Water @ Lodgepole and Mineshaft Flats

[Dave]

I am planning a trip next week and was hoping to get an update on water availability at either Lodgepole Springs or Mine Shaft Spring. Depending on which is a more reliable source will help determine where I camp.

Thanks for any information.

-dt

[BrianD]

I’m heading in to the area this weekend and have same questions. I’m assuming water below Mineshaft should be good. But I’m also assuming Lodgepole is done. I was in there a month a go or so and it was pretty low.

[Alon Wiedenman]

Do either of you have any advice on how to get to the Mineshaft Spring?

[Dave]

I camped at Mine Shaft Flats last weekend and Mine Shaft Spring is flowing strong. You take the Big Tree Camp trail (North Fork Meadows) out of Mine Shaft Flats camp. Follow it for about 0.4 miles. You have to descend the slope off trail for 100 yards or so before you get to the spring.  The coordinates to get off the trail are 34.10397, -116.80894. At least that’s what my device recorded. Interesting note, if you see a rotor from a helicopter wreckage, you are in the right spot.

This is also a link to my recorded track on Gaia GPS: https://www.gaiagps.com/map/?loc=17.4/-116.8097/34.1076&pubLink=DcUe2B5t1U4yIwZSNut5CSJM&trackId=229f24f92769f8c56137a5ae69e19a3b

Hope that is useful.

[Yvonne]

I camped at Trail Flats 7/18-7/19 and Lodgepole Spring is running. It’s slow but 2-3 liters a minute. Our group filtered at least 20 liters at the spring.

[Elizabeth]

Water update! Camped at Trail Flat on 8/7-8/8, and Lodgepole Spring is still running nicely. It filled up my 4L Platypus in just a minute or two in late afternoon. We also ran into a helpful ranger while filling up. He said that the spring runs more quickly in the morning, filling 1L in about 14 seconds.

Also, if you’re camping, be sure to bear-proof your food with a canister or hanging bear bag. I heard a noise at 5 am and looked up to see a little bear heading right towards our tent, less than 5-10 feet away. We had no food or scented items in the tent, and we did all cooking and eating far away, so he was just checking things out. He ran away as soon as I sat up, but he would definitely have gotten into our food if it wasn’t hanging from a tree. The next morning on the summit, we met a couple who said a bear was also poking around Dry Lake Camp that night.

• This reply was modified 9 months, 1 week ago by Elizabeth.
• This reply was modified 9 months, 1 week ago by Elizabeth.

[MikeH]

Great report.  Thanks Elizabeth!

[Author]

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