Sportsmobile sales guy Nick and I decided to introduce our girlfriends to some boon dock camping SMB style over the 4th of July weekend 2011. We took a EB-50 4x4 up into the Sierras to see what type of trouble we could get into. Thanks to Dave Boyer for the great tips on some Sierra Mountain dirt roads! We took his suggestion on a road and drove down it to find a spot to camp. Note: The GF anxiety was pretty high as she is a master planner and we had no plans for a final destination
We ended up taking a dirt road just past the Dinkey Creek campgrounds near Shaver Lake, CA. After turning on the main road towards Wishon and Courtright we took the dirt road up from Camp Fresno. We stayed on this road for about 45 minutes until it stopped. There it turned into a smaller Jeep type of trail...just big enough for the SMB to tackle. At the end of this trail, we found our camp.
There was a river running down below our campsite
Nick and I convinced the girls to hike down to the river and eat lunch there. It was more of a sketchy slide down than a hike, but it was going to be totally worth it right girls?!
The water was pumping! There was a killer waterfall putting off a nice cool mist
We had lunch on the river bank just below the waterfall
After lunch it was time for the trek back up
"Okay, Okay, you were right...this was a bad idea" Yes, that was me talking to the GF. The hike back up SUCKED! It was more of free climb than anything. If you weren't strategic with your foot placement, you might end up back at the bottom in a matter of seconds. Aubrey was sure to make me aware of this and the danger that we would be in if somebody got hurt. About an hour later we made it to the top panting and cursing. It was definitely beer:30 according to my watch!
Am I glad we made the hike down? Yes. Would I do it again? Yes. Would I tell my GF that I was going again? NO! So I obviously wasn't going back down the following morning to try and land some of those Rainbow Trout I saw in the crystal clear water.
We ended up with a beautiful scene as the sun went down during dinner.
The following morning we decided to find a new spot to camp a little closer to a fishing hole.
A deer was there in camp to see us off.
After getting some ice at the Dinkey Creek store, we were advised to check out a place called Ross Crossing below Dinkey Creek. This was about a 45 Minute drive down a dirt logging road. There were some primitive sites down by the water and there was only one other guy there fishing.
The water was running pretty good there as well. It was a perfect little spot to drop a pole in the water.
Aubrey scored her first rainbow trout that afternoon!
There were some cool waterfalls coming into the creek just above the campsite.
All in all we had a blast! The girls loved the trip and are now totally sold on the boon dock camping idea. They also loved the Trasharoo!
As you all know, this just leaves us itching to do it all over again!
-Jonny