Trip report 01-06

! Warning ! Anyone wishing to go to the Bowen ranch w/out a 4 wheel drive and experience driving through mud, ICE and snow - is taking a big chance on disaster.
Bowen ranch road is a mess.
I drove up there thinking I would visit friends in the village and to see HOW it was up there. When I got to the cattle guard in the road a large school bus w/@ 10 hippies in it were warning people to NOT go any further. A guy came out and greeted me saying "the guy at the ranch was to put it mildly very annoyed and annoying." Another guy standing behind him said " that is putting it too mildly. He is very very angry and said DO NOT GO ANY FURTHER. He said the creek was too high to cold and not cross able." I assumed they were talking about my friend Mike Castro. They said he was incorrigible and some other metaphors that I will not repeat here so as to not be impolite ;~(
About one mile before this is where the snow and ice begins. So I put my Ford Explorer into 4 low and continued to the Bowen ranch by pass road to the freedom trail head. At least twice I hydroplaned through mud puddles and slipped across the ice and snow numerous times. I drove to @ 200 yards before the Freedom trail head parking lot. And parked, so I would not take the chance on that last steep hill. Which did not have any other tracks going over it. There were no other tracks from others after I made the last left turn.
When I got to the trail I noticed recent tracks of a guy and 2 dogs. I wondered who this might be? There was snow on the trail there until the last steep hill before you join into the old Bowen trail. When I got to the top of the rock across from the springs much to my surprise and delight Wizard and Chuck were soaking in the Anniversary pool. I yelled over to them. As I did this David appeared and waved to me from down stream. I am from Florida and not used to cold water. But, after surveying the creek height and seeing my friends I as determined to cross any way. As I crossed the creek I noticed many many changes. The sand bar that helped many to cross is gone. It is 2-4 feet deeper in places. The rock in the middle of the creek was about 2 feet below the creek. It used to be @ 6 inches exposed out of the water before the flood. It made my day seeing Wizard, Chuck and Dave all D.C.H.S. regulars. We soaked and chatted a while. Wizard said he was taking pictures to post on his Wizard's PICTURE link below. We hiked around some. When I got to the Arizona pool I was shocked. There are several new large boulder lodged in the pool. The creek was flowing through the up creek side. As his pictures will show.
The Serenity pool is full of sand. Chuck said "he liked it that way."
The Crab Cooker had a lot of sand in it but before we left Wizard was able to soak there some.
The Womb pool was 3-4 feet deep, but an excellent soak.
The Anniversary pool is about 1/2 full of sand, but an excellent soak.
If you have not been to the springs for awhile be ready for a shock when you see this very special place. Stay tuned for when Wizard post his pictures here, I am sure they will be very nice. Because it is always nice to see him at the springs.
The whole time I was in the area it was cloudy and cold. As we were leaving it snowed around the Bowen ranch. Probably God trying to cool off Mike's heated temper ??? :~)
Every one be care full and SAFE !