Swamp Lake run Aug 6-8.....directions and info

[Goatman]

Here are directions to where we'll be camping Thurs night. We camp at Dinkey Creek, but not in the campground, so there are no fees. We'll leave for the trail from our camp area at 8:30 on Friday morning. We'll run half the trail on Fri and we usually get to Grouse Lake by early to mid afternoon. We'll leave Grouse Lake mid morning on Sunday and finish the trail. There will be a pot luck dinner on Sat night.

Here's directions: Take Hwy 168 from Fresno east about an hour to Shaver Lake. As you are coming into the town of Shaver Lake make a right turn onto Dinkey Creek Rd, where there is a sign saying Wishon and Courtright Reservoirs. Go about 12-15 miles on Dinkey Creek Rd and look for another sign saying Wishon and Courtright Reservoirs, and make a right turn at the sign onto McKinley Grove Rd. You'll immediately cross the bridge over Dinkey Creek then go about a 1/4 mile and you'll see two roads that go to the left, one cuts back sharply and goes to Camp Fresno, and the other one is 10S36, make a left turn onto 10S36 and immediately turn into the trees on the right, which will be our camp.

The best place to gas up, if you're not towing, is in Prather at the bottom of the big grade going up to Shaver, or at the station in Shaver Lake. There is gas at the Dinkey Creek store but it's expensive. There are showers at the Dinkey Creek store, a little cafe, and ice. You can top off your ice in the morning if you need to. We could use some firewood at camp Thurs evening, and it never hurts to have some firewood at Grouse Lake since the firewood can be scarce from regular use. There is a decent outhouse at the camp at Grouse Lake.

So, who's planning on going? :wave1:

 

[cracker]

Count me in.

What kind of temperatures could we expect up at Swamp lake?

 

[89sj]

There is a decent outhouse at the camp at Grouse Lake.

When did they put that in ?



k.

 

[Goatman]

When did they put that in ?



k.

They put it in a couple years ago. We happened to be on our run and camping there when they came to put it in. Some guys from the Fresno 4wd club did it, and Ben was with us so he helped them.

 

[Goatman]

Is anyone else going?

Wondering who to look for.

 

[89sj]

Just got back from 4 days at Grouse last nite, sorry.

Besides the trail crews Im sure we were the first in for the season. Very few tracks and we didnt see another person the whole time we were there. No drivebys, nothing. We did come across 4 jeeps coming in to Swamp yesterday but dont know if they were headed to Swamp or Grouse.

If you remember the big tree about 15 feet up the hill from the campfire ring... The one with the big spike in it to hang your lantern from... It came down over the winter right across the nice tent spots. It has been cut to free up one of the spots (and the sawdust made an excellent "pad" to put the tent on) and the log turned into rounds and split for firewood. We used some of it but left the rest and left a pile of branches with it. If someone can bring a chainsaw and an axe you would have more firewood than you can ask for, the tree is really dry and theres a good 40 feet of it left.

The fishing was great before the sun hit the lake but they were all small. We had a doe deer in the meadow and in camp every day, and several in camp Thursday nite. They are not afraid, we got within 20-30 feet of them.

Weather was fantastic, you're gonna have a great time.


k.