Los Padres overnighter

[beamountainman]

Not sure if these are too far for you

[CAchief]

Not sure if these are too far for you

Thank you for the suggestions! Still debating whether or not I want to get to Sierra's or not. I will definitely keep these in mind though.

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[beamountainman]

The Sierras are much nicer

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[rusticandy]

Hello from another SLO county resident. You might try big basin redwoods north or santa cruz. its (almost) always cool in the trees there. A short hike up from indians station up the arroyo seco drainage can be okay for a few miles, but it may still be closed. Keep an eye on the forecasts as you know, the heat comes and goes all summer inland, with the marine layer keeping things cooler at times (85 and below). Plan to be by water or right on the coast.

[Wandering Daisy]

As a parent (long ago) who took babies backpacking, realize that a mobile 2-year-old is a far cry from a younger baby. The 2-year old is heavier to carry and once on the ground, needs CONSTANT watching. Coastal hikes will have poison oak. Do not know how you keep a curious 2-year old from this. 2-year olds have no fear. Honestly, I would put a harness on my mobile little ones and tie it to a tree when I had to be busy cooking. A 2-year old can walk, but has NO concept of walking from point A to point B. It is a constant wandering around and looking at and touching everything on and near the trail.

I would never backpack alone with a 2-year old. It really takes two sets of eyes to keep them safe. I think a 2-3 mile trip is about all you will want to do if you are planning on having him walk most or part of the way. Getting a kid to walk most of the trail at an early age will pay off later, even if it now takes three hours to go one mile. I also would not go until later in the Fall, when mosquitoes are done and water levels are lower.

Sorry, but not living in your area, I have no particular place to suggest. Just to say what others have- Henry Coe too hot, plus poison oak and LOTS of ticks, Point Reyes, OK except for poison oak, Big Sur area is really a tough area for backpacking with a baby.

[CAchief]

As a parent (long ago) who took babies backpacking, realize that a mobile 2-year-old is a far cry from a younger baby. The 2-year old is heavier to carry and once on the ground, needs CONSTANT watching. Coastal hikes will have poison oak. Do not know how you keep a curious 2-year old from this. 2-year olds have no fear. Honestly, I would put a harness on my mobile little ones and tie it to a tree when I had to be busy cooking. A 2-year old can walk, but has NO concept of walking from point A to point B. It is a constant wandering around and looking at and touching everything on and near the trail.

I would never backpack alone with a 2-year old. It really takes two sets of eyes to keep them safe. I think a 2-3 mile trip is about all you will want to do if you are planning on having him walk most or part of the way. Getting a kid to walk most of the trail at an early age will pay off later, even if it now takes three hours to go one mile. I also would not go until later in the Fall, when mosquitoes are done and water levels are lower.

Sorry, but not living in your area, I have no particular place to suggest. Just to say what others have- Henry Coe too hot, plus poison oak and LOTS of ticks, Point Reyes, OK except for poison oak, Big Sur area is really a tough area for backpacking with a baby.

I agree with some of your points and sentiments.

I have a Osprey child backpack carrier that I would be able to get enough gear on for a one or two night trip. That backpack carrier I can utilize when I can't keep my full attention on him such as cooking Etc.

I've been thinking about this and there's a place called Brewer Lake OHV above shaver. I've been out there twice. You can hike to beryl and Tocher Lake from Brewer. Thinking I could probably backpack to Baryl are Tocher and if all goes bad I would Retreat the car camping.

[beamountainman]

Yes, my response to hiking was actually not thinking about a 2 year old. I don't mean to scare you, but my wife always wanted me to bring the kids on a rugged wilderness trip and here were my concerns before they were 4/5:
(1) wondering off for a second and getting hurt
(2) I take a wrong step near a drop off, get separated physically, and they wouldn't be able to respond/understand instruction
(3) they see a bear and do the one thing you should never do - run
(4) they get bit by a venomous snake (I've live in CA and AR where there are plenty) and their light bodies are affected much more quickly
(5) they get hurt and can't articulate what happened.
All of these situations scared the hell out of me, so I just took them to places that I could get quick access to emergency service if I needed and the land helped keep them from straying. I wanted them to love the outdoors, and found ways to give them something to look forward to, like smores.

Lake Hemet when it wasn't too crowded is good in San Bernardino. You can have fires, you're close to some hikes with quick access to great views, and they actually have a small playground. The lake is no contact, but you can rent a boat.

There is always beach camping, though almost none of them are on the beach. Leo Carillo was good because your site is a little more traditional, there are A couple hikes, and hiking under the highway got the water was pretty cool. I also always packed a "play" tent since they want to constantly go in an out. You can teach them the basics, like not eating in the tent, taking their shoes off before they go into the tent, not wondering off, not getting too close to the fire, and how fun it is to hike.

They recently improved the site to get beach camping spots to the point it is so easy for people to use that we had 5 people try at 8:00:01 6 months prior to start date and got NOTHING at the really nice beach sites.

[Wandering Daisy]

I had a friend who took her three kids on month-long pack trips. Her solution? Hire an experienced high school kid as a baby sitter!

I gave up on having my ex-husband help with the kids. Once off fishing, I did not expect him back before dark. My best trips were when I went with older women friends who had had kids of their own. You are lucky if you have a family member (grandparent?) who could go with you. I will give the new generation of fathers more credit. My sons-in-laws are great with their kids.

You can do it alone (and I did a few times) but it really was not pleasant for me. The age when you can do it alone and still enjoy the trip depends on each kid. I had one who was very cautious and; another who was more "adventuresome" and had no fear. I have a grandson who I would love to take backpacking but until the last year or so (he is 9) he was Mr. Daredevil, deaf as a post to any comments from adults. I think he is now ready. Took my 10-year old granddaughter backpacking a few weeks ago and she was absolutely ready for it, after years of car camping with her family.

From a 2-year old's perspective, a mile in and sticks and a nice little puddle to play with, or a 10-mile away drop-dead scenic spot makes little difference. They will not even remember the trip. The purpose of taking out younger kids is to get them comfortable with the outdoors - just as easily done in a campground. Trips at 5-years or older will be the ones that they remember and influence them to be backpackers or not.

But I do feel your need to go backpacking! After all, who wants to not backpack for ten years just because they have kids? But realize it is more for YOU than the kid. And their safety is number 1. And it is a lot of work.

[Harlen]

Hi Chief,

I was just about to write to last night when the boys burst in and took over the computer. It's just as well because my ideas didn't include your fine hound. That shoots down any ideas I had about the fun to be had up on Badger Pass ridge, or in the low country of Sequoia Kings NP. But if you are willing to leave the dog at home, I think that camping near Dewey Point would be a great option- really beautiful at sunset the gazing over at El Capitan. If you can find an existing fire ring, you can have fires at night there, and the day hikes from the Dewey Pt. area are wonderful: You could wander down to Bridalveil Creek, and scramble on the Cathedral Peaks. If you can camp over by Sentinel Dome, (check to see if it's allowed- Yosemite VC for a real person # 1-209-372-0308) you can do some amazing day hiking around the overlooks- be real careful, as the drop-offs are spectacular! You should hike over to Taft Point for the look down, down, down- it will take your breath away! Have you guys already explored the wonders of Badger Pass?

My other idea was to explore the giant sequoia area of Sequoia NP. I was going to recommend a trip my young son Nathan and I did one spring, messing about the giant trees, and scrambling up Moro Rock, which was crawling with blue-bellied lizards! He loved it. If you wanted to get a hike in, you could go down the High Sierra Trail a ways, turn left and get lost in the forest, make it back to the HST, and return. The nearest back country camping there is Bearpaw Meadow, which is 11.3 miles in from Crescent Meadow TH. otherwise, you'd have to find your way into a campground, such as Lodgepole, and those are all booked up till September I was just told, but there are some opportunities for walk-in bookings- I'm not sure the exact rules. You can speak to a real person at the SEKI Lodgepole VC @ 1-559-565-4436.

Both of these places are not remote, but fascinating places for kids. I've mostly gone there in winter and spring to avoid the crowds, and we've had great luck in both places. Saw a momma bear and two cubs right near Taft Pt., and both of our then little boys saw them too. I called the Yosemite office, and they say that you can camp on the east side of the Glacier Point Road as long as you get a mile in from the road, and the campfires are still allowed. The more southerly trail to Dewey Point is the easier and safer one, and it's less than 4 miles to Dewey Pt. No dogs though.

If you do want to include the hound, I think a short hike in from Courtright Resevoir could be great. There are bright white granite domes to play on- check out "Maxon Dome"- and a wonderful forest that includes red fir trees- named Abies magnifica for good reason. We sure hope you can get to the Sierra Chief; best of luck.

early summer trips 2009 048.jpg

Wandering Daisy has been here too.

early summer trips 2009 035.jpg

[CAchief]

Thank you everyone for the feedback.

Harlan, those pictures and suggestions you had are excellent! I'll save those for family outings as well and not just for me and my sonI!!

Trent has actually sat on the granite around Courtright, maybe I should bring him back!