Deer Springs Trail 6/16

[Sally]

Yesterday AM I set out on the Deer Springs Trail at 6:30. I had barely rounded the 1st bend when I came across some nice clumps of lupine, Indian paintbrush, wallflowers, snowplants, and some other wildflowers.

I immediately made some other observations: the trail had been heavily travelled by horses, and the manzanitas that had once made almost a tunnel over the trail had been cut back drastically. In places the trail was so chopped up by the horses that it look like a roto-tiller had come through. Thankfully, there wasn't much horse poop.

As I continued up there were more heavily pruned tree branches. "What's going on?" I wondered. Then, lo and behold, there was a large boulder on the side of the trail that had very recently been blasted apart with explosives - so recently that I was amongst the first to walk through the rock fragments and dust on the trail.

When I got to the Marion Mtn. Trail junction, the sign was laying on the ground (just as it was last summer) except it read "Warming Hut." Then right before the Fuller Ridge Trail junction I came upon a huge tent city nestled against the hillside.

Full of curiosity I continued upward. The streams were gushing, and the views were gorgeous. When I popped out at Little Round Valley there was still abundant snow, but not enough to obscure the trail. When I reached the top of the switchbacks I passed a group of hikers. When I reached the Peak there was a couple from New York, 2 young guys on an overnighter, and a groundsquirrel. I had lunch and headed down.

When I passed the tent city I could tell they were cooking dinner and it smelled good. A bit further down the trail I ran into 2 young men. I asked them if they were part of a work crew and they told me they were with the CCC (Conservation Corps) and that they were doing maintenance on the PCT. They said they had had to blast some of the rocks to make the trail wide enough for the pack animals to bring in supplies.

Curiosity satisfied, I hightailed it back to my car, (When I passed the "Warming Hut" sign, I turned it over and it said "Marion Mtn. Trail" on the other side, and I left it that way.)

Of course, another great day on the mountain!

[Blooty]

Hi Sally!

Thanks for the trail update! pix? I hope to be up that way on Sunday

[Andy]

Thanks for a great report Sally. Makes me want to shut this computer off and head out right now. I've noticed that the CCC crews seem to be out working more lately...stimulus money? Who knows but it's great to see some attention is being given to our local trails.

[Florian]

I asked them if they were part of a work crew and they told me they were with the CCC (Conservation Corps) and that they were doing maintenance on the PCT. They said they had had to blast some of the rocks to make the trail wide enough for the pack animals to bring in supplies.

Pack animals to bring supplies to whom? The trail work crews? Sally, i know you probably don't know but sometimes trail work like this just seems stupid.

-Florian

[Sally]

Hi Tracie,
You should definitely go up. Pix comin' soon!

Hi Andy,
Yes, the CCC is in full swing - saw them in the San Mateo Wilderness clearing poison oak along the trail earlier this spring. Now THERE'S I job you couldn't get me to do!

Hi Florian,
I guess the pack animals were bringing in supplies (food, kitchen, porta-potties) to the tent city. It really seemed like overkill to blast away half a boulder just to make room for a horse to get through! Also, I could swear I heard a generator down in the tent city - I thought machines weren't allowed in the wilderness.

[Blooty]

Andy, you can bet all your Obama-bucks it's stimulus $$.

Florian, I agree...but it's beyond our control.

Sally, if you're not busy Sunday please call me I am leaving B&E.

Blue Rail - if you're watching, there is a reporter at the OC Register, which is a crappy, bankrupt affair that has to resort to front page reports on the Hags of the OC..but he may report on the current issue with the unmentionable creek route. dwhiting@ocregister.com is the email address. He often reports on hikes....however.having been enslaved in the OC for over 30 years now, I am not too optimistic that your cause will get any press here.

[Sally]

Here are the Pics!

http://picasaweb.google.com/sallymorley ... directlink

[vbmatloff]

Hey Blooty and Bluerail, I know this OC hag reporter you're talking about, and can see if he'll write up something on this issue. I assume you're talking about the DWA property, right?
My friend and I went up Marion Mtn trail on Thursday 6-17 to SJ summit, then over to Jean Pk, and looped around back to the trail. I saw the Conservation Corp van parked down there and wondered what was up. It was soon evident what was up by the sound of chain saws. As we went through Deer Spgs, there was "tent city" just like Sally said. Met a nice couple from the So. Bay in Little Round Valley who came up from Fuller, who needed to be pointed in the right direction, but they did make it to the summit just as my friend and I finished lunch and were ready to head to Jean Pk. There were 4 backpackers coming from Round Valley that missed the turn up to the summit and were passed the cabin in the saddle already, so I pointed them back in the right direction. If you skirt around the south/west side of SJP you can avoid the snow up to the summit completely.
Once at Jean Pk I went to sign the register but the note pads were all wet and I didn't have a new one to replace it with. If anyone goes up there, you might want to bring a new ziplock and a note pad. I left a small piece of note paper that I signed, but it won't go very far.
On the way back through the Conservation camp, they men were moving a 3'x3'x3' boulder out of the way, no lie! They did say they were making room for mule access just like you said, Sally.
All in all a PERFECT PERFECT day of clear blue skies. Here's a link to my photos http://share.shutterfly.com/share/recei ... m7FuzZs3kw Marion Trail To San Jacinto Pk To Jean Pk.

[lilbitmo]

Blue Rail - if you're watching, there is a reporter at the OC Register, which is a crappy, bankrupt affair that has to resort to front page reports on the Hags of the OC..but he may report on the current issue with the unmentionable creek route. dwhiting@ocregister.com is the email address. He often reports on hikes....however.having been enslaved in the OC for over 30 years now, I am not too optimistic that your cause will get any press here.

I sent "said Reporter" an email on Monday but have not heard back from him, if someone knows him, please contact him.

Let's see how this plays out with some "press involved"?

[Lcpl Hughes]

Nice job Sally

I will be hitting this trail sometime this summer..so many trails, so little time