Gold Strike h.s. trip report 02-19-10

After getting a root canal at the dentist I figured I needed some hot spring therapy.
I have not been back to the canyon for over 3 months because I have moved to California. But I used to go here about once a week. I used to keep the place clean by hauling out the trash and encouraging others to do so. With the storm season at hand and because of my absence I figured the place would be a mess. That and Almost insane's post below made me curious. But a chance encounter with a some time hot springer friend and a visit with some other friends, this is what I learned.
Rex the guy who built the pool near the hot water fall has been picking up a lot of trash, more than he used to; also a new resident named Tim has started picking up the trash and maintaining the pools too. He said some one had trashed the place the week end before. And he had made several trips to haul it all out. So I thanked him very much.
Yesterday after the dentist I got to the trail head at 2:30 pm.There were 9 cars in the parking lot. This means there is a lot of visitors to me. As I went down the trail 2 families and 2 couples were leaving the canyon, everyone one said the springs were very nice. But one guy said they were not as hot as they used to be and he was disappointed that the upper big pool has dried up. I told him "maybe some day they will let the lake fill back up too." "Yea right, I will not hold my breath for that to happen," He said.
When I got to the upper pools I stopped and took some pictures which I will post on my flickr account to share here later. The upper pools had not changed much since my last visit. Except the upper cave pool was @ 6 inches shallower than before. The temperature there was 91.1 degrees.
The source pool was 92.1 degrees and some one had sealed up the dam there. So it was almost full.
All temps are taken from the center of the pools near their surface.
As I went to the Privacy pool I noticed no change there. It was 103.1 degrees and very nice. OH, some one had put some smooth boulders into the pools for sitting on. That was new. While soaking here I heard children playing down canyon.
So, as I went to the lower cave pool I met Tim there. I had met him before this. The new h.s. maintenance manager. And his girl friend and her children. They were very busy cleaning the rocks from around the small water fall there. There had been very many boulders fall around here during the rains. Also the large flat area just above the pools had a trench with more large boulders spread around. And a 3 foot deep trench @ 5-8 foot wide had developed here. This used to be a big flat and kind of level camping area there. Tim and friends had put up 3 tents in the only level places left. And were spending the night.
Tim and I had a long conversation about maintaining the h.s.area and I showed him some of my tricks 2 keeping the pools cleared of debris. I also showed him how to siphon out the pools.
The lower cave pool had @ 1 foot of mostly gravel and only a few big rocks in it. Which I siphoned out. The temp there was 101.1 degrees.
Just before the sun set the outside air temp was 74.5 degrees.
The pool beside the cave pool was @ 90 % full of mostly mud and several rocks of all sizes. Of this I got @ 80 % siphoned out. Tim said he would work on that today. The temp there was 91.1 degrees.
After the sun went down Tim and friends made a very nice camp fire. Then a large group of French women and a couple of French guys came down for a very nice soak.
All was well as we complimented the finer things of the French culture, especially their wine.
So, happy hot springing to all who visit this lovely oasis in the desert beside the Colorado river. ENJOY !