EDIT: due to the closure of all forest lands in California, this trip has been canceled. See the new thread for updated trip, here: https://www.sccxterra.com/smf/index.php?topic=5105.msg59630#msg59630We will be utilizing Yellow Post sites 10 through 14. These sites are all very close together, arranged around a single pit toilet that is adjacent to the main road. There should be plenty of room for 6 to 10 rigs, but we do run a risk of others showing up and claiming any of the spaces before us. Sage Bromax will attempt to get up there as early as possible on Friday morning, and will throw a few ground tents up to try and save as much space for the group as possible.
The yellow post sites are located at 33°32'14.8"N 116°26'42.3"W (or 33.537445, -116.445087). Here is a google maps link:
https://www.google.com/maps/place/33%C2%B032'14.9%22N+116%C2%B026'42.4%22W/@33.537469,-116.4459341,287m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m14!1m7!3m6!1s0x80db09fd22330877:0xc1c062638be1df34!2sAnza,+CA+92539!3b1!8m2!3d33.5552692!4d-116.6741822!3m5!1s0x0:0x0!7e2!8m2!3d33.5374689!4d-116.445096The road up to the sites is very easy. No 4x4 required, but I would still recommend a vehicle with some ground clearance. Any stock SUV or pickup truck should be able to make the trek with no issues. We spotted a Subary Legacy and a Jeep Patriot on the trail during our pre-run. The trail head begins at the intersection of CA State Highway 74 and Santa Rosa Truck Trail (forest route 7S02). Here are the coordinates, and a google maps link: 33°34'04.2"N 116°30'42.3"W (33.567840, -116.511738).
https://www.google.com/maps/place/33%C2%B034'04.2%22N+116%C2%B030'42.3%22W/@33.56784,-116.5122852,187m/data=!3m2!1e3!4b1!4m14!1m7!3m6!1s0x80db09fd22330877:0xc1c062638be1df34!2sAnza,+CA+92539!3b1!8m2!3d33.5552692!4d-116.6741822!3m5!1s0x0:0x0!7e2!8m2!3d33.5678398!4d-116.5117381From that intersection, simply take Santa Rosa Truck Trail (7S02) to the southeast until you run right into the campsite. There are a couple of side-spur trails that branch off of the main road, but it is obvious where the main road is and you should have no difficulty finding the campsite. Note that cell phone service was great (via Verizon) until we got about a mile or two from the campsite. At the campsite itself, it was spotty and intermittent.
Show up whenever you'd like! My wife and son and I will be departing Murrieta between 1:00 and 2:00 pm on Friday, 9/11, and should be at the campsite no later than 4:00 pm.
It was suggested that we do a group dinner. If everyone is interested in that, the best night would be Saturday, as folks will arrive at different times on Friday (and some might eat dinner on the way up). There is a separate post on page 3 of this thread about that. Please post up if you are interested, and if so, what you intend to make/bring for the group.
Original post: As I mentioned in the Coyote Flat Xcursion thread: we will be doing a local kid-friendly trip
the weekend before Labor Day. I've racked my brain trying to find a place that is convenient and local to SD, the IE, and OC, and can also accommodate at least a few rigs. It also needs to be somewhere temperature-appropriate for late August (aka, the mountains). Unfortunately, dispersed camping that can accommodate a large group is challenging to find in the mountains unless we travel to far away places.
There are multiple yellow-post sites around the Heart Bar area toward Big Bear, but with all of the "developed" campgrounds being closed, my understanding is that these yellow post sites are filling up pretty early on Fridays. There are also several yellow post sites near Thomas Mountain and Santa Rosa Mountain, which are both located in the San Jacinto range between Idyllwild and Palm Desert. I'm not sure if these sites are suffering the same crowded situation as the Big Bear area ones.
With all yellow post sites being first-come first-served, we might not have a choice but to just head up to one of these sites and give it a try. My recommendation would be Santa Rosa, as I believe there are 17 sites. I'm open to other areas/ideas, if anyone has something to suggest. Something else I was thinking about was driving up into Burns Canyon along 2N02, and just finding a big enough area toward the top of the canyon to camp with a group.
No matter where we end up, we'll be departing Murrieta on Friday afternoon
(8/28). My hope is to be on the road by 1:00 pm, but we'll have to see how Gavin's "remote learning" schedule is (he starts school tomorrow). Worst case scenario, we might be on the road closer to 3:00 pm.
This will be a family-friendly trip. Please bring your children, or your friends that have children. Kids are certainly not a requirement, but if you come, you need to be ok with there being tons of kids. There won't really be any wheeling outside of the drive to and from whatever site we decide upon. We just need a fun place to set up where the kids can enjoy a camping experience. Maybe somewhere that they can do a little hike, ride a bike, or just play a game in the fresh air of the outdoors.
Post up if you're interested, and/or if you have any location suggestions. We will be doing this trip whether anyone else goes or not, so don't feel obligated. Just wanted to share the opportunity, in case anyone else is interested.
EDIT: Due to school and work schedule challenges, we're going to have to move this trip to 9/11 - 9/13 instead. We are also committing to the Santa Rosa Yellow Post sites as the location for this trip. See location details in my later post on this same page.Attending:
1: JFanaselle + Family
2: Sage Bromax + Mrs. Bromax
3: Celt + Family
4: Steve C
5: knightrider + Jill
6: "Bones" (JFanaselle's friend) + wife and 3 kids - arriving Saturday
7:
8:
Maybe?
1: Steve C's friend + family
3: ultrapc40 + family
4: ultrapc40's friend + family
5: