Deer Springs Trail/PCT - Quickie Water Report

[Hikin_Jim]

Joyce and I headed up the Deer Springs Trail on Saturday morning for a little overnight trip at Strawberry Camp. No TR just yet, but here's a quick water report on three sources. For the location of these sources, please see this GPS plot on a topo map.

Maranatha Spring. Waypoint 12 on the above linked map, about a mile and a half from the Deer Springs Trailhead. Flowing well with some nice pools to collect from. I call this Maranatha Spring, because the first thing of any significance downstream is Camp Maranatha. However, this is just my name for it. Is there a name of common use for this spring?

Joyce Spring. Waypoint 22, about 1/2 mile NNW from Strawberry Camp along the PCT. Flowing, but just a trickle. You'd need a cup to collect water with. It would take a while to get much. We got a liter here by pressing a "half pipe" shaped piece of bark into the mud bottom of the little rill and then letting the water flow off that bark into a Sierra cup. It took a lot of patience, and we got a few "floaties" in our water, although the floaties were easily removed by straining the water through a bandana as we poured from the cup into a container. I call this Joyce Spring because, well because my daughter is named Joyce and it's a darned fine name. However, that's just my name for it and I pulled it clean out of thin air. Is there a name of common use for this spring?

Stone Creek. Waypoint 23, about 1/4 mile N along the PCT from Joyce Spring. This is the middle Fork of Stone Creek (although I've also heard this called Bud Springs). Flowing fairly well, but I'm not sure if that's just due to the recent rains or something that will be dependable for a while. There was a nice pool maybe 10" deep about 20' downstream of the trail.

HJ

[hikingMoJo]

It was lovely to meet Jim & Joyce on the trail (I was one of the ladies camping near you at Strawberry Camp) --- felt like I was meeting a celebrity. I think Joyce's trail name should be Trooper or Sparkles.

We went on to Little Round Valley and there were several places to get water after the Marion Jct. #10 on http://hikinjim.blogspot.com/2013/07/wa ... tains.html was heavy and #8 0r 9 trickling. We didn't see water at Little Round Valley.

We took Marion Trail down -- no water on the trail

By the way - THANK YOU for making that map and for the helpful advice on the trail.

[Hikin_Jim]

It was lovely to meet Jim & Joyce on the trail (I was one of the ladies camping near you at Strawberry Camp) --- felt like I was meeting a celebrity. I think Joyce's trail name should be Trooper or Sparkles.

She is a little trooper. I'm super proud of her. She walked all the way up the Deer Springs Trail to Strawberry Camp. It's close to 3000' of gain over 4.5 or so miles. Not bad for a petite five year old.

We went on to Little Round Valley and there were several places to get water after the Marion Jct. #10 on http://hikinjim.blogspot.com/2013/07/wa ... tains.html was heavy and #8 0r 9 trickling. We didn't see water at Little Round Valley.

I wonder if you meant #7 (Bed Springs Crossing) which is typically the best water source on the west side. #10 is basically in Little Round Valley.

By the way - THANK YOU for making that map and for the helpful advice on the trail.

You're welcome. It's very gratifying to know that people actually find the information useful. And thanks for your help and kindness to my daughter and me in camp.

HJ