2/28 Trip report via Bradford Ridge

Due to the recent rains I made my first trip on the Bradford Ridge trail. I had a meeting in Ontario in the morning and I did not make it to the trail head until 1:30 pm. I drove up the 173 from the Silverwood lake side. I have a Saturn sedan with very low ground clearance but I was able to make it up with out any major issues. This was my first time up this road and it is very narrow in spots with only one-way traffic thru many sections. It took me a good half hour to drive the 5 miles of dirt track to the trail head. I hiked the trail but this being my first time I think I messed up at the barbed wire fence. The first break in the fence had a small aluminum arrow fasted to a metal stake with the words Bradford Ridge trail. I looked around and noticed a trail that followed the fence a little further where there was another break, at the time it appeared to be an easier trail so I decided to follow it. After going thru the break the trail got progressively steeper and more difficult. I came back that way and had a very rough go of it. I am 46 years old and in pretty good shape, I spend 45 minutes a day on an eliptical trainer at a fairly high setting and this trail pretty much pushed me to my limit. On my way back out I noticed another trail on another hill and I think this may be a better way out than the trail I chose. Over all, I think from now on I will access the springs from the Bowen Ranch Road side, the Bradford Ridge route (including the drive up 173) took way more time than I usually have. I feel that I would have more time at the springs if I just came up through Hesperia.
Now to a springs report. When I finally made it to the springs I was glad I chose the Bradford Ridge route because Deep creek was overflowing. I was able to take a quick soak in the large upper tub (where the shower pipe originates) but the middle tub had some of the Deep Creek flowing thru it. I am not sure how long Deep Creek will remain high but access from the Bowen Ranch side was out of the question on Tuesday. There was no rope across the creek when I was there. I heard on the news that they were draining some of Silverwood lake into the Mojave River.