Jackson Lake

The local news was informing me that our upcoming weather forecast was to be unseasonably hot, so on our days off we decided to cool off with some mountain camping. I believe we have done a pretty good job of visiting all the nearby campgrounds so this trip it was time to go to higher elevations. Angeles Crest Highway is 66 miles long and passes through the San Gabriel Mountains. The highest point reaches over 7,900 feet at the Dawson Saddle making this road one of the highest in Southern California.

 

This also marks a new altitude record for our beloved air-cooled 81 Westy. Although the climb is steep, it's not too steep and we were able to make it in 3rd gear for most of the trip averaging 35-40mph. With the hot temperatures of the valley behind us, we arrived at Lake Campground which was located right beside Jackson Lake.

 

After setting up camp we explored some of the many hiking trails close by.

Followed by some play time in the campground (which we had all to ourselves)

Of course one of the main reasons we chose this campground was to enjoy the lake. Jackson Lake was formed by earthquake movements along the San Andreas Fault that cut a jagged path through the area. Mostly fed by snow runoff from the mountains, it was once a source of summer fun with swimming, boating, and fishing. Today it is still a hub for scenic campgrounds and picnic areas but with the California drought, the lake is now a much smaller example of it's former self. I found some old photos of the lake in all it's glory which is another sad example of the drought California has suffered for so many years.
Here is a shot from the 1960's with Table Mountain in the background.

And our shot with Table Mountain in the background.

Another vintage picture showing how abundant the water once was.

A similar perspective today.

 

Although sad, it didn't stop us from appreciating what water there was left to enjoy.

The night was chilly but we were nice and warm in the camper.

 

In the morning we packed everything up and headed back home while enjoying even more stunning views including a scenic drive through Wrightwood.













After discovering there are several campgrounds in the area, we will definitely be returning to this beautiful slice of California.

Malibu

I must admit that I do miss experiencing the distinct seasonal changes living in Southern California but I can't complain too much when you can head to the beach in October and still enjoy beautiful sunny and warm weather. With my wife off work during the weekday, we were able to secure some beach camping at Sycamore Cove campground.

I'm happy we decided to bring our bikes because in addition to the 5 miles of shoreline, there was over 70 miles of hiking/biking trails.

 

This doesn't look like much of a hill but I was pretty spent after climbing it with the trailer.

Sandwich break.

After biking we were able to take a short walk to the beach to cool off.

The campground is part of Point Mugu park which features the distinctive Mugu Rock.

 

Meanwhile, back at camp..

 We cooked up some dinner.

Then got things ready for star gazing followed by bed.

After packing up, we took our time getting back home so we could view the beautiful coastline.











Lake Hemet

When we arrived in California back in 2013, I started doing some research on places to camp near bodies of water. I guess I subscribed to some type of e-mail list from Lake Hemet because I have been receiving fish re-stocking updates for the past 3 years. At 4,340ft in the San Jacinto Mountains lies Lake Hemet, an artificial lake created in 1895 with the construction of the Hemet Dam. In addition to fishing, there is a large campground offering boating, swimming and hiking.

Having arrived during the off-season allowed us the pick of virtually any site. We chose one close to the water and with some trees to hang our hammock.

I was told the campground fills up on weekends during the summer but we had the whole lake to ourselves.

It was yet another stunning SoCal day to soak up the sun and enjoy the views - especially from the back of the camper.

Although we like extended trips in the Vanagon, this was just a short overnighter which makes it easier to pack and only I have to prepare one day's worth of food. Either way, it's always a pleasure cooking in this kitchen.

We finished the day with dinner on the picnic table and then were able to watch the moon rise.

The night turned out to be quite cold and in hindsight, we should have brought our heater but we survived and woke up to another beautiful day. We couldn't resist a shot by the lake before leaving for home.





Dana Point x3

With summer almost over and kids back to school, it's much easier to find some beach camping (at least on a weekday). I really dislike the idea of paying $8 simply to reserve a campsite and after checking reserve America's website for availability, we decided to take our chances on getting a beach campsite. Here is the family (minus me) getting geared up and excited about our one day trip.

Dana Point (Doheny State Beach) is one of our favorite places to camp mainly because it's right on the beach and has some great surf for my wife to get her body boarding fix. The procedure for securing last minute beach camping is to arrive at the campground before noon and ask the park aide if there are any open spots for the night. If there are more people waiting than spots available, they give you a number and if your number is called, then you can pick an available spot. We "won" one of three available spots and after paying our $35, set up camp. If you get a friendly employee, they sometimes even let you set up right away as opposed to waiting till 2pm which is the posted check-in time.
We managed to get a pretty nice spot close to the ocean.

I have to remind myself every once in a while how lucky we are to have such amazing weather in California and this day was no different. My wife quickly went off to do what she loves (body boarding) and I decided to stay in the van to finish my book.

This was also nap time so a perfect opportunity to try out our new super comfortable Rumpl blanket (thanks uncle Mark, auntie Kaci, and baby K)

Then we had to get our money's worth with more beautiful beach time.

The evening brought us a stunning sunset while we ate burgers cooked over the fire.

Although this was just a quick one day trip, it's always great to get some quality adventure time. On the drive back home I had my excellent navigators assisting with the directions.....till next time!