Trip report 11/26/17

Whatever happened to the detailed trip reports?

My 4th time to DCHS, 3rd time from Bowen Ranch. Went solo.

Left Long Beach @ 8 am
Arrived at Bowen Ranch around 10 am.
Was planning on Free Hiking, but saw a group gather that had a few Kids, so hiked out in speedo (and sandals). Not sure why there was kids there, and some members of said group was naked, but felt like I should not freehike cause kids.
Saw a Helicopter around Bowen Ranch as I hiked out.

Took the steep left path down, which was a bad idea (slipped due to the sand at one point and had some scrapes), but did get to hot springs faster. Took about 43 minutes to get down.

Usual crowd at Womb, about 3/10 people nude?
No one in contemplation pool as expected.
Eh, my favorite pool was the Arizona/Phoenix pool so headed there right away.
About 3 people there, all nude or almost nude. So I decided to lose the speedo.
Saw another Helicopter as I enter the pool. 2x now.


Latter that group came down, and was a Naturalist Society of Orange? Need to look more at the pamplet they gave for exact name. Should be same group Dale mentioned in his topic (one of the members wait they were from SD). Was a group of 2 kids, 2 experience people, 6 young adults, and 2 dogs).

Enjoyed hot springs as usual: go in Arizona/Phoenix pool, Jump from rock there into cold river, swim to other big rock and jump off there, stay in cold water for about 5 minutes as an Ice Bath before going back into Arizona/Phoenix pool.
Did try to do my first front flip jump ever Did not go well. First try went head in like diving. Tried to add more rotation, then had back hit water....

Saw a 3rd Helicopter around 1 pm
Saw a pack people riding Horses around 2 or 2:30 pm someone said that pack came from Bowen Ranch. Said Pack did not go into Hot Springs at all.
A group of guys celebrating someone birthday came in around 2, all nude at DCHP
Basically, from Arizona/Phoenix pool, 95% of the people were nude. More clothed people were at Womb area from I saw?

Around 3, both the Naturalist group and the Horse pack group left started to leave, though the Dog of the Naturalist group was causing problems with the the Horses.
I filled my water bottles with Hot Spring water and left at 3:30 pm, and hiked out from West Beach @ 3:34 pm. Since I was already nude and that group with kids was a Naturalist group, I freehiked back.
Took steep path back up and made it ahead of the Naturalist group and Horse Pack who had an interesting story:

First Horse Pack was heading along PCT, so Naturalist group thought they were fine (remember Naturalist group Dog was causing trouble with Horse). Naturalist group went up the less steep path, then ran into Horse Pack who crossed the river at some point. Naturalist group had to go slowly behind Horse Pack.
Horse Pack didn't like Naturalist cause Dog (they did try to control dog but still). Naturalist didn't like Horse pack cause they shouldn't even be on the Bowen Ranch Trail cause some of the path should be too narrow for horses. Thoughts on this?
Horse Pack let Naturalist group passed them at when the steep and less steep path meet (where I met them)

Took about 48 minutes in total to hike back to Bowen Ranch.
Drove out around 4:30 pm after putting on clothes for the road.
GPS said 2h and 30 min using same path here. (30 minutes longer then drive here due to usual traffic on Cajon pass?)

2 stories on my drive back.

Saw a fire truck, paramedic truck, and ambulance truck on drive on Bowen Ranch Rd. I assume it was towards Bowen Ranch?

Saw 2 people waiting on the road, seeming lost.
One of then asked to hitchhike since he was too tired and couldn't wait for his ride.
Apparently the pair were locals and heard of DCHS and wanted walk there, but head Mike is not friendly with walk ins. Kinda strange they wanted to walk.
Against safety instincts, I gave guy ride to his house.
Asked why he had an axe, and he said he and his brother had weapons vs wild animals?
Axe worried me but I'm alive to post about it.

My drive home to Long Beach would had me turn left on Central. However, I turned right to drive the guy home.

As I started my actual drive home, GPS didn't tell me same path I took to Bowen Ranch.
Rather it told me to drive Lake Arrowhead Rd --> 173 --> 138 --> 15
That was not the road I took to Bowen Ranch.....
Rather was creeped out by driving in total darkness.
Could be traffic in Cajon pass got worse as I drove the Hitch Hiker home, but still....
Did ended up home around 7 regardless.