Outdoor Adventure USA

Over the last few years we've had trouble finding campsites that accommodate us properly for field day.
I've put together an excel spreadsheet of all the reservable sites in southern California that I was able to find, Im just asking that everyone here on the board take a look at this list and keep them in mind when wheeling, camping and hiking over the next year. If you're in an area near one of these sites then maybe you can drop by, scope it out, and report back here..
This way we're not frantically looking for good sites in the middle of winter in early 2014, when there are lots of closures.

In the excel spreadsheet you'll find the sites in order form the ones that accommodate the most number of vehicles to the least. You'll see that the ones of most interest and that will accommodate our group best, will be listed in the top 15 or so of the list.

Some things to keep in mind:
-We want a community Fire pit
-Easy access to the tables where we can spread the radios out a little bit and 'show off' the radios to new comers. (lets make next year a little more educational and more interactive.)
-high elevation preferably on a mountain top rather than in a valley.
-trees and space to put up antennas.
-a place to more or less 'hide' the generator where we can't hear it.

Please feel free to download the spreadsheet attached to this post, add notes to it and repost it.
Maybe by the end of summer this year we'll know where we're going to be for field day in 2014.
Let me know what you guys think and Thanks for the help!

Here is another pitch for Tehachapi Mountain Park. It's a bit further away from LA and Orange County but Tehachapi Mountain Camp offers some nice amenities which could entice broader participation. Maybe we could raise more interest in a larger dutch oven contest/potluck for the weekend. Having a full kitchen to prepare food would help get folks up there just for that. All of the desert area north of Mojave is nearby for trail runs.

http://www.co.kern.ca.us/parks/tehachapi.asp#sierra

http://www.turnto23.com/news/your-neigh ... ntain-park

If there is any interest I can take a run up there and get some pictures.

Thanks Bruce,
How far is it from you?
Some pictures of this place would help a ton.

Since we are currently in a "no-snow season", anyone can visit possible sites now and post some pictures.

There are a couple of other considerations to keep in mind as we look for other sites:

1. It must be accessible by two wheel drive vehicles;

2. It should be near good 4wd trails;

3. No generator restrictions;

4. A group campsite with space for at least 15 to 20 vehicles (and overflow parking would be nice too)

5. Driving time to the campsite should be reasonable. Ideally, it would be nice to find something between LA and San Diego, although the Los Padres NF was pretty good.

We need to get our campsite reserved as soon as reservations are allowed.

Also good points Dave.

Most of these sites outside of Big Bear can already be reserved on recreation.Gov

I'd really like to have this the bag before winter.

SteeevO wrote:Also good points Dave.

Most of these sites outside of Big Bear can already be reserved on recreation.Gov

I'd really like to have this the bag before winter.

Yes, now is the time to do this as there are a growing number of groups and individuals that are using the high level areas for Field Day. If the sites are available for reservation now, I suggest that we immediately reserve McGill and if we find another site, we can always get our fees refunded.

Any thoughts? If no objections, I will take cares of this now.

DaveK wrote:

SteeevO wrote:Also good points Dave.

Most of these sites outside of Big Bear can already be reserved on recreation.Gov

I'd really like to have this the bag before winter.

Yes, now is the time to do this as there are a growing number of groups and individuals that are using the high level areas for Field Day. If the sites are available for reservation now, I suggest that we immediately reserve McGill and if we find another site, we can always get our fees refunded.

Any thoughts? If no objections, I will take cares of this now.

I think that is a very good idea

NOTICE

Since there were no objections, I have reserved and paid for the McGill campground for Field Day / Summer Fest for 2014.

There is a nice campground called Campo Alto 6.5 miles west of the last location.
800' higher elevation and a large group area on top of Cerro Noroeste / Mount Abel.
N 34 49.887 W 119 12 .392 WGS 84

Would need to be checked out by the group but it has less people there than the Mt. Pinos area ever time were in the area.

Ken & Jill

Ken&Jill wrote:There is a nice campground called Campo Alto 6.5 miles west of the last location.
800' higher elevation and a large group area on top of Cerro Noroeste / Mount Abel.
N 34 49.887 W 119 12 .392 WGS 84

Would need to be checked out by the group but it has less people there than the Mt. Pinos area ever time were in the area.

Ken & Jill

Ken & Jill

Thanks for the info. We looked at this site for the last couple of years and its location is great as is the campground itself. My recollection is that there are a very limited number of campsites and no group site. I also seem to recall that there has been another Field Day group that has been using this site for some years. I think that SteeevO checked it out and we need his input. If anyone has more information on this site, or any other site, let us know. Pictures and an actual visit will help.

In the meantime, we have McGill reserved, but it can be changed.