Update on 10/7/20: The San Bernardino National Forest is still closed, and we are getting down to the wire with having to make a decision on this trip. The good news is, the weather is shaping up to be much cooler this weekend, which gives us an opportunity to move this trip somewhere else. After checking local forecasts, this trip is being moved to the Blair Valley Campground in the Anza Borrego Desert State Park.
Updated location: 33.033658, -116.398796
https://www.google.com/maps/place/33%C2%B002'01.2%22N+116%C2%B023'55.7%22W/@33.0336625,-116.4009847,17z/data=!3m1!4b1!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x0!8m2!3d33.033658!4d-116.398796Just like before, this does not require 4 wheel drive or any special vehicle to access. The campground is located on a dirt road about a half mile from the main highway, and anyone should be able to get there just fine. My family and I will arrive on Friday evening between 4:00 and 5:00 pm, and we will stay 2 nights (packing up and leaving on Sunday morning). People are welcome to arrive or leave anytime. Remember that the purpose of this trip is just to get away from our lives for a couple of nights and enjoy some time together under the stars. That said, if anyone wants to do some wheeling or exploring during the days, there are plenty of nearby trails.
Because we're moving to Anza Borrego park, we can have a "real" campfire. Celt has offered to bring a washing machine drum (fires within the park must be inside of a metal container), so please plan to bring some fire wood. I will bring 3 bundles.
Original Post:Ok, we're going to give this another shot. As you probably know, our previous plans for a camping trip to Santa Rosa Mountain were canceled following the closure of all federal forest lands within California. Currently, the forests are still closed due to high fire danger, but we need to get a date on the books for a new version of this trip, and we'll keep our fingers crossed that the forests re-open in time.
What: Family-friendly camping trip to enjoy the outdoors and escape the ridiculousness of our current world
When: Second weekend of October - Friday 10/9 through Monday 10/12. Monday the 12th is Columbus Day, so some folks may want the full 4 days if their work schedule permits. I don't have Monday off, so the family and I will be camping from Friday evening through Sunday morning.
Where: Santa Rosa Mountain yellow post campsites 10 through 14, off of Santa Rosa Truck Trail and State Highway 74, in the San Bernardino National Forest. Google maps link: 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-116.5117381Going:
1) JFanaselle + Mrs. JFanaselle + Gavin
2) Celt + Mrs. Celt + The Boy
3) SageBromax + Mrs. Bromax + the pups
4) Scuba_Dale + Mrs. Scuba + the kids (Saturday arrival)
5)
6)
7)
Maybe:
1) jayrat + son
2) FBinSD (1 night)
3) steve c
4) knightrider + Jill
5)
Things you should know: 1) The road up to the campsites is not bad at all. No 4 wheel drive required.
2) This is NOT an overlanding or wheeling trip - the only wheeling will be the drive to and from the campsites. This is a family-friendly camping trip, and our thought is the more kids, the better. You're more than welcome to venture out on your own to explore and wheel, but there aren't many opportunities right in this immediate area (it's basically a dead end fire road flanked by wilderness on all sides).
3) The campsites are located at about 7,500 feet in elevation. We'll check the weather as it gets closer, but I would expect to see daytime temps in the 70s to low 80s and night time temps that could dip into the high 40s.
4) There is a single pit toilet at the location, surrounded by the yellow post sites. It is an outdoor/open air toilet, surrounded by a privacy fence with a gate/door. There is no running water at the location, but there is a spring about a mile down the road that has flowing water.
5) Assuming the forests reopen, it's pretty safe to assume that we'll still be bound by some pretty strict fire restrictions. Expect there to be no wood fires. I'll plan to bring my small propane fire pit, but if our group gets large enough, we may want several of them.
6) We will do a pot luck style dinner on Saturday night. Sign-ups for food, sides, and desserts will be tracked in the next post on this thread.
7) The trailhead is located at the intersection of Highway 74 and Santa Rosa Mountain Truck Trail (forest route 7S02), between Garner Valley and Palm Desert. From that intersection, you simply take Santa Rosa Truck Trail to the southeast until you run right into the campsites. The turnoff is clearly marked from the main highway, and is located here:
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-116.5117381d8: The goal is to get someone from our group up to the location early on Friday or late Thursday evening, and to have them set up some equipment at a few of the yellow post sites to ensure enough room for our group (remember that yellow post sites are free, but are first-come, first-served with no reservations).
