[pct-l] Bike Spring

[Carl Siechert]

I assume you've read the description from the Wilderness Press guidebooks:

   - The first edition (1974) describes two alternate routes in that area,
   but neither goes by the spring.
   - The first mention is in the second edition (1977): "Two
   concrete-tubbed springs are found just yards north, but their polluted
   nature relegates them to emergency use only."
   - The third edition (1982) names the spring and expands the description:
   "Two concrete tubs at Bike Springs are found just yards north, but their
   polluted nature relegates them to emergency use only. A horse camp is
   planned here for later years."
   - Next one in my collection is the sixth edition (2003): "Two vandalized
   concrete tubs at Bike Springs are found just yards north, but they have
   been dry more often than not in recent years. Even when water is running,
   its heavily polluted nature relegates it to emergency use only. Four white
   PVC pipes have been driven here in the dry wash, and will eventually be
   developed as a well, hopefully with a horse camp. No reliable water is
   available yet, as of Spring 2002."

I hiked that section of trail in 1981 (in '77, we took the temporary route
that took us a little further up Lone Pine Canyon before ascending Lytle
Creek Ridge), but don't recall anything about a spring. Sorry.

Good luck on reviving the springs and losing the caches. Thanks for your
hard work, I-Beam!

Cheers,
Carl
One of the 1977 PCT Kelty Kids

On Mon, Feb 22, 2021 at 4:48 PM Mike <temp3 at mflan.com> wrote:

>
> Bike Spring approx location:
> 341737N1173032W
> 34.29361000, -117.50889000
>
> http://maps.google.com/maps?q=34.29361,+-117.50889+%28Coordinates%29&iwloc=A&hl=en
>
> Guffy Spring approx location:
> 342035N1173915W
> 34.343008,-117.654092
>
> http://maps.google.com/maps?q=34.34301,+-117.65409+%28Coordinates%29&iwloc=A&hl=en
>
>
>
> Mike
>
>
>
> On 2/22/21 12:00 PM, pct-l-request at backcountry.net wrote:
> > Hi everyone, I-Beam here.  I have a question for the really old timers on
> > this list.  As many of you know I am a crew leader for the Cajon Pass
> > Chapter of the Trail Gorillas.  We are looking into trying to
> rehabilitate
> > old springs along the PCT that have fallen into disrepair and/or dried up
> > and are no longer in use.  One such spring is Bike Spring at mile 347.3.
> > This is ? mile trail north of Swarthout Canyon Road.  I first hiked that
> > section in 2008 and it was out of repair and had no water then and since
> > then there has been no water.  Half-mile?s trail notes has always
> indicated
> > that it was ?always dry.?  The spring is only twenty yards or so off the
> > trail and it is right across from the trail register box.  There is a
> > concrete box where a pipe comes in from uphill, but no water.    We think
> > the water source may still be viable because the brush is much thicker
> > there, indicating some ground water.  So my question to everyone is:
> When
> > was the last time this spring had water?  We are trying to work with the
> > Forest Service to get some background information about this spring, but
> > there doesn?t seem to be much interest in helping us.  We are hoping to
> > instigate a renewed interest in rehabbing springs all up and down the
> trial
> > so we can get rid of some of the water caches.
>
>
>