Spring/Summer Lakes Basin Cruiser Trip :NorCal:

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My Dad just mentioned to me the other day that his buddies finally decided on the dates for their annual fishing trip to sardine lake (they've been going up there for most of the last 25 years!). I'll need to have him double check his calender for me, but I think it should be the weekend of May 17th. If I can make it this year I'd like to try to bring my 60, so if any of you guys just cant contain yourselves any longer, you'd be welcome to join me.

93yotasr5 said:
im getting my hopes up!!! i really want to go!!!!
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Lakes! Let's talk lakes. I know there's a ton of lakes in this area. How many can you drive to, and what are the conditions? Here's what I've seen:

- Spencer Lakes - no vehicle access, hike in only, can be seen from Gold Valley OHV Trail
- Wades Lake - no vehicle access, hike in only, can be seen from Gold Valley OHV Trail
- Jamison Lake - no vehicle access, hike in only, can be seen from Gold Valley OHV Trail
- Hawley Lake - private property, can be seen from Gold Valley OHV Trail
- Snake Lake - vehicle access via difficult Snake Lake 4x4 Trail
- Little Deer Lake - vehicle access via difficult Snake Lake 4x4 Trail
- Deer Lake - vehicle access via Deer Lake OHV Trail, but you must hike down, can't drive to the shore
- Packer Lake - paved road access

That's all I've seen. I think I saw on the Heep forums that they drove out to Smith Lake. Anybody else explore some "remote" lakes that don't have paved road access?

Here's my map again for reference

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vipergrhd said:
^^^ did you lost the keys to the handcuffs again? Just kidding,there is still a few months to prepare.
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hahah im just waiting on approval for the days off of work.

The Machinist said:
My Dad just mentioned to me the other day that his buddies finally decided on the dates for their annual fishing trip to sardine lake (they've been going up there for most of the last 25 years!). I'll need to have him double check his calender for me, but I think it should be the weekend of May 17th. If I can make it this year I'd like to try to bring my 60, so if any of you guys just cant contain yourselves any longer, you'd be welcome to join me.
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man id love to. ill have to see whats up. either way ill see you saturday at the stockton meet.
 
jcardona1 said:
Lakes! Let's talk lakes. I know there's a ton of lakes in this area. How many can you drive to, and what are the conditions? Here's what I've seen:

- Spencer Lakes - no vehicle access, hike in only, can be seen from Gold Valley OHV Trail
- Wades Lake - no vehicle access, hike in only, can be seen from Gold Valley OHV Trail
- Jamison Lake - no vehicle access, hike in only, can be seen from Gold Valley OHV Trail
- Hawley Lake - private property, can be seen from Gold Valley OHV Trail
- Snake Lake - vehicle access via difficult Snake Lake 4x4 Trail
- Little Deer Lake - vehicle access via difficult Snake Lake 4x4 Trail
- Deer Lake - vehicle access via Deer Lake OHV Trail, but you must hike down, can't drive to the shore
- Packer Lake - paved road access

That's all I've seen. I think I saw on the Heep forums that they drove out to Smith Lake. Anybody else explore some "remote" lakes that don't have paved road access?

Here's my map again for reference
Click to expand...


Add Tamarak Lakes to the list as vehicle access, the trail is a little bit easier than the gold lake 4x4 trail. Dugan Pond is off of a fork in the trail to Tamarak Lakes, but I'm not sure if its on public land.

If I make it up there in May, I'd like to try to scout out Tamarak lakes and a few other areas near it as possible backup locations in the event the Gold Lake 4x4 camp if full.
 
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Get on it. Worst case, i can make a trip up there to scout out alternative campgrounds. How many are in so far? I'm going to count on about 20 rigs, so working off of that, we'll need a big ole spot. We may not be able to find "civilized" spaces, but i guarantee we'll still have fun. I have a couple buddies that may come, but they will not be in FJ's, so we can all make fun of them.
 
matttaylor1976 said:
Get on it. Worst case, i can make a trip up there to scout out alternative campgrounds. How many are in so far? I'm going to count on about 20 rigs, so working off of that, we'll need a big ole spot. We may not be able to find "civilized" spaces, but i guarantee we'll still have fun. I have a couple buddies that may come, but they will not be in FJ's, so we can all make fun of them.
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Yeah, when I first made this thread, I didn't expect more than 10 to show up... now 20 have confirmed, and like you mentioned, I know a few people who might go that are not on 'Mud...

The way I see it, the WORST case scenario is that we fill up the Gold Lake 4x4 campground and some of the group would have to camp in one of the surrounding area's camp-able spots. (although I would think that even if were close to capacity, we could cram the trucks together, especially those that sleep in the back of the rig, like myself, and don't need room to set up a tent/RTT.) IF we end up needing to use one of the backup sites, the people that preferred a developed site could use the Packsaddle Campground. (backups as of now are Tamarak Lakes, and the first link in this post: Spring/Summer Lakes Basin Cruiser Trip :NorCal:)

We were able to fit a lot of rigs in the back at Georg's FJ45 Run last year, I'll have to check with him on how many people were there, but I think we should still be able to make it work as planned. The FS website states that there are 16 campsites, an that you area allowed 2 vehicles per site... most of the times I've been there, the busy sites have had 4+ trucks in them, so I'm not terribly worried about not having enough room. Little Gold lake also should have some decent room to stash a few rigs, and those sites are not official sites listed on the FS site. However, its never a bad idea to have a backup plan, especially with this many people relying on my planning :eek:.
 
Its definitely going to be interesting. Let me know if you need any help with anything. Here are the directions to my place, if you want to add them to the front page, go for it.

12898 Madrone Forest Drive
Take 49 towards Grass Valley
Take the Brunswick road exit, make a right.
(gas now, or on the way down at the flyers on the right)
Continue on Brunswick for approx 3/4 of a mile, and make a Left on Idaho-Maryland road
Make a right onto Madrone Forest Drive (approx 1 mile up Idaho-Maryland)
Towards the end of the road, you will climb a hill that veers right, at the top, make a hard left, then an immediate right.
I am behind the wood fence, if you cross the creek, you went a bit to far.
 
matttaylor1976 said:
Its definitely going to be interesting. Let me know if you need any help with anything. Here are the directions to my place, if you want to add them to the front page, go for it.

12898 Madrone Forest Drive
Take 49 towards Grass Valley
Take the Brunswick road exit, make a right.
(gas now, or on the way down at the flyers on the right)
Continue on Brunswick for approx 3/4 of a mile, and make a Left on Idaho-Maryland road
Make a right onto Madrone Forest Drive (approx 1 mile up Idaho-Maryland)
Towards the end of the road, you will climb a hill that veers right, at the top, make a hard left, then an immediate right.
I am behind the wood fence, if you cross the creek, you went a bit to far.
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Cool, I'll add something to the front page. I think it would be great to get a group together and have a caravan of cruisers run up the dirt road to Packer Saddle, (maybe making a quick detour to the Buttes lookout tower?) and down into Gold Lake the back way.

I'm still undecided on whether or not I'll leave Thursday night after work or early Friday morning, but if I leave Friday I would really like to try to meet up somewhere with some of you guys and caravan in. ...Cruiser caravans are just cool to look at! :cool:


I'll be at the swap meet in Stockton tomorrow if anyone wants to discus the trip.
 
I'll be coming in Friday morning and would join you on a run into gold lake the back way.

I think Lndcrshr is also coming. I'm sure he'll post up sooner or later. Sounds like it's gonna be a BIG group.
 
I was laughing with my kids about this trip and the mile long caravan of Cruisers. It will be one heck of a sight. I can fit 15 rigs easily in my "backyard", and at least 10 out front. So for those of you that want to meet here, we'll have plenty of room to stage before we head out.
 
"Mob" will be the appropriate word!
 
After talking with some of you at the swap meet on Saturday, I can confidently say that the lakes basin area will be thoroughly saturated with Toyota's during this weekend...
 
Ill cruise up for a night if i get some free time...Frazier falls is down the road huge water falls fun hike with the family
 
@jcardona1 - nice yak... however you and the wife should try paddleboarding, very different vantage point and tons of fun. Wife and I have been doing it (with the occasional race here and there) for a few years now. If you want to watch it first, keep and eye out for the Tahoe Nalu and O'Neil Cups up in Tahoe and head up one day for the races. Race days are lots of fun with tons of vendors (and lots and lots of hot, fit chicks you like that kind of thing!!!)

@The Machinist - D, meant to talk to you about this when my dad and I ran into you at the swap meet. Did the dates change? For some reason I was thinking it was the middle/end of June originally and the wife and I are headed to NYC again for her work then, so I was bummed.

Here is a dumb question for everyone...... Who is bringing their SO? Mine wants to come but says "Negative if it is just the boys." She could give us a run for our money but she doesnt want to be one of the only or one of only a handful of women there. Difference for me is either sleeping in the truck or having to pitch this awesomeness!!! :grinpimp:


Fizzy Canvas Tent by renofizz, on Flickr

Good thing for me is that this actually should give me enough time to do my knuckle rebuild, fix my rust AND get new tires!!!
 
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