Trip Report 12-15-12

I am writing this to inform persons who take the freedom trail head into Deep Creek about the many mud puddles. My Ford explorer is not high clearance and has mud in all of it's crevices. As I traveled on this route yesterday morning it appeared only 2 motorcycles had ventured on the road since it had rained. When I past a spot in the road where you can see the Bowen Ranch parking area I saw no vehicles parked there. Same thing as I past the parking area for the Freedom trail head there was no one. When I got to the Hunters camp the rain had wiped the foot print and wheel marks from the area. Also the Trail going to the springs had been rained upon, but I could tell a person with small feet had left the springs toward the Bowen ranch. I was expecting solitude when I arrived at the springs. Instead A fortyish looking woman was nude tanning up stream from the rock crossing. I took the rock crossing because the water in the creek is bone chilling C O L D !
As I crossed the beach area a Hot spring regular who lives near Lake Arrowhead was there. I had a long and informative conversation with him. He said he was there on Friday while it had snowed. He said the snow fell but did not stick to the ground. He said it rained more than it had snowed. The creek had rose to just below the Arizona pool. But it had retreated to where it was only about 1 foot higher than it was last Friday when I was here last. Me and the D.C. regular had the springs to ourselves for more than an hour before a group of guys arrived. You could tell from their conversations they were deeply involved an some form of business matter from the city. As the day went on a large number of smart young women from the Clairmont colleges arrived and brightened up the springs with joyous laughter. It is always a delight to see the future through their eyes. Which is what I did with one group.
The weather was sunny with a small breeze only warm when you are sitting in the sun. As soon as you get in the shade it is chilly. The Sun does not shine on any but the Arizona pool this time of year. As I and another hot springer had a bet on this fact. He said it would shine on the Anniversary pool. So, we sat in it from 11 am till 1 pm. I won ! it shined on the dead Willow tree in front of it but did not shine in the pool .
All of the pools were in very good shape. Clean of debris and almost no trash. What trash I could find was less than one gallon in my 30 gallon trash bag. Thanks go out to all who helped accomplish this :~)
And do not forget the reason for this season ?