I'd love to know how the natives behaved at the 'ol hot springs.... Hopefully, naked, civil and clean.by celtfire - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
The Wizard and I were at DCHS today, Wednesday, 4/22/09, and in my almost 39 years of visiting the springs I saw more rattlesnakes today than ever before. There was one spotted in a tent set up in the grassy area near the Anniversary Pool. That scaly fellow moved into the higher grass and after I gently prodded him/her with my hiking pole it moved deeper into the thick grass. Another Pacific rattby celtfire - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
Or, "I'd rather be tried by 12 than carried by 6."by celtfire - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
About 20-25 years ago the cattle and their "pies" were all over the hills and the creek bed. A lady friend and I were walking out on the goat trail when we encountered a bunch or 5 or 6 cattle blocking the trail. I walked among them and started yelling and swatting them with a branch and some I pushed out of the way until it was safe to pass. Lucky for my friend and I that the "dogby celtfire - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
Actually, they sound like cool folks. The old days at the springs were often like that with hippie costumes and lovely manners (mostly). When the dead-heads stopped in at the springs on their way to another of many concerts, the music, the ambiance and the very air were intoxicating. Well, the air was especially so since the heads were constantly toking up.by celtfire - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
Coyote, In the interest of progressive cultural change, what was the estimated ratio of textile to unclothed people at the time you left the springs on the 20th?by celtfire - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
Oh Wiz, it's not a real helicopter ride unless there are doors off on the sides and door gunners are blasting nonstop with their M-60s at the bad guys on the ground. Oh, and to add to the experience, you have to have the bang, bang, bang sound of ground fire hitting the bird and flying through (hopefully, without hitting anyone on the way) ...... Sorry for the flashback. Old bombs are always a mby celtfire - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
The Owens Valley mistake was not the mistake of the Times writer, Finn-Olaf Jones, it was mine. I wrote it late in the evening, but, as we learned to say in the the Army, no excuse, sir.by celtfire - California Hot Springs
Oops, I wrote a similar post about the NY Times Saline Valley article before I noticed Katrina's take on the subject. Sorry.by celtfire - California Hot Springs
http://tinyurl.com/c6knnw A nice article that does a more than fair fair job describing the beauty and solitude of the Owens Valley Hot Springs retreat. Finn-Olaf Jones, the Times writer, does a better story than most we've read over the years describing our own beloved hot spring retreat.by celtfire - California Hot Springs
Well, the road that takes one to the Bradford Trail is not exactly a freeway, so a nekkid dash to the trail will not really be noticed, except maybe by the flora and fauna.by celtfire - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
For a while in the 80s cattle were all over the trails and down at the springs and their pies were everywhere. Of course, I complained to the USFS and soon the cattle were gone (for 25 years, it seems), but in those days the country was not as broke as it is today, although with Reagan in charge then, his administration wasn't too concerned with keeping cattle off of public forest land. His suppby celtfire - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
Also....... Be a former great athlete so when stopped by the cops you sign autographs instead of getting arrested. Hey, Jobe, wave to the "juice" for us if you drive by his new home, High Desert State Prison in Indian Springs.by celtfire - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
We have a guy in Orange County, maybe called the "Cougar Toucher" who, last week, tried to pet a pair of cubs at Whiting Ranch Regional Park and was surprised when Momma Cougar clawed him. The last Cougar-Human violent encounter at that park resulted in the death of a male bicyclist, serious injuries to a female cyclist and the shooting of the cat. I hope that Hesperia's big kitty anby celtfire - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
Lake Elsinore boy, 9, dies of infection by water-borne amoeba Riverside County health officials urge swimmers to use caution after the death Saturday. It is not known where the boy contracted the Naegleria fowleri amoeba. By David Kelly, Los Angeles Times Staff Writer August 6, 2008 Full Story: http://tinyurl.com/5b5tx8 The kid had been swimming in cesspool-like Lake Elsinore, an extremelyby celtfire - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
The Times wrote to say that they will print my letter on the Deep Creek Hot Springs article in Sunday's paper. Hopefully it will make some future visitors think about their impact on the place. Cheers,by celtfire - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
I wrote to the travel department of the Times and listed the no-nos that are conditions for visiting the springs. Maybe seeing that vehicles, creek camping, fires, etc. aren't allowed will keep some of the less desirables from making the hike. We'll see by next Sunday if the newspaper prints it. I'm always open to new people discovering the creek and springs, but not if their visits are destruby celtfire - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
The LA Times article on DCHS was a major feature in today's (7-6-08) Sunday Times Travel section. The writer, Hugo Martin, reported on all of the delights without listing any of the responsibilities or prohibitions (no fires, camping, bicycles, motor vehicles or flagrant assholes). I will write a letter to the Times filling in those oversights. We have enough irresponsible visitors to the creeby celtfire - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
CalBoy, It's just tonight. I've been looking through my albums of photos taken at Deep Creek since 1970 and the change in society is all too evident. I feel that there needs to be a rebirth of environmental values and maybe you're one of the people who can give it a kick-change in the ass. Good luck finding the warm springs.by celtfire - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
Paul, I grump because I see a change in society, a change that reminds me of the 50s and early 60s, when most people didn't know anything about respecting the environment, trees were for cutting down and the body resresented SIN!!! The revolution of the late 60s-early 70s changed much of that in my world and now I see those now long respected values eroding. I hate to admit that I haven't beby celtfire - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
The culture of Deep Creek Hot Springs has for over a half century been a place where visitors may swim and soak wearing whatever they like, including the suit they were born in. I first hiked the goat trail in from the Bowen Ranch in 1970 and the culture I found that day was largely the one that survived almost to the present day. It was a culture that respected humans, clothed or not, respecby celtfire - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
Well, let's hope that the "Times" article leads some skinny dippin' environmentalists to the springs instead of more of the paint taggin', trash droppin' disrespectful textiles who seem to make up the large part of weekend DCHS visitors. Yes, I know I'm grumpy...... Shouldn't I be considering the present atmosphere at the Holy Place? Humbug!by celtfire - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
Dear "boy," Unfortunately, if we tell you then we have to....., well, you know. Not a pleasant thing to do. The USGS maps of the area show where the hot springs and warm springs are. Take a chance. Actually, the warm springs really don't exist. We direct trash droppin' city bozos to remote desert destinations to find the "Lost Warm Springs of Deep Creek" hoping they'll gby celtfire - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
OK, I'm just a long time tourist to the area and know really few of the local characters. What does David Anstrom have to do with the area, people and culture of Deep Creek Hot Springs and the surrounding locale?by celtfire - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
A search of the U.S. Copyright records showed no records for "The Bowen Escapades," although I believe that the manuscript was first written in or about the year 1964, a date too early to have been included in the government database. There are no recognized copyright marks on the copy I have which is, I believe, a facsimile of the original typewritten manuscript by Gertie Bowen kept iby celtfire - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
Laughing Bear, My email address is on my profile. Drop me a line. Thanks. Celtfireby celtfire - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
Jobe wrote: Celtfire, Your ability to be cruel is amazing ! Celtfire responds: No joe, I'm just being honest, but you don't want to see it. Your sexual predator-like side makes any good behavior seem insignificant. Get some help. When you get into the horny role you make just about everyone near you, especially women, feel the "Ick Factor" big time. I'm telling you what I see andby celtfire - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
To Paul and interested others, Converting the pages of Gertie Bowen's memoir to jpg files and then compiling them into a Adobe Acrobat PDF file/book eliminates the need to crank the mimeograph machine (remember grade school, Boomers?) or steal time on the office copier. We just post the pdf file on an accommodating member's web site (Oh Rick, we're writing about you here) and whomever wants thby celtfire - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
Dude, your post has left me flamboozled! WTF?by celtfire - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
I haven't been to the springs since 2005 due to my open heart surgery in '06. Monday, Memorial Day, will mark the 38th anniversary of my first visit to DCHS. I'd love to drive up, but the cost of gas is too dear to bear it alone. I drive a Honda Element with good sounds and sturdy dirt road-lovin' construction. It will carry 4 in comfort. Drop a line here on Sunday if you want to come along.by celtfire - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California