22 replies to this topic

[ski3pin]

Over the years several on WTW have shared stories about misadventures with other campers. The Lady and I have had our share. Last weekend we had another one.

 

We live close to Lake Tahoe and we tend to stay away from our area during summer because of the heavy use. Our local National Forests are now - within the management guide lines of the USFS - designated as "Urban Forests" meaning that they are close to and used by major population centers.

 

We should have stayed away last weekend.

 

We just wanted to do a simple day hike, summit three peaks, the first, second, and fourth highest in the Lake Tahoe Basin. Our access was out of Hope Valley on the dirt USFS Willow Creek Road on the Toiyabe National Forest. We found a nice useable campsite about a half mile above the Armstrong Pass trailhead early Friday evening. We'd start the hike from there and relax after completing the hike Saturday afternoon and spend another night. The road continues up past our campsite.

 

Our hike route was a circle and our route back took us back down the road above our camp. At the end of a spur road was a group of young people with tents and an ez-up, cases of beer, smoking cigarettes (fire restrictions prohibit smoking outside a vehicle with the windows up), and some young people over playing in the shallow creek. My wife, the middle school teacher,  estimated their age around 16. No vehicle was parked. They had been dropped off, to hold the area? This was approximately .75 mile above us.

 

Vehicles started driving in shortly after our return to our camper. The first group was 6 including pickups loaded with tables and equipment, not the usual camping stuff piled in the back of a pickup. The vehicles continued coming in. There were some very nice cars driving by. Mom and Dad are doing well or carrying a great deal of debt. It was obvious a party for kids was planned. A big party. The last car went up the road around 3 am. I'd estimate 30 plus vehicles, all packed with kids. A couple of groups parked lower and walked up.

 

Full on festival sound system. It could strip the needles off of pine trees, maybe did.

 

I expect this event was promoted over social media with the possibly of a cover charge and this being a money making event.

 

The people doing the sound appeared experienced insofar as they drove out with two loaded pickups at 6 am Sunday morning, ahead of when they thought authorities might show.

 

If you're curious about the location, copy and paste these coordinates into Google Earth -

38°50'20.82"N 119°53'05.8"W (using the historical imagery icon move to 6/15/2013)

 

Welcome to our urban forests.

Edited by ski3pin, 18 August 2016 - 05:50 PM.
coordinates corrected

[ACEBLACKDOG]

that road can at times be quite difficult for the "nice cars"....even a good 4x4 often has to pick it's path carefully...

 

THANKFULLY you were not hassled yet we can not sleep well w/ the "what if's"....:

 

WONDERING ....would there been any response from "authorities" had the event been reported ????

[Squatch]

Never had to deal with that kind of scale before. When we were young and did similar it was on a friends farm in the midwest. Not public land. Charging admission on public land is a huge NO NO. That crosses the line from a gathering of friends into a permit required commercial event.

 

It's a crazy world out there these days!

Edited by Squatch, 18 August 2016 - 08:22 PM.

[pvstoy]

Hey Ski sorry you had bad timing for your visit.  That area has seen more use over the years.  The entrance road (#51) can get bad and then limits what kind of cars can come in.  Then it gets bladed and allow all types in. 

 

We have done the 3 peaks many times and it is a nice loop with views. Have not done it in a few years, need to get in shape and take the stroll! 

[Rusty]

sounds like a Gardnerville group...sorry...bad timing

Edited by Rusty, 18 August 2016 - 07:19 PM.

[ski3pin]

Hey Ski sorry you had bad timing for your visit.  That area has seen more use over the years.  The entrance road (#51) can get bad and then limits what kind of cars can come in.  Then it gets bladed and allow all types in. 

 

We have done the 3 peaks many times and it is a nice loop with views. Have not done it in a few years, need to get in shape and take the stroll! 

 

Yes Patrick, a very nice stroll. The views are nice even on a hazy summer day. The road has recently been bladed. The area is seeing a lot of use. The were several small groups dispersed camping below the trailhead for Armstrong Pass. That was a loud mix of dog barking and gunshots. Next time we do the Tahoe Trifecta it will be a day trip from home.

 

 

 

 

[Taku]

Unfortunately with social media this is becoming more common on federal lands. Has been happening steadily for the last few years. Modern life with the rave crowd. If the local agency gets enough info they can attend, but trying to control dozens of people with one or two LEO's is kinda hard.

[pvstoy]

Thanks for the videos!

[Smokecreek1]

Ski-I feel for you and all of us have had those experiences with real "public areas and the public that goes with it".

 

Yep-that's why we bought our pop-ups--to get away from it all, but we all make mistakes!  Many years ago (BP-before owning a  pop-up), I was tired of driving  and decided to rest and camp for a while at one of the more used state camp grounds just north of Fort Bragg. It was fall and mid week so I figured week end crowds and the such would be absent. I even set up camp away from the main camp area near the group camp area (a mistake).  Wow, that first night was great, no people, the beach right there, plenty of places to roam and play with the dog---so I decided to stay a couple of days more and went and paid the fee a couple of days more.

 

After an nice morning of enjoying nature, I was sitting back and enjoying my first adult libation, when the first truck arrived at the group campground ; then the second and on and on until almost the whole area was full of happy campers out to enjoy nature.  What were they-Boy Scouts -no they were a mixed group-hmmmmm-this does not look good for me!!! Once they camp was set up I heard the end of my peaceful camping when it (a loud speaker) called the group to order and  the first of many group prayers was read and the first song of many was sung. Yep as the ranger told me later, "they come here every year for a week". Yep, my fault,  I should of checked, religion and civilization had found found me.

 

They ignored me, my dog and my beer and spent from dawn to dusk in noisy meetings,praying,  singing, eating and playing games---it seemed that that l really blown it this time and I should have packed up and left and let the state keep my money----but I stayed. Today with my pop-up I would have left for greener pastures, but in those days, $8.00 a night was worth fighting for. I think what amazed me was their total disregard for the rest of their fellow campers and I know that many other campers complained about the noise but as long as they stopped by 10 the camp staff could not do much about it!  Yep they paid so they to could enjoy nature--in their own way---I guess!

 

So Ski, I think then is when I started down the road to pop-up ownership and the freedom to really go and WTW !

 

Smoke

Edited by Smokecreek1, 19 August 2016 - 06:36 PM.

[ski3pin]

 

.................................................. Yep, my fault,  I should of checked, religion and civilization had found found me.

 

.......................................................

 

So Ski, I think then is when I started down the road to pop-up ownership and the freedom to really go and WTW !

 

Smoke

 

"The lord works in mysterious ways" or so I've heard...................

 

Thanks for the great story, Smoke!