Trip report 3-3-14

I saw only one car at the Bowen ranch parking area and only one truck at the Freedom trail head. So I thought it would be a slow day at the springs which I was looking forward too. It was 3 pm when I parked so I knew my soak would be short.
On my trip in I noticed many crows and buzzards circleing near the hill just north of the Bowen ranch. I do not know why ??? Also the trip around the Bowen ranch had mud and water puddles in the usual places. I noticed that vehicles had made roads around every one of them.
When I got to the springs I counted 8 persons around. Then a couple that had camped up stream came and soaked w/me in the Anniversary pool for a total of 10 people there.
The water in the creek has risen at least 2 feet since the rain of last week. When I got to the out look to see if I could cross the creek near the cliff I noticed it was too high to cross safely. So, I toughened up and crossed the creek on the beach. The place where most people cross had a sand pile that made crossing easier. It is gone. I crossed there any why, the water got up to my belly button. I am 6' 2" tall. When I left I crossed further down stream @ 20 yards and the water was only up to my genitals there. I looked for but did not find my thermometer, but I guess the water temp to be in the low 50's.
When I went to get into the Arizona pool The creek had cleaned all of the sand from the upsteam side beach was gone. This allowed the creek water to make this a cold pool. It was over 3 feet deep because the creek is flowing through the pool still. The large boulder above there was the high water mark for this storm. And the rocks just below the springs were very clean. The Popular trees just down stream from the Arizona pool had lost the sand that protected the roots and @ 2 feet of sand was removed there. I am sure they can survive this inconvieniance. But it was neat to see.
The lower pools below the Womb pool had sand depoisited in them but not too much. The mud from around the source was leeching into the pool water but I am certain that will clear itself up natually.
As me and other soakers sat in the Anniversary pool the pollen from the Willow trees was raining downstream from the trees. Making for a surreal soakin experiance. As white snowflake like seeds slowly floated over head and all around.
And THAT is what keeps me coming back to my favorite hot springs ;~)
Happy soaking !