OMG. No. Aubriana was definately a shining light out at the creek. My heart and prayers go out to her parents, family, and her ever faithful companion Ava. RIP lovely soul, you will be deeply missed. Edit: I found this wonderful little tribute, and had to share. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tRIca8jQFPAby Johnny - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
From the mouth to the ear, Yes. There is a stone seat that will allow someone to sit at neck level next to the wall once completed. Hense the name, that plus the amount of time spent thinking about where the wall should go. ;-) Everytime I go out, it seems another layer has grown. There is a slight trickle reroute above the pool, made with sandbags: Please don't move! I hope no one does asby Johnny - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
Contemplation Pool. Per the non-builder from sources that I've heard from. It is a great summer time pool, since it runs about 96 degrees from recent readings. And come summer, it will be in full shade if the trees can be kept alive. ; < )by Johnny - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
Labor Day weekend started out with a bang. I went down Saturday, parking at the Freedom Trailhead, I hiked in to find a group already camped at the creek. I ran into a regular on his way out who said that the group arrived late at night and started the music and set up the tents. During the day the number of groups continued to grow, but it was like a normal summer weekend for most of the daby Johnny - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
I went down there last year on Labor Day, Monday, and still to this date, I have never been down on any other day that there were so many people... and they were literally all over the place. Must have been over 30 on the landing beach side, down to the first main bend in the creek. Upstream was even more packed, groups around all the smaller beaches, close to 40 in and around the pools themselby Johnny - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
The road condition continues to get a bit more washboard with more traffic on the roads and no rains to compact the soil. The winds were light and made for a nice hike down to the hot springs. Upon arriving, there only eight people there. We selected a spot for the day on the beach and hit the creek. The hot pools were a bit too hot already, although we were able to spend a few minutes in theby Johnny - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
According to my trusty Google Earth, the elevation at the rock formation at the start of the Freedom Trail is 4372. The creek crossing is at 3516. So... that's a change of 856 +/- the dips up and down the trail.by Johnny - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
So, was that the two explosions I must have heard when we were departing, about six pm? Those had to have been something too big to be legal anyway. And thank you for getting on your group member about being an ass.by Johnny - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
Let me start out by saying, what a fantastic weekend. I arrived earlier than the group meet-up but met a great naturist couple who were there for the first time. I showed them the way down to the creek pointing out the landmarks so they could make their way out when they wanted. We set up next to some other friends under the trees next to the big rock and kept a watch out for the group membersby Johnny - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
ezzpete, No, we were there on Saturday, camping Saturday night at the ranch and a few of us returned on Sunday but spent the majority of the day upstream... sorry to have missed you. I'll be doing a full report soon.by Johnny - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
Unfortunately you are not getting many responses to your question. I too am a local but am also a regular visitor. I have seen the area in a prestine condition, but it has been some time, and now that summer is upon us, the crowds get thicker and less respectful of the area. I have spoken to many who visit, first timers and long time attenders and their comments on the condition depend direby Johnny - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
Great news and idea!! I'll be there to support and have shared this info with others who enjoy the area as it is suppose to be... Naturally! Thank you for offering to take out the trash, having a drop vehicle at the 4x4 trailhead is a big help! See ya there!by Johnny - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
Thanks for sharing... makes a great backdrop doesn't it!by Johnny - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
Well, made it down on Saturday morning. The winds were up and made for some cold hiking, there were around a dozen people already at the creek when I got there, both had camps set up and both sets were expecting more friends. The pools stayed fairly full of people all day since the creek was cold again. Only a few of us braved an actual swim in it. I met quite a few fantastic folks while thby Johnny - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
Quotejobe What you are unaware of is camper Dave as you call him is hiking the P.C.T. now. You should go to the springs more often :') Another one of Camper Dave's tales I'm afraid. Joe, whoever told you this, probably the same person who told me he was seriously shacked up with his gal in town, was not fully informed. I saw and spoke to him yesterday, he was there and his 'camp' was set up.by Johnny - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
Hey, that pic looks just like the one that was caught and released on Saturday. It was over by the Arizona pool, a guy caught it, we counted 10 rattles, plus the nub, and then he took it up the hill above the beach area and released it. The guy had handled snakes quite a bit and said that even though this one was quite docile, most of them are NOT and should be avoided unless you have dealt witby Johnny - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
I went out last Memorial Day (2011). There were between 80 and 100 people out there. They streatched from the rock beach where the trail comes down, on both sides, all the way upstream to the area known as The Chute. There may have been about a dozen naturals, mostly upstream getting away from the crowds. All the parking areas were full of camp sites, still set up on Monday. I think it waby Johnny - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
I was on the trail hiking down, didn't notice a thing. No damage or changes to the area from the earthquake this time. Didn't even know there was one till I got home.by Johnny - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
Thank you for taking care of that Mojave for us... my daughter and I were there yesterday and were walking around up there, so glad not to have had an incident! Your work on the Arizona was also quite noticeable, knee deep now, that is much better. The creek is still running right at the lower lip level but at least now the pool is useable. Like when you were there, there were very few peopleby Johnny - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
QuoteWizard Did you guys see the little clay head I left in a crevice a couple of feet above the surface of the Womb hotpool, in the cliff on the east side? Just curious if it lasted there, more than a day :-) Nope. I scrubbed around the surface of the Womb, I should have noticed it if it was on a handhold but didn't see it.by Johnny - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
It did turn out to be a good day at the springs. When I arrived I took some time to do a bit of cleaning, this time at the Crab Cooker and Serenity Pool. I put a new water pipe in place since the last time I was there it had been a rusty piece of metal, now it's a black dripline hose. When I arrived, the creek was running about a foot higher than last weekend and Arizona was underwater. The wby Johnny - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
I was down last Saturday. The roads are clear, a bit more washboarded but still quite passable. The hike in was a bit breezy, the winds were cold out of the north at about 10mph. In the sun it is still quite nice though and it's was not as windy at the pools. The pools are warm and inviting. As for clothes, if you get chilled easily, than some jeans and a hoodie works great. The creek crossby Johnny - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
Thank you Rick, this is great, especially since it is of the whole of at least So.Cal! Thanks ever so much, now before I hike other areas, I can check out the older existing trails.by Johnny - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
The roads... well, I was there on Saturday 12/3, the roads are a bit more washboarded... passable but rough. The path on the ranch, no changes have been made, it is still very rough, deep holes and some rockey areas I am sure will one day take out the bottom of a car... it does need to be graded/filled badly. Personally, I would be very cautious in a sedan, but I did see a smaller car parked tby Johnny - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
Great report. Saturday was almost the same. Cold hike in, exceptional warm pools to defrost in. I arrived at the ranch just before 8, the group you saw go in did not materialize at the creek... wonder if they were the ones the old springer you spoke of was telling me about that needed rescuing around 130am... chopper and 4x4's to get people out of the back roads. The pools are nice now, the sby Johnny - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
QuoteWizard Johnny, It sounds like you are referring to a vehicle that is laying down the hill from a dead end rd up on the ridges. We spotted that one some years ago and I hiked over to it and took photos, including one of the license plate and sent the pics and info to Brad Burns, the USFS ranger at the time. The one I am speaking of can be seen from the Bowen Ranch Trail ( west of it ). It isby Johnny - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
The day started out a beautiful sunny morning. We arrived around 10am at the ranch, parked, packed up and headed down. This was my hiking partner’s first trip so it took us about an hour with all the stops, look, points and talking. We arrived at the springs to about ten people there, four post HS males playing football and jumping in the creek. They eventually moved upstream after beingby Johnny - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
I concur with Rick, early morning. The ranch opens at 7, and the creek is usually calm in the morning and most people don't get going good till after 10.by Johnny - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
QuoteSam D. What was the condition of the trail and BR parking lot where the bags were torn? I can not go until 2 weeks from now. I hope it's not too much of the mess. Thank you again for picking it up. Well, I picked up everything I could reach from the beach to the ranch parking lot, including two ripped up bags and the stuffings. The trail was much cleaner when I finished, but there wereby Johnny - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California
Went to the creek today, passed two gents carrying out the heavy bags that were left. Thank you so much for cleaning up. The remainder of the bags were out when I arrived at 8, but you were correct, there was quite a mess on the trail. On my way out, I stared with an empty bag, by the time I reached the 4x4 trail, I had one bag filling up quite nicely. By the time I made it back to my truby Johnny - Deep Creek Hot Springs, Apple Valley, California