Water, July 4th?

[DWSD]

Hello!

I am planning a three-nighter over July 4th weekend along the Divide Trail, first night at Limber Pine, second at High Meadow Springs, and third at Halfway. Are we reasonably assured of having water at all three camps at the beginning of July? HikinJim’s map is super helpful – I just want to confirm that I’m interpreting it correctly.

Thanks!

[chris in redlands]

Yes

[DWSD]

Thanks Chris!

[Hikin Jim]

Oh, that Hikin’ Jim guy.  What does he know?

However, that said, I do have some individual maps for some of the camps if they’re of any help:

Limber Pine:  https://caltopo.com/m/RM8R

High Meadow Springs:
https://caltopo.com/m/21AE

Halfway:
https://caltopo.com/m/EF89

Limber Pine is a cinch if you haven’t been before.  Continue on the trail as though you were climbing toward San Bernardino Peak.  At the “elbow” of the first switchback, there will be a little drainage just ahead of you.  The spring is in the drainage, maybe 10 to 15 feet, something like that, upstream of the closest point of the trail to the drainage.

Water at High Meadow Springs is pretty easy to find; it’s just that it’s low flow.  Always.  You have to just look around in the meadow below the camp area and find a spot in hummocks that’s collecting enough water that you can extract from.  There used to be a board or a log that water was flowing along that you could get water from easily, but I’m not sure that is there anymore.  As for the camp itself, be on the lookout for a trail sign.   I think the sign faces west, but it used to be that if coming from the east, you could miss it.  Just keep an eye on your map and start looking for the spur trail down to the camp when you get into the area.  The trail is steep but WAY more followable than it was 10 to 15 years ago.  There’s now even a sign at the camp area and I think there might be a newer, more visible sign at the start of the spur trail.  Do realize that you are spoiled rotten by the SGWA volunteer trail crews.  I don’t know of anywhere in Southern California where the trails, overall, are better maintained or marked.  Some of the trails (upper section of Momyer Creek, Big Tree, lower section of Fish Creek from the SART to Aspen Grove need a little TLC), but overall, the SGW is the best.

Halfway can be a bit of a trick, particularly in late season.  The spot where the trail crosses Vivian Creek, in the drainage a bit west of the junction with the spur trail down to Halfway Camp, is almost always dry unless it’s raining or there’s active snow melt.  You just have to bushwhack upstream and be persistent.  If I’ve gone far enough, I’ve always found water if I really made the effort.  Sometimes it is just a trickle though.

Alternatively, and this is an act of desperation as I’ll explain in a minute, you can head ESE out of the camp area toward High Creek.  High Creek is in a chasm, and you’d be crazy to go directly, but if you follow the little dotted line on my map, you can drop into high creek above the drop off.  Warning, there is heavy brush at the head of the drainage that Halfway Camp is in.  This is NOT an easy way to get water.  As I say, try it if you’re desperate.  Maybe you’ll find a way to avoid the brush, I couldn’t.  It was Buckthorn.  Not fun.  But doable if you persist.

Incidentally, for those who like a bit of adventure, you can go straight up High Creek from Halfway if you want an alternate route to High Creek Camp.  Note that I said “alternative” not “easier.”  It’s anything but easy with multiple falls and cataracts to climb.  A slip on one of these could be, um, “unpleasant,” if you get my drift.  All class three, so no equipment required, but proceed with caution.

HJ

[Hikin Jim]

Oh, that Hikin’ Jim guy.  What does he know?

However, that said, I do have some individual maps for some of the camps if they’re of any help:

Limber Pine:  https://caltopo.com/m/RM8R

Limber Pine is a cinch if you haven’t been before.  Continue on the trail as though you were climbing toward San Bernardino Peak.  At the “elbow” of the first switchback, there will be a little drainage just ahead of you.  The spring is in the drainage, maybe 10 to 15 feet, something like that, upstream of the closest point of the trail to the drainage.

HJ

[Hikin Jim]

High Meadow Springs:   https://caltopo.com/m/21AE

Water at High Meadow Springs is pretty easy to find; it’s just that it’s low flow.  Always.  You have to just look around in the meadow below the camp area and find a spot in hummocks that’s collecting enough water that you can extract from.  There used to be a board or a log that water was flowing along that you could get water from easily, but I’m not sure that is there anymore.  As for the camp itself, be on the lookout for a trail sign.   I think the sign faces west, but it used to be that if coming from the east, you could miss it.  Just keep an eye on your map and start looking for the spur trail down to the camp when you get into the area.  The trail is steep but WAY more followable than it was 10 to 15 years ago.  There’s now even a sign at the camp area and I think there might be a newer, more visible sign at the start of the spur trail.  Do realize that you are spoiled rotten by the SGWA volunteer trail crews.  I don’t know of anywhere in Southern California where the trails, overall, are better maintained or marked.  Some of the trails (upper section of Momyer Creek, Big Tree, lower section of Fish Creek from the SART to Aspen Grove need a little TLC), but overall, the SGW is the best.

HJ

• This reply was modified 4 months, 2 weeks ago by Hikin Jim. Reason: Link was not working
• This reply was modified 4 months, 2 weeks ago by Hikin Jim. Reason: Link not working

[Hikin Jim]

Halfway:  https://caltopo.com/m/EF89

Halfway can be a bit of a trick, particularly in late season.  The spot where the trail crosses Vivian Creek, in the drainage a bit west of the junction with the spur trail down to Halfway Camp, is almost always dry unless it’s raining or there’s active snow melt.  You just have to bushwhack upstream and be persistent.  If I’ve gone far enough, I’ve always found water if I really made the effort.  Sometimes it is just a trickle though.

Alternatively, and this is an act of desperation as I’ll explain in a minute, you can head ESE out of the camp area toward High Creek.  High Creek is in a chasm, and you’d be crazy to go directly, but if you follow the little dotted line on my map, you can drop into high creek above the drop off.  Warning, there is heavy brush at the head of the drainage that Halfway Camp is in.  This is NOT an easy way to get water.  As I say, try it if you’re desperate.  Maybe you’ll find a way to avoid the brush, I couldn’t.  It was Buckthorn.  Not fun.  But doable if you persist and are willing to tolerate a bit of pain.

Incidentally, for those who like a bit of adventure, you can go straight up High Creek from Halfway if you want an alternate route to High Creek Camp.  Note that I said “alternative” not “easier.”  It’s anything but easy with multiple falls and cataracts to climb.  A slip on one of these could be, um, “unpleasant,” if you get my drift.  All class three, so no equipment required, but proceed with caution.

HJ

[Hikin Jim]

High Meadow Springs Camp:  https://caltopo.com/m/21AE

Water at High Meadow Springs is pretty easy to find; it’s just that it’s not that easy to gather.  It’s always low flow, even in early season.  You have to just look around in the meadow below the camp area and find a spot in hummocks that’s collecting enough water that you can extract from.  There used to be a board or a log that water was flowing along that you could get water from easily, but I’m not sure that is there anymore.  As for the camp itself, be on the lookout for a trail sign.   I think the sign faces west, but it used to be that if coming from the east, you could miss it.  Just keep an eye on your map and start looking for the spur trail down to the camp when you get into the area.  The trail is steep but WAY more followable than it was 10 to 15 years ago.  There’s now even a sign at the camp area and I think there might be a newer, more visible sign at the start of the spur trail.  Do realize that you are spoiled rotten by the SGWA volunteer trail crews.  I don’t know of anywhere in Southern California where the trails, overall, are better maintained or marked.  Some of the trails (upper section of Momyer Creek, Big Tree, lower section of Fish Creek from the SART to Aspen Grove need a little TLC), but overall, the SGW is the best.

HJ

[shawnsisler]

Here are some pictures of High Springs Meadow Camp & Spring:

High Meadow Springs Camp East Junction Sign

High Meadow Springs Camp Sign

High Meadow Springs Campsite

High Meadow Spring View from Camp

High Meadow Spring

 

[DWSD]

Hikin’ Jim, you’re the Hikin’ Gem!

Thanks so much for all your help! It sounds like Limber Pine will be easy and reliable, High Springs will be reliable but slow-going, and at Halfway our best bet is to hike up Vivian Creek until we find water (or try the High Creek desperation alternative)?

Thanks again!

[DWSD]

Or…fill up for the evening when we pass High Creek camp on the way down to Halfway?

[Hikin Jim]

This time of year shouldn’t be bad at Halfway.

Water is plentiful at High Creek, and you are going downhill, but, still, I probably wouldn’t carry a lot of water from High Creek to Halfway.  It’s heavy.

If you need water to re-hydrate after going from High Meadow Spgs to High Creek, have at it, but I probably wouldn’t fill all my bottles/bladders until I got to Halfway.

HJ

[DWSD]

G0t it – many, many thanks! I’m excited!

[Mark Ratz]

Hi all.

Trying to plan the best  (most enjoyable) route up  Gorgonio for an overnighter this weekend. We plan to start at South Fork TH and continue past Dollar Lake and camp at Red Rock flat.

1. SGWA website says there is a spring there at Red Rock Flat… but For some reason I don’t believe this… Is it the same spring as High Meadow Springs?

2. I assume there is still water at Dollar Lake, and if so, should i just load up on water there as an easier source before going further up to the peak?

Thanks for the info!

• This reply was modified 4 months, 2 weeks ago by Mark Ratz.

[MikeH]

Mark,

To get more exposure, be sure to start a separate thread with your question.

[Mark Ratz]

Thanks Mike. Will do.

[DWSD]

Shawn Sisler, in your photo of the campsite above, it looks like there’s only room for one tent? Are there more than one tent site at High Meadow Springs campsite?

[shawnsisler]

DWSD,

That was just a picture of 1 of the tent site at High Meadow Springs Camp. There about 3-4 others in that area. Plus I believe there are some other places above the camp toward ridge trail that would be good for camping.

[DWSD]

Excellent – thanks! And thanks also for the really helpful photos!!!

[Mark Ratz]

hey DWSD:

I was at High Meadow Springs on Sat night  the 13th. we talked to one group that said they had 24 people in their group, and another group that had 7 people. We were only two people, but we were forced to look a little further than the most obvious camp area. I bushwhacked around and found probably 5 or 6 additional dug out campsites… in fact, we found an enormous one that could fit 3 or 4 tents in one area.

I did not ask the other groups if they all had permits, but I got the impression from the conversations that I did have, that this campsite was usually not so busy. one camper said he had been to this site 12 or so times and usually had it to himself.

I dont think you will have trouble finding a spot… but… you could gather your water at the spring and then continue on to red rock, as it is probably only a 15 min walk from high springs…and we didn’t see a single other tent there.

Additionally, if you were asking about water at the high meadow, the spring was flowing really well on Sat when we were there.

[DWSD]

Thanks Mark – really good info! Good to know there’s some room and that Red Rock is feasible if there’s a party for some reason at High Meadow. Great news also re the spring.

I so appreciate all your help, everyone!! I’m excited!

[DWSD]

Hello everyone – just wanted to let you know that we had a fantastic trip on July 4 weekend! We found all the campsites and water sources, and had a really wonderful time. Thanks so much for all your help, and for all you do!

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