Avoiding the Pacific Crest Trail

Backpack Trip Report, ,

A WEEKEND HIKE TO ASSESS THE SAN JACINTO FIRE DAMAGE

SJ Aug 2013_ 15

In the summer I do a lot of hiking on the Pacific Crest Trail south of the San Jacinto Wilderness. Because it is hot this time of year and there is little water available, most hikers avoid this part of the trail. Since this area is usually 20 degree cooler than where I live, and there are few hikers, it is an excellent destination for me.

Unfortunately most of this section was burned in the San Jacinto Fire a couple weeks ago. Right now the PCT is closed from Highway 74 north, past the San Jacinto State Park Wilderness, a 50 mile long section of trail. From what I could see on this hike, and the fire I observed from my house a couple weeks ago, I would not be surprised if this section (or parts of it) are closed for several years.

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Six Moon Designs Wild Oasis Shelter

Backpacking Gear, Shelters, Tents

Wild Oasis 12

A while back I posted about Dave Chenault’s Pyramid Shelter article. At that point it dawned on me that I have not discussed this shelter previously. The Wild Oasis seems to be a shelter that often gets little love. It has been around for quite a while; I bought mine in 2008. But I don’t see many people talking about it these days. I typically only used mine for those days when I expected a lot of flying insects. But since I decided to do a review, it occurred to me that I should use it more often.

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How to Start a Forest Fire

Backpacking Gear, Camping, ,

JUST GO TO THE MANY BLOGS AND WEBSITES OF BACKPACKING EXPERTS AND FOLLOW THEIR EXAMPLE

Okay, it is a pet peeve of mine.

“I’m mad as Hell and I’m not going to take this anymore” - Howard Beale (played by Peter Finch, from the movie Network)
“I’m mad as Hell and I’m not going to take this anymore”
– Howard Beale (played by Peter Finch, from the movie Network)

Yesterday I was reading a review of a wood stove on a well known backpacking blog and I notice about 6 inches of leaves and brush have been cleared from around the base of the stove.

Only problem is, the flames from the stove extend a few inches above the pot, which is sitting on top of a wood burning inferno of a stove. The entire assembly height is at least twice the width of the cleared area. Knock the stove over and you have a forest fire.

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Finding and Keeping Secret Places Secret

Backpack Trip Report, Camping,

IMG_0136A common theme of many of my posts and articles is the desire for solitude in wild places. This doesn’t necessarily make me anti-social; just a preference to enjoy the peace and quiet that the wilderness can provide without other people to muck things up.

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For those who are tired of crowds in campsites or on the trail, finding your quiet place isn’t that difficult. But don’t look here in PopUpBackpacker for directions to my favorite secret places.

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Searching for Pebbles

Backpack Trip Report

LOOKING AT THE LITTLE THINGS IN LIFE

smaller DSC00911After a cancelled backpacking trip last weekend due to the San Jacinto Wilderness fire, Monday morning found me traveling towards Nevada. Driving 55 miles per hour on back roads tends to turn the road into a gray blur separated by a dirty white dividing-line in the center.

Stopping to take a pee break, a silver reflection in the center of the pavement changed the character of the next four days to come.

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How to Level and Stabilize a Tent Trailer

Camping, ,

THERE IS A RIGHT WAY, AND A WRONG WAY

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One thing I really enjoy about a tent trailer is the open feeling when all the curtains are pulled backed and the windows are opened. You have a 360 degree view, with netting to keep insects out. Even in hot weather, the shaded interior is much cooler than outside, there is plenty of ventilation.

Tent trailers are a little different to set up than a travel trailer, 5th wheel, or a motor home.

It is surprising how many people do not know how to properly set up their tent trailer, in spite of the fact the Owner’s Manual provides comprehensive instructions.

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San Jacinto Fire Update

General Talk, , , ,

RAIN.

Mount San Jacinto 07/21/2013 10 a.m.
Mount San Jacinto 07/21/2013 10 a.m.

The San Jacintos are shrouded in clouds. A light rain fell overnight, dropping 0.78 inches of rain on the desert floor overnight. Good news. Hopefully any additional rain will be light, so our fire fighters are not endangered by flash floods. A flash flood warning is in place for the desert.

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Gray Water Solutions for Your Camper

Camper Upgrades, , ,
Tote Selection
Our collection of gray water tanks used from 2003-2008

When camping in a recreational vehicle (travel trailer, motor home, tent trailer, etc.) it is more than likely you will generate waste water. Disposal of this water can become problematic. What follows are the methods and solutions we have used over the years.

If you camp in campgrounds with sewer hook-ups, then waste water disposal is not a problem. But I will suggest that these “parking lot” campgrounds are not camping. Pick you’re poison. Many campgrounds without RV hook-ups have an RV dump, where you can drive your camper to and off-load the waste water. Of course if you have a tent trailer, it would require packing up the camper before driving to the dump station. And if you fill your tanks before your trip is over, you would have to return to your campsite and set up the camper again. If you camp in dispersed camping areas, it is unlikely there would be a dump station within reasonable driving distance. To overcome these obstacles, many campers utilize portable waste tanks.

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Fire on the Mountain

General Talk, , , , ,
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Fire has moved from the west side of the San Jacintos, crested the ridge and is now heading east. View from Palm Springs, CA.

On Monday morning, July 15th, a fire started on private property in the Apple Canyon area, which is just west of the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT) along the section known as the Desert Divide. The Desert Divide is part of the San Jacinto Wilderness, and the mountain creates the desert on the east side, which is the Palm Springs area.

apple canyon
Apple Canyon Road heading towards one of the San Jacinto Wilderness trailheads.

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