First hike with first wife

[backpackpack]

Ok friends,

I think I am ready. We will try taking the tram and hiking over to little round valley. I read that link of things to avoid, I will surely do everything I can to make it the best trip ever. This will be in a few weeks, but I will update here as I plan. And a trip report afterward.

[Hikin_Jim]

I hope the pipe in Round Valley will have water for you. At last report it did not.

HJ

[backpackpack]

I hope the pipe in Round Valley will have water for you. At last report it did not.

HJ

Oh, I didn't know there was a pipe there... I was planning to lug our water from the tram

[Hikin_Jim]

Well, keep that plan, but:

1. There's water available at the ranger station in Long Valley. It's not much closer to Round Valley than the tram, but at least you don't have to carry water down that ramp.
2. There's often standing water in pools even when the creek in Round Valley is (mostly) dry. Ask around here on the forum starting about a week before your trip. You can filter water from those pools, if they're available, much easier than you can schlep water from Long Valley.
3. There is a pipe at the trail junction in Round Valley where the trail to Wellman Divide takes off. It has been dry of late, but we did get substantial rain this past weekend, so who knows? I wouldn't count on it though.

HJ

[backpackpack]

What do you guys think of Tamarack Valley vs. Little Round Valley in terms of beauty and seclusion? Is Tamarack Valley campground nicer or the same?

Thank you

[Hikin_Jim]

I have a slight preference for Tamarack, but of course it depends on which site. I think it's "Quartzite" that I like, although there are many fine sites. The real trick though is not which site to pick but which site to avoid. There's a site down in the flat in Tamarack that lies farthest to the east. You want to avoid that site. The Sid Davis route goes right through there, and a lot of people are clueless when it comes to trail courtesy. They'll walk right through your camp. It's unbelievable but I've watched it happen. Instead of going a mere 10 feet (OK, maybe 20, but the point is that it's a trivial distance) either to the right or the left, they'll walk right through someone's camp, even going between two tents or between someone's tent and their eating area. Hello! Catch a clue!

Did I mention I have pet peeves? Cutting through someone's camp or playing music out loud (instead of headphones) on the trail are some of my pet peeves. Trash, poop and paper right on the trail, and graffiti go beyond "pet peeve."

HJ

[backpackpack]

I never understand those people who walk around hiking trails with their phone playing stupid music as loud as it can go, or worse yet, a backpack boombox blasting their noise. They cannot bear to enjoy the sounds of nature for a few hours? It is unbelievable.

As for poop I have not encountered enough for it to become a pet peeve, but I probably wouldn't like it very much. Graffiti... inexcusable.

Alright thank you for the tip, I will try to plan to camp at tamarack.

I have another question. We often see on here people get off the tram and get lost. A few weeks ago a couple was found in a drainage ditch or something. People always get lost there, I am sure a lot of them are smart people. Will I find an easy route to Tamarack Valley? I don't want you guys posting on here about my rescue

[Hikin_Jim]

Don't sweat it too much. Take the well marked trail to Round Valley. From Round Valley, head north on a well travelled trail to Tamarack. It's not bad. Are you familiar with topo maps? Get a decent 1:24,000 topo map and have it with you. That and a compass can keep you pretty straight. The Tom Harrison Map is also good and might be even better if you don't plan to ever go off trail.

Most smart phones will support a GPS app that will show you right where you are on a map or satellite photo. Backcountry Navigator is decent for Android, but it has a bad habit of constantly launching Facebook (I suspect some kind of kickback, er, I mean "incentive" from FB is involved). Gaia is well regarded for Apple.

HJ

[jfr]

I like seclusion, so I often camp in Tamarack, usually at the Andesite or Diorite campsites. It takes longer than you think to get there. You head north until you reach the dry wash with the "Tamarack Valley 9100 feet elevation" sign, then head left, uphill past the outhouse. Andesite has a nice view of Cornell Peak, which is so close you may want to climb it right away. Cornell has some serious exposure near the summit, btw, with nice views to the north and San Gorgonio.

Another good spot, but in Round Valley, would be Lotus, which is high up on the southern ridge. Just south of where you camp is an awesome view out to the south over the Tahquitz valley (a now-closed area where the Mountain Fire burned). You have to climb a bit to get to Lotus camp, so don't think you're finished hiking when you reach the (now dry) water spigot in Round Valley; save some energy for the final blast to camp.

Here's a shot of the map on the small ranger "hut" in Round Valley, circa October 2013. This is the place where people are supposed to mark their sites using a grease pencil.


Round Valley and Tamarack Valley Campsite Map

[backpackpack]

Alright, I sent my permit paper application in today for next Friday. I am going to Round Valley for the first trip. If that is no problem, we will go to Tamarack next time. Thanks for the site suggestions, I think we will try to get the Lotus site if it is available.

Thanks everyone!