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You need a better imagination! I'm sure it could a whole lot colder at J-Tree and don't forget wind chill, not a whole lot to stop the cold winds out there. I'm always amazed that you could feel so remote in camp and then make a run on the supermarket in less than 20 minutes. It's one of my favorite camping spots... but I've never gone in middle of the winter (nor the middle of summer).
Well, the one thing I momentarily didn't think about was the wind chill. I just came back from the desert yesterday, and even though it was relatively the same temperature in the SFV as the desert, it felt much colder in the desert because of the wind.
I've never ever been to Joshua Tree, so I was also kinda hoping that it would be cool enough so that there might actually be a bit of snow on the ground this year (probably a really small chance, but a chance nonetheless) for some priceless pictures of the desert when after a good snowfall.
Do you suggest any good trails/areas to see?
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There are plenty of get-away places off the main roads. I recommend spring before school lets out, fall after school has started, and go on week days to avoid weekend traffic. Death Valley is actually close enough to LA for a day trip (I've done it) although that is a bit hectic.
Which way would be better/scenic coming from the SFV, 14/395/190 or 210/15/127 (from Baker)? Either way, that's pretty impressive considering that Death Valley here and back is more than 500 miles. I would be willing to do that, but I'd have to leave here at around 3-4 AM (might not be too bad of an idea, especially to avoid crowds and maybe catch a desert sunrise somewhere near Red Rock SP)
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I'd have to review my Mojave Reserve notes but unfortunately they're packed away for my upcoming move. All I can tell you is that I spent several days there and really enjoyed it. Found solitude almost everywhere. Take good maps!
I could use some good solitude at this point. Thanks!
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Originally Posted by Fontucky
Mitchell Caverns SP
Wow, I just googled that place. Looks cool! How come I've never heard of it? That sounds like another good day trip (if I'm feeling ambitious).
I should buy some camping gear at some point. All I have is just a sleeping bag, a car, a camera, and my imagination.
,,,,I should buy some camping gear at some point. All I have is just a sleeping bag, a car, a camera, and my imagination.
I used to go camping in the 70's in a VW beetle, I took the passenger seat out and put my large Coleman cooler there. At night a foam mat on the cooler and I had over 6 feet to lay out. I used a small gas cookstove then, now I have a alcohol stove even smaller. Small as a coffee cup but it cooks meals and makes coffee.
My wife and I picked up a tent camper that mounts on top of the truck, opens up like the old VW bus campers. AutoHome Columbus
The Park Service has an onerous presence, part of the whole National Babysitting Service, fortunately the budget cuts have cut into their operations.
I kind of figured NPS would probably get into it, telling people what they can't do, another example of intrusive government getting involved in things that worked better without them. During my times at the springs I think it was BLM land and I doubt you would have seen a government vehicle more than 1-2 times a year.
By the way, just a tip for everybody, there are some really nice places administered by BLM that are interesting, desolate, have lots of solitude and virtually no rules except don't screw up anything, pack out all your trash, don't cut any new roads. You can do almost anything you want as long as you leave no traces behind when you leave.
It's the US Bureau of Land Management although some people call it "Bureau of Livestock and Mining" (because that's the main stuff they administer, ranching and mining). When I'm camping and kind of drifting around and the day gets late and I decide to plop down somewhere overnight I often head for BLM land. It's almost a sure thing that I find a camp site with no neighbors, with total quiet, and with a great view of the nighttime sky.
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Originally Posted by Lifeshadower
I've never ever been to Joshua Tree, so I was also kinda hoping that it would be cool enough so that there might actually be a bit of snow on the ground this year (probably a really small chance, but a chance nonetheless) for some priceless pictures of the desert when after a good snowfall.
Do you suggest any good trails/areas to see?
Joshua Tree isn't all that big, and even better it's only a two hour drive (unless you do it during commuter hours). I know because you and I probably live only a few miles from each other. So my idea is you should get a map of J-Tree and take several trips. It's perfect for a 2-3 day camping trip and if you forget anything you can just drive to a nearby supermarket (near to most parts of the park). You could even forget cooking and just eat at restaurants or fast food places.
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Originally Posted by Lifeshadower
Which way would be better/scenic coming from the SFV, 14/395/190 or 210/15/127 (from Baker)? Either way, that's pretty impressive considering that Death Valley here and back is more than 500 miles. I would be willing to do that, but I'd have to leave here at around 3-4 AM (might not be too bad of an idea, especially to avoid crowds and maybe catch a desert sunrise somewhere near Red Rock SP)
I'll admit to being a creature of habit. I just head up 14 and 395 and follow the sign to Death Valley. Why don't you take one way out and return via the other way? Just noting one thing though, 14 is convenient to where you live, 15 isn't.
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Originally Posted by Lifeshadower
I could use some good solitude at this point. Thanks!
That's my very favorite thing about the desert! I just love having a patch of land all my own, mine to enjoy in solitude and the only evidence of humanity is the dirt road I drove in on and the contrails from jets far above. Of course that isn't J-Tree.
OMG, I almost forgot! If you like deserts and solitude, and I recommend this to anybody and everybody, read Desert Solitaire by Edward Abbey. For extra points take it along on a desert camping trip and read it while you're lazing around in camp. You can find it at the L.A. Public Library at 979.21 A672Ab. If you go to the West Valley Branch you might even read the same copy I did.
Last edited by Lovehound; 12-16-2010 at 10:40 AM..
Location: San Luis Obispo and Santa Barbara Counties
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and Bureau of Large Mistakes, Carrizo Plains is a BLM administered National Monument, a sort of miniature DV, and completely uncrowded.
The Springs, armed NPS with German Shepherds patrolling, a IC at the air strip, they bulldozed the Lippincott mine road to make it wide enough for their HumVee.
Fortunately with the budget cuts they don't patrol like they used to. The Lippincott mine road has reverted to what it was, a fairly terrifying road.
Some of the best camping I've found is by going places that nobody else is interested in, or going to more popular places during the times that other people don't want to go there. It also helps to have four wheel drive so you can drive out roads that nobody else wants to drive on.
I selected my user title (curmudgeon & misanthrope) with great deliberation and thought, although honestly I'm quite friendly to small numbers of people. You can be sure though that camping in Yosemite Valley at the peak of the season is not my thing! Some of my favorite campsites are places where I might not see any people for a few days at a time, or you might see somebody drive by a couple times a day but no other people seen or heard.
I've got another camping suggestion for Lifeshadower and other locals although it's not the desert. In fact this is one of my sort of secret camping sites, secret only in that you don't see a lot of people there. Lifeshadower will discover it's almost exactly a two hour drive from his Northridge location. This place is called either Mt. Abel or Cerro Noroeste and they have a nice campground right at the top of the mountain, and even though you can see Los Angeles from there you feel like you're way off on some camping trip! Walk away from the campground about 5 minutes and you'd swear you're all alone. It's a very good forest experience, most of the campsites have fairly good separation and I think you need some sort of permit from the Forest Service (maybe a couple bucks). Directions: From the SFV drive north on I-5, get off at the Frasier Park offramp then follow the signs west to Pine Mountain Club (it's a small community). Continue on past PMC maybe 1/4 mile at most and turn left at the sign to Mt. Abel. There are no other turns and the road winds around Mt. Abel a couple times until you end up right at the top! This is particularly a great spot to go camping during off peak season although it is probably closed during the winter since I doubt they have snow removal and it's a sure thing they get snowed in every winter. Definitely do not go to Mt. Abel on the last weekend in June because that's the national (international?) ham radio event called Field Day where hams all over the country go camping and set up portable ham radio gear and partake in a emergency communications readiness contest. On the other hand if you're a ham then that's the weekend you should go! That's how I learned about the site, from my ham radio friends.
Anyway that's a really fun local Los Angeles camping spot. My two favorite local camping sites are Mt. Abel and Joshua Tree, each of them only a two hour drive from my house, and each of them an inexpensive trip to a spot where you can find a little bit of solitude yet so close to home.
Some of the best camping I've found is by going places that nobody else is interested in, or going to more popular places during the times that other people don't want to go there. It also helps to have four wheel drive so you can drive out roads that nobody else wants to drive on.
I selected my user title (curmudgeon & misanthrope) with great deliberation and thought, although honestly I'm quite friendly to small numbers of people. You can be sure though that camping in Yosemite Valley at the peak of the season is not my thing! Some of my favorite campsites are places where I might not see any people for a few days at a time, or you might see somebody drive by a couple times a day but no other people seen or heard.
I've got another camping suggestion for Lifeshadower and other locals although it's not the desert. In fact this is one of my sort of secret camping sites, secret only in that you don't see a lot of people there. Lifeshadower will discover it's almost exactly a two hour drive from his Northridge location. This place is called either Mt. Abel or Cerro Noroeste and they have a nice campground right at the top of the mountain, and even though you can see Los Angeles from there you feel like you're way off on some camping trip! Walk away from the campground about 5 minutes and you'd swear you're all alone. It's a very good forest experience, most of the campsites have fairly good separation and I think you need some sort of permit from the Forest Service (maybe a couple bucks). Directions: From the SFV drive north on I-5, get off at the Frasier Park offramp then follow the signs west to Pine Mountain Club (it's a small community). Continue on past PMC maybe 1/4 mile at most and turn left at the sign to Mt. Abel. There are no other turns and the road winds around Mt. Abel a couple times until you end up right at the top! This is particularly a great spot to go camping during off peak season although it is probably closed during the winter since I doubt they have snow removal and it's a sure thing they get snowed in every winter. Definitely do not go to Mt. Abel on the last weekend in June because that's the national (international?) ham radio event called Field Day where hams all over the country go camping and set up portable ham radio gear and partake in a emergency communications readiness contest. On the other hand if you're a ham then that's the weekend you should go! That's how I learned about the site, from my ham radio friends.
Anyway that's a really fun local Los Angeles camping spot. My two favorite local camping sites are Mt. Abel and Joshua Tree, each of them only a two hour drive from my house, and each of them an inexpensive trip to a spot where you can find a little bit of solitude yet so close to home.
Now that I have a bit more time away from Grad School preparations, I have been thinking of doing a bit more exploring of California's desert regions. Lucky for me, I live in the SFV, so that means that desert access is as near as 35 minutes away (at Palmdale, but that part of the Antelope Valley is meh)
I have always wanted to see Joshua Tree National Park, but it might be a bit cold this time of year since it's mostly high desert (I'll still go anyways). Does anyone have any other suggestions on what a good desert getaway would be?
Pictures would be greatly appreciated
Bear in mind that although the western portion of JTNP, the more developed part, is Mojave (high) Desert, the eastern portion is low desert -- specifically, the Colorado Desert. The Cottonwood area and Eagle Mountains are lower (and warmer) than the better known areas of the park. Lots of rarely visited canyons and peaks to be found there.
It wasn't truly desert, but we had a great deal of enjoyment exploring the beauty of the areas on the California side of Lake Havasu. c&r a lot of Striped Bass too. Some very beautiful vistas in land, from the reservation.
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I'm sure it could a whole lot colder at J-Tree and don't forget wind chill, not a whole lot to stop the cold winds out there. I'm always amazed that you could feel so remote in camp and then make a run on the supermarket in less than 20 minutes. It's one of my favorite camping spots... but I've never gone in middle of the winter (nor the middle of summer).
