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Post by SSO JOAT on Aug 16, 2013 19:16:25 GMT -9
Hey People!!!
Saw a yeller leaf the other day. Anyone interested in pulling together a Fall version of the HOBO CITO weekend? Time is short if we are going to try. From where I'm sitting, the weekend of Sept 28 or Oct 5 is about all I have to work with.
We still have the 3rd highway cleanup that needs to be done as well.
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Post by barnacle9 on Aug 16, 2013 19:43:06 GMT -9
I might actually be able to participate - sounds like fun!
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Post by akgh519 on Aug 18, 2013 6:22:22 GMT -9
Sounds like fun The last was a blast!
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Post by SSO JOAT on Aug 18, 2013 6:44:38 GMT -9
What about condensing down to Sat-Sun with just one campout on Sat night? The weekend of Sept 28-29 might be the best option (after the major hunting seasons are closed, fishing is wrapped up, and most tourists have fled the state in advance of snow). We can meet at a CITO site on Saturday mid-day for a couple hour clean up of somewhere (Seward, Kenai, somewhere in the middle?) and then travel to a middle site for our campout (KNWR, Cooper Landing, T-Pass?) where we'll have a social event. Then Sunday morning will start with a CITO at or near the camping site. Finally, a road trip to Girdwood for our 3rd and final Highway CITO in the afternoon.
We had problems getting a good turnout with the Friday night start last time, and given the short notice, it might be best to just keep it as simple as possible this time.
Another passing thought would a number of Micro-CITO sites that are closer together. For instance, a run might be Quartz Creek to Turn Lake to Devil's Creek to Summit Lake to Hope Junction to Granite Creek to Johnson Pass to Bertha Creek to Turnagain Pass... or whatever we might fit in there with sites that can be done in less than an hour with very short travel in between. Thoughts?
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Post by akgh519 on Aug 18, 2013 11:57:16 GMT -9
The idea of hitting multiple trailheads sounds good. If you have lots of folks you could have a few stop at one a few at the next ie not everyone would have to stop at all.
You could have snow that early in the pass but I don't think it would be a problem. If it is to much skip that portion.
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Post by TheFirefly on Aug 19, 2013 20:40:52 GMT -9
I've got company in town through that weekend...but that said, they have flights from Anchorage Monday, so it is possible we could make a weekend of heading toward the big city. I like the idea of the 2 day with one campout this time. It will probably make it more doable for more folks. And, much as I hate to admit it, doing it up the road will probably get more turnout, because many folks won't come all the way to Homer. (Why is it that it is so much longer for folks to come this way than they think it is for us to come that way? But I digress...) The one thing I noticed with the first HOBO CITO was that to end with the Girdwood Highway CITO was almost an anti-climatic end to the event. A smaller group had traveled together for the weekend, only to join up with 4 times as many folks who already knew each other, the area, and where they were going to pick up, so the HOBO CITO part just kinda vanished into an established event. A minor point, obviously, but an observation.
I'm intrigued by the idea of the multiple trailheads, but I don't quite know that stretch well enough to have a good mental picture of how that would work. I like the concept, though. Thinking farther on Ray's comment, a few groups could leap-frog sites, and then meet up for lunch/dinner/camping/whatever as a larger group.
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Post by barnacle9 on Aug 19, 2013 23:48:01 GMT -9
I'm liking the sounds of this . . .
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Post by akgh519 on Aug 20, 2013 3:21:05 GMT -9
Firefly said it better than me! And knew exactly what I meant about the leap frogging
And although I am part of the Seward hwy CITO group, I agree with you firefly...it was not the same vibe. Perhaps because there were so many people?!?
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Post by SSO JOAT on Aug 20, 2013 6:37:20 GMT -9
Hmmm, start with the highway and work South? That's certainly possible and might spur a higher participation rate out of the Anchorage group. Could hit Girdwood Saturday mid-morning (like 10ish) and do the highway as the kick-off. Then the HOBO group starts heading south. Maybe a leap-frogger from T-Pass down to Tern Lake. There are at least a half dozen trail-heads and campgrounds along the way and I bet we could hit all of them over about 3-4 hours. The campgrounds will get locked up after Labor Day weekend, IIRC. So we may not be able to drive into places like Bertha Creek and Granite Creek as the gates may be closed. Will have to make direct contact with a Chugach National Forest official to confirm all of that, plus get them on board with a CITO series through their managment area.
That still puts the camping area in the middle where we could target anything from Russian River to Quartz Creek to Kenai Lake. The Sunday CITO can then target the campground where we stay and then maybe we move on toward Seward? Might want to ping in some of our Seward based cachers and maybe look at a site in or near Seward for the grand finale? Finish up with a dinner party at a local eatery?
Datewise, I'm game for either Sept 28-29 or Oct 5-6. Seth, are you still available on the Oct 5-6 weekend?
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Post by barnacle9 on Aug 20, 2013 10:40:58 GMT -9
Unless for some crazy reason I get dispatched to Controller Bay/ Bering River area, either weekend should work for me. I will be headed South in October, but can plan on doing it right after that weekend . . .
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Post by Event Master on Aug 20, 2013 14:09:10 GMT -9
Planning and discussion of the Fall 2013 HOBO CITO series.
Event and new thread created.
Existing discussion moved from the Spring 2013 HOBO CITO series thread over to its own thread.
Carry on...
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Post by barnacle9 on Aug 21, 2013 9:42:20 GMT -9
So, I'm considering heading over to the Kenai Peninsula a few days in advance of this little event, and maybe doing a little camping, biking, kayaking, and geocaching while I am at it. Anyone have any favorite spots for those activities that time of year?
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Post by akgh519 on Aug 21, 2013 14:40:28 GMT -9
Depending on your kayaking skills you might consider a paddle to caines head in resurrection bay and visit the bunkers etc that were built during ww2. I have not but hear it is great. If you are an avid paddler, you could head out to rugged island and up to the bunker. There is a cache there that has only been visited a couple of times and the last time I looked had not been found in years
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Post by akgh519 on Aug 21, 2013 14:43:47 GMT -9
The hike up to corgi flyer by the corgi clan near hope is a nice hike and would be even more beautiful as the leaves turn
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Post by akgh519 on Aug 21, 2013 14:44:43 GMT -9
Crescent lake and trail should also be considered...
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Post by akgh519 on Aug 21, 2013 14:45:52 GMT -9
If you want an extreme hike...solve the geoart in the middle of Turnagain arm...
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Post by barnacle9 on Aug 21, 2013 14:52:08 GMT -9
Thanks for the info! I should try to stay on topic here, but I wonder if anyone knows of good camping areas that would be open at that time. If not officially designated, perhaps there are some spots where you can just camp for a day or two. These areas might be good targets for CITO. Maybe I could just get the ball rolling myself wherever I find to camp . . .
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Post by SSO JOAT on Aug 21, 2013 15:19:11 GMT -9
Most of the Chugach NF campgrounds are moth-balled after Labor Day weekend. But, I would check the reservations website for the specific places you are thinking about. recreation.gov
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Post by barnacle9 on Aug 23, 2013 8:13:05 GMT -9
Thanks - looking like slim pickins. I might be doing some camping of the cabin rental variety or just finding a cool spot to post up for the night -just curious where the event camping might take place
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Post by SSO JOAT on Aug 23, 2013 12:24:07 GMT -9
Yeah, I'm trying to pin down potential camping spots, but it's going to be tough with the campground closures taking place nearly a month before. With the CNF managing everything in that area, we may be forced to work outside of that area. The KNWR to the west is an option. So is Seward. Might be that we are forced to start at Girdwood Sat morning, do the tail head run down the highway through the afternoon, and end up in or close to Seward for the camping. Then we can do a morning clean up in Seward with a series ending lunch party.
I'm open to all suggestions...
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Post by ladybugkids on Aug 23, 2013 14:25:46 GMT -9
Fuzzybelly will need to confirm this...but, I believe the Seward Highway CITO has to be completed before either 15 or 30 September. DOT was a little bent last year when we CITOed in October.
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Post by SSO JOAT on Aug 23, 2013 15:04:48 GMT -9
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Post by NorthWes on Aug 26, 2013 10:37:38 GMT -9
Yeah, I'm trying to pin down potential camping spots, but it's going to be tough with the campground closures taking place nearly a month before. With the CNF managing everything in that area, we may be forced to work outside of that area. The KNWR to the west is an option. So is Seward. Might be that we are forced to start at Girdwood Sat morning, do the tail head run down the highway through the afternoon, and end up in or close to Seward for the camping. Then we can do a morning clean up in Seward with a series ending lunch party. I'm open to all suggestions... Foreman from Chugach National Forest's Kenai Work Center was just in the shop this morning picking up some new signs. He told me the Trail River Campground Eagle Loop (or whatever the loop is that goes down by the lake) and the Quartz Creek front loop (again, by the lake) will be open during September and in to October as snow (the lack thereof) permits. I will point out there's a few new caches to find along the Trail River access road and along the lakeshore...
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Post by SSO JOAT on Aug 26, 2013 11:37:55 GMT -9
Wes, do you have a good contact person at CNF that we can get in touch with to share info about what we are planning, so they know what we are going and they can tell us what we can do?
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Post by TheFirefly on Aug 26, 2013 14:04:41 GMT -9
I like the idea of starting with the Girdwood CITO and continuing from there. And I do need to get some caches over near Seward. I wish I knew that area better to be able to offer site suggestions. (Of course, I'll know more after this...)
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Post by akgh519 on Aug 26, 2013 16:20:49 GMT -9
They (CNF) have an office right there near trail river campground. That is a great campground and you could be in Seward in 20-30 minutes. The Seward highway series has several caches from trail river to Seward. Also, if you do trail river you might spark some interest from the Seward cacher's.
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Post by akgh519 on Aug 26, 2013 16:23:44 GMT -9
In Seward there is a puzzle cache about the salmon derby and one at the library. I enjoyed them both.
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Post by fuzzybelly on Aug 27, 2013 8:22:38 GMT -9
Starting this in Girdwood on Saturday and heading south sounds good. I wouldn't be able to participate on Saturday but could probably catch up by Sunday.
I certainly don't mind another host for the Girdwood area, and i don't think it matters when we do the clean up. I'd be happy to get you the box of bags I have and pick up the signs and vests and get them where they need be.
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Post by NeverSummer on Sept 4, 2013 15:38:15 GMT -9
I'm alive! I'm interested! I'll help! I'll plan! I'll host! Wait, did I save all of my enthusiasm over the summer? Sounds like it... I think a Saturday start for the CITO would be great, and to start either mid-peninsula and head to Anchorage, or the opposite. In my fishing exploits and other travel this summer I have noticed plenty of opportunities to do clean ups at trailheads and fishing pull-outs. I'd be happy to host the camping events again, and would think that, for a start in Girdwood, a Friday night event wouldn't have to be out of the question for the awesome, super-fun, exciting, wonderful, enthusiastic, devoted people who would commit to attending. My wife used to work with folks at CNF, so there are some connections I can work on. Kenai NWR is another option again if the Hobos wanted to head that-a-way... (A complete aside for context: I was offered a new job back at Alaska Maritime NWR, full-time, permanently. My summer of crazy, and annoying retail in Homer has ended, and I'm much more available evenings and weekends to help plan and such! Hooray!)
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Post by akgh519 on Sept 5, 2013 8:37:26 GMT -9
Good news and congratulations! Looking forward to another 'lab' early next year! Hint hint hint!
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