Trip Report 12/28

Borrowed parents 2006 Toyota 4Runner, which is I assume is 2WD (not that knowledge in car details)
Couldn't find a friend to go with so decided to go by myself.

Left LB at 8:30
Arrived at Bowen Ranch at 10:30.
About 1h was freeway, 30 city drive, then 30 min dirt road.
Dirt path was very very muddy, and you can see snow on the side.
My first time driving in muddy conditions...
At 3 point on dirt path to Bowen Ranch, I had Slip indicator light go on. Actually light was pointless as I felt the back wheels swerving. Quite scary as it made me question my decision to go to hot spring and wonder if I was to be alive.
2/3 time was going up mini hill. Car actually stopped and couldn't go forward due to very muddy (could go reverse though). Lucly, before that attempt, I saw a car past me, then speed up that muddy hill. So once I got stuck, I simply reversed then drove fast as I had momentum.

I actually gave my money to mike(see previous post), who warned to leave at 3/3:30 due to cold, sunset, and drive and wet.

Had another Slip indicator light situation getting to parking, but wasn't scared that time.
Parking lot is mixed between snow, mud, and drivable.

I went hiked down to DCHS clothed wit sandles in about 40 minutes. This time with a hiking stick for the steep downhill sections (I'm good uphill, weak downhill.
Saw snow on near by hills/mountains and some snow until freedom trail merge. But not really on direct path that it doesn't cause trouble (rather more to have fun?).
This being my 2nd time from Bowen Ranch, decided to take a closer look at the path since I was familiar.
I heard that trail forked between left which is steep but makes it easier for river crossing as it upstream of dchs, or normal way right to west beach.
I tried looking for it, and found the outlook over dchs, but couldn't find that left path, so went to that west beach.

From west beach, I decided how to cross. Took a look at how people were crossing downstream, but just said screw it since too many people (of which you have wait your turn). So I just took all my clothes off and put it in backpack, and just cross the creek carrying my sandals and backpack. Yes I was fine with the Cold (I did swim in HS so kinda used to cold?. It helps that when in cold water that you keep moving). Though I went stupid in crossing method itself. In my first time, my friend and I crossed from West Beach to closest rocks in a direct path, where water was just waist high, so I assumed the same.
Water near the end was up to my chest, almost getting my backpack wet.. I was latter told if I went down stream a bit, could have crossed were water was up to only my knees.
Arrived by rocks at around 11:45.

Serenity Pool, closest to my location on the rocks from creek crossing, just had only 1 person. Assume said person was local since he knew about the left path down. He was also one of the few nude people there, though he had a bathrobe for when he out of the water.
Jump in the Serenity Pool since was closest, then in cold creek water for a few times, then ate lunch in Serenity pool.
More people came as I was getting ready to move to East Beach and my favorite pool, Arizona Pool. My Favorite being 2nd hottest and how easy to cool off in creek.
As I walked over, got a head count. About 3-7 people per pool (no one in C pool since it was not hot). About only 1-2 nude per pool (including myself) compared to textiles, but no complains from textiles.
Strange for both number of people and ratio of textiles on a weekday. My Friday trip earlier had less people and almost everyone was nude. And weekend trip had about half nude.

Water comment: whenever I jump in Arizona pool, I jump into creek after a bit to cool off. Except today, I could only jump in creek for about 30sec or 1 min. Granted I was just in water rather swimming in it
Sun light was only on East Beach or Arizona Pool due to sum more in south in winter.
Tried to sunbath at the tallest rock in dchs as I did before, but got cold after 1min. Sunbath on a rock in east beach was much better.

Got out at 2:45 to let my feet get less prune before hiking out at 3. Since i wasn't cold, decided to partially freehike out. As in no shirt/pants. Everyone at hot springs already saw me naked anyways. Still wore socks (from my previous experience, rocks in sandals hurt prune feet, so dry socks should help.)

Earlier, I saw how that local climb up from upstream to take that left fork, so tried to follow him. Screwed up on creek cross that my socks still got wet.
Did successful climb up, but took a quick break to catch my breath (lungs bit out of shape) and to squeeze water out of socks.
To my knowledge, there only 2 turns to care for while hiking. Apparently there was a 3rd, which is turning left to go up the hill to Bowen ranch instead of keep going straight....
I went straight for about 3 minutes until I heard people talking, and turned around and saw how people are going up... Wasted 8 minutes on wrong path.
Hiking up took about 50 mins.

Got stuck a bit driving from parking to pay area ,but wasn't too troublesome. Drive on dirt road was much easier as little mud. Guess sun dried it up? Saw butch of his on atvs. Though had a very scary part near end of dirt path when i daw actual housrs that I did not expect.
Total of 7 scary parts when driving.
Btw, at parking lot and while driving out, saw a few low cut cars.

Note to self: unless large party going, do not return until say a few weeks after rain. It may be paradise, but drive not worth it alone.
Best trip so far: my November since it was warm enough to do thinks in the creek.

Thoughts on freehiking, it didn't feel different compared to my clothes hike down. Rather kinda made me feel like an exhibitionist since everyone I passed was clothed. Maybe different feeling compared to my first trip when I freehike together with a friend (semi nudist) (we were both nide) and saw a few other freehikers. As it it more comfortable if you are naked with other naked people other then yourself.
Also doesn't help if privates part is small, thus extra freedom isn't that different



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 12/28/2016 10:55PM by LBNguyen.