The drive on highway 88 is spectacular, curvy roads, big trees, and great views looking back towards the valley. Our destination was Salt Springs Reservoir, tucked on the Southwestern Corner of the Mokelumne Wilderness, with a great creek with natural waterslides and rocks for jumping off, as well as several flat areas for camping outside of the national forest campgrounds.
We stopped in Pioneer, CA at the Ranger Station where I ran into a girl that I went all the way through grade school with who was working behind the counter. We registered for a free fire permit, and continued upward, enjoying the cooling temperatures with every 1000-foot elevation sign we passed. Upon turning down Ellis Road, we descended through fire scarred, and “selectively-logged,” aka clear-cut, areas, and found our way to the bridge where my sister and I said that we would meet. My sister wasn’t there, but Melissa’s hawk-eyes spotted a sign on the nearby post, “Justin, 3.8 miles ahead on the main road, look for the purple car.”
We zigzagged over the clean drinking water flume and down to the very bottom of the canyon, where the headwaters of the Mokelumne reside and the once Miwoks called home. We passed a second bridge, where my sister and I camped years back with a couple of swim-team families, and there lived another sign, “Justin, 1.1 miles down the main road, look for Joel’s car.” I mumbled as I got out the car, thinking this was a little overkill, and Melissa responded, “It wouldn’t of been overkill since you would have missed the first sign, had I not spotted it.” “Touche!” I replied.
There, 3.8 miles, and 1.1 miles from the respective signs, nestled on the granite boulders above the gentle flowing creek, stood a giant tent and cooking area, my sisters first campsite as an adult. Oliver, her dog, was there to greet us, but he seemed pretty exhausted, rightfully so, after my sister described all the rock-hopping and swimming their day entailed. They arrived the day before with a late night arrival due to a long drive from Santa Cruz.
We immediately hopped in the frigid waters and splashed around enjoying the sun sliding behind the hillside. We then offered our help for dinner preparation, but my sister and Joel took care of the majority as Melissa and I sat down and enjoyed the best outdoor camping feast I have eaten to date. We had sweet yellow corn on the cob, sweet potatoes, and grilled chicken with bell peppers and onions. We lounged around the rocks and told some old stories from childhood. The stars lit up the sky as we nestled in for another cozy night in the outdoors.
We awoke to the sounds of stellar jays above the tent and I managed to catch a few photos before the sun came over the ridge. The light was incredible and the large moon was still out. Granola filled the belly and we did some yoga poses on the rocks as the sun warmed our faces. We packed up the belongings and drove the remaining 3 miles or so to the dam of Salt Springs Reservoir. We hiked over the boulders to a small spot where we wouldn’t disrupt the fisherman down shore. We swam and admired the distant peaks and Calaveras dome, a huge plug of granite; I would imagine a climber’s paradise.
Following our dip, we drove to a small cutout in the trees that I took notice of on the way in, here there was a large granite slope that looked fun to scramble up. We packed the sandwiches Janna had prepared and laughed as Oliver’s 4-wheel drive doglegs navigated the slope. We ate lunch beneath an oak tree and looked down the valley as I imagined it filled with a glacier that beautifully carved each feature.
When the water ran out (to be honest we didn’t carry that much) we down climbed to the car and I chatted with a couple of rangers who were monitoring the busy weekend. They mentioned that they had written a few campfire citations, $375, but otherwise it was a pretty low-key holiday.
On our way out we stopped at the first bridge, which was always our favorite spot, home to natural slides, rocks for jumping off, and a large rock that you can slide under and hang out in a small cavern beneath the wedged boulder. We slid down the rocks, and even included Ollie in the fun….
Overall the trip was incredible, and the first time my sis and I have shared time in the outdoors since her and my pops hiked into Lake Aloha while we were on the PCT, click here to read a previous blog entry on that trip. Thanks for your invitation, planning, and smiles… we really enjoyed our Labor Day getaway.
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