Generals gone AWOL Summer 2008 tour input

[vswingfield]

It was 91 with 85% humidity at 4:45 this afternoon here in Little Rock. Early for us, too.

[eubank]

Hey, Rodney, what's your current status? Truck all fixed up? Truck all filled up with cheap gas?
L

[Boondocker]

At the head waters of the West Fork San Juan River near Pagosa Springs, Colorado:

Following the truck repair episode I returned to Miners Creek for several days. Hiking up the creek was limited due to high run offs but I did see some Big Horn sheep down by the highway and drove as far north west as Spring Creek pass looking for camping spots. I decided that since the weather was still cold at night (mid to upper 20s common) that camping on the passes could wait for a few weeks. Instead, I opted to head to the south side of the range.

Wolf Creek Pass
I was delighted with how my truck handled Wolf Creek pass (10,810 ft). I ended up in third gear by the top (and the whole way down) but the truck hummed along like nothing especially challenging was being asked of it. The temperature gauge didn’t move a bump (for those of you who read along as I traveled last summer power and overheating was my bane). There was a fair amount of snow at the top of the pass attesting to the magnitude of the winters accumulation. Coming down the west slope of the pass I passed a semi that had gone out of control and wrecked providing a bit of reassurance that I wasn’t being to much of an old man about keeping the rig in 3rd coming down the side of the mountain.

Just beyond the pass, I elected to turn up (North) FR 648 or West Fork to find a suitable camping spot. There are two FS campgrounds on this road one of which was open- both of which looked like disasters- more about the FS campgrounds in Colorado later. If you keep going up the road past the second CG (West Fork) about half a mile there are a couple good boondocking spots right on the river. A third, and probably best of the lot, can be found ½ mile further on the road that branches off the main road. This site is also on the river. Not knowing about the third spot, I choose to camp at the first next to the bridge. It seems to me that temperatures here are about 10-15 degrees warmer than on the other side of the range, I don’t know if this is the case or if I just caught a warm front when I moved. In any case it is nice.

The boondock area is located central to plenty to do without getting into your truck. The Rainbow trail head is less than one mile further up the road, and serves as a gateway to the Weminuche Wilderness area. I hiked in as far as the hot springs (4 1/2 miles as the crow flies, some what farther as the hiker travels). The trail is reasonably well maintained although there are numerous blow downs on the trail. I counted four visible waterfalls and a couple cascades on the way up. The trail is UP the entire way but generally with reasonable grades and I ran into snow packs in several places. The scenery is as nice as you will find anywhere. The hot springs lie adjacent to the river on the east side at the bottom of a cliff, when I visited it was a nasty climb down as the trail was degraded over the winter. The water was warm rather than hot, but a wonderful way to spend an hour at the top of the climb. It was a great hike and one that I would recommend. I estimate round trip distance from my camp on the river to be about 11 miles.

Also close by is Treasure Falls, just off the Hwy maybe 4-5 miles from where I camped. Although I drove by it on the way in, I have not visited it yet, but may in the next day or so. Finally, there are plenty of places to fish, although the water from the snow melt remains high. Finally, there is a private campground at the beginning of the road Bruce Spruces (or something like that) that looks ok if you like that sort of thing.

More stuff I have learned. One month into the trip I have had hookups 2 nights (Monte Verde), stayed in FS, National Park, or BLM campgrounds an additional 10 nights and boondocked the balance. My generator seems to run better and start easier up here- who knew?, Using river water to wash dishes, shower, and running the privy allows about 8-10 days between water fills. That folding picnic table from Sams is a boondockers delight, and I need to build racks into my truck camper shell to organize stuff better.

************** RANT WARNING*****************

Forest Service Campgrounds in Colorado.
I don’t know where to begin stating my disappointment in the condition, fees, and management of these public facilities. These campgrounds are priced at $14-16 a night (as I have seen so far) which is frankly an outrage. For comparison, the FS campground I stayed at above Montezuma, NM was $8 and the BLM CG at Wild Rivers was $7. The later facilities were well cared for, whereas the ones here in Colorado are minimally maintained and in generally poor condition. Further, for $8 more a night you can camp in the local private campground with full hookups. FS CGs offer trash bins, pit toilets, and water if you are lucky. While I am not opposed to a nominal fee for camping, it should be remembered that these are public lands and not revenue streams. Apparently the FS doesn’t see it that way since the have elected to pass on management of these campgrounds to a private concessionaire, which I have no doubt is profiting nicely from the arrangement.

I know the argument is that these facilities cost money to operate. No doubt that is true and surely there are limits to the public purse. However, I would argue that public lands, be they parks, campgrounds, picnic grounds, or other are more akin to libraries which serve to improve us than amusement parks which do little more than entertain us. It seems to me that it should be self-evident that our public lands are more than stores of timber and minerals to be exploited. Further, I question the mentality that every activity must generate profit or even revenue. Like space exploration, our forests kindle the spirit of wonder in those who travel its paths and seek solace there. Traveling our forests enriches lives and should be encouraged where possible rather than punished with “user fees”.

Are we now so poor as a people that we must attempt to turn the bounty of our public lands into concessionaire opportunities? I say emphatically: NO. There are costs on the public budget that must be borne with no prospect of self-sufficiency. Our federal government has a budget so large that it defies imagination (Try and imagine a trillion anything, let alone multiples of that.) and I can not believe that a cap of $10 on camping fees and no fees (or a annual-good on all federal lands fee of $10) would materially damage the fiscal condition of the nation. I don’t know about you, but I will be writing to the FS, Department of the Interior, White House, and my congress critters about this situation.

**************RANT ENDS************************

I haven’t decided on the next stop, although I suspect it will be somewhere in the southern part of the state. Maybe up HWY 550? I think it may be approaching time to do some alpine boondocking, but I am turning out to be pretty fickle as far as planning goes……

[Gene]

Rodney,

Didn't you have to cross the river to get to Rainbow Hot Springs? That's what I remember, but maybe I am getting hot springs confused, or there's another trail.

I can't agree more with your rant and think it completely rational.

Check out the Shrine Pass rally link—the rally will not be at Shrine Pass—too muddy—and you could make it to the site which will be revealed shortly.

Gene

[Boondocker]

Originally Posted by CrawfordGene

Rodney,

Didn't you have to cross the river to get to Rainbow Hot Springs? That's what I remember, but maybe I am getting hot springs confused, or there's another trail.

I can't agree more with your rant and think it completely rational.

Check out the Shrine Pass rally link—the rally will not be at Shrine Pass—too muddy—and you could make it to the site which will be revealed shortly.

Gene

The hot springs are at the bottom of the cliff on the same side of the trail. Getting down was a hoot, the winter was hard on the trail. Nice soak though.
It would be neat to see more forum members, but I know thats a club event, so if its a no go I understand. After looking at the money situation this morning it looks like I can push on to south west Wyoming if I watch my pennies- so OFF I GO

[HiHoAgRV]

Originally Posted by Gen Disarray

...While I am not opposed to a nominal fee for camping, it should be remembered that these are public lands and not revenue streams. ……

top 10 rant... well done on the thread, photos and comments.

BIG TIME JEALOUS that your adventure is still ongoing and mine have concluded.

[eubank]

Hey, Rodney, great to see you check in, that the truck is now fixed, that you've been having a good time!

Having seen from the inside what it costs to do practically anything at a campground, I can see that a plentiful supply of money needs to come from someplace. It just seems to me, though, that the last 25 years of so of federal and state goverment trends have seen the rise of so-called "user fees," which basically means that the government types are refusing to take responsibility for the costs of maintaining public facilities. (The alternative approach taken by these same types is to farm out public facilities to concessionaires, but don't even get me started on that one! I'm supposed to be keeping my blood pressure in check!)

I find no particular fault with either Dems or Repubs; it's all of them involved in the trend. On the other hand, I do find a good deal of fault with more local officials (i.e., state government) in the oft-stated attitude that they don't want to tax everybody in their jurisdictions in order to maintain facilities that are used either only by a smaller number of residents or by non-residents. This kind of logic, if applied to all public facilities (not just to recreational facilities), leads to total absurdity, obviously, but our elected officials often maintain this logic nonetheless.

It's a sad state of affairs, IMHO.

Lynn

[Boondocker]

Drove from West Fork over to Durango and up 550- WHAT A TRIP! Great Drive. Camped two nights at Black Canyon of the Gunnison NP. Campsites there are tight and $12, the camp ground host has a Bambi. Then today I was back in the saddle headed for the Shrine Pass -come- Turquoise Lake rally. I may be in the right place, who knows?

[nymphfishin]

Rodney
I'm enjoying your photos, keep up the good work.
Glad you found the Big Horns, good shots.

Don

[Gene]

Rodney,

You were about 15 miles from my house at BCNP. Of course, there's a canyon in the way.

See you at Turquoise Lake.

Gene

[Boondocker]

Originally Posted by nymphfishin

Rodney
I'm enjoying your photos, keep up the good work.
Glad you found the Big Horns, good shots.

Don

Thanks Don, I really feel like I need another go at them to do them justice. But you know how that is.

Originally Posted by CrawfordGene

Rodney,

You were about 15 miles from my house at BCNP. Of course, there's a canyon in the way.

See you at Turquoise Lake.

Gene

I noticed that looking at my maps, I may want to pump your brain for the skinny on the north rim when we see each other this weekend. BTW, bring bug spray-SKEETERS be here

[Boondocker]

Having been camped here at the rally spot since last Thursday, its time to move on. I think I will move north west probably aiming toward Ashley NF south of the Flaming Gorge in the next day or two, then 2-3 weeks in the west part of Wyoming.

[Boondocker]

From the rally I went north west across the state into north east Utah. Hwy 191 through Ashley NF by Flaming Gorge has tons of temping looking areas for boondocking which I sort of regret passing by, maybe next time.

I then spent two nights up the upper Green River north of Pinedale. Wonderful country, but WAY WAY WAY back there (about 20 miles of paved and 20 miles of forest service gravel). Lots of dust in the Trade Wind and lots of shaking took its toll as well. Weather was iffy and there was a bit of hail, but nothing to bad. (Attached images from Green River area.

Pulled into Teton National Park this afternoon, most campgrounds were filled and I ended up in Lizard Creek CG. $18 which seems over priced (guess what, its run by concession- the more of this I see the less I approve of it) I will probably hit Yellowstone for a bit, I'm thinking Madison or Indian Creek CGs.

[Boondocker]

oh, here is another

[nymphfishin]

Rodney
Great shots,
I sure like the Green River Lake shot,
Rainy day shot looks like you had the camping place to yourself.
How is the fly fishing coming along?
Don

[maxandgeorgia]

Didn't the Wind River Range viewed from the Green River region give a thrill? That drive, Pinedale on up into Jackson Hole, is one of our favorites. I think you got farther back out of Pinedale than we did, but we thought it was all dropdead gorgeous. If you can, take the drive on the back side of the Tetons, Idaho side--equally beautiful and some great sites to see, falls, etc, plus lots of produce fields on the opposite side of the road ~G

[Sky]

Have they smoothed out the dirt road to Green River lakes or is there a lot of wash boarding? I'm heading there in mid August for a backpacking trip. Your camp site looks familiar. I think I camped at that same spot several years ago. Nice pictures. When my legs were younger, I backpacked in with a Hasselblad and tripod. Have some nice black and whites framed from that trip. Enjoy

[Boondocker]

Originally Posted by nymphfishin

Rodney
Great shots,
I sure like the Green River Lake shot,
Rainy day shot looks like you had the camping place to yourself.
How is the fly fishing coming along?
Don

Thanks Don, I stopped buying the licenses after Colorado, nobody was catching much so it didn't seem worth it.

[Boondocker]

Originally Posted by maxandgeorgia

Didn't the Wind River Range viewed from the Green River region give a thrill? That drive, Pinedale on up into Jackson Hole, is one of our favorites. I think you got farther back out of Pinedale than we did, but we thought it was all dropdead gorgeous. If you can, take the drive on the back side of the Tetons, Idaho side--equally beautiful and some great sites to see, falls, etc, plus lots of produce fields on the opposite side of the road ~G

The headwaters of the Green are WAY up a gravel road, but very nice indeed. I recommend the area, its a late July-Aug kind of place though due to the snow pack.

Originally Posted by Sky

Have they smoothed out the dirt road to Green River lakes or is there a lot of wash boarding? I'm heading there in mid August for a backpacking trip. Your camp site looks familiar. I think I camped at that same spot several years ago. Nice pictures. When my legs were younger, I backpacked in with a Hasselblad and tripod. Have some nice black and whites framed from that trip. Enjoy

While I was there the FS had a team of road graders working the road. It was much better coming back down...

[Boondocker]

After overnighting at Grand Teton National Park I headed up into Yellowstone National Park. After a month of quiet the multitudes were more than I wanted to deal with and I quickly felt like moving on. So, without so much as spending the night, I headed out the West Yellowstone gate and pushed on into Idaho. This turned out to be an excellent idea. I really have to recommend Hwy 12 in Idaho to everyone. It cuts east-west through the forest and is a great drive along the river, be forewarned: fill up your tanks before taking this road as services are sparse. The National Forest campgrounds in this area are in excellent condition and priced reasonably. I stayed one night at Lee’s Creek for $10.

I spent a couple nights camped below Red River hot springs at Bridge Creek (national forest campground) which was in poor condition but free. I was disappointed to discover that the springs were a commercial venture, so I opted out.
Over the fourth of July week I boondocked east of Cascade on one of the forks of the Salmon. Although the area had several hot springs, I only went to one which was about 3 miles from camp. It was so nice I really didn’t feel compelled to try the others. After the holiday weekend, I decided to move on south. I boondocked one night east of Loman. The stretch of road between Loman and Stanley has tons of boondocking spots and is pretty much a destination in and of itself. Pressing on I then moved north east of Stanley to camp along the Yankee Fork. I spent about a week along the Yankee Fork at Flat Rock campground (NFS). It was free and in excellent condition, but it will be $5 next year. (No water or trash service- the adjacent campground has water). . In addition to the FS campgrounds there are plenty of boondocking spots.

The Yankee Fork is a neat place. It has good fishing- the only place that I can say that for this summer, river sports, nearby hot springs, and great history. The creek has been heavily mined for gold including a dredging operation that operated in the early part of the last century. I had seen the results of dredging before and it isn’t pretty. The canyon is pretty beat up from the dredging. Unlike other dredging sites I have seen, the dredge is still present. When they finished, they just left it there. Today the dredge is maintained and tours ($4) are given. There are two ghost towns in the canyon-valley: Bonanza and Custer. Custer is now a historical attraction with several buildings maintained for touring. I had the misfortune to be there during “Custer day” when the place was flooded with people. There is plenty of good trail in the immediate area and road is pretty good in terms of bicycle riding as well. The road from Custer to Challis is undergoing major construction by the FS and was closed at Custer. I understand, though, that it is a neat drive. Leaving the Yankee Fork I headed south to Craters of The Moon National park.

After Craters of the Moon National Park, I headed south into Nevada. I spent the first night there at the Flying Js in Wells. I had driven enough for one day and since there was a cell signal there I could catch up on my calls and surf the net some. Cell coverage (Verizon) has been sparse the entire trip.

Yesterday, I made it to Great Basin NP. I haven’t gotten into the park much yet but there are some primitive campsites on the south end of the park along a creek that are wonderful and Free. Compared to the pay sites which are cramped, not it great shape and $12. I will be staying here most of the week before heading down to Las Vegas to pick up mom and her husband for a two week south west tour.

To date: Camping fees $178, 4,865 miles, diesel $1,594.70.