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Toiyabe NF road trip

Posted: Sun Oct 11, 2020 6:49 pm
by SSSdave
Since I will be meeting two other bros on a 4 day road trip to the Eastern Sierra, looked at the current policy situations especially regarding closures and fire restrictions. Although Inyo NF front country opened last week, wilderness remained closed and most public campgrounds had already closed due to seasonal closures so not much is open. No campfires anywhere in Inyo NF and only gas stoves in open public campgrounds that eliminates a large number of possibilities. Note Inyo NF goes all the way north to Lundy Canyon, Conway Summit, and SR167 on the north side of Mono Lake. All Bishop Office regional BLM lands are closed to all fires including none with gas stoves. That pretty much kills the notion of doing any dispersed camping unless one is doing cooking inside a big RV that would be a gray area. Otherwise visitors should all be using lodging resources. Those local motels can sure use the business.

Note all Los Angeles DW&P city lands are always closed to camping. To the north of SR167 and Inyo NF, Toiyabe NF is closed to all campfires but one may use a portable gas stove. That includes all of Nevada. So that is the one ethical choice for those on the cheap. There are also more campgrounds open in Toiyabe since this is now hunting season.

A prime issue south of Conway Summit is there is very little land that is not NFS, BLM or LA DW&P so very little wiggle room. One really does need to be on top of map work to understand what is possible to disperse camp so as not to end up being fined or going against the spirit of policy. Thus we will probably set up below Twin Lakes where 4 TNF public campgrounds are still open as that will let us fish easily and use our gas stoves. Reports in that zone are, fish are active given the cool weather with winter approaching. There is plenty of fall leaf color within a modest distance to keep me amused. Also bright red Kokanee salmon will be spawning up Robinson Creek from Upper Twin Lakes. Air quality per GBAPCD graphs has been better than further south and this next week the general flow will be southward from the Nevada Great Basin in the north with some spillover across the Sierra Crest at times. Could have really used that forecast dud storm.

Re: Toiyabe NF road trip

Posted: Wed Oct 14, 2020 6:07 pm
by TehipiteTom
I prepped for a late September road trip I ended up not taking (because of smoke), and was planning on Kind bars (for breakfast), cheese & crackers & jerky (for lunch), and flavored tuna pouches & olive pouches (for dinner). None of which requires a fire. Because a) who wants the hassle of cooking, and b) who really cares what you eat when you're out there?

(I was, of course, planning to bring premium gin, excellent vermouth, and blue-cheese-stuffed olives, so I could have decent Martinis. One has to maintain one's standards, after all.)

Anyway, this approach would allow for dispersed camping. Just a thought.

Re: Toiyabe NF road trip

Posted: Thu Oct 22, 2020 12:31 pm
by SSSdave
Image

Work from my recent adventure this week base camping 3 nights at a Robinson Creek campground that was primarily a fishing trip with a couple bros. An interesting challenge was the notorious effort climbing up to the hanging valley of Blacksmith Creek. Generally I'd rate fall leaf color this 2020 year as a 3 on a 10 scale primarily due to droughty conditions. However even in poor years there are always some worthwhile subjects to be found like the above well watered subject I found along Leavitt Creek while on the road home.

https://www.davidsenesac.com/2020_Trip_ ... 020-7.html