Trip report 3/11/09

I was able to get to the springs on Wednesday. Arrived at Bowen Ranch at around 10:15 am. When I got to the parking lot there was only one other car there, a couple from San Diego. We hiked down together for part of the way. A few errant cow pies could be found along the trail. There were motorcycle tracks on the trail for about half of the trip down. Between the cattle and the motorcycles the trail is getting pretty torn up in places.
Once I got to the springs there where two gentlemen who had just crossed from the springs over to the little beach, they were getting ready to hike back out. There were also two more gentlemen soaking in the womb. The rope that I had put across the creek earlier this year was no longer there, it was not even tied to the opposite side. Not sure if someone is taking the rope down because they might feel it takes away from the natural beauty of the springs, all I know is that it sure comes in handy when you have unsure footing under the water, especially when the water level rises.
I made it across, the water level was just below chest level. I went straight to the Anniversary pool where I soaked for about 30 minutes. The sun was out and the wind was not blowing too hard so I was able to lay out on the new beach and soak up some rays. When I went back to the Anniversary pool the couple from San Diego was in there floating on some pool type inner tubes. We chatted for a while and then a group of about 6 high school aged kids arrived and crossed the creek and entered the Womb via the Anniversary pool end. The high school kids were the only textile's present.
As Wizard had reported from his Tuesday visit, the Arizona pool had a section of it's wall missing allowing creek water to flow right through it. Needless to say it was too cold to soak in. I measured the temperature of the Anniversary pool at 103 degrees. I did not have a chance to measure the Womb or the crab cooker.
I had collected trash on the new beach side of the springs. I was able to almost fill a kitchen sized trash bag with all kinds of junk (glass bottles, empty food cans, old clothes, papers, etc...), it was a heavy haul back up the trail.
I left the springs at around 3 pm. On my way out I ran into a heard of about 20 cattle coming down the trail between Bowen Ranch and the forest service parking lot. It was kind of scary, we had a short standoff, they stared at me and I stared back. I got out of their way and they continued on. They made a turn before coming to the road and continued along the side of the hill heading west or south.
All in all it was another good trip and good soaking time at the springs.