Bishop Drug growers issues in the forest? (August: living in, dangerous)

[Podo944]

Looked up Bishop on Tripadvisor for a long weekend, found a website for Inyo National Forest under "things to do", and noticed this section:

Inyo National Forest - Alerts & Notices

Last paragraph:

"As soon as you become aware that you have come upon a cultivation site, back out immediately. Never engage the growers as these are extremely dangerous people. If you can identify a landmark or record a GPS coordinate, that’s very helpful. The growers may be present and may or may not know that you have found their grow site.
Get to a safe place and report as much detail about the location and incident as you can recall to any uniformed member of the Forest Service, BLM, or local sheriffs or police department. Leave the way you came in, and make as little noise as possible."

Yipes!

I've been hearing about this happening in some California forests. Has anyone here actually coming across this while hiking, or hear of anyone encountering this thing?

Thanks... not really too concerned, as we don't usually go too deep when hiking, but still I used to only fear bears and rattlers.

[ferretkona]

Not new. I have ran across growers for decades. First time back in 1979.

[eccotecc]

Living in the mountains, I have heard of folks going out looking for grow sites for sport then reporting their finds to the sheriff.

[OwlKaMyst]

If you keep to the designated trails, you will not have any issue.
As stated, these are in extreme remote and hard to reach spots. Not a place a typical vacationing hiker will end up.
Have no worries.

[eccotecc]

Originally Posted by Podo944

Looked up Bishop on Tripadvisor for a long weekend, found a website for Inyo National Forest under "things to do", and noticed this section:

Inyo National Forest - Alerts & Notices

Last paragraph:

"As soon as you become aware that you have come upon a cultivation site, back out immediately. Never engage the growers as these are extremely dangerous people. If you can identify a landmark or record a GPS coordinate, that’s very helpful. The growers may be present and may or may not know that you have found their grow site.
Get to a safe place and report as much detail about the location and incident as you can recall to any uniformed member of the Forest Service, BLM, or local sheriffs or police department. Leave the way you came in, and make as little noise as possible."

Yipes!

I've been hearing about this happening in some California forests. Has anyone here actually coming across this while hiking, or hear of anyone encountering this thing?

Thanks... not really too concerned, as we don't usually go too deep when hiking, but still I used to only fear bears and rattlers.

It sounds like the same warning they give if encountering a bear or mountain lion.

Please enjoy your stay and enjoy all that Bishop has to offer. It's world class for rock climbing.

[Podo944]

Thanks for the replies... I'm really looking forward to visiting the area. I couldn't rock climb, except to stand on one on the ground, but maybe I'll see someone up there. I hear there are hot springs around... more my style.

[chuckmann]

I've used Bishop as a jump point to Death Valley and Mono Lake. There are good drives and good hikes throughout the area. No worry for marijuana farms in Death Valley! I like the drive through Titus Canyon, and there are many day walks that are easily doable in the fall or the spring. Done be going there in July or August

I've driven and walked some of the Mono Lake area. I'd love to go back. Not sure if there is much of a marijuana grow area around the lake. Seems a bit open.

One thing I want to do is make the drive up to Bristlecone Pines. I'm told it is wonderful.

[pch1013]

Originally Posted by chuckmann

One thing I want to do is make the drive up to Bristlecone Pines. I'm told it is wonderful.

It is! I've been up there on my motorcycle a couple of times.

I'm surprised to hear about MJ growing in Inyo though. Isn't it too dry there?

[Podo944]

Originally Posted by chuckmann

I've used Bishop as a jump point to Death Valley and Mono Lake. There are good drives and good hikes throughout the area. No worry for marijuana farms in Death Valley! I like the drive through Titus Canyon, and there are many day walks that are easily doable in the fall or the spring. Done be going there in July or August

I've driven and walked some of the Mono Lake area. I'd love to go back. Not sure if there is much of a marijuana grow area around the lake. Seems a bit open.

One thing I want to do is make the drive up to Bristlecone Pines. I'm told it is wonderful.

Chuckmann, Death Valley would be interesting to see at least once in my life, although I wouldn't want to spend too much time there. Maybe you could advise me... what is the most interesting place to visit in Death Valley if we'd only spend a couple of hours? (more of a forest fan, rather than desert)

Thanks!