Getting into Bowman Lake

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hemingray
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Getting into Bowman Lake

Postby hemingray » Mon May 28, 2012 10:21 am

I decided to switch over to the Bowman Lake area, knowing that the upper parts are probably still snowbound with roads blocked on the north sides. Still, there are views to be had!

Despite the improving weather, it was still looking dark once I got up there. But no rain was forecast, so let's go!

The usual puddles are present on the first stretch.

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But it looks really dark over Celina Ridge.

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Bowman Lake looks wintery too.

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As does McMurray Lake. Something new this year is tons of No Trespassing signs around the area and access to the lake is blocked with rocks, tree trunks etc.

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Pinoli Peak has some sun on it though.

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A few mucky areas - and a lot of downed trees (that have been mostly cleared) on the 41 road.

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East Fork Creek, my 2nd favorite creek crossing.

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Nothing like riding surrounded by nature... (cue sound of record needle ripped off the record)
Actually, this shows the historic Milton-Bowman ditch. I'm sure the stumps on the banks were trees that sprouted while the ditch was still carrying water.

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For a short while, off the rocky 41 and onto the smooth 41 - though there is still winter debris. Gas on anyway!

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From a high-up log landing (one of the mothers of all log landings), a scenic but still dark view.

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At another log landing, the C Team must have been grading that day. They ran a ditch along the mountainside, downhill to the end and dumped it across the road. Now there's a huge gully. Bad form - most log landings are graded and drained to avoid gullying.

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On around Pinoli Peak, finally got slammed by snow, much earlier than I expected. I couldn't even walk the quad across, it was sloppy, soppy wet crud. Ahead the whole road is covered.

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On the way back down, I found - at the end of a road - a HUGE landslide. I guessed about 5 years ago or so. A huge section had slumped down into the canyon.

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The lower part must have filled the canyon for awhile.

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It just tore away from the upper part.

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Most of the snags and whatnot are angled towards the hillside because of how the soil moved. If you look closely, there is one tree that survived and the upper growth has straightened up.

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I had to go ALL the way back to Bowman Lake via Weaver and McMurray Lakes again. Still having some time left, I motored up to Faucherie Lake.

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Along the way, a Jeep that couldn't cut it. I can see an expensive tow in the future for this one (it's going to have to have the front stabilized or pulled as well.)

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I don't think the climber's rope is going to prevent disaster if the thing decided to go further over. It's about 30 feet down to the next tree....

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A new oddball at Jackson Creek Campground. Aside from the fact that I (6'2") would have trouble reaching the top clips and there is no ADA compliance, the ludicrousness of saying not to tack messages to trees when there are so many forest markers nailed into trees all over struck me as pretty funny.

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Lastly, there are fine new signs at both ends of Bowman Lake.

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A fun, but pretty cold ride. Nice to see so much water running - Usually most of it is gone by the time this area is accessible.
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Re: Getting into Bowman Lake

Postby EigerMike » Mon May 28, 2012 10:43 pm

thanks for shareing dave i felt like i was with you with all the pics! just what i needed! :D
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Re: Getting into Bowman Lake

Postby Ken » Tue May 29, 2012 9:15 am

Should a called...I would have gone for a day ride close by...
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Re: Getting into Bowman Lake

Postby hemingray » Tue May 29, 2012 1:45 pm

But it was all flat with no crawling! ;-)

I'm really bad about planning - destinations are spur of the moment, sometimes not happening until I'm at the freeway still trying to decide which way to turn. I literally was planning on Mosquito Ridge Road until I hit the freeway.
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Re: Getting into Bowman Lake

Postby Ken » Tue May 29, 2012 2:29 pm

I hear you.....most of the time...Scott or Jack...it's that night....when we make plans. Very seldom is one sitting on the calendar for a month....
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Re: Getting into Bowman Lake

Postby hemingray » Tue May 29, 2012 3:06 pm

However, I AM planning on Payne Creek in March... Just to let you know...
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Re: Getting into Bowman Lake

Postby EigerMike » Tue May 29, 2012 5:56 pm

hemingray wrote:However, I AM planning on Payne Creek in March... Just to let you know...
hey so am i!!!!! :D
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Re: Getting into Bowman Lake

Postby blm510 » Wed May 30, 2012 8:50 pm

EigerMike wrote:
hemingray wrote:However, I AM planning on Payne Creek in March... Just to let you know...
hey so am i!!!!! :D

OF WHAT YEAR ??????
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Re: Getting into Bowman Lake

Postby Ken » Thu May 31, 2012 1:59 pm

The 12th Of Never....
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Re: Getting into Bowman Lake

Postby hemingray » Thu May 31, 2012 9:07 pm

I still would like to check out the site of the English Dam when things get a little more open up that way.

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There's also the little matter of the Bent Monument, something I keep telling myself I'm going to get to someday to see what it is (if anything at all!)

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Re: Getting into Bowman Lake

Postby Rubicon_Rider » Sun Jun 10, 2012 11:39 am

I rode from Cisco Grove on Friday June 8th, the conditions where excellent, the only snow blockage we had was trying to get to a Lola Montez Lake.
Is there a way to get to the Bowman Lake Area from Cisco Grove staging area? We rode upto Signal Peak and saw a trail heading in that direction but we where running out of time, it appears that it may lead toward the Fordyce trail which I don't want to attempt again.

You took some nice photo's of the Bowman Lake area, I wanted to go there but Cisco was quicker to stage off of 80, i rode Bowman once before and there are lots of lakes to ride to, plus i want to ride to Washington for lunch one day from there.

i took a friend that just purchased a 2000 Grizley 600 so it was on it's maiden voyage for him.
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Re: Getting into Bowman Lake

Postby hemingray » Sun Jun 10, 2012 12:10 pm

Thank you for the compliment on the pictures!

Technically the only way from Cisco to Bowman would be up to near Fordyce Lake, then down to the Committee Crossing of Fordyce Creek and up the Fordyce trail to Meadow Lake, then over to Bowman. There isn't any other access.

The trail off Signal Peak goes down to the Fordyce trail staging area, or wraps around to go down the Switchback Trail which meets the road down to Cisco.

That's a nice area but it's very limited, unfortunately. The view from Signal Peak is worth the price of admission though!

Obviously, the rides from Bowman are widely varied: branches to Washington (and you can ride around Celina Ridge), or you can go to Milton Reservoir and meet with Henness Pass Road, or ride up to Meadow Lake and White Rock Lake. I'm not sure if there is a (legal) way to get from the Meadow Lake roads to the Yuba Pass area - that would be cool. Meadow Lake Road itself hits pavement at Fibreboard Road.
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Re: Getting into Bowman Lake

Postby Rubicon_Rider » Sun Jun 10, 2012 12:28 pm

Wow you really know the area well!

We rode to the Fordyce Dam and it was a dead end, didn't see any other trails from the lake area.
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Re: Getting into Bowman Lake

Postby hemingray » Sun Jun 10, 2012 1:41 pm

Well, thanks, I guess it's from so much exploring. I drove that area a lot with my truck before my ATV days, and I like to connect things together (make loops, avoid out and backs, etc.) and find views. While it's a few more paved miles to drive into the Bowman area (I unload right where the pavement ends), the area is a huge area to explore. (Note - I would not take my stock 4x4 truck in most of those areas now, they've become too rutted for stock height)

I forget if you've been into the Foresthill Divide area - driving to Robinson Flat at the end of the paved road gives you access to a heck of a lot to explore both directions from there.
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Re: Getting into Bowman Lake

Postby Rubicon_Rider » Sun Jun 10, 2012 9:53 pm

I was there once in 2006 when i first got my quad, i remember it being alot of good riding, it was my first ride ever. i want to go back to that area someday. i rode from the staging area at Sugar Pine last year, it was good, put on a lot of miles but the high sierra is much better.

i like loops too, but it takes some good planning.
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