Our parks...

[wildhiker]

I appreciate that Paul posts on multiple hiking forums. I enjoy his posts and useful information here, and I'm glad others who don't visit HST can do so as well!
-Phil

[balzaccom]

Pretty interesting differences in the conversations about various topics, based on the communities involved....

[Lumbergh21]

Thanks for the info. This makes more sense than what I saw on another thread in this forum (plus it doesn't ruin my plans for July). And, I don't care how many places you post it. Just so you don't start posting a list of places that I like to go that are very lightly used. Start posting that stuff on a bunch of websites, instagram, etc. and we will have words.

[balzaccom]

Your secrets are safe with me Lunberg...especially if you don't tell me

[SSSdave]

Rainfall the last 30 days shows 110% to 150% of normal about the northwest coast region while everywhere else in California variously dry. Parks up there have now partially opened, even campgrounds a bit in state and national parks. This is of course rhododendron bloom season in the big trees. Hard to believe it has been 5 years. What a great place to revitalize for a week with mornings on tree trails then afternoons after breezes pick up with bare feet in warm blacks sands of the Redwood Creek outlet beach while eating beach strawberries. Although I have an urge to get up into the Sierra, reality is the summer is long, am in no hurry. Let others feed mosquitoes.

Yeah, finally uploaded my 2020_Trip_Chronicles 3 pages that includes some serpentine wildflower mid April work at Calero and in the spirit of shelter in place, a couple pages from our impressive San Jose Municipal Rose Garden flowers.

http://www.davidsenesac.com/2020_Trip_C ... les-0.html

[balzaccom]

Desolation Wilderness is allowing you to make reservations through recreation.gov....one week in advance. Seems like it is open, as I have seen two trip reports already!

[balzaccom]

I just spoke to a friend who is a ranger in one of the national forests in California. He told me that his office has no way of issuing permits on-line, so they are not issuing permits. They don't have, and won't ask, the staff and volunteers to meet with large numbers of the public to issue those permits. They are concerned about the health of their staff and volunteers. I can understand that.

But Desolation Wilderness issues permits through recreation.gov--and they are operating normally right now. So you can get a permit to backpack in Desolation, where you will probably run into other hikers. But not in other, less trafficked areas because those areas don't have enough traffic to justify an on-line reservation system.

I should point out that if you CALL the Desolation Wilderness office, you will be told that you should observe all government guidelines concerning only necessary travel. I was given a clear warning by the wilderness office that I should not make an unnecessary trip to go backpacking--and I should not expect the usual support from EMT or SAR staff if anything goes wrong.

Fair enough. Further South, apparently you can call to get a permit, and pick it up in the night box....

[balzaccom]

This ain't going to be easy...

Lassen is now open, including campgrounds.

But they opened Arches at 6 a.m. yesterday...and had to close the gate at 9 a.m. because they were at capacity under current guidelines.

[Lenier]

This ain't going to be easy...

Lassen is now open, including campgrounds.

But they opened Arches at 6 a.m. yesterday...and had to close the gate at 9 a.m. because they were at capacity under current guidelines.

Cars from 46 states were present.

[dave54]

Main Lassen road open. Juniper Lake Road still closed by snow per their website. Butte Lake CG opens next weekend.