Trip Report: Columbus Day Offroad and Camp

Oddly enough, I found myself with a three-day weekend for Columbus Day.  A decision was made to take advantage of the extra day off to go wheeling with a group of new friends and while they all went back to the real world to work, I ended up spending an extra night up in the mountains.

This trip found us heading up to the Big Bear area.  Traveling with knowledgeable and experienced folks really has its advantages.  Just before dawn on Saturday morning, the dog and I set out to meet the group at Green Valley Lake.  Saturday would be a full day of wheeling, and then settling into camp.  Sunday would be a shorter day of wheeling as the rest of the group then made the trek home.  That worked out well for me since I like to set up camp earlier in the afternoon while there is still plenty of light (and warmth).  Monday would be a short day of hiking and then heading home.

The map shows (more or less) the route that was planned for Saturday.  A great mixture of easy fire roads up to and including difficult black diamond trails that had us rock crawling. Mapping software is the Gaia app, which I highly recommend for its ease of use and ability to use maps offline.

Offroading with a group of very experienced folks was a lot of fun and a great learning experience.  I learned that the 4Runner's capabilities are a bit limited by the lack of a rear locker, so that's now on the shopping list.  Picking lines, much like racing lines on a track, is also very important.  With stock suspension and no lift, it's especially important for me right now.  The running boards took a little damage, which seems like that will become a regular theme.

Got stuck on this hill.  Had to get extra rocks for traction.

A long day of wheeling was tiring for the dog though.  At times, it got pretty rough and I think he was a bit frightened, sometimes trying to climb down into my footwell.  He's probably a bit too big to fit down there even without me sitting there, let alone trying to drive.  He made himself comfortable in the passenger seat and there were a handful of times when he kicked the transmission into neutral.  I might need a net to separate the front seats from the rest of the cabin.

While wheeling was a ton of fun (two days' worth), the relaxing for camp was still the highlight of the trip.   Camp on Saturday night was with the group at a campsite, but Sunday night the dog and I were on our own.

On Saturday night, dinner was sliced steak marinated in its own juice, a bit of salt and limes, a roll of pretzel bread and some lightly sauteed veggies.  This would be the first time I tried cooking at camp, and I think it was a great success.  Ending the day with a hot meal was a very nice treat.
We climbed most of the way up Butler peak to make camp on the side of the mountain, again enjoying gorgeous view of the valley below.  Big thank you to my friend Charlie, who has several years' experience with camping for letting me borrow/buy cooking gear and for the recipe.

Sunday morning started off with some fried eggs and a power bar.  A new friend who camped right next to me had a similar kitchen set-up, but had the brilliant idea of making breakfast burritos, using bacon and sausage that is bought pre-cooked, to keep the amount of grease to a minimum.  I am definitely stealing that idea.

Sunday night found us above 8000' elevation, near the top of Butler peak, where we settled down to camp at an uneven spot along the edge of the mountain.   With no suitable rocks to put under the truck, I had to sleep at a slant.  But the view was worth the trouble.  Dinner this time consisted of chili that I had made at home and just needed a re-heat (will not be doing this again; it burned at the bottom and that's hard to wash off).  Morning then consisted of eggs and a power bar for breakfast again, before heading up to the top of Butler peak, where I met a volunteer ranger.  The top of Butler peak has a fire lookout, where the volunteers have a spectacular 360 degree view of everything around them, and help report fires hopefully before they get out of control. As it turns out, the volunteer that day taught at the middle school I attended, and very likely taught my brother.

At his recommendation, we trekked back down and got to Big Bear Discovery Center, where the helpful folks then directed the dog and I to an 8 mile hike up Bertha peak.  Along that hike, we came across the Pacific Crest Trail.  Unlike the top of Butler peak, Bertha peak did not have an awe inspiring spot at the top; rather, it had a big communications tower.

Then it was finally time to head home!