Trip Report 10/28 and 11/19-11/20

So a bit about myself first: Moderately fit. Do better going uphill rather then down hill. I have done some activities where I was barefoot a few years ago. I'm usually highly tolerant of both hot and cold (walked in an ice cold creek in sandals rather then using rocks a bit after Christmas in Arizona). Reason for cold resistance is I did swim as a kid, thus used to cold water.

Friday 10/28:
My first trip to DCHS after see this when searching for hot springs. Took a friend with me that same fitness level as me. Took Bowen Ranch entrance since my first time, and used my parents 4runner for that.
Got there around 12 pm.Read that hot springs was co, but then realized you can freehike too, so we did (barefoot too). It was exhilarating. Though, I brought a hiking stick, didn't bring along since my friend didn't use. Bad mostake, really steep.
Arrived at HS at ariund 12:55?
At the hot springs, about 15 people there max all day. Mostly nude. There was a few that wore their underwear at first, but that came off latter. They're either couples, or solo vacation. Don't think I saw any hippies or large camping groups and no one was smoking, nor drinking.
First time seeing a slack line, and enjoyed the rope swing. Creek was nice and cool.hot spring was amazing. Arizona pool is my favorite since hot.
Btw, my friend found a mud bath of sort. Behind the rocks overseeing Womb and Anniversary, there a warm pool that has mud. Not really a pool since much of plants. But mud smells a bit, maybe sulfur? So you can put mud on you, then sunbath. Better to do nude too.
Hiking back at 4:30pm, I had my sandals on, friend went barefoot. (Big mistake, his foot still prune from the water. Got to Bowen ranch around 5:30
Really whole place was paradise. Spent about 45 minutes on the dirt road back



Saturday 11/19
With my above expectations, tried to plan another day trip bit with Bradford Ridge Trail entrance. I thought I read enough and also printed following pages into pdf.
http://levi.life/deep-creek-hot-springs/directions/#Bradford-Trail
http://www.deepcreekvolunteers.com/directions.htm
Party this time was 2 different friends, 1 has good hiking ability on par with mine (David), other not so much (Kevin). Kevin also invited a friend, Roger (uncertain his abilities). All 3 were textile.
Drive to BRT, much nicer to Bowen Ranch. I used my Prius for this.
Arrived 10. Finding the entrance itself. I was not smart. Group was not sure. And just followed me. Went past the 173 end part to the dirt path, and walked for about 10 min before realizing correct entrance.
All was fine for 40 minutes till the 2/3 marker were trail split. Uncertain what was recommended, and guides just said right was steeper and shorter, so we went right. Bad Idea, very steep. My hiking sandal broke too when sliding down. By the time we arrived at hot springs, it was about 2 hours, at arround noon. Most of the time was waiting for Kevin and Roger. Me and David was in front and back.
Idk how that is 2/3 mark, that a should be half way mark.
Crowded, Serenity, anniversay, womb were almost full. C pool was cool, not jot, so no one in it. Arizona was has 3 people in there at a time so that was cool
Even though group was textile, I got nude and had fun at jump points. Friend didn't enjoy hot springs itself much (David said he might come back when less croweded). Creek was much colder then before (though I rremember I had a trick dealing with cold (don't shiver, embrace the coldness).
Lots of people were drinking and smoking, which made this less enjoyable then before.
Hiked out at 3:30. Party wanted to try to find the less steep path up, since Kevin and Roger got traumatized going down earlier. Except we had no idea were said path was (I wanted to go back the way we came reason that it easier going up and no risk of slipping).
So we just walked along PCT till we find the other fork.
A couple from PCT going to hot springs she saw a sign point to Bradford Ridge around Rainbow Bridge.
Except bg the time party got to Rainbow bridge, we did not see a sign, so we turned around.
Instead of going back way we came to dchs, we went to dchs to refill on supplies since we were low on water at around 5:50pm when it was dark.
Even though we planned for a day trip, we had the looming thought that we may have to camp for the night.
So at the Dchs, one thing we did was ask if anyone going back so they can send message to our parents.
Found a couple that going back to BRT, so we had group discussion on to with them to camp. Almost went with them, but one of the 2 not good hiker said he didn't feel safe going with stranger, especially at night. Looking back, that was a good pojnt, since the 2 wouldn't have been able to do the steep path.
Since the bunch of campers were theresince it was weekend, they lent us supplies to camp for the night.
A hippy named Mover lent us his 1 person tent so we squeezed 2 people on there. Since we ended camping, I had had the pleasure of skinny dipping in Arizona pool at night.
People said it would have been cold at night/morning, but I didn't see so. My friend were cold, so that just me being temp resistant. Hand 1 hiking shirt on the whole time.
Party had hard time sleeping due to hard ground and we are not used to camping.
At around 7, daybreak, we woke, refilled on water, and returned all borrowed materials and hiked back. This time, the steep route r that we took originally on the way down. 40 minutes to that fork, then another 1.2 hours back to car.

Impromptu camping, while not desired due other obligation, was a fun experience in itself

Note to self: next time go, make sure you have a fit party. And said party want to enjoy hot spring. That we then dip for a bit while you enjoy by yourself (my friend from first trip did almost everything willingly which made it more fun)

Comment on Bradford Ridge, can there be more details on split paths updated?