Lake Havasu to Sawtooth Canyon via Deep Creek Hot Springs

It's that time of year when Snowbirds start to turn their attention northward - and home.  There are a few 'usual' routes that we like to take, and one of those involves highway 395 going up the east side of the Sierras in California.  But, if you've been following the news and weather reports at all, you will know that Mammoth Mountain, and other locations along that route have never seen as much snow as they have now.  Mammoth is already saying they will be open for skiing till July!  And, I presume that most of the hotsprings we like to hit along that route are accessible only by snowshoes or skis, and I don't want to find any more Caltrans roadblocks demanding that I put chains on the fifth wheel!

 

So, after quite a few hours pouring over the maps and weather reports, it was decided (Hailey usually goes along with my decisions) to head a bit to the southwest and re-visit Deep Creek hot springs near Apple Valley.

 Getting a late departure from Lake Havasu, and another quick stop in Parker for grub, meant we only made it a bit west of Vidal Junction before we had to pull off to catch a hockey game online.  We just pulled in behind a VOR radio navigation beacon a half mile off the highway.

(image from web, but similar to this)

 

Next day, it was on through 29 Palms, Joshua Tree and Yucca Valley, before heading up 247 to Lucerne Valley and Apple Valley.  After a few false leads we found a suitable overnight spot a mile from the highway, within decent driving distance of the hot springs.  Apparently this is the only trail cam photo I have of that spot ...

Finding the hot springs can be a challenge.  Do not try to follow your gps directions, as some of the supposed 'streets' in the remote Apple Valley area are not fit for ATV, let alone regular vehicles, as most of them are 'beyond County maintenance', and apparently no one maintains them.  You can easily get hung up or stuck on many of them.  But, once onto Bowen Ranch road it is fairly straight forward.  The ranch provides some paid parking and some (mostly tent) dry camping options.  Last time I was here years ago, I took some rough 4x4 roads around the ranch which shortened the hike and was free, of course.  This time, despite several attempts, I was unable to locate the preferred access point, due to increased erosion from rampant atv use.  But it turns out that the ranch parking option is not that bad.  The fellow at the ranch gives you a map, explains the route extensively, and warns about getting lost, hypothermia, and navigation tips, all for $5/person.

It is about a 45 minute hike, just about all downhill, to the hotsprings on Deep Creek on the Pacific Crest Trail.

(on the Goat trail in to the springs)

You have to cross a deep, cold, fast flowing part of the creek to access the springs.  Last time I was there it was an easy crossing, but not this time.  Fortunately someone (the ranch owner, I heard) has put a line across the river, and supplied an inflatable raft to pull yourself across using ropes.

Next, are very special photos of the hot springs pools!  Special, because the pools are almost always busy with people soaking in the hot water, and who can't afford swimming attire!  Thus, photos for blogs can be difficult to obtain without offending anyone - including readers!  But I was just fortunate that one day, I had the whole place entirely to myself for about an hour.  So I took advantage and got some photos while the getting was good.

(panorama at one of the hot pools)

Unlike most hot spring pools that are relatively shallow, this pool is at least 6-7 feet deep one spot!

I figured the hot springs would be way too crowded on the weekend, so decided to head up to Sawtooth Canyon campground, south of Barstow.  It is a very nice little scenic free campground in a little dead-end canyon - with lots and lots of sport climbing routes.  Apparently, the area used to be a big party spot with garbage and broken glass everywhere.  But at some point in the past, the BLM has done an awesome job of cleaning it up and developing a campground, where every site has a little roof over a concrete picnic table, and two fireplaces - one for a bbq, and one for a wood fire on the ground. 

 

There is still broken glass in some places, some of which I removed ...
 

 But when I first tried to find it quite a few years ago, I actually stopped at the big BLM headquarters just to the north in Barstow to enquire.  I didn't get decent directions, despite one of their staff living at the campground as camp host!  At that time, there was absolutely no signs on the highway to give away it's location.  You just had to figure out which pipeline r/w to follow on a washboard road!  Well, the washboard road is still in fine shape (!), but there is now at least a sign when approaching from the north.  With the cost of developement, there must have been plans to make it a 'pay' campground (there is even a pay pedastal near the entry), but it remains free!

I managed to get one of the last vacant sites, as I knew it was likely to fill up with climbers on the weekend.  Unfortunately, the site was far from level, so it took some innovative blocking to get set up!

Despite the limit of two vehicles and 10 persons permitted per site, the one next to me had 7-8 vehicles, about 5 tents, and 15 people for the weekend!  But they were comparatively quiet, and did not leave a mess.  And I think they all had fun climbing.

Speaking of climbing, I think Ms Hailey has the record for three-legged kitty rock climbing!  Check out the video!

 

 
Sometime soon, we'll have to start drifting a bit further north!