- Location
- Bakersfield, CA
The annual Swamp Lake XJ run is coming up, and I wonder who's planning to make it?
Minumum equipment for this run is a locker or good limited slip, 31's, and rock rails.
We will leave from Dinkey Creek on Friday morning, around 8:30. We'll camp Thursday night at our usual place at Dinkey, and since we're running it south to north this year, we can air down and leave right from camp. There are bathrooms and showers close by, and a store with supplies and ice. We'll be camping Friday and Saturday nights on the trail at Grouse Lake, and heading out from there to finish the trail on Sunday morning. Some of us are going to run Bald Mtn trail on Sunday afternoon, since we'll drive right past the trailhead coming out from Swamp.
Here are directions to where we'll be camping on Thursday night. Take Hwy 168 heading NE out of Fresno/Clovis, towards Shaver Lake and Huntington Lake. If you're coming from the south, exit Hwy 99 at Kingsburg and go north until you reach Hwy 168 (about 30 miles), then make a right. If you're coming from the north, exit Hwy 99 at Herndon, and drive all the way through town, then bear left onto Hwy 168. The new freeway through Fresno turns into Hwy 168, so you can take it off either Hwy 99 from the north or Hwy 41 from the south, if you want.
So, heading NE on Hwy 168, follow the signs to Shaver Lake, which is roughly an hour drive from Fresno. As you are coming into the town of Shaver Lake, make a right turn onto Dinkey Creek Rd, where there will be a sign saying Wishon and Courtright Reserviors. Continue on Dinkey Creek Rd for around 15-20 miles, and as you are coming into Dinkey Creek, look for another sign saying Wishon and Courtright Reserviors. Make a right turn at this sign onto McKinley Grove Rd......very important! If you miss this right turn, you will drive past the ranger station and the Dinkey Creek store and end up at Dinkey Campground. After making the right turn onto McKinley Grove Rd, immediately crossing the Dinkey Creek bridge, go for about 1/4 mile and look for the Camp Fresno sign on the left. At this sign, there are two roads that go to the left, the first cuts back sharply and goes to Camp Fresno, the second is road 10S36. Turn left onto 10S36 and immediately turn right into the trees, which is our camping spot. We'll keep a CB handy on channel 4 if you get close and have any trouble.
This is not a developed campsite, so there are no fees or facilities, but bathrooms are close at the ranger station or at the picnic area next to Dinkey Creek. If you can, bring a little firewood.
See you there,
Minumum equipment for this run is a locker or good limited slip, 31's, and rock rails.
We will leave from Dinkey Creek on Friday morning, around 8:30. We'll camp Thursday night at our usual place at Dinkey, and since we're running it south to north this year, we can air down and leave right from camp. There are bathrooms and showers close by, and a store with supplies and ice. We'll be camping Friday and Saturday nights on the trail at Grouse Lake, and heading out from there to finish the trail on Sunday morning. Some of us are going to run Bald Mtn trail on Sunday afternoon, since we'll drive right past the trailhead coming out from Swamp.
Here are directions to where we'll be camping on Thursday night. Take Hwy 168 heading NE out of Fresno/Clovis, towards Shaver Lake and Huntington Lake. If you're coming from the south, exit Hwy 99 at Kingsburg and go north until you reach Hwy 168 (about 30 miles), then make a right. If you're coming from the north, exit Hwy 99 at Herndon, and drive all the way through town, then bear left onto Hwy 168. The new freeway through Fresno turns into Hwy 168, so you can take it off either Hwy 99 from the north or Hwy 41 from the south, if you want.
So, heading NE on Hwy 168, follow the signs to Shaver Lake, which is roughly an hour drive from Fresno. As you are coming into the town of Shaver Lake, make a right turn onto Dinkey Creek Rd, where there will be a sign saying Wishon and Courtright Reserviors. Continue on Dinkey Creek Rd for around 15-20 miles, and as you are coming into Dinkey Creek, look for another sign saying Wishon and Courtright Reserviors. Make a right turn at this sign onto McKinley Grove Rd......very important! If you miss this right turn, you will drive past the ranger station and the Dinkey Creek store and end up at Dinkey Campground. After making the right turn onto McKinley Grove Rd, immediately crossing the Dinkey Creek bridge, go for about 1/4 mile and look for the Camp Fresno sign on the left. At this sign, there are two roads that go to the left, the first cuts back sharply and goes to Camp Fresno, the second is road 10S36. Turn left onto 10S36 and immediately turn right into the trees, which is our camping spot. We'll keep a CB handy on channel 4 if you get close and have any trouble.
This is not a developed campsite, so there are no fees or facilities, but bathrooms are close at the ranger station or at the picnic area next to Dinkey Creek. If you can, bring a little firewood.
See you there,
arty:
