Re: Rodgers Canyon, etc.

I'm doing some very preliminary research on a hike for next year. What can other members tell me about the likelyhood of good campsites along the trail at Matterhorn Creek on the PCT, Rodgers Canyon near the Pate Valley trail junction, and Register Creek in the Grand Canyon? The Pate Valley junction is critical as a water source (the spring that's there) because I'm talking mid-August.

I would say that there is always water in the Tuolumne River. Bill-e-g can give you exact locations of camping spots.

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Old Dude

Quote
mrcondron
I would say that there is always water in the Tuolumne River. Bill-e-g can give you exact locations of camping spots.

Mike, I'm not worried about the Tuolumne or even finding water. Just want camp sites to be reasonably close to water to avoid "dry camp syndrome". Finding flat areas suitable for camp sites where one has never been is sometimes a tall order. This year I had planned to camp a mile or so below the Dolly Domes but instead plunked down about 1000' before even hitting the trail after descending to the Echo Lake area. The next morning I discovered that the area below the domes is not so great. The flat areas I was looking at on Google Earth turned out to be heavily wooded and/or deep grass that should not be disturbed. Most acceptable flat areas for a tent were too close to the trail. The site I ended up using a half mile below Echo Lake was really excellent. As a side note, Echo Lake was another location I found backpackers camping too close to a lake. Seems to be a lot of that going on.

Sweet spot near Dolly Domes:



Jim, my HUGE HUGE HUGE complaint is fire pits. Once again... go back to same spot a year
later and there's a new fire pit. Pathetic. (some jerk built a new fire at Upper Chain)

There's lots of camping along Matterhorn.
Right at Register you will probably be hard pressed to find something you like. However,
1 mile before then you will find lots of camping right at a small cascade. It's big enough
where a couple of groups can be there...
At Pate Jct.... I was there last year very late Sept. I'm pretty certain there was water running...
just didn't take a picture so I'm not 100%. I do know we have gotten water out of there
in early August many years ago though. There are Aspens right there if that is any indication.
As far as camping there.... I doubt many camp there.

Quote
bill-e-g
Sweet spot near Dolly Domes:



Jim, my HUGE HUGE HUGE complaint is fire pits. Once again... go back to same spot a year
later and there's a new fire pit. Pathetic. (some jerk built a new fire at Upper Chain)

There's lots of camping along Matterhorn.
Right at Register you will probably be hard pressed to find something you like. However,
1 mile before then you will find lots of camping right at a small cascade. It's big enough
where a couple of groups can be there...
At Pate Jct.... I was there last year very late Sept. I'm pretty certain there was water running...
just didn't take a picture so I'm not 100%. I do know we have gotten water out of there
in early August many years ago though. There are Aspens right there if that is any indication.
As far as camping there.... I doubt many camp there.

Dale,
When you say about one mile before Register Creek are you referring to downstream?

As for camping near Dolly Domes I remember that spot and even took a photo from that clearing. Forgot about that one. In any event I was very happy where I spent the first night. It was quite similar but not as open. Overall I was rather pleased with the spots I found for campng. Merced HSC is the only official backpacker's camp I stayed at (due to purchase of their meal plan) and the packers that were there were very quiet.

As for fire pits Ranger Craig said they have GPS'd well over 3,000 of them in the park!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/06/2010 01:46PM by tomdisco.

Look something like this?



3,000 and counting. To me it's depressing. Wilderness rangers don't want to have to take out fire pits that
pop up but when you get a permit they are "you can have a fire... go ahead... do it!"

Anyway, the spot I refer to in the GCT is about 1 3/4 miles west of Register. I very highly recommend that you
do the loop you are thinking of counter clockwise. ... and as you head down the middle set of 75 switchbacks...
you can thank me.

Cascade w/ nice camp spots:
37 degrees 55' 53" N - 119 degrees 33' 28" W


Also don't miss the Pate Petros...

Quote
bill-e-g
Look something like this?



3,000 and counting. To me it's depressing. Wilderness rangers don't want to have to take out fire pits that
pop up but when you get a permit they are "you can have a fire... go ahead... do it!"

Anyway, the spot I refer to in the GCT is about 1 3/4 miles west of Register. I very highly recommend that you
do the loop you are thinking of counter clockwise. ... and as you head down the middle set of 75 switchbacks...
you can thank me.

Cascade w/ nice camp spots:
37 degrees 55' 53" N - 119 degrees 33' 28" W


Also don't miss the Pate Petros...

That camp site you show is more or less directly across the river from where I camped the first night.

If I do the loop for Rodgers Canyon next year I already decided to go counterclockwise. Otherwise, that 75 switchback area would come at the end of the day---no way!

What the heck is Pate Petros? Pate Rocks?