[pct-l] Hike Report! PCT 74/Fobes

[msaenz at mve-architects.com (Mike Saenz)]

hmmmm
 
try:
http://community.webshots.com/user/mikesaenz2000
 
 

Michael Saenz, Associate Partner
McLarand    Vasquez    Emsiek   &   Partners,   Inc.
A r c h i t e c t u r e  |  P l a n n i n g  |  I n t e r i o r s 
MVE       MVE    Institutional       MVP    International
w  w  w   .   m  v  e   -   a  r  c  h  i  t  e  c  t  s   .   c  o m <http://www.mve-architects.com/>  

 

  _____  

From: Ryan Christensen [mailto:ca_radiance@hotmail.com] 
Sent: Monday, March 07, 2005 12:37 PM
To: Mike Saenz
Subject: RE: [pct-l] Hike Report! PCT 74/Fobes



Hey Mike,

thanks for taking the time to write that trip report. Wow! I wish I was there. I remember Cedar Springs so very well!!! When I was there in 1996 there was a terrible wind storm! The spring is gushing huh? Wow-- wow.... Was not like that in '96.

I am interested in seeing the pictures, but the link you put on the email is not working. Perhaps the site is currently down, but do check the link to make sure its correct.

 

Take Care,

Ryan



>From: "Mike Saenz" <msaenz@mve-architects.com> 
>To: <pct-l@mailman.backcountry.net>,<so_california_backpackers@yahoogroups.com> 
>Subject: [pct-l] Hike Report! PCT 74/Fobes 
>Date: Mon, 7 Mar 2005 10:28:48 -0800 
> 
>WOO-HOO!!! 
> 
>We all had a great time this weekend! Hiked the 7 miles into Live Oak Springs, camped overnight, then the 9 miles to Fobes on Sunday. 
>Hiking the trail with us were Dave ("Ramblin' Dave") Chapman, Bill ("Ground Pounder") Frenette, Bryan ("Eagle Scout") Rindel, Laurel Buchanan, John ("JR") Roersma and myself, Mike ("Oilcan") Saenz. Paul ("Cpt. Bivy") started at Fobes (actually a couple miles before the ranch) and at the time of this post, is still hiking SOBO towards Warner Springs. Erik ("Gadget") Yakel day hiked from the 74 to Live Oak and back. 
>Bill, Bryan and Laurel started at the 74 sometime around 7:30am. Dave and I got to the trail and started hiking around 8:30am, after dropping of Paul along the road up to Fobes. John had started later in the afternoon. 
> 
>The morning was "dry" from our drive out to Warner Springs to pick Paul up. Rain began falling somewhere between the 371 and Warner Springs. We picked Paul up and he jumped into the back of my truck for a wet ride up to Fobes. Rain fell heavier as we drove up towards Anza and increased as we gained elevation... I was still confident in the predictions of clearing weather later in the day, but as we drove up Fobes Ranch Road, I was eyeballing the sky with growing concern... 
>The road up to Fobes is a mess! With each mile, the road became worse with washouts, gullies and ditches. Somewhere around 3-4 miles up the road, I encountered a gully washed deep across the road at the bottom of a ravine. Muddy, standing water with tracks of spun tires on both sides. I wasn't about to try a crossing, so I had to make Paul walk the rest of the way to the Fobs Trailhead. We left him there and turned around towards the PCT/74 crossing. And rain still fell... 
>We got to the trail and met up with Erik, who started his day hike while Dave and I were still strapping packs on. We met up with him just before we hit the trail to Live Oak. By the time we got our gear together, saddled up and began hiking, the rain slacked off just a bit. We put on our rain gear and I felt comfortable as we made our way up the trail. One of these days I'm gonna get me a pack cover. I'm perfectly comfortable hiking in rain, I just get worried that my gear will get too wet, so the first couple miles or so included this concern. BUT- 
>By 10am or so, the rain stopped. We had thick overcast over us the rest of the day, but at least it stopped raining (as promised...)! 
>The temps were cool and the hike was very nice. An easy day, taking pictures and enjoying the walk. We made it to the trail down to Live Oak Spring sometime early afternoon and met up with Bill, Bryan and Laurel at the campsite. 
>First thing first, I went to check out the water...WOW. The pipe was spewing water like a fire hose! We pitched tents in the many very nice campsites near the spring. Out came the oilcan and we spent the afternoon socializing while Bryan "Eagle Scout"... tried to keep a campfire going. The little campfire smoked and smoldered, sometimes flaming up for a few minutes, then back to smoke... 
>I probably shouldn't have challenged Bryan to "show us his skills"...He made it his mission in life to get that fire going. Of course, everything was soaked to the core out there, including every twig, leaf, branch and log. 
>John hiked down from the ridge and into the camp in the late afternoon. We had begun wondering if he was going to show up. We also had expected to see Paul on the trail as he passed up SOBO. But neither Bill, or Dave and I saw any sign of his passing. John also confirmed that Paul had not made it to the Live Oak Spring trail by the time he hiked down to us, which as fairly late in the afternoon. I had though for sure Paul would have made the 74 and camped on the south side of the 74 by nightfall... 
>Dinner for Dave and I, was chicken and pasta (again...). As night fell, I pulled out the SECOND ;) oilcan that I had cooling in the trough and we lit candle lanterns and spend a few hours BS'ing, joking and shooting the high-octane bourbon Dave packed in. Needless to say, we slept GOOD that night! 
>Morning broke cold and windy (the wind was a constant companion throughout the day). We fired up the stoves for hot coffee and began preparing breakfast: "Breakfast Burritos"!!!! And these were, by far, the best we've made yet! Dave had packed in some diced jalapenos and salsa. I brought the green onions, garlic oil, bacon and cheese...Hooo-Boy! That was a great breakfast! Before we had finished, Laurel and Bryan hiked up and out of the canyon to the PCT. Laurel was a bit worked from Saturday's hike and thought heading back to the 74 would be better for her. Bryan hike up to the PCT with her. Bill was packed up and hiking out not too long afterward at about 8:30am. We finished breakfast, cleaned and packed up and were heading up the canyon at 10am. 
>The day started out as mostly to partly cloudy. By the time we got to the foot of the Desert Divide, the wind was roaring through us. But with the wind came blue skies. By the end of the day, there were jus a few large clouds in the distance. 
>The hike from Live Oak to Cedar Springs was a steady climb. Cold winds kept us wondering if we should put on a shell, then the sun would argue against it. This kept up the rest of the day. Just above Cedar Springs we encountered our first little patch of snow. This was at about 6.5k in elevation. We joked about not bringing alone the snowshoes and ice axes...The we saw more. By the time we got to 7k (just above the Cedar Spring trail), the snow became 12, then 24 inches deep. Drifts alongside the trail got to at least 3 feet deep in places. We were post-holing all the way to where the trail makes it's first overlook of Fobes Saddle! John took the lead and I tried to use his compacted bootprints to help me hike along. This slog through the snow was compounded by the climb we had to make. We had followed Bill and Bryans tracks and we began to see SOBO tracks. Paul had made the trail, then the climb up to Fobes and the climb up to Palm View Peak on day one...in a snowfall! The trail to Fobes Saddle, though not extremely steep, is a steady, relentless climb. Then Paul had to climb up towards Palm View! That's about 1.8k in a very short section of trail... 
>(UPDATE: I just got an e-mail from Paul...He made it to Warner, putting in a 37 mile, 22 hour day!) 
>John had not seen Paul the day before, and Bryan had not seen Paul at approx. 8:30am. This meant that Paul had hiked past Live Oak on Saturday, making the other side of the 74 sometime after 4-5pm... 
>Our decent from Fobes was quick. We made it back to our trucks and into the Paradise Caf? by sunset. Quick tip: Better than the burgers are the Onion Rings! You gotta try these! 
> 
>I've posted pictures of the trip at: http://community.webshots.com/scripts/editPhotos.fcgi?action=viewall&albumID=290062502 
> 
>-Olican 
> 
> 
>Michael Saenz, Associate Partner 
>McLarand    Vasquez    Emsiek   &   Partners,   Inc. 
>A r c h I t e c t u r e  |  P l a n n I n g  |  I n t e r I o r s 
>MVE       MVE    InstItutIonal       MVP    InternatIonal 
>w  w  w   .   m  v  e   -   a  r  c  h  i  t  e  c  t  s   .   c  o m <http://www.mve-architects.com> 
> 
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