking forward to getting out, getting together, having fun. It’s been too long!

[David Thomas]

I’ll beat my usual drum for non-bear critter food protection through the use of Danish cookie / popcorn tins being lighter, easier access than bear cans, only $1 at a thrift store (or free at the office in December) but sturdy enough for mice, ravens, squirrels, and probably tight enough for ants.  

Or $10 at Walmart, with the popcorn.

[Author]

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