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skewness
Trad climber
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Topic Author's Original Post - May 8, 2017 - 08:03pm PT
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So, anyone know if the road up to 2WD camp is open/accessible yet? I’m in a 4x4 SUV with standard SUV clearance, no monster truck tires. Wondering what the stream crossings look like. How about Chiquito from the Bass Lake / Beasore side? 7S02 to Big Sleep? Thanks in advance to the peoples in the know!
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nopantsben
climber
europe
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+1!
How is it to get to chiquito dome from North Fork?
Any info is appreciated. Also on what's the best option if all roads are unpassable and you decide to walk :)
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mooch
Trad climber
Tribal Base Camp (Kernville Annex)
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Hey Jeremy -
How's the condition of Grizzly Road looking? Still locked?
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mooch
Trad climber
Tribal Base Camp (Kernville Annex)
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I generally avoid that area (too crowded now) until summer
How do you mean? Too many felled trees and such?
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looks easy from here
climber
Ben Lomond, CA
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All right, I just need that to last another 12 days...
Thanks.
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looks easy from here
climber
Ben Lomond, CA
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Copy. I'll only be at about 7k, and a bit further south, so I'm steeling myself for "pretty bad".
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mooch
Trad climber
Tribal Base Camp (Kernville Annex)
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Gotcha JR! Is that why I only see vapor trails from you two? The Brothers Of Obscurity! :)
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randy88fj62
Trad climber
LA, CA
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Jeremy,
I'm not up to date with the locals lingo. You mentioned Chiquito is open from North Fork.
Where is that in respect to Big Sleep?
Planning to camp there memorial day as usual with the crowds assuming it is open.
Road to Big Sleep passable with 4WD?
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randy88fj62
Trad climber
LA, CA
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Thanks Jeremy,
I have been in both ways to Big Sleep. I'm crossing my fingers the road gets opened to big sleep via the short pavement side. Or at least the gates opened.
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randy88fj62
Trad climber
LA, CA
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Keeping my fingers crossed the pavement side would be open then. Thank you for the updated information.
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skewness
Trad climber
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Topic Author's Reply - May 9, 2017 - 07:08pm PT
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Appreciate the info Jeremy! Hope to contribute an update in a few weeks.
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Ricky D
Trad climber
Sierra Westside
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May 12, 2017 - 01:36pm PT
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Buddy of mine just came down from Arnold Meadows. Minarets is open to about 3 Miles before Clover Meadow when you hit car eating drifts.
Beasore is mostly clear from Bass Lake until roughly the 7-8 mile mark.
Grizzly is still trapping vehicles about 5 Miles uphill from Lower Chiquito intersection.
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randy88fj62
Trad climber
LA, CA
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May 12, 2017 - 02:55pm PT
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Hi Ricky,
You are speaking local slang and it's hard for me to follow what is open.
I've been to big sleep dome / brown's meadow then offroaded dirt roads all the way to the shuteye peal lookout.
When I go to google maps and find arnold meadows it's hard for me to relate to the places I have been.
Could you help me out a little bit and refer to some of the climbing areas you can actually drive to or near?
Thank you.
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sneville
climber
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May 12, 2017 - 04:15pm PT
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As Jeremy said there is only one way into big sleep which is off of minarets. The turnoff is right near rock creek. The gate is open but in past years with less snow there are a bunch of shady areas that hold snow. Also, lots of trees on other roads needed to be cut out so there are probably a bunch on the way to big sleep. No way to tell unless you drive the road. If big sleep is not happening chiquito is good to go. I might head up there next weekend and will report back.
The ridge still has a lot of snow on the north side with big slabs of snow right up to the rock as seen from minarets road. IT will be awhile to get into high eagle. South facing stuff is good to go though.
Sean
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drljefe
climber
El Presidio San Augustin del Tucson
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May 12, 2017 - 04:40pm PT
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Fire up them chainsaws boys!
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randy88fj62
Trad climber
LA, CA
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May 15, 2017 - 09:43am PT
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I am going to try and push in to big sleep on saturday, May 27th with my 4x4 club and see how far we can get. We have chainsaws and winches.
We moved the large log blocking the trail to the lookout last year where all the side by sides and other people were bypassing and wrecking the area near the trail.
What is the best place to camp closest to the minaret road/turn off to big sleep?
I assume rock creek campground isn't open yet? Any forest land would work and we don't need running water or pit toilets.
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tacetman
Sport climber
Fresno, CA
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May 15, 2017 - 02:27pm PT
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I test-drove up there this weekend, partly to see what the roads were like, partly to see if I remembered how to get there.
Minarets Rd. is good. There is one big sunken part where it goes down to one lane for 10-15 feet. Other than that fine.
The dirt road is in relatively good condition. There were two washed portions with actively running water. One of them was fine. The other bottomed-out my Subaru Forester onto the fog lights. Lucky for me the only damage was plastic clips popping off/loose/breaking so some epoxy and an apology to my wife will fix it. Nonetheless if it erodes any more than it already has it's going to be a non-starter without higher clearance.
For reference my ground clearance is ~8.75".
There were big patches of snow starting about 1-1.5mi from the normal parking lot for Big Sleep. I hiked it and there were snowy patches all the way until you turn on 7S02M. Then it's smooth sailing.
EDIT: Oh, there's also a tree fallen lengthwise onto the road. An ATV could easily get around it. I doubt I could've gotten my Subaru (or most passenger vehicles) by. As said above...fire up them chainsaws!
Approach was wet and there's a lot of snow at the belay for the first pitches but...looked climbeable.
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randy88fj62
Trad climber
LA, CA
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May 15, 2017 - 02:50pm PT
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Thanks for all the updates. That's good news Jeremy. My club will be taking chainsaws and one of our members has a big boy chainsaw with a long bar beyond my abilities to describe.
With 10 trucks, winches, and chainsaws we should be able to clear any treefall.
I'll post up conditions after memorial day, same as I did last year.
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