San Bernardino Mountains

Date: August 10, 11, 12, 2012

Written by leader Ted Kalil

Photos by Allan Wicker

When I arrived at the Greenspot Equestrian Group Campground Friday afternoon, the Nevada pilgrims, Mignon Slentz with her brand new Toyota FourRunner, and Glenn Shaw, were already there and set up, along with Jim Proffitt. Later we were joined by Marian and Neal Johns. Saturday morning Terry Ogden arrived, having come to the campground Friday evening but left after not seeing our campfire. We traveled up to Onyx Summit on SH 38, then on to Thurman Flats picnic area, where we met up with Allan Wicker and Mal Roode. From there, we went a short distance to the start of trail 1S12 where, after first making a side trip, Jim Proffitt again joined us. Then we headed towards the Morton Peak Lookout. When we got to a locked gate, though, I found that my Forest Service key was of no use because there was only a combination lock installed. So, we weren’t able to look in on the lookout.

San Bernardino Mountains

August 23 - 25, 2013 written by leader Ted Kalil

It started on Friday, August 23^rd. The meeting spot was Yellow Post 4 on 1N02 where I was joined by Neal and Marian Johns, Mignon Slentz, and Mal Roode. All had difficulty finding the spot and I was accused (by Neal, of course) of providing the worst instructions ever. My response was that they hadn’t read them completely. Oh, well, they all got there.

     Saturday morning we went to the Angelus Oaks restaurant for a great breakfast and were later joined by Nelson Miller, Rick and Sharon Cords, and Terry Ogden. From there we went down Middle Control Road to its bottom at the Santa Ana River, and then up 1N54, Clark’s Grade, for a short distance before turning on 1N04, the Converse Trail. When we reached Converse Station we proceeded up 2N06, the Radford Truck Trail, climbing up to 2N10, the Skyline Trail above Big Bear. Following that down to the Moonridge area, we went on to Big Bear Lake to top off our fuel tanks. Traffic in Big Bear was extremely heavy, possibly due to an Air Show being held. We saw several planes and a helicopter flying around.

White Mountains Bristlecone

by Jay Lawrence

July 19 - 20 2008

Things looked promising for an outstanding weekend in the Eastern Sierras when we arrived in Big Pine on Friday. Clear skies, mild temperatures (mid 80’s instead of high 90’s) along the Owens Valley floor, plus a nice breeze. The only question left was when our fellow Desert Explorers would arrive. We didn’t have to wait long.  Cyrus and Azi Sarange arrived later that evening with dog Roxy, camping with us at the three flagpoles campground, then Anne and George Stoll, Malcolm and Jeanne Roode and Glen Shaw (in from Nevada!) in the morning. All in Toyotas, too.

San Bernardino Mountains Trip

July 31, August 1, August 2, 2009

by Ted Kalil

Bob and Betty Oliver arrived at Heart Bar Campground at about the same time as I did on Friday afternoon and picked out our campsites from the many available “walk-up” sites.  We each had some separate things to do in Big Bear first and then came back to our sites for conversation and dinner. Bob Jacoby had called and said he wasn’t feeling well so wouldn’t be coming, and Marian Johns said they had brake problems with both trucks and their coming would depend on getting new shoes. At around the meet-up time on Saturday morning, Nan Savage called to say she was on her way but had gone astray a bit. Bob Oliver had a problem with his CB; I loaned him a hand held unit but we were later to find that it also had a problem.

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San Bernardino Mountains 2011

By Ted Kalil

It was a dark and stormy night. Well, we did  have that on Saturday night, but we first met up Friday afternoon just before it  started raining. The forecast was for 20% chance of rain, but this was at least  100%. However, although intense for a while, it stopped in about an hour. We had  reserved the Green Spot Equestrian Group Campground just off 2N93, and this  proved to be great: plenty of parking for everyone, double header toilets if you  don’t mind sharing (potty with a pal), and fire rings. Plus, it was all our own;  no access by anyone else.

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San Bernardino Mountains

August 23 - 25, 2013

By Ted Kalil

It started on Friday, August 23^rd. The meeting spot was Yellow Post 4 on 1N02 where I was joined by Neal and Marian Johns, Mignon Slentz, and Mal Roode. All had difficulty finding the spot and I was accused (by Neal, of course) of providing the worst instructions ever. My response was that they hadn’t read them completely. Oh, well, they all got there.

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