The Outdoors Thread

[Homebrewer]

5 minutes ago, Lou said:

Engendered? 

Lol.

well hung.

[Lou]

I'll stick to using hotels. 

[Sully151]

11 hours ago, gotbeer said:

So need some advice from those that have camped.  It's supposed to rain the days I go on my next camp.  Should I take a tarp to put over my tent so the rain for sure doesn't get in?  Should i take a second tarp for under the tent?  

Camping in the rain is great. I have done it many times. The sound of rain on a tent is about as relaxing as it gets, I use it as a sleep sound on my Alexa.

 The best was 2 days in a downpour in Olympic National Park with a super cute blonde girl in a really small two person backpacking tent.

Its really about where you build out camp. Look for water flow and potential water flow. Make sure you have a good tent with a full rain fly. A ground tarp is nice. If you have the space and trees, you can fly a tarp over your tent as extra protection depending on wind.

Your down sleeping bag won't stay warm if it gets wet, but a synthetic will do better, so plan accordingly.

If it is a big rain, get out and check your surroundings every once in a while. Be lighting prepared.

[red321]

We spent a scary evening in the Yosemite backcountry during a downpour and lightning storm...there was no relaxation in the rain for sure. This wasn't lightening and then count a few seconds for the thunder but hair standing up, simultaneous lightning and thunder. Long 60 or so minutes. 

 

[Blarg]

Camping in the rain sucks. 

[Keener]

Sleeping during a downpour is great in my fifth wheel.  

Except when i had a leak in fall '16.  That sucked.

[gotbeer]

So I guess that was poison oak.........sigh

Oh, and the advice on the tents worked.  Inside of the tent was dry even when it was raining like crazy outside.  

[mrwicked]

When I did the big sur hike I mentioned here (sykes hot springs, which is actually closed currently) it started to rain the middle of the night. Since you're camping just meters from the river, in flood plane area, you gotta keep tabs on that. I put a handful of sticks out from the river distanced one meter apart. I would wake up every 10-15 mins and check. If the river started touching the sticks, the plan was to bolt.

Well it touched them, and within 15 mins we were packed and heading out of that canyon. Didn't take long for that sh*t to get nasty, we watched from the ridge.

People have needed to be airlifted away. Camping in the rain is fun as long as you stay frosty. 

[red321]

years and years ago we were camping up near Lake Piru...found a fantastic spot right near the creek

Started to pour during the night and it turns out we had pitched the tent in the exact path where water drained into the creek...small river running right through the tent. 2 of us say fuck it and head to the car while the other 2 are calling us wimps and pansies...30 minutes later they are knocking on the car window, begging us to let them in the car. After a few minutes of suffering we let them in the car and watch as a small street half a foot deep is running through the campground and the tent is about ready to be swept away.

We grab our things and decide to leave...car is stuck in the mud. I'm driving, so everyone else jumps out to push the car out of the mud...car won't budget and they are sliding all over. After a few minutes I look down and realize I had the parking break on. Still took another 30 seconds or so as I slowly released the break...

[Homebrewer]

On 3/15/2018 at 10:42 AM, gotbeer said:

So I guess that was poison oak.........sigh

Oh, and the advice on the tents worked.  Inside of the tent was dry even when it was raining like crazy outside.  

Unfotunately I'm an expert on that shit too. Hard to tell what is is in the winter when it's leafless sometimes..

Go to Rite Aid and get some tecnu (it's a liquid soap) wash yourself well ( and your clothes) with it. Best stuff on the market...if you can't find it ask the pharmacy

Dont scratch it.

[gotbeer]

So went hiking in Santa Anita Canyon this weekend.   All I can say is what a shit show.  Went around 9 am, and that was a mistake.  So many clueless people out there.  My favorites, were on a two lane road, one on each side, with cars parked on each side, people decide to walk on both sides of the road, 2-3 wide.  The other was the car going 5 mph down the hill, because they were looking for a parking space.  Stopping at every hiker asking them if they were leaving, and not letting anyone pass them.  Just all kinds of special there.

I'm actually glad we couldn't find a parking spot.  Because all those people there would have made me quite a bit more irritated.

We went back around 4:30, and they all left, and it was so much more enjoyable without the crowd.  

One thing that did dawn on me.  Is while I watching the few people there cross a stream.  I just thought, man, I used to be like that.  

Oh, and went to the East Fork to our camp on Saturday.  Man the river was alive.  Usually you can find rocks and trees to cross the river.  And even then, at most the river is ankle deep.  Not this weekend.  First two crossings, river was up to the knees and moving pretty well.  The sand bar, we usually walk on in the river was also covered up.  The next two crossings, further up the river I heard was waist deep.  Best was getting there early, and seeing a group rush out once there was light out.  Only to find them coming back as we were headed out with stink faces, because they couldn't cross the river.  

[gotbeer]

Went on a 3 day camp this weekend.  Other than dropping a rock on my foot, and pouring boiling water on my hand.  Was a fun animal filled weekend.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/kW8AqnlR5iFMaZg63

Woodhouse Toad maybe?

https://photos.app.goo.gl/ubRuy1FqnJLC7W3i2

California Treefrog

And the awesome find.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/AsEBBzJJE8117Ldk2

California Mountain Kingsnake

Oh, and downloaded an app called iNaturalist.  It's helping in the identifying process.

[gotbeer]

So I'm hearing that the terrorist organization known as the Sierra Club and the US FS made a back room deal that will make gold prospecting and camping in the San Gabriels off limits, and also limit the number of people visiting.  This I guess includes the east and west forks of the San Gabriel River and Santa Anita Canyon.  I'm sure this will go over well.  They are going to have to drag a bunch of people off the mountain, and they better get ready for a Bundy situation.  

[Redondo]

On 4/17/2018 at 9:56 AM, gotbeer said:

Went on a 3 day camp this weekend.  Other than dropping a rock on my foot, and pouring boiling water on my hand.  Was a fun animal filled weekend.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/kW8AqnlR5iFMaZg63

Woodhouse Toad maybe?

https://photos.app.goo.gl/ubRuy1FqnJLC7W3i2

California Treefrog

And the awesome find.

https://photos.app.goo.gl/AsEBBzJJE8117Ldk2

California Mountain Kingsnake

Oh, and downloaded an app called iNaturalist.  It's helping in the identifying process.

Good pics. Thanks for sharing. It's fun to find unusual animals when you go hiking and exploring.

[AngelsLakersFan]

On 3/28/2018 at 5:28 PM, gotbeer said:

So went hiking in Santa Anita Canyon this weekend.   All I can say is what a shit show.  Went around 9 am, and that was a mistake.  So many clueless people out there.  My favorites, were on a two lane road, one on each side, with cars parked on each side, people decide to walk on both sides of the road, 2-3 wide.  The other was the car going 5 mph down the hill, because they were looking for a parking space.  Stopping at every hiker asking them if they were leaving, and not letting anyone pass them.  Just all kinds of special there.

I'm actually glad we couldn't find a parking spot.  Because all those people there would have made me quite a bit more irritated.

We went back around 4:30, and they all left, and it was so much more enjoyable without the crowd.  

One thing that did dawn on me.  Is while I watching the few people there cross a stream.  I just thought, man, I used to be like that.  

Oh, and went to the East Fork to our camp on Saturday.  Man the river was alive.  Usually you can find rocks and trees to cross the river.  And even then, at most the river is ankle deep.  Not this weekend.  First two crossings, river was up to the knees and moving pretty well.  The sand bar, we usually walk on in the river was also covered up.  The next two crossings, further up the river I heard was waist deep.  Best was getting there early, and seeing a group rush out once there was light out.  Only to find them coming back as we were headed out with stink faces, because they couldn't cross the river.  

You gotta get there right at 6 AM when the road opens, then stay away from the waterfall and you won't run into too many people. Thats a great summer hike because you can spend most of it shaded by the trees.

[gotbeer]

1 hour ago, AngelsLakersFan said:

You gotta get there right at 6 AM when the road opens, then stay away from the waterfall and you won't run into too many people. Thats a great summer hike because you can spend most of it shaded by the trees.

From what I understand.  They are going to gate that entrance.  And limit the number of cars that enter, like they are going to do at East Fork.  I don't think people realize what is really going to happen to the collusion between Sierra Club and the USFS.

[gotbeer]

This episode will be titled "Dinner."

So this started 2 weeks ago.  One of the chicks that hikes camps up in the East Fork regularly was camping around the 3.5 mile mark.  It was night, she was solo doing it, and she heard a noise.  Turned on her headlamp, and she saw a pair of eyes in the distance.  Not sure what it was.  Could have been a miners cat or bighorn sheep, or something else.  She thought it was something else, but it left.

Then we go to this weekend/Friday.  She's hiking in at 2 AM.  When suddenly right in front of her, a mountain lion runs across the trail and disappears.   This happened at the 2 mile mark.  So she shows up at our camp, a bit scared, since we were the closest.  

So now we get to Saturday.  I hike in in the morning, no issues.  But I tend to hike out before it gets dark.  Because, well, I'm a clutz and why compound my clutziness with navigating a trail in the dark with only a headlamp.  She needed to get going, so she joined me.  We hike out fine. 

Oh, and BTW.  If you are ever in the mountains, on a two lane road, with no passing.  For the love of god, if you are going 25 in a 40 zone, and you see a line of headlights behind you.  Pull the F*ck over and let the other cars pass.  For 10 miles, this fucktard was driving like a fucktard blind person, with 15 cars following.

So back to the story.  So Saturday night.  My buddies in camp were going to get up early and do a hike.  It's a very warm night, so my one buddy likes to sleep outside on the hammock.  So the camp was quiet, everybody is asleep.  When behind one of the tents by the river, there is a rustling sound.  Then a growl.  My buddy in the hammock and another buddy in another tent of course wake up.  My buddy in the hammock turns on his headlamp.  And he is about 10 feet away, face to face, with a 200 lb mountain lion.  Of all things, he just casually says, "hey there" and the mountain lion bolts.  

My other buddy in the tent then fires off his gun into the air along with an air horn.  To make sure to scare him away good.

But yeah, we don't know if maybe the mountain lion was using our camp to cross to the other mountain range, since that's where the bighorn like to hang out.  Or is he thought my buddy was a burrito.  But that's how close he got to being dinner.  

[gotbeer]

So I was camping in the mountains last weekend.  And well, they partake in medicine quite a bit.  So I took a hit, for only the second time and time slowed down.  I'm missing a few hours somewhere, and not sure if things were real or not.  And so I decide to take a nap.  I get in the hammock, and dozed on and off.  

I wake up from my slumber, and look around the camp.  And I see something dart in the bushes.  At this point I'm wondering if I saw what I saw.  Or am I still medically induced.  I look again.  And I'm sure it is what I see.

So I yell to my campmates.  Rattlesnake.  And they are like are you sure or are you seeing things.  I'm like I think it was, but only saw the tail.  So they all come over, and sure enough.  About a 5 foot rattler slithered out of the bushes,  I think right by my hammock, across camp, and into the bushes by one of our tents.  

They debated whether to kill it and eat it or coax it across the river.  The coax it route won out because I don't think anyone wanted or knew how to skin it, and we had a party to get to upriver.  And let me tell you.  In a moderate flow river, rattlesnakes skated over it like it was nothing to the other side in a river about 20 feet wide.  

[well_red]

If anyone ever finds themselves up near Bishop/Mammoth, I would highly recommend the Rock Creek area and in particular the Little Lakes Valley Trail.  Easy 20 minute drive up to the trailhead off of 395 and the parking lot is already at 10,000 feet, just a mile or two of laid back hiking (my 3 year old walked most of it) and you are in an alpine wonderland, lakes flowing into each other, streams, wildflowers, surrounded by snowy peaks.  It's out and back so you can just turn around whenever or continue on for a few more miles to get away from the crowds and see the more remote lakes.  Very popular but the parking lots are big, scenery is incredible, especially considering how easy it is to access.

https://www.alltrails.com/trail/us/california/little-lakes-valley-to-gem-lakes 

[Tank]

pan roasted rattlesnake goes very well with a creamy vegan cashew cheese sauce.

[gotbeer]

So this is about 1.5 miles into the forest.  These fuckers say it's art.  

[Lou]

this is why everyone hate white people:

https://www.cnn.com/2018/08/26/us/jacksonville-madden-shooting/index.html

[Lou]

and this:

https://nypost.com/2018/08/10/monster-accused-of-setting-california-wildfire-made-arson-threat-weeks-ago/

[Lou]

and this:

[Blarg]

I showed it to my black lab and he didn't like it at all.