Forest Service Report: Sespe River Trail
Heidi Anderson, the Wilderness/Trails Manager for the Ojai Ranger District of the US Forest Service, sent through a Trail Report, which I'll reprint after the jump, along with the following note:
Attached is a trail report from yesterday for the Sespe River Trail. Just the perfect temps for hiking and no bugs. The storms in early January did a number on the trail in the Day Fire burn area.
The left photo is the first crossing of Sespe below the Piedra Blanca Trailhead. The right photo is west Kerr Springs along the Sespe (pretty sweet spot, says Heidi!)
TRAIL REPORT
Trail Name: Sespe River Trail (Piedra Blanca Trailhead to Kerr Springs)
Trail Number: 20W13
Date: 1/17/2008
Reported By: Heidi Anderson, Wilderness Trails Manager
Note: This information is provided by our field personnel or volunteers to assist you in planning trips on the Ojai Ranger District. Its accuracy may decrease with time.
Condition of Trail:
Trail is in good shape for the first couple of miles, edge of the Day Fire burn. There is some rutting due to high runoff. From the edge of the Day Fire Burn (2.3 miles from trailhead), the storms from the first week of January did a fair amount of damage to the trail, especially where the side canyons cross the trail. Most of the rock structures built by the CCC’s last spring are destroyed by the volume of water and debris that came down the side canyons.
Water Availability:
Water crossings just below Piedra Blanca Trailhead are 6-12 inches deep. Be careful in early morning when the rocks may be icy. Crossing at Bear Creek Camp is a foot+ deep. Carsonite trail signs were install on the south side of the creek crossing since many hikers were getting lost. Kerr Springs is flowing well. The slide area before Kerr Springs has some rocks and small mud slides from above, but passable to stock and hikers.
Condition Of Campsites:
Bear Creek Camp is in good shape. There is a lot of mud/sand/silt that has deposited in the area from the January storms.
Other information:
No deer or bear tracks, which seems very unusual. Use caution with all water crossings. Campfires and stoves are allowed with a valid California Campfire permit. Adventure Pass is required for Rose Valley and parking at the Piedra Blanca Trailhead. Some sections of the Sespe River that were narrow and deep are now wide and shallow due to the deposits of rock and silt from recent storms.
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Comments (2)
The water looks so beautiful and peaceful. This is very helpful information. Thank you!
Comment #1 Posted by: Suza | January 19, 2008 08:47 AM
REI, Inc. is a business dedicated to outfitting all you Los Angeles imports out there along with the long list of REI catalogue geeks and backcountry nature fakers that stand by our products. We strongly advocate advertising to the world, every secret nook and cranny and sending inexperienced people into the wilderness by selling pacifiers such as GPS units and hand warmers. We endorse the Sespe Wilderness and hope you find our equipment useful as you wonder aimlessly through uncharted territory only to find yourself air lifted out a few days later by a free helicopter that is subsidized by the hard working natives of Ventura County. Check out our climbing selection http://www.rei.com/climbing for a comfortable harness to clip into during your dangerous rescue. Note: Yoga Lefts are welcome to check out our extensive collection of yoga mats and accessories http://www.rei.com/fitness since you aren’t known to hike more than a simple Cozy Dell stroll. We look forward to seeing you out on the trails this winter and spring in your bright neon wind breakers!
Happy trails!
Comment #2 Posted by: A REIgn of truth | January 21, 2008 03:10 PM