I totally agree with Paul, if I have not free hiked down I will strip at the beach then cross. Sometimes I will leave my clothes on the beach side so there will be no chance of them getting wet if I slip while wading across. Anything that I do take across that might get damaged from getting wet I try to put in zip lock bags, this would be my cell phone, iPod, electronic key fob for my car, etc... These would be in my backpack that I carry over my head while wading across. Sometimes there will be a rope strung across the creek that people can hold onto for stability while wading across. If there are not too many objections I have a 100' rope that I might bring down on Thursday and see if I can string it across a shallow part of the creek between the beach and the springs. It usually depends on what the creek bottom is like, it changes so often. There might not be any good shallow spots where I could tie the rope off.

When the creek is icy cold I have learned from fellow springers to bring an empty gallon jug with me over to the hot pools. When I am ready to cross back over the creek to the beach I will fill the jug up with hot water and carry it across. Once I am back on the beach I pour the hot water over myself so I can warm back up after the icy water crossing then I dry myself off with a towel. It works GREAT! It is so much nicer than having to start the hike out with everything feeling numb after the icy water crossing.

There is no use tempting hypothemia by getting your clothes soaking wet and trying to hike out in them during these winter months. You can guarantee that there will be lots of wind on the way out and that combined with the wet clothes could be life threating.

Looking forward to my trip to the springs.